a finish line , of sorts

The weddings are done!!!

Oh my gosh, it was a full wedding season. I am officially on 'sabbatical' from weddings. With one exception. My sweet young assistant is engaged, and I am thrilled to photograph her wedding next month. For the past four years, she has trained along side of me, while working another full time job and being a single mom. At times, the ceremonies made her teary, as she longed to find the man God intended to be her husband and father her son. Now they are a family, and it is time to celebrate. Bless you Almondy, Luis, and Remi!!! And keep shooting Almondy, you have the gift:D

 And now....

I am waiting for sunlight to make my first run to the dump this morning. It has been an incredibly physical few weeks as we have demo-ed the basement. Ripping sheet rock, playing with the reciprocating saw (ooo, I like that part), cleaning cleaning. Our young friends move in this weekend, so the transitions are in full swing!

This week was sunny, so I spent 2 days cutting back roses that now mound high over a full size pick up truck. Today is more...garden, sheet rock, cleaning. I am doing each day what God gives me the energy to do, but we are both WAY ready for this rest coming soon. I cannot remember a busier season.  And it will remain this way till we are done. It seems that life has picked up intensity as we have gotten older.

So, Father, thank you for a time out, and bless those who stay at it. I know there will be plenty to do when we return. 

On turning 45….

I am 45 as of yesterday, and I am very blessed (spoiled) by those who love me. Thank you!!!
My friend, playing in the light, inspired me to list 45 things I did in the last 12 months that were new… but my memory is not so great, so we will see how this goes. I am modifying this list to include all that was new and/or really good in my life.

1. My beautiful husband has to be tops. He is both my safe refuge and chief cheerleader. He inspires me. I have spent half of my life with him, now.
2. Sweet friendships that are a true gift. I cherish each unique perspective and welcome hug they bring.
3. Planning the longest trip Don and I will take in our life together…2 weeks in Kauai.
4. Officially going on a wedding photographer sabbatical for next year, and doing something different for the first time in 15 years. That’s been a lot of cake.
5. Beginning the scuba training. Breathe or you die. That’s pretty basic.
6. Booking our first power paraglide experience with Birds in Paradise. Finally get to see what a bird feels like outside of my dreams.
7. Learned how to read blueprints, and how to measure for carpet, tile, etc.
8. Said yes to joining a new company when we return. Scary wonderful.
9. My younger brother (22 years old) got his EMT training and just returned home yesterday. He is being deployed with his Bellingham unit to Iraq, shortly. Pray!
10. Painted the upper rooms. Latte.
11. Said farewell to my kitties. This was a heart breaker, but only because they were so loved.
12. Said ‘see ya later’ to some of my favorite young people, as they flew off on their first adventures. Their journeys begin.
13. Been amazed by God redeeming the gift of dance.
14. Seeing dance begin to be a part of the Burning Man outreach.
15. Don and I agreeing to participate on next years Burning Man team. Pray more!
16. Praying for the coming season of transition!!!!
17. Helped some friends with their son’s intimate, back yard wedding. So sweet.
18. Watched Eden’s first ballet recital☺
19. Celebrated 21 years of marriage by the fire in Leavenworth.
20.. Skied Mission Ridge for the first time. Fell down a lot.
21. Drove home after the freak ice storm.
22. Went through several ideas of where to live next as we prepare to sell our home of 20 years. Build, buy, house, condo, and the latest is rent an apartment for awhile. We will see when we get there!

That’s all my brain can do at 4 am. More to come….maybe.

bubbles below

My sweetie and I are embarking on a new adventure....scuba!
I am excited, scared, and realizing I don't have a clue. What fun!
We had our first class, and next week get to take our first plunge...in a nice safe pool.
This is his dream and we are preparing for our first dive, that is already scheduled for the morning of his 50th birthday. Although I have not dreamed of scuba, I have always loved the fantasy of of being able to breathe and explore underwater like a mermaid. I love that after 22 years, we have so many adventures ahead to experience. Happy birthday, Baby!

more transition

it's been a tough week and it's taken some time before i could share...

our two kitties both had to be put down this week, both for kidney failure and the infections that come with this disease. one was 19 years old and the other 20. a very long life for kitties, and impressive to the vet and staff who cared for them. we saw it coming and knew it was only a matter of days or weeks, but now they are gone, and i am grieving. not all the time, because there is still so much that is alive and vibrant in my life, but at times, when things are quiet and "Bacall" isn't snuggled in her favorite place on my lap or between Don's feet on the ottoman. it makes me wonder that with them going within a few days of each other, that God is once more easing us from one season...one of caring for ailing, aging kitties, into a season of something else. something that will require our full attention and now empty arms. allowing us a moment of grace, as He takes away one thing to establish something new, to grieve the loss. one thing i know, He is giving me that time to adjust at my own speed, as i am ready, and have grieved well. i love Him for that. and i love and and am gratefull to every one of you who expressed your sympathies and shared your hugs, bless you.

memories of Bacall.....
'psycho kittie'....a 10:00 pm phenonema where she would race about the house chasing some invisible adversary. we could clock it. eventually she must have won and saved the realm yet another day, but it was sure entertaining to watch her crazy battles with.....something in her head.
morning coffee with her on my lap, her front paws wrapped around my knees in a big hug. i miss this one alot.
4:00 am wake calls because she was lonely and just wanted to be held. okay, i don't miss this one so much.
if we were sitting anywhere in the living room, she had to be there, and she really liked the spot between Don and I on the couch. she LOVED snuggling.
playing with light. any light bouncing around would entrance her. oh we had fun with this one. making her chase light beams or reflections. and if the light disappeared, she would stare at the wall and wait for it to return. forever.

memories of Fluffy.....(sorry, no pix yet)
yes, "Fluffy". named by our 4 year old son who was vacilating between that and "Shee-ra, Princess of Power".
Fluffy was our pick. Shee-ra was a better description. She was the queen of the house, and she ruled it.
Always skittish, she became relaxed and affectionate late in her life. she was the office kittie, and would snuggle up on my lap while I tapped away at the computer. she had 6 toes on each front paw, and it looked like two big mittens on her feet. she would use them to smack down upitty kittens, and intimidate our golden retrievers. she was the only cat the groomer reported not being able to brush (she was bleeding at the time). and even toward the end the vet shared that she did not take x-rays with out a fight. feisty little fighter, but she sought us out for cuddles, and trusted our arms at the end.

i know God has an imagination and plan and ways that are much bigger than anything i can see, but it would be sweet to see the animals we have loved on the other side.

i just know that I trust Him, and life all comes back to love, for Him, for the people we are blessed to have in our circle, and even for the creatures He brings along the way. that is a very good life, indeed.

another blog?

well yes...

I have been having so much inspiration come from reading photographers blogs that I decided to try and do a blog just devoted to the people I am privileged to shoot. So here is the link...Dianna Clark Imagery

Yes, you can give me a hard time if I only posy twice a year:)

summertime....and the days are full

It is the middle of the busy summer season, but since I had a hard time keeping up with blogging when it was slow, I can't blame being busy for not blogging. But here I am, and I am loving keeping up with friends scattered across the world. And I am captivated by the the sweetness, passion, and honesty of the things they share.

I am pretty reserved. Or as Hannah shared..."observant".  It is an effort to engage, unless drawn by the Spirit to a kindred Spirit. But I love that when I get to know people, they usually are surprising, interesting, gifted, and beautiful. Our world is in major transition these days. As we worshiped this morning, it struck me how many new faces filled our church. And I longed for the comfort of the old faces. A natural feeling. But I felt for the first time, if I lived in an airport terminal, (like Tom has compared the church), it would be like this...new fresh faces on a regular basis, excited for the next part of the journey. And I knew I needed to trust God, that these new faces would become as precious as those who had moved on. I would need to trust, and make the effort to connect and see the beauty. 

I am SO thankful that with the internet, and blogging, that I don't lose people. That as they move on, they expand my world with their adventures. I cherish those relationships.

Lord, thank you for the adventure of the new friendships, as well. 

Eden's first dance recital!

Waiting for her turn.....At last it's time!flowers from mom