Just for fun...

Our day in pictures

Adalin playing in the backyard....

and she's off...

Adalin having fun on my bed...

Things from around the house today....

As I sit here in my cozy family room, it is lightning, thundering and hailing outside my window. God's creation is absolutely beautiful. My precious (and sick) Adi is sleeping next to me on the couch; her sweet snore music to my ears! My hot coffee mug is in my hands, filling the room with the smell of carmel and vanilla. Mmmmm, delicious!

I am editing photos in photoshop lightroom. I am creating my website and business cards. I am asking the Lord to bless my photography business.

I am being thankful.

Thankful for my husband.
Thankful for Christ in me, the hope of glory.
Thankful for friends and family. Thankful for this beautiful house that I stay dry in. He could have given me just a box to stay dry....but He blessed me beyond measure.
I am thankful for a father and so many friends that share my same passion. Thankful for their time, energy and encouragement.
I am thankful for our church and their desire to serve the community. I am thankful for Olivianna's closet. For the ladies that have put hours into this ministry already. I pray for the families and single moms who will receive these clothes and items to provide for their children. I am thankful that God has used Olivianna to bring about mercy and grace to His people.
I am thankful for life. I value it. However short or long. I am thankful.


What has been going on in my life lately??????

I have been learning, absorbing and taking ALL things photography in. I feel glued to either my camera, my computer editing, my photography books, or blogs on photography.

I have been enjoying spending time with friends on play dates and MOPS events. Adi has been getting to play with many new friends and is simply outgoing!!! I love watching her interact and grow in relationships as she matures and learns. She is such a sweet heart!

I have been teaching dance. 48 students to be exact. I have 2 classes this semester and I just love the energy of the kids. One class is a hip hop class, and the other a disco class. The students gave me a very sweet card on Wed. just thanking me for what I do and for allowing all of them to be able to dance this year. What thoughtful kids!

I have been cleaning (well, one day this last week!!!) all of my windows (24 inside and out). Adi sprayed them this summer with the hose, and they have bothered me since than. I just finally got around to getting them clean. My house is just a little bit brighter since than!

Adi helping me wash windows. She is such a wonderful helper!

I have been wanting a baby. Or at least to be pregnant. My friend Becky just found out that she is having twins. My friend Krystin just announced that she is pregnant. My sister in love just had her ultrasound and they got pics of her sweet little baby. The size that I wished my baby was right now. I KNOW, I KNOW...God is in control and has a plan. I trust it and submit to His will for my life. Nonetheless, I still desire another child. At least one. Please Lord?


I have been waiting for a call from our good friends Jared and Kori (their maternity pics are on A Grover photo) as I am their birth photographer. They are having a little girl (Rhian) and due in 3 days. Every time the phone rings I jump up and think "maybe its time!" I am excited and a little nervous for this occasion; and very honored to be with them during the birth of their first child.


(I bought this fun photo hanger online a week or so ago and was playing around in a new program a friend of mine told me about. These are just some fun shots of my new photo collage that hangs above my work desk.)

Fun playing train with daddy!!!

Praise the Lord for who He is and who He is in me.

Christ be lifted high.

My baby girl's headstone

Absent from the body, present with the Lord

We spent a couple of days in San Francisco with Luke's parents on an annual business planning meeting. The weather was absolutely perfect (70 degrees) and the air was fresh. We stayed in a beautiful hotel, ate delicious food, had amazing conversation, experienced God's awesome creation and people, took lots of pictures and got a little exercise. We also did a little business:)
Here are some fun photos of the weekend.

China Town

The market

an alley...

Street Vendor selling jewelry

um....Eye candy!!!!

Reflection

The dancing ladies in our hotel lobby

The sun setting from our hotel window

Some bells hanging on the wall at one of the restaurants
Not encouraging the drinking of this stuff...I just thought this bar was pretty amazing and snapped a few pics of the bottles....

I love silhouette kisses!!!

A cool old car parked in front of the cafe we ate lunch at in Woodside.

I have been glued to my camera it seems the last week or so. I am learning so much and excited for where the Lord will take this passion that He has placed in me.

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Romans 12:1

Christ be lifted High!

My day in pictures....

Playtime with Adi and Creighton (making sculptures)

Getting sandy

My heart is full of....



Ballet with my sweet girl

Hanging out with my hubby (he is looking for bikes for us)

and now off to bed.....

Always be joyful in the Lord! I'll say it again: Be joyful! Phil 4:4

I had a great time taking Jared and Kori's maternity pictures this weekend. Such a fun couple! Check them out....(Grover Photography)

I am looking forward to a new week and ALL that God has in store!!!!

Be back to blog in a few days....

Blessings!

Adalin shot all of these photos. I would not usually post a bunch of pictures of me on here (as you know from the very few photos that I have of me on this blog!) But we had so much fun on our mommy/daughter photo shoot (and after playing around in photoshop) that I thought I would post some. I taught Adi how to stand with the tripod, hold the camera, zoom the lense and snap the picture. The camera survived "the fall" with only a couple scratches. The living room floor was a little more beat up! (teaching her on a professional camera is probably not the wisest decision!!!) We had fun nonetheless!!!

A few photos from the last few weeks....
Sweet Sunset from Bangs ave

Adi loves playing with her kitchen!

We babysat my sisters dog (Zoe) for 2 nights

A succulent pot I made for my living room

Quick like lightning!!!
Luke teaching Adalin how to build a fire

The life of a follower of Jesus Christ is an exchanged life. It is not a life we can "give," yet hold on to at the same time.

"I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ living in me. Gal 2:20"

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Phil 1:21"

I have been seriously challenged lately.
Over the last 4 months I have been reading (and re-reading) a book by Major W. Ian Thomas entitled The Saving Life of Christ. The Lord has been using this book in my life to transform the way I think, live and love.

Over four hundred years the children of Israel had been enslaved in Egypt, suffering horribly under the taskmasters harsh hands and unable to help themselves. They were desperately hopeless, except for the fact that God had promised Abraham 400 years before that He would be their redeemer. This is a picture that God has given us of the unforgiven sinner, not yet in a relationship with God Almighty. The land of Egypt represents our natural condition of spiritual death, and the taskmaster represents the flesh and its control over human behavior.

God 's purpose was not for Israel to remain in Egypt being tyrannized by the taskmaster, just as it is not His purpose for us to remain in a condition of spiritual defeat and brokenness, thus His plan to get the Israelites out.
God raised up a man named Moses who would lead the people out of Egypt as God had promised. If the people would simply trust in Him, and by faith rest in His promise, they would be redeemed.

"The story goes on to tell us that as God's judgement descended upon Egypt that night (The passover), God, by the hand of Moses, led His people out from Egypt and through the Red Sea. Because of God's miraculous intervention, the Israelites went through the Red Sea on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned. So the enemy was buried in the place of death, while God's people passed on through the place of death into a new land and on to a new life (Thomas 38)."

Just as the Egyptian taskmasters were buried in the place of death, from which God's chosen were saved miraculously by God, so we as believers by faith in Jesus Christ are crucified with Christ, and our old sin nature (flesh=Egypt) is buried with Him there. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20) Christ's death for you and me was not only a payment for our sins & of bearing God's wrath, but it was also in terms of deliverance and ransom.

This is Christ in me...the hope of glory. The power of His hand inside the glove (me), His strength for my weakness, His love for my hate and His cleansing for my nastiness. This was, and is God's purpose for redeeming His people. His purpose was Canaan, the promise land. Christ now, in me living victoriously through me as I submit my whole being to Him. He desires me to be ALIVE IN CHRIST today....not dabbling around in the wilderness day after day, year after year, wishing for what is to come. He desires me to live heaven NOW. To know unspeakable joy and hope, freedom and glory. To live redeemed.

And so we must ask ourselves....in which state of being am I living? Am I living in Egypt, as an unforgiven sinner? Am I living in the wilderness, a carnal christian who has received salvation through faith, has received the holy spirit, yet lives defeated and worn out, in "self imposed poverty" because I do not take for myself the power and resources that Christ gives to me because of His death and resurrection? Or...am I living in Canaan? The biblical picture of the Christ-centered, spirit filled life. A victorious follower of Jesus Christ living heaven on earth NOW?

I do not want to wander for 40 years as the Israelites did. They had only heard of Canaan, but never experienced it. They were worn out...bored and useless. I was "redeemed" so that Christ might have His inheritance now, in me, on the way to heaven. (My life).

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. Romans 12:1

...you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Cor 6:20

If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. For [as far as the world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hid with Christ in God (Col 3:1,3) [bracketing written by W. Ian Thomas]

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 This can only be accomplished in the power and complete energy of Christ in me, as He walked once only in the power and complete energy of the Father who indwelt Him through the spirit. I can do nothing without Him.

But, oh how I try. There are days in the week that I get up out of bed, take care of myself and Adi, get things done around the house, encourage friends, lead a ministry, teach a group of elementary kids, foster a marriage, be a faithful wife, loving mother and loyal friend.....ALL ON MY OWN. I strive, I work, and I most often fail.

"It is for you to be-it is for Him to do! Restfully available to the Saving Life of Christ, enjoying "the richest measure of the divine Presence, a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself," instantly obedient to the heavenly impulses-this is your vocation, and this is your victory!(Thomas 143)."

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:12-13"

Do you know this Christ of who I put my hope in? Do you really know Him? or just of Him? If you will put your trust in Jesus Christ, not only for the horrible death He died in order to redeem you, but also for the life that He so perfectly lived and wants to live through you, your life will forever be changed. You will be born new, filled with the holy spirit, reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ, and given access to the very energy and power of God Himself.

Phil 1:6............Be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ,...

a rose from Olivianna's garden....

We got a call today from the place that made Olivianna's headstone. They said that it is at the cemetary and in place. I will go tomorrow and spend a little time there. God can make ALL things beautiful.
Until next post....Christ be lifted High.
Blessings