Mar 18 ~ Real & Personal

I have been working on this post for a long time now. You know, I want to reiterate, that I write these posts mainly because I just want some type of permeant record of the stuff that happens in our life. I have a stack of old journals in my home. I have filled those composition notebooks with prayers, frustrations, verses, concerns, praise, loves, hurts, and just about anything I can think of. Nothing is off limits to write on those private pages. I also hope no living soul ever reads them, either! :) But what I write here is ok to share. I want my kids to see this, I want my grandkids to see it too. So, if the internet still exists in 100 years, they will know a little of who I am, and  more specifically, Who, drives my heart and life. Most days that record is pretty normal and mundane, dull. But there are crazy times like what I am about to share, that just need to remembered.

The past several weeks have held a very important reminder for me, that God is in control, and we are not. And in the midst of chaos, if you train your heart to find it, there can be incredible, over the top blessing.

On Monday Feb. 9th, around 5:30pm, we get the call, our oldest daughter's voice on the other end, "I've been in an accident, and … and it's really bad…" Then another voice, this time unfamiliar,  came on the phone and explained what happened, and where they were, and continued to just scare us to death. Fortunately, "really bad" has equalled a totaled car, a broken clavicle, missed school, and surgery to fix said clavicle, and now healing... Yes, there are stresses that come with this whole thing, but we are very, very grateful. And even though this was not in our plans, God has been totally in control.

Our son… he is growing in his walk with the Lord by leaps and bounds right now. He has chosen a college to attend (shall I hint at it? M-I-Z… _ _ _ !!  ),  and he is finding out that he can put his expectations completely in God.  I know that he has prayed with friends, led them in the study of the Word, and heard him say to another,  "I'll be praying for you, text me anytime you need to…" I have seen him step out in courage this past year, and try things I would've never thought he would do.
All blessings to this Mommas heart.

Our youngest girl… this one has blossomed into such beauty, and continues to find her place, and loves on others so deeply. She worships with me in the kitchen, and I have seen her tuck her Bible under her arm knowing that she may use it to encourage a friend. She also has learned to trust God, by first trusting her Daddy. Sometimes decisions we make as parents don't make much sense, but ultimately there is such blessing through obedience. I stand back and shake my head in wonder at how God does this.

Parenting of teenagers is hard, I will not sugar coat that one bit. There are impossible schedules, homework, demands, pressures to perform, cars, braces, friendship issues, insecurities, attitudes to be addressed, and decisions to make. But I want to write this for the world to see it - parenting teenagers can be filled with blessing beyond what you ever dreamed. How so?

IT STARTS WITH YOUR MARRIAGE.
I love my guy. and I love that he always prefers to spend time with me and/or the kids, than run off and pursue his own hobbies. We have been dating since we graduated from Highschool, and even though we have had some serious valleys, we are dating still. Our relationship is priority to both of us. As we follow Christ and grow in our Spiritual walk, we grow more and more together in oneness. It's not cheesy, folks, it's real.

So, wives, love your husbands, be reverent and honor his leadership. PRAY for your husbands, and submit to him. Yes, I actually wrote that horrible word… submit. I'll just state that it was pretty humbling for Christ to come to the earth and wrap His Godly frame and contain it in human flesh. It was submission to the will of his Father in Heaven. I think if Christ is our example, then us wives can take His own advice and Word to heart, and submit to our husbands. It is not a doormat type of submission, though. Too many people don't get this. The world has placed such a negative connotation on the word, but it is really more about harnessing our God-given strength and using it appropriately and wisely.

 Husbands and Fathers - I have just one thing to say, please lead. We may not act like it most days, but us wives want you to step up and take the spiritual helm of the family. If you don't, we may try to step in and do it ourselves, which we think is better than nothing, right? Maybe not, but that's our wifely logic. Seriously, you don't have do be totally perfect in any of it. Just instigate praying, or reading Bible stories with the littles. Because one day, those littles are 17, and they need your wisdom more than ever. That little girl who trusted you to throw her up in the sky, or drag her around on the back of a sled, now needs to trust you with her college decisions, or her choice for a relationship. She needs to trust your opinion on this big stuff, because she has always trusted you before. Spend time with them, do things that you love and do them together. Lead your family. We want you to.

This family, specifically me and my hubby, has most definitely not aced avery marriage and parenting test, and we have so much more to learn and so much more growing to do. But this is my public statement of gratefulness, to God first of all, but to my faithful husband, and then to our precious kids.
Blessed. I am so incredibly thankful and blessed.


Now back to your regularly scheduled programming…. and that workout and consistency thing! 
#JustONEmile15

Survivor Photo Shoot ~ "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer"

I want to write while this is all still fresh on my heart. This particular evening was a tremendous blessing to me, on several levels. Let me explain.

This was a photo shoot designed to capture the beauty of 5 lovely ladies who have battled, or are still battling breast cancer. Not too long ago, Kim, from Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, emailed me and asked if I could help out with this. I must admit, I did hesitate... I am busy these days. And the turn around for the photos is super fast - but I said yes. You see, I lost my Daddy to brain cancer almost 12 years ago in August, and although I have wanted to do something to get involved, I just haven't  - till now. And I know that taking pictures last night does not help brain cancer fighters, but it's CANCER... I don't care what part of the body it invades. It's bad, it must be fought, and it must be overcome. Sadly, my Dad didn't get to fight his cancer for very long. From diagnosis to his final going home was only about 4 weeks. I don't know why we didn't have to opportunity to really go to war against this invader, but according to a plan already laid out by God, our family had a short journey in our battle.
Getting involved to help others is about the only thing I can do now.  So, when I was approached to do this, I just had to say, "YES!"

We had very enjoyable time getting to know each other on this hot, July evening. We decided to do pretty, outdoor, summery photos for this fabulous group of 5 women.  When the ladies began to arrive, I had my kitchen filled with refreshments and snacks (thanks Mom!!)...   they each needed a little time to share a bit about who they are, and where they came from. Val, Debra, Gail, Melanie, and Tina. Each with an individual journey. Each with a story of survival to share. It even turned out that Val was a student of Gail's ~ way back when...
There were only a couple of tears, but lots of laughter in the works for this evening. There is a matter-of-fact spirit that I noticed, each just shared openly  - "this is how I dealt with it, this is where I am now.." all that good stuff. But the overwhelming thing about each lady was a positive spirit. Evidence, that a merry heart does make good like a medicine! (Proverbs 17:22)

I can't say enough, how wonderful and inspiring this photo project was for me to do. I am reminded that, cancer or no cancer, we have been given the gift of a certain number of days on this Earth. Are we using them wisely? Are we loving on our family? Are we enjoying what we do for a living? Are we making a difference in someone else's day? Are we laughing?? I'm all for that last one... There may be dark valleys along the way & I've been through some of those myself, in different ways. My precious Momma has fought a different health battle, but she is a survivor too. So, I guess I've been reminded of something here:  we don't just survive to get through it - we survive for a reason:  to inspire and bless others... kinda like these ladies just did for me.

8 Weeks to Fitness!

This blog is obviously not entirely about photography, it is also very personal. Dig back through the archives and you'll see what I mean. So, once again,  I am going to be transparent here and totally open up to what's going on in my head these days. You may just discover that you can relate...

The GOAL is set. Incentive is chosen. Now is the time to put action to this plan. I may choose to share the details of this goal later in my fitness journey, but for you that really doesn't matter. We each are different. We have different health needs, different schedules, and different strengths & weaknesses. What matters is that I take action and do something. And I must succeed. Whether or not I achieve my goals is entirely based on consistency and accountability - thus I blog. I know the good habits that need to be embraced. I've read the books, watched the news, & started countless times.  Why will this time be different?  I want it badly enough. Plus the incentive is pretty nice.
    In case you are wondering what I'll actually be doing, here is my plan for July 7th - Sept 1...

#1 ~ God is always concerned most with our hearts... so I'll start there ~ Get in the WORD. The first & most important part of total body fitness is what's going on inside the heart. If this doesn't work right, many negative issues will develop.  If you disagree with this, it's OK, feel free to skip ahead. But please, hear me out. I plan to read, memorize, & pray daily. Truth is, I am so dependent on God that I don't want to skip an opportunity to spend time with Him. He is real, and He is good.  I believe in him and I believe He has something to say.  I find that in the Bible, and it does apply to me, to all of us, today.  So  #1 in this plan, GET IN THE WORD & get to know more of God.

#2 ~ Exercise every day. Often 2x per day. Record all my activities in Runkeeper.
          Cardio: walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, etc...
          Strength training: Ab work, push ups, & free weights. Also I do love yoga!

#3 ~ Nutrition:  1200 calories (or less) a day.  {this is hard for me!}
                         Record everything in the app My Fitness Pal -
                         Utilize the rules in Jumpstart To Skinny by Bob Harper for 3 weeks.
                         Go with organic & whole foods as much as possible.
                         Limit carbs to things like fruits, nuts, quinoa, & oatmeal.
                         Take a good multi vitamin.
                          Drink LOTS of water daily!

Now, for my own little pep talk  ~ this is an 8 week plan! This is the best time of the year to get healthy, work out in the wonderful warm weather, and eat the wonderful fruits and veggies of the season! I can do this. Every time I want to be lazy or indulge in wedding cake, I will think of my prize that is waiting.  
     That prize is both tangible, as well as sentimental. But even if there was no carrot dangling before me, the benefits of accomplishing these goals are personal.  Good health is a GIFT. Every breath I have is made possible by my Father in Heaven. I want to be able to do great things for Him well into my old age.  So I need to be taking care of this body and this mind now.  My soul is sustained and fed by Him & only through Him can I accomplish anything at all in this life.

      Walk with me on this journey? Pick your plan, set your goals, and do it today! 

                       

Rocky's Italian Restaurant Branson, MO

Dining Review:
While enjoying a day in Branson yesterday, my husband and I stumbled into Rocky's Italian Restaurant right by the Branson Landing, to try a new place in Branson for our anniversary - only to discover that they have been there for 32 years (longer than we've been married:)! They must be doing something right...  I loved the atmosphere, not fancy, but not too Branson Redneck. We visited on a Saturday evening at 5:30pm, were seated easily, and the service was excellent. Bread was soft and warm, with olive oil and vinegar already on the table (thank you!). The house salad was so good I wish I could have 2 of them, just wonderful! I chose the Chicken Scallopini, and my husband went with the Chicken Picatta, both were $14.95 which included a pasta side, the bread and salad. As far as the main entree is concerned, we both loved it, but noticed they were almost identical in flavor. Both sauces were great, but could've had more kick. The fettucini was creamy thick, and the linguini with marinara was just perfect. Great food, for a great price, I highly recommend trying out this time tested restaurant in the heart of Branson, right next to the Branson Landing. I will most certainly visit again soon.

Tea Room Junkie

I must admit, I am addicted. I'd go to a "Tea Room" every day for lunch if I could... And this one still stands as my favorite overall Tea Room anywhere. It's called Spring Creek Tea Room and it's in the heart of Ozark, MO, just off the West side of the square.
 If you have been so blessed as to have eaten there, you know that they are known for their amazing cakes - made fresh every day, and in every imaginable variety. This pic below is my standard fare, and although I have strayed several times for a taste of something else, I keep coming back to this half sandwich with everything on it and the half salad. "Half??" I eat the sandwich first, and then dump my salad on the big plate so I can enjoy it even more! It's no piddly little 1/2 salad, that's for sure. And oh, that raspberry citrus vinaigrette! Yumm... It is the best value around, as far as tea rooms are concerned. (Entree's under $10) A must try here is the Strawberry soup and dessert! Be prepared to wait a bit, but it's located in a huge antique store, so it's easy to pass the time :)

I couldn't find a website, but here is the address:  107 S 3rd St, Ozark – (417) 582-1331

Not too long ago, I visited a really incredible place - no, it's not a Tea Room - it's FRENCH! I will go back, this time armed with my camera, and fill you in on the best kept secret of SW Missouri! Check back here for that one!

It's all about the SHOES

Lately, I've been noticing shoes. This could be due to the coming change of seasons, when I start to think through what horrid capri's and dress barn casuals are in my closet (not that there's anything wrong with dress barn!). But I'm gonna be real honest with you, I'm tired of flats. I've worn flats all my life, only breaking out of the rut about once every 5 years to throw on a pair of toe crunching, arch ripping heels. It's just that if I do, I would be a towering 6'1" or even 6'2" wearing a pair of Christian Louboutin's with the signature red sole.
*sigh*
For those of you who wish they were tall... it really is kinda nice. I can reach for the peanut butter on the top shelf and inadvertently find a stash of someone's chocolate. So, it does have it's benefits.
But, shoes. Oh, those shoes... I've decided to go try on a few new pair tonight. I'll let you know if you should find another hiding spot for your chocolate.

(By the way, these shoes are not my shoes... They were kicked off by a sweet young Mom during her photo session...They just got me to thinking.:))

Funny Christmas

All these years, I've been the one to set the tripod, hit the shutter delay and run get into position. Actually, I think Joe has secretly also wanted this task, but I have overcome. And as always, it takes a few tries to get it "right." This year, well, this shot is my absolute FAV...
(This is our annual "Birthday Party for Jesus" - I think HE was enjoying it, too!)

Time to Share

I love, love, love to take photos.


of everything.

Especially my kids.

But there are sooo many random pics I've hidden from you, my readership, my followers who I know are there but choose to remain comment-free, hidden. That's ok, really. I'm not in big need of affirmation.

I'm currently in the catch up phase with all the Fall 2010 orders for Senior photobooks, so I thought I'd keep you entertained with a few posts of pics taken, but left unseen by anyone but me and MAC.

So check back here for some more image uploads...


baby eyelashes

my dog(s)

a pier

sunsets
great accomplishments


ice crystals on a branch in the dead of winter...


So it's time to share-
a few faces


some familiar



some not.



Enjoy.

Goals are Good

Yes, I make New Year's resolutions. But, this year I'm calling them goals. My flute professor from MSU, the amazing Dr. Prather, firmly believed in goal setting for life. She sat us down during one rehearsal one day and taught us this planning method. We had to write down our goals for the current week, semester, year, 5 years, and 10 years. I'm sorry to say that I have not always done this. I don't think I got much past my goal of "get an A in conducting." Which I did, by the way.

As of late, I have been recalling her words and finally putting pen to actual paper. NO. I will NOT post them here... I'm not an idiot. Several years ago, I announced that I was starting training for a marathon and got severely laughed at! Truth is, that person knew me to a "T." I always have big ideas, and even great ones, at that. It's the follow through that I have trouble with. There is ONE goal that I will share with you here, well, 2 actually... I will BLOG ONCE A WEEK for 2011.

Alert the media, I know. And I'm not one of those "photo a day" people. Really, I just can't commit to such a lofty endeavor. Not yet, that is. The other goal: I will ENTER a PHOTO CONTEST ONCE A MONTH, complete with specific assignments. This months theme is "Self Portrait." Aw geez. I guess it's time to get creative with that.

So thank you, Dr. Prather, for your inspiration many years ago (obviously!) I definitely learned more than Handel's Sonatas from you.

Best Post EVER

I can't tell you when the last time I had a session with my own kids! I always think that because I don't have to make an appointment with myself, then I can just do it anytime. Wrong. I finally had to "make an appointment" with myself and stick to it. That's not easy with kids' schedules these days!
AND... my own family was harder to do than any client I've had so far! They didn't exactly take it so seriously in the getting ready part, in the urgency to work with the light, in the don't make stupid faces at the photographer - Oh! That is soooo going to be my next post!!
Well, I do love these shots - I love the light, the color, the casual, the glimmer, the wind...I love everything about em! My kids. My JOY.

So, this bottom photo is obviously not from a "session," but I love it - well, I love THEM. We have been blessed here in the Ozarks to have 2 BEAUTIFUL Saturdays in a row, so we better take advantage of it and go outside!
The next day, I took pictures of a barrel race in Marshfield, which was also great fun. I met a lot of wonderful people who are very good at something I am not... horses. I actually own 2 myself. But I do not do what they do... they ride their horses. A LOT. And to train them to work around the barrel course in about 15 seconds? Pretty cool. I'll just stick to snapping the shutter. Which, by the way, this was probably the most challenging shoot so far for me. LOW LIGHT - FAST ACTION - DUST - LOTS of brown dirt... All part of the job, and I did my best. But next time, I may bring that $4,000 lens along with me. Oh yeah, I don't have it yet... :-)

Rain Dance

Go ahead, you know the tune is in your head...

Eleven

She is now a tween, time to get ready for it all to hit... I know you hear this so much, but they really do grow so fast. And she wouldn't say yes to a photo shoot, so here's the best I could do. I'm also playing with shadows, so the bike pic turned out kinda cool, don't you think?

 
 
 

The Fourth

 

 

 

 

Ahhh, summer. Someone said last week that it's half over now. That's a "glass is half empty" approach to me. Regardless, it's HOT outside, bugbites are a daily nemesis, and kids are unpacking from camp only to get ready for the next adventure. I love this time of year.
Pictured: My son and his precious fireworks, Ruthie, Oh that Molly, and Jeremiah.

More in Mexico

more pics from mexico - I do have more beach pics, but they didn't upload... don't know why.

Mexico Trip

 

 

 

 

Poor Blogger, so many are on Facebook and abandoning this creative source. But I don't think I will. Don't get me wrong, I like FB, but personally, I miss the writing. Even if no one reads, I still like to write more than a quick status update. And honestly, creating an album and tagging faces still takes up too much of my time.
So for this step back into blogger world, I'll share with you just a few of my pics from our family vacay to Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. And NO, we did not bring back the swine flu.
Deep thoughts and dissertations on improtant topics will have to come later.

4 Wheelin' Lulu!

 

 

 

 

Yes. You are seeing this correctly. That is my mom on the 4 wheeler with Greg: 2 time liver transplant recipient, just 11 months out from her life saving surgery. The doctor told her to get out there and live, I think she's gettin the hang of it now...

Become an organ donor! If the Lord sees fit to bring you on home, you might as well leave parts of that ole body here for people like my Mom to use. I so wish that family whose loved one gave her this liver could read this post, and see the good that came from their loss. I have my Mom still. Words cannot begin to say Thank you.

The Belschner Girls

 

 

 

 

Impossible to pick out just 3 or 4 shots from this weekend... I'm sooo glad they got to visit while it was warm enough for a picnic in the treehouse!