365

I'm sitting on my sofa, curled up under an electric blanket, trying to thaw my frozen toes. I'm watching Guy's Big Bite on the Food Network. And I'm daydreaming about one of my favorite things--photography.

I have decided to do another "365" project, in which I take at least one photo per day*. I've done a similar project in the past, in which I took a self-portrait (almost) every day for a full year. This time around, I'm expanding the scope of the project, and taking photos of different aspects of my daily life. So, the plan is that I will be taking more photos of places, things, and other people, and fewer photos of myself. Because, really, who wants to see my mug every day? I'm hoping that by the end of 365 days I will have grown by leaps and bounds in my photographic ability.

Interested? You can see my new (and old) photos on my Flickr page. I'm sure I'll also be posting some of my favorites on this blog from time to time.

And now, here are some of my most recent sources of photographic inspiration:

Shutter Sisters (Beautiful words and pictures every day.)

Rosina W's photos on Flickr (I feel especially inspired by her, because she created many of her gorgeous photos using the same type of camera that I have now.)

Wynona Robison's photo blog (Dreamy photos, often with Utah's natural beauty as a backdrop. These pictures will make you want to move out west.)

What new things will you be doing in 2010?


*Starting January 1, 2010.

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Year in Review

What is the biggest lesson you learned in 2009? When I asked myself the same question, what came to my mind most profoundly was this: Just because God is with you, it doesn't mean life won't be uncomfortable. Sometimes He makes you face your fears.

2009 was all about facing my fears (and trusting that God was with me the whole time). This year, I:

Got married. (On short notice, but right on time. Long story, maybe for another post.)

Had a (long, protracted) breast-cancer scare. (Thankfully, I don't have cancer.)

Had the biggest financial worries of my life to date. (Which are currently being resolved.)

Try breaking it to your family that you're getting married in two months.* Try not imagining the worst-case scenario as you go to specialist after specialist and have biopsy after biopsy in attempts to find out what could be wrong with you. Try not panicking as you realize that your student loan payments are going to be way more massive than you had anticipated. For me, getting through all of that without God would have been nearly impossible. But with God, I know that even the worst-case scenario isn't so terrible. With God, I was able to have awkward, difficult, and stressful conversations and sit through awkward, difficult, and stressful doctors' appointments, knowing that He was supporting me and giving me the strength to get through it all. Those situations were uncomfortable, to say the least, but God showed me that I could persevere despite my discomfort.

What was your biggest lesson this year?

*And no, I was not (and never have been) "in the family way".

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Today

I'm struggling with an assignment for work. I'm having a hard time focusing on it. I just want to get through it already. Not a very joyful attitude.

I'm wishing I were somewhere colder. I know that sounds crazy, given that today's high here is going to be in the forties. But, I'm dreaming of tall mountains and deep snow. Loads and loads of beautiful snow that stays for days or weeks. The kind that transforms your town into a brighter, softer version of itself.

That's how I am today. How are you?


My parents' street (but not their house) almost two years ago.

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This IS a Menorah

A two-dollar tin menorah at that. One day we'll buy ourselves a fancier one. For now, we're making memories of our humble beginnings.

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Hanukkah Day 1 (and Part of Day 2): The Highlights

• Friday before sundown, light the first candle, just hubby and me.

• Shabbat service on Saturday morning at our shul with hubby, his parents and sister, my parents and my sister and cousin.

• Beach with the girls while my parents make the most of the free babysitting. (In other words, they go Christmas shopping.)
  

• Back home, light the second Hanukkah candle, just hubby, Mom, Dad, little Sis, little Cousin and me.

• Grate my left thumb while making latkes.
  

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This Is Not a Menorah, But...

...I still wanted to wish you a Happy Hanukkah! This is currently my only good photo of a lit candle, and what is a Hanukkah greeting without a bit of glowing and flickering, right? So this is what you get for now. I'll try to take a photo of our actual menorah sometime during the week. Until then, be blessed and enjoy this season.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
~John 1:9

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Domestic Bliss

Can you believe this is Kmart?!* I "discovered" a Super Kmart near my apartment yesterday evening. It's huge. And has a grocery store and everything you could possibly need just like Super Walmart. Except...it's clean and quiet and crowd-free. Basically, a haven. I may never need to return to Walmart again.

I was so excited when I "found" this Kmart that I took a picture and sent it to my sisters. I got the usual response from my college-kid sister: "Lol. Ur crazy."

*This is where I think I'm supposed to say that Kmart didn't compensate me in any way to write this post. They didn't. Kmart doesn't even know that I exist. And even if they did know that I exist, I doubt they would care. Definitely not enough to pay me anything. So, that's that.

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Communication Is Vital

Me: Sweetie, you don't know how to eat without getting food on your face.

Him: I know. That's why I got married.

Me: So I could clean your face?!

Him: Yeah, among other things.

Me: So I could clean other things, too?!

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Who's the Boss?

Baby and Father in the Crib together! @ Yahoo! Video

Yeah, I think she's totally the boss of him.

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Incomplete

I have blogged about this Alanis Morissette song before. But it has been running through my mind since yesterday and I have been feeling--I mean, really experiencing--the lyrics myself. So I'm sharing it again. It's been a while.



Lyrics here.

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This Is Just To Say

This is just to say
if you notice
the seal is missing
from your pint
of Ben & Jerry's
it's because I opened it
and took a few scoops.
Vanilla ice cream,
waffle cone pieces,
caramel and fudge.
Just what I needed
after a long day
and a scrupulously
healthy dinner.

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