Day 32

Things I have learned so far...

1.  I prefer taking horizontal pictures

2.  I have a bit of a sappy side

3.  I am better at people pictures

4.  I am more comfortable with candid pictures

5.  Compositionaly I prefer fill the frame and close ups

6.  It is nice to have visual memories of things happening in my life

7.  Always having my camera is becoming second nature 

8.  I miss the way I took pictures in high school, with lights, a studio and a well thought out plan (or having a theme/project)

9.  Along with #8 I have lots and lots of ideas of things I want to do

(10.  And I would like a camera upgrade...)

I know it's only been a month but it is getting much easier to have my camera with me at all times.  I also feel less awkward taking pictures of the things I want to, asking people to pose and what not.  This is a good thing.  :)  Turns out most people don't actually mind having their picture taken or posing.  Not everyone but quite a few. 

And the below picture has nothing to do with anything I just said...

Day 31

I like this picture because it can be seen in two different ways.  One is a very carefree, top of the world sort of way.  The other is more pensive and contemplative, subdued even.  I feel like I am in both places.  Looking out at both my future and my past, trying to figure out what comes next and yet feeling free that I am not there yet.

Burn Out Brighter (Northern Lights) 

By Anberlin

Live; I wanna live inspired.
Die; I wanna die for something.

Racing towards the heavens, I fell into a pitch black.
I'm moments from landing, and I'm shaking like a heart attack.

Lose no time; cannot survive.
I made mistakes in the past.
Need a chance; can't take it back.
Wish I could set things right tonight.

Live; I wanna live inspired.
Die; I wanna die for something higher than myself.
Live and die for anyone else.
The more I live I see, this life's not about me.

All I know spins out of control.
Wonder what's next for heart and soul.
Nothing I have can save me now.
Here in what maybe my final hour.

It's my time, cannot survive.
I made mistakes in the past.
Need a chance; can't say goodbye.
Wish I could set things right tonight.

Live; I wanna live inspired.
Die; I wanna die for something higher than myself.
Live and die for anyone else.
The more I live I see, this life's not about me.

Don't wanna leave this world, knowing I've lived in vain.
No time for myself; so sorry, so ashamed.
Don't wanna leave this life, knowing I've barely tried.
Chase down all my dreams that I've hid away on the inside.

Live; I wanna live on fire.
Die; I wanna burn out brighter.
Brighter than the Northern Lights.
Wanna live to feel the daylight.
The more I live I see, this life's not about me

Day 30

I got the opportunity today to indulge in a childhood delight.  I watched The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh with the kids.  This was one of my favorite movies growing up (besides The Lion King of course).  I was kind of surprised that I could still quote the whole movie, songs and all, word for word.  It made me smile, though I'm pretty sure I annoyed the kids.  :)

(Above, Pooh has just eaten too much at Rabbit's house and is stuck in the front door.  Kanga brought honey suckle, which are not for eating)  :D

Day 29

Spent my first day with Matt and Lizzie looking for a pink Barbie car, goofing around, and baking cookies.  It has been a great start to hopefully a wonderful summer.

They were really, really excited about making cookies.  The anticipation was practically killing them.  Notice Lizzie's nose is in the bowl.  :)

Day 28

 

Cousins!!!  (Ariana and Anna)

Day 27

 

Mark and Kaitlin got married today.  It was a beautiful ceremony and they are very much in love.  These two wonderful people have been such a large part of my life for as long as I have known them.  They've been through a lot together already and have come out only stronger because of it, both the good and the bad.  As they start their new lives together they are surrounded by so much love, prayer and blessings from their families and friends.  I wish them all the happiness in the world for the rest of their lives.

Day 26

Getting ready for Mark and Kaitlin's wedding this week.  It's good to see lots of family and help people I love.  Spent the day cutting strawberries, skewering kabobs, printing programs, and in general trying to be useful.  The wedding is tomorrow.  It's going to be beautiful and I can't think of two more deserving people.  Love you Mark and Kaitlin!

Day 25

Forrest found a four leafed clover yesterday.  Thought it was epic enough to post even though technically I took the picture yesterday.

Day 24

The Thomas family has new house guests and they are pretty cute.  Turns out ducks don't like to be alone and act like herd animals.  They also exhaust themselves running around confused and eating bugs before collapsing in a heap of feathers.  :)

Day 23

(Vicky Scott at Chapters)

Day 22

Day 21

I got an email today reminding me to count my blessings.  First blessing I thought of was Chapters.  It seems silly but so much of my college experience revolved around this place (and continues to even after college).  I spent countless hours doing homework at a table, reading on a couch or spending valuable time with dear ones.  This place, the people who work there, and the coffee (or tea in my case) that they make has been an incredible blessing to me.  This is where I go if I want to be alone or if I feel like randomly hanging out with whoever happens to walk in the door.  It is here I am able to relax and talk about the ups and downs of life.  It sounds super sappy and kind of corny but hey, this place means a lot to me.  It is a book store after all, what better place to bring out my mushy side.  :)

Day 20

Day 19

Robyn is all grown up and graduated now!  So excited for her and whatever comes next.

Day 18

First day of summer vacation and she can't even ditch the backpack.  What a cutie!  :)

Day 17

Got my diploma in the mail today!  :)

Day 16

It's slug hunting season!

Day 15

Day 14

Got to spend the majority of the weekend with Kelsey.  That was definitely good for the soul.  Saw a ridiculous movie, ate out and watched Red Dwarf while eating lemon ice cream.  Doesn't get much better than that.  :)

Day 13

Robyn's graduation party was this weekend.  Good food, good people and a beautiful sister.  We are both incredibly blessed.

  Anna, Erin, Robyn and Tia.

Day 12

This picture wasn't taken today but I finished editing the wedding pictures and thought I'd share. 

Day 11

 
After a great day yesterday I came home not feeling so good and ended the night by dropping my cell phone in the toilet.  My wonderful roommate helped me to put it in rice and sent me off to bed.  Feeling better today and the phone still works so all is well again.  Moral of the story: don't try to set your phone on the counter when you don't feel good and your depth perception is off.

Day 10

This picture was taken yesterday just posted a day late cause the night did not end well but more on that in the next post.  :)

Went wine tasting with a friend yesterday and in general just had a good time.  Her husband works at this place and we got to support him on his first day of work.  Not that we were difficult customers.  The below wine was my favorite.

Day 9

 

From Matt's baseball game tonight.  They won 16 - 10.  Go Tigers!!!

Day 8

Today ended up being a lazy day: reading, wrapped up in a blanket.  It was nice and I'm trying not to think of it as wasteful.  Ironic that the book I'm reading is called Sinner.  :)

Day 7

So, today was not the best picture day and can't say I'm incredibly proud of the picture I took but I committed to a picture a day and a picture it is.

I saw this set of hand towels in Fred Meyer's today and it caught my eye.  The most likely reason is probably because four years of going to school for sociology has seeped into my brain and I can no longer blissfully look at the world as harmonious.  :)  Another reason is because I have been struggling with being a Quaker woman in a patriarchal world.  I do not know how to fit the two ideologies together sometimes and often the resulting emotion is anger, bordering on man-hating.  While I am desperately fighting the man hating because I know too many wonderful men in my life I do not always know what to do with the anger.  I hear stories from my female friends about ways they have been treated or ways in which men have used power over them and I get so frustrated.  Expressing this frustration is complicated as well.  The men in my life whom I love and trust do not always understand, either what I am talking about or how to not take the anger personally.  Finding the right woman is hard also.  I find someone as angry and confused as me and instead of working through it, it festers inside of me.  Also, as I listen to stories I realize that I have my own stories of ways in which being a woman has led to a less than advantageous outcome.  So, seeing these towels in the store today, at first I rolled my eyes and laughed, then I stopped and found myself asking, "how dare they?"  It's simply a set of towels but when you think about it what are they saying ans what kind of message are they portraying?  Maybe the towels really are just a silly thing but I don't think the struggle is.

Day 6

Mark Kelley and Sarah Staples got married today.  It was a beautiful wedding and the weather was wonderful.  Blessings to them as they start their lives together!

Day 5

First sunny day in a while and everyone wanted to enjoy it!

Day 4

Whether or not it's raining, which is does quite a lot here, I feel the need to be outside.  I was reminded of that today in talking to a professor.  There is something restful for the soul in being outside and working hard.  I wonder if part of my learning how to be still will involve physical labor, basking in the sun and maybe even occasionally walking in the rain.  That is why I took this picture today.  To remind me to rejoice and see beauty in places that could be seen as sad or where I feel hopeless and that I am doing nothing worthwhile in my life.  So, bring on the rain and the opportunity to take beautiful pictures.

Day 3

Went to a concert tonight at Coffee Cottage.  It was nice to get out of the house and got the added bonus of listening to friends play wonderful music.  Reminded me that I have a wonderful support group here in Newberg and have a lot to be thankful for. 

(Dustin Junkert & Cameron DeWhitt)