MIA

As much as I love blogging and sharing insights into my life and photography, sometimes other things take priority.

Since my last few posts I've been busy trying to catch up on photoshoot editing, accounting and business stuff, Thanksgiving, family time, church events, devotions, etc.

I'm thankful for business, but my goodness it is hard work! I'm desperately trying to file all the legal paperwork, catch up on all my accounting, and keep up with my photoshoots and potential clients. I think I'm almost to the point where I need outside help to get everything completed. If I can keep up (and catch up) this next month, then it'll be a new year, a fresh start, with some exciting things in store! ;]

Life for Jeff and I has been just as busy. A few months ago I started helping with Kids Desiring God, a Wednesday night bible study for children. My group is 3-5 year olds, and I can't believe what a blessing it is. These children have minds like a sponge. They read in the bible with their parents, listen well in class, and are engaged and excited during the study. I am convinced they have memorized more scripture than I have. Even their prayers are thoughtful and centered on God. We're working our way through the Old Testament, starting with Genesis, and even though I've read these passages a few times, God is reteaching me simple truths, and opening my eyes to a greater understanding of Him.

I've also been attending a women's bible study for the past few months, reading through Elyse Fitzpatrick's book Helper by Design. If any of you need encouragement and direction in how to be the wife that God has called and designed you to be, I would highly recommend her book. Jeff and I have been married for 4+ years, and although we've come a long way from where we were when we first got married, we still have a lifetime in front of us to strive to get closer and closer to God's calling for us as a husband and wife. When I get caught up in day to day life, and don't think through my actions, it is so easy for me to feel like Jeff and I are fine the way we are, and that my actions, good and bad, are justifiable. This book and study have been helpful in reminding me of who God designed me to be, and how I can work towards that. My only complaint is that my sinful self isn't that great at applying what I read. The day after I read or the day after the study, the application rings loud in my mind. Then suddenly, the next day its gone, a week goes by and I'm at the next chapter, feeling conviction of complacency for the previous chapter and conviction to change my heart and actions. This is definately one of those books I will be able to read again and again and still find areas to improve.

Day-to-day life is simply busy. Work and gym, plus Jeff's couple nights a week when he teaches Karate, and my nights here and there for KDG or study leave us with little bits of time in the evening to spend time together. Many nights we eat dinner and go to bed, but sometimes we watch a movie or a tv show. We don't have cable, but we do have a digital antenna, and on Thursdays we watch Fringe. Its the only tv show we can actually keep up on (or care to). I admit though, we do have Netflix instant streaming.. and its the best thing since sliced bread. No commercials, no week in between each episode, or only 4 episodes on a disc. We're working through Battlestar Galactica right now. Don't go thinking we're complete sci-fi nerds... we're not. Some of the stuff is cheesy, but its fun and different. (and for the record... I fought to not watch Battlestar, but after the first episode I changed my mind.)

Jeff and I had two Thanksgivings... one at my parent's house and one at ours with his dad (can you say "Yay Leftovers!"). My aunt drove down from Oregon and my Grandpa drove up from S. California. My aunt brought a turkey from her farm, my mom made all her usual delicious sides, and I brought Orange Kuchen buns (which I will share pictures of soon... and maybe the recipe... maybe.). It was nice to spend time with family.

The next day, we went Black Friday shopping. We don't get all excited like some people... we're not big fans of the wee hours of the morning, lines, and crowds of people. But I did get excited over a couple deals on external hard drives and cd towers (yes I am a nerd). However, our Black Friday shopping consisted of sleeping in, getting up when we felt like it, perusing a couple stores (still managing to get the hard drive and CD tower deals!), buying some much needed slacks for Jeff (that ended up not being on sale... but, hey, it was Target so they were still cheap), and coming home to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. We had intentions of getting a tree.. but we relaxed instead. We finally did get our tree this past Sunday, and we still haven't decorated it. So for the past couple days we've had a fluffy green pine tree sitting in our living room, looking completely out of place. Maybe we'll get around to decorating it tonight.

Christmas is coming! I have lots of wonderful handmade gifts that I am selling (posting to follow this week) and you can also always purchase gift certificates for portrait sessions. (Support your local artists and vendors)!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season with your family and friends. Don't forget the reason for Christmas, God's gift to us, Christ Jesus.