Friday, May 31, 2013

Friday's Letters

Dear Lovely Aurora:

I can't believe it's almost been a year since you've come into our lives. You have the sweetest nature about you. Everything about you fits the name that your mom and dad chose for you. You are a true beauty inside and out. I pray that we can grow to be best of friends. I can't wait to brush and braid your hair, bake with you, take you shopping, tell you stories about your daddy and Auntie Brie, show you how to shoot a camera and tell you about God. My biggest prayer for you is that you will always walk in the way of the Lord and that you would come to know Jesus as your savior.


























Dear Lord,

Heal me. There is still so much I want to do in this life, so much I want to see and so many people that I  to be here for. No matter what the future holds, I trust you. But this I know, you have the power to heal me. I ask that you do.


























Dear Elizabeth,

What a wonderful time I had visiting last week. It makes me wish even more that we lived close to one another like we used to. After all these years, I still miss being able to jump in my car and driving over with or without warning. I know mom misses having you nearby, too. I will never stop praying that one day it will happen.



Dear Specialty's,

What a darn fine sandwich you make. I came over here on a co-worker's suggestion for coffee but ended up with a tasty meal instead. It's just what the doctor ordered.






































Dear Weekend,

I'm glad you arrived early this week. I really need you now.


What My Coffee Says About Me

The truth is my coffee doesn't say a thing. But according to The You Code: What Your Habits Say About You, the type of coffee (Black) I typically order means that I am:

     • No-frills, minimalist, cool adult, prefers one-on-one contact, competitive, quiet and moody, although capable of occasional bouts of extroversion.

Normally, I don't pay attention to that sort of thing. Horoscope? Don't believe in them. At all. So I don't read them. At all. But since this is more of a scientific study...I think... I read it. And it's so true. Especially the cool adult part.


























Okay, maybe except for that part.


Sunday, May 26, 2013

One Scene Various Cameras

As I headed for my sister's house last week, my camera bag was stuffed with five different cameras, not including the phone on my camera. After months of work, work, work, I was looking forward to spending a few days exploring with my cameras. I couldn't help but wonder if this trip would end like so many, the cameras remaining tucked away just where I placed them in the bag.

After the first few days, I was afraid this would remain the case. Perhaps so, except for the fact that I fell in love with the morning light in my sister's kitchen window. How I could not have noticed it before, I don't know, but once I saw it, I couldn't get enough of it. On my last morning, I decided that I needed to capture it with all my cameras so I could see the difference from one to another.

This is the black and white shot I took on my iPhone the first morning I saw it.






































This is the last morning on my iPhone again.






































This is the shot I took with my Fuji Instamatic camera. This is one of my most favorite shots from this camera to-date.






























This is the shot I took with my Polaroid 680 camera using Impossible Project's Color film. Unfortunately, I didn't realize until later that I had the flash on when I took the shot.






































This is the shot I took with my DSLR.


























The one taken on my K1000 will have to wait. I have one more shot to take to finish the roll.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Friday's Letter

Dear Folsom Powerhouse,

How could it be that I've been coming up here for over 14-years and never realized how beautiful you were? I don't know how I could have been so blind, driving past you time after time and never getting out and walking your grounds. There is so much beauty in this area, I can't bear to head back home.







































Dear Coffee Republic,

You've been my little sanctuary for this past week. The place I could go for a quiet cup of coffee and a scrumptious cinnamon roll, if I was so inclined to through caution to the wind. With the weather so perfectly balmy, there was nothing more relaxing than sitting outside in your patio, listening to the birds happily chirping with a cool breeze kicking it up from time to time. What I wouldn't give to have a haven like you located so close to me.



Dear Nevada City,

What a lovely little town you are. I could picture myself staying at one of your quaint little B & B's for a few days, doing nothing but walking your streets for inspiration and writing my novel. I will be back.






































Dear Grant,

I'm so proud of you. You were thrown a serious curveball so early in life which for many would have derailed them for the rest of their lives. But you have persevered and grown into a very fine young man. I love your determination and drive. I pray that you will always walk in the way of the Lord for I see many wonderful things ahead for you. I'm so thankful that I could come and celebrate this last week of school with you. It was a wonderful, wonderful blessing.


























Dear Lord,

Thank you, thank you, thank you. That I was able to be a part of Grant's High School graduation cerebration, that I was able to sit in the stands for the entire ceremony, that I was able to take pictures, see the sunsets, experience life. You are so good, so very good to me. Not to be greedy, but I want to be here for many more of these special occasions.



Dear Brie,

Mommy misses you. Can't wait to see you soon.



Monday, May 13, 2013

Heaven on Earth

I am a sappy sentimental sort, but not in the way I used to be. One of my most favorite stores used to be Hallmark where I would stock up on greeting cards that I would send to loved ones on every possible occasion. Mom often would encourage me to apply at the Hallmark several blocks away so I could get a discount. I did try once, but they were looking for someone with cashier's experience which I didn't have.

I've lost that part of me. I'm either too cheap to buy the cards or if I do, I just never get around to actually sending them. That makes me sad. What doesn't make me sad is the fact that my children don't send them to me either. My count of mother day's cards received from said children? Zero. Did that bother me? Not one bit. I know my children love me and the only thing I want from them is their gift of time.

Brie must have asked me three or four times what I would like for Mother's Day. I think it's sweet that she asks. It does make me feel good that she's at least thinking of buying me a gift, but really, I just want her to spend the day with me, allowing me to take photos of her without complaint. I want the day to be such that we're not rushed and there's casual, happy conversation as I direct her to look this way and that. I want to stop for lunch and then afterwards for dessert while she tells me what's been going on and what she's thinking about.

I want that time, too, with Matt, though I know he's not as likely to give me as much time snapping photos as Brie. But that's okay, Ashley knows how to give me a beautiful smile and is wonderful at coaxing the babies to do the same.

There is nothing like being a mom and being surrounded by the love of grown children. There is no satisfaction in the world like it. Sunday morning after Brie made my mom and me breakfast, we sat in the family room full and content. She lay in the couch across from me and I had a sudden longing for those moments when the children would climb over me and nestle in my arms. Yes, I miss those moments. That sweet smell of my babies, the warm softness of their skin, those fleeting moments.

But as I thought about the day, I realized, that the change in the relationship in many ways is far more rewarding. Then I was surrounded by them because that was their only option, but when I'm surrounded by them because that's their choice. That's heaven on earth.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Friday's Letters

Dear Blog

I'm sorry I've ignored you for basically the whole week. Does it count that I thought about you every day, but I just didn't have the energy to start, let alone finish a post. I can't promise that next week will be any different. I'm hoping it is. I'm hoping it is.

Dear Cameras,

See my letter above to my blog. Hopefully, you'll understand, too.



Dear Brie,

Thank you for trusting me enough to share with me the horrible, no good, very bad day you had a work. I'm so happy that the next day was much better. And I'm even happier that we got to meet during your lunch/dinner break and have a lunch/dinner together. Spending time with you always makes me happy.






































Dear Mom,

The other night, I wasn't really very nice to you. I hated myself every minute of it. I hated myself as I went to bed. I hated myself as I went to work the next morning and throughout the whole day. I don't know why there are times I'm just so critical of you. I want to see you with God's eyes, all the time. I want to love you the way God loves you because that's what you deserve.






































Dear Friday,

I'm so happy you're here. I seriously needed you all week. I'm going to make the most of this weekend, starting with you. The weather is supposed to be beautiful so I'm going to try to get outside as much as possible. Maybe start the morning off at Dripp and who knows what after that? One thing for sure, I'm not going to crack open my work computer until Monday morning.




Friday, May 3, 2013

Friday's Letter

Dear Work,

You sure got your money's worth out of me. Not that I'm complaining, after all after 10-years of employment, you've been one of the most aggravating, interesting, challenging and best place to work. I'm just saying that everything I thought I didn't want to do this week, I ended up doing...I didn't want to go in every day, I did. I didn't want to work past 4pm every day, I did. And I said I didn't want to have to work this weekend, but I'm going to have to.






































Dear Remember the Titans,

Why is it that no matter how many times I have watched you, I can't help watching you again when you come on the TV. Don't be getting all big-head on me though because the same thing happens with The Shawshank Redemption, The Last of the Mohican, and a few other movies I can't think of right now, but when they come on the TV, I'll tell you.


Dear Palm Springs,

It's hard to imagine that last week this time, I was kicking back in our hotel room with our little cutie pies running us ragged. I had a wonderful time spending time with my family and enjoying the beauty of your city. I just wish it wasn't so darn hot.






































Dear Huntington Beach,

I had hoped to drive out for a visit this evening. I got as close as PCH at Newport Beach, but instead of heading West, I turned East at the 55 and drove home. I was just too tired. When I got to the 5 freeway, I was regretting my decision. The sky was perfect. I know without a doubt I must have missed an incredible sunset. I snapped over 20 pictures on the way home, hoping for the best. The sky was so lovely I couldn't get enough of it. I was so happy with what I got, I hope you don't mind but it made me happy that I didn't come visit after all.






































Dear Dreams,

Don't give up on me. Even though I might not show it right now, I haven't given up on you. It's just that sometimes you've got to do the things that will allow you to chase the dreams. And, yes, I know that sometimes you've got to just chase the dreams. It's a fine line. I just don't want time to run out. So don't give up on me, but don't let me take too long either.