Zoo!

Once upon a time, my family went to the zoo every other birthday.  But until now, it has been AGES since I've seen a monkey in person.  Why it's been so long, I don't know.  You can't grow out of a zoo!!

Just look at these awesome creatures and tell me that you don't want to see them as up close as you can get without fearing for your life.

This guy was the reason I wanted to go to the zoo again.  A white tiger?!  Oh heavens yes!!!

I'll end with elephants 'cause that is what I think of when I think of a zoo.  You don't have elephants?  Then you don't have a zoo.

Measuring Myself by My Eleven Year old Standards

26.

If you had asked me fifteen years ago where I would be at 26, I probably would have told you that I would be married with at least one kid and living near either mountains or ocean.  Maybe I would have written a book or won an Olympic gold metal in swimming.  I would be a black belt in martial arts and be surrounded by friends.  I would have already seen Europe, and would be making my next big plans with my hubby.  And of course I would have my college degree; I would have that by 20.

And, somehow I would be famous, and I would have lots of friends.  Friends that didn't live far away or where imaginary.

Today I'm 26.

Today I know that I cannot measure up to my 11 year old dreams, at least not on that timeline.

But, my dreams are coming true.

They aren't quite the same, and they are much harder to earn than I ever could have imagined.  But change is happening, and that is what I wanted all along.  No, none of it looks how I would have imagined, but somehow it feels the same.

And, nobody else may be noticing either, but I feel it.

Instead of writing a book, I'm taking pictures: documenting the world around me as lovely as I can see it.  

I am making friends.

Maybe not lots and lots, but friends I really care about, and I know they care about me.  They actually want to be my friends (I never would have guessed).

I'm not married, nor have I seen any other country but the US and Mexico.  But I feel adventure swelling up at my feet, gradually taking me in deeper as I walk forward. 

I have to be honest, it's taken me a while to get my bearings on this whole life thing.  It kind of hit me like a stone wall as I stepped out of childhood.  I was so frustrated; everything just felt harder for me than it looked for other people.  It still does, but it's not so bad.  And now I believe I will get there.  Not to fame, maybe not even to marriage, but I'm getting somewhere.  God is showing me my steps one foot at a time, and I'm starting to get excited.

Here's to another year

Life Long and Forever: Jacqueline and Daniel

I have always loved the story where the life long friends fall in love, and their friendship turns into a romance.

Daniel and Jacqueline have such a story. It starts a long time ago with two little kids sharing their toys on the living room floor. And from that point they grew into an amazing woman and man. Daniel had a crush on Jacqueline as they started getting older. Her first thought was, "Ew!" They where like brother and sister: always a part of each other's lives and their families'.

But, about four years ago, Jaqueline's feelings changed, and a beautiful courtship began leading to a beautiful wedding.

Thanks Daniel and Jacqueline for letting me record your gorgeous wedding day!!

Special thanks to Barbra Banasky for the cakes, Tirzah Banasky for keeping us on time, Cecilia Lelina for decorating, and Emily DeVere Franklin for hair

21st Birthday Fun!

Twenty one years.

One moment I'm helping my little cousin in Awanas, and the next we are celebrating her 21st birthday! And what better way than to get her gang together and do a photo shoot :D (yes, I'm using a smily face as punctuation) Abby had this idea beacuse one of her friends, Pooja, is heading off and away to UTA, and we had to capture the moment while everyone was together. I was so excited for this shoot; One, I was going to be hanging out with the Amazing Abby, and next, I was going to get to know her wonderful friends.

Abby and her college buddies, Laura, Jen, Pooja, and Kristin, are such a blast! We had such a good time, and the laughter just kept coming.

We started with the birthday girl in some Breakfast at Tiffany style outfits. Being Audery Hepburn fans, we simply couldn't help ourselves.

And now comes the sun dresses...and the frolicking!

Abby, you are such a super model!