Chelsea Lynn Photography

You've Been a Good Ole' Blog

2011-08-15T17:47:00.002-05:00

All good things must come to an end. This will be the last post on this blog. I have moved to www.chelsealynnphotography.com/blog. If you enjoyed reading this one, thank you, and please come visit me over at the new one. I think we're going to have a good time over there.

Adventures in Weagle-ing.

2011-07-16T14:40:00.000-05:00

Frisbee is not just a toy to Izzy. Frisbee has become more of a way of life. I do not exaggerate. I think the only time Izzy is not thinking about frisbee is...well, Izzy is always thinking of frisbee. First thing in the morning, she runs out of her crate and out the front door, straight to the frisbee. When we're eating a meal, she sits at our feet and hold frisbee in her mouth, her brown puppy dog eyes silently pleading. Throw it, throw it. When we give in and throw frisbee outside, she goes nuts. It's like a different part of her dog brain takes over. Her eyes are glazed with near hysteria, the tip of her pink tongue peeks out through her front teeth, and she jumps. oh the jumping. I swear the dog has springs in her legs. She jumps as high as her little spring loaded legs will allow and reaches to catch frisbee in mid air. It's an obsession. Like any good dog owners, we give in. We allow her crazy little game to become a part of our daily routine. Time for a break from editing? Frisbee with Izzy. John comes home from work? Frisbee with Izzy. Ice cream after dinner? Nah, frisbee with Izzy instead. She's a nut, and we not only allow it, we encourage it. Eh, I suppose it could be worse. For now, we just enjoy our little routine with our nutty little dog.

Only took a few attempts for our self portrait to work. I finally put the frisbee on the camera to get her too look at it. Notice the look of pure love and elation on her face, bottom right.

Izzy looking up at me from the front porch through the door. Expecting me to play her little game. A happy dog smile. Mad hops for a little girl.

Fried Ice Cream

2011-07-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

I have this memory. Maybe it was implanted by aliens. Maybe it was a dream the unicorns put there. But I have this memory of eating fried ice cream that my Uncle Kyle made a long time ago. I've asked Kyle about this, and he doesn't remember ever making this dish. I would love for someone else in my family to validate this memory. Otherwise, I'm going with the unicorn theory.

In this memory, I had never heard of fried ice cream and to my small self, it sounded very strange. I would like to think I've always been somewhat of an adventurous eater and so I sampled this odd dish. Wouldn't you know it. Heaven. Cold creamy ice cream in the middle-warm, buttery, crisp shell on the outside. Since that day, I've thought of fried ice cream as the ultimate special occasion, elusively delicious dessert.

Naturally, 4th of July seemed like the perfect occasion to test out my own fried ice cream creation. After a little bit of convincing John (whom I am so proud of for eating so healthy and felt a little bit bad about pulling him off the wagon) we made a trip to the grocery store to procure the necessary ingredients.

A half gallon of coffee ice cream and a bag of cinnamon toast crunch later-we were on our way to fried ice cream happiness. In case you want to know how to make your own heart stopping fried dessert-here you go.

Start with squared cereal. We used Cinnamon Toast Crunch but you could use Golden Grahams, etc.

Crush cereal into little bits. John's weapon of choice was a potato masher. That is optional as well.

Separate egg whites.

Scoop out balls of ice cream. Freeze them for at least 2 hours before you plan to fry them.

Dip the frozen ice cream ball into the egg whites and make sure it's good and covered.

Roll the egg white coated ice cream ball in the crushed cereal. We did a double dip into the egg white and crushed cereal to make sure we got a thick crust.

Drop ice cream into a pan of hot grease. The grease should be at least 4 inches deep and really hot. We made sure it sparked up when we sprinkled water into it to make sure it was hot enough. Technical, I know.

Voila.

Did it live up to the memory of the heavenly treat I had stored away in my brain? Not really. Things usually don't. Was it worth the ridiculous amount of calories ingested to have a fun project to work on with John? Absolutely.

Jonathan and Alyssa

2011-07-06T18:11:00.000-05:00

I was so honored to be a part of Jonathan and Alyssa's wedding day. I have known Jonathan my entire life. Or rather, his entire life. I was born a few months before him so there was a short while when we did not know each other. We have been through a lot of life together, and I still get a little misty thinking about pre-high school graduation. Like so many others, we all went off to venture through this big wide world alone. Then one day, I heard Jonathan wasn't alone anymore. And I was excited to meet this girl that I knew must be very special. Imagine my delight when I met Alyssa. She's beautiful, sweet, and she loves my friend. I've known Jonathan a long time and I have never seen him this happy. The way they look at each other, the quiet moments they share with each other, the faith they have together-it's powerful and beautiful. I am so happy that they have the rest of their lives together. I know it will be long and blessed.

Thank you, Jonathan and Alyssa, for including me in your special day. I treasure our friendship and look forward to many more years of it.

Bettie Jo and Brian

2011-07-05T12:10:00.000-05:00

Meet Bettie Jo and Brian. They are getting married next month in Abilene. I am so proud of these guys. I think I picked maybe the hottest day of the year to do an engagement session. They smiled and posed and loved despite the heat. I am really looking forward to the wedding, it doesn't get any better than laid back people who genuinely care about each other. I know that whatever life throws at them, they'll face it together, smiling.

Joe and Miranda

2011-06-30T10:59:00.000-05:00

Love is a beautiful thing. It's beauty grows when surrounded by peace and joy. That was the essence of Joe and Miranda's wedding. They were so at peace with each other, so full of joy in each others presence. Their love is sweet. Their wedding was beautiful and I know it was merely the beginning of a beautiful life together. Joe and Miranda, thank you for asking me to be a part of your day. Every minute was wonderful. I am so honored to call you friends.

The Goat Cookoff. And yes, I fear goats may have been harmed in the making. Sorry.

2011-05-05T11:52:00.000-05:00

Life in a small town may just be all it's cracked up to be. Goldthwaite City Park filled with pecan trees and vendors selling goat burgers mixed in with faces of souls that I am growing more and more attached to, it's all becoming routine -and I am loving the rhythm of it. Who knew that in such a short time I would convert from a tied up city girl to a country girl with real cowboy boots (and places to wear said boots). Get this-I actually liked the goat meat. Weird, right? Chowed down on it and wanted more. Maybe it was a Fried Green Tomatoes moment, you know, "secret's in the sauce". Whatever the case may be, I find myself in moments quite often where I simply must stand back, feel the sunshine, and take a breath. Sending up a prayer of thanksgiving for this simple life of blessings.

Some of the faces in Goldthwaite. I am loving these kids.

Poor fellar. I really did feel bad for the guy.

This is the cooked-off goat. It was totally delish.

My new boots. I'm a real cowgirl now! (or at least a little bit closer than I was)

Betcha can't guess who this handsome cowboy is!

Michael and Marlena, our cowboy church friends.

Patrick and Emily, our First Baptist friends.

BJ and Jeffri, our Fellowship Baptist friends. And our cheerleader/gymanst/cool dinner time entertainment friends.

Picture time-John gets something in his eye, Izzy is distracted in the background, and we're losing the good light. Oh well.

Kiefer, Goldthwaite Senior 2011

2011-04-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

Goldthwaite Eagles: State Football Champions 2009, State Football Runner-Up 2010

Kiefer has a pet scorpion. Any guy who has a scorpion for a pet must be one tough dude. As if being a linebacker for a state champion football team wasn't enough. Towards the end of the shoot, I was dodging the grasshoppers that would jump up and hit me in the leg, and Kiefer was wanting to pick them up and take them home to his beloved pet. Kiefer, you're brave.

We had fun running around Goldthwaite, I had found some hidden jewels in unlikely places and I was eager to find the right person to bring there. Kiefer was the winner. Thanks for being a good sport and hanging in there, windblown and all. Best of luck to you next year-college football will look good on you!

Puppiesx7=Totally Presh

2011-04-25T12:30:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, our friends Patrick and Emily had puppies. Well, Lily the lab did. Originally the ultrasound showed 4 puppies, so it was quite a surprise when 3 more came out. All I know is there has been a whole lot of cute going on over at the Berg's.

the proud papa

Patrick owns Oak Grove Gundogs and is breeding these cute little pups to be bird hunting machines. I am just amazed at how smart his gundogs are. He does a great job training the little guys, and I'm sure you may purchase one if you would like! You better get in while the gettin's good, I don't think these cuties will be available for long, I'm pretty sure I want one of each!

Mrs.Raley

2011-04-20T10:08:00.000-05:00

Well, my big sister is married. Her wedding was absolutely beautiful, it was elegant and simple and wonderful. She was a stunning bride, every time I looked at her I was taken aback by how beautiful she is. I'm sure her groom did the same. Luckily, Chandee had booked a fabulous photographer and I had 100% faith that Amy Rose would do justice to the beauty of the day. I took a measly 27 frames, my brain was not engaged in photography at all. I had considered pulling a Jasmine Star and shooting her wedding with someone else, but i realized very quickly that that would not be a great option for me. I loved not having to take a single picture. I got to just be with my sister and family and fully appreciate the gravity of her big day. Every time I saw a flash or heard a shutter click, I smiled and knew that the day was being documented.

And go check out Amy Rose King, she captured the day perfectly. I am so grateful for her talent.

Here is the one shot I did take, a little behind the scenes kind of action.

Open Up Anyway

2011-03-25T14:41:00.001-05:00

Check this out. Danielle La Port has got some good stuff going on. I highly recommend you check her out. http://whitehottruth.com/inspiration-spirituality-articles/open-up-any-way/

This poem punched me in the gut. I love it. I printed it out and thumb-tacked it to the wall in front of my computer so I can remind myself of these words every day. I hope you are inspired as well.

open up any way

open wide.
give your desires words. out loud words.
tenderly gaze of the eye to eye.
expose your craving anyway you must, under a blanket or backed by a rented band.
reveal your intentions, clean.
stand there, vulnerable, waiting.
describe your dream, in detail.
clarify what you're afraid of and give faith to the opposite.

engage every cell in fiercely wishing:
to be seen. to be graduated. adored. valued. validated. met.

the moment holds it all. give it then and there.
even if it didn't work before, or you're not sure what will come out of you to make for something new. (you can't be sure)

blow off the past.

ask for what you want.

unzip the casing of your personality and let that inner layer feel the air. smart warm life.
do it in front of another being.

this is terrifying relief:
to merge
out in front
melting edges
contributing
punctuations of ecstasy
everyday happiness deepening

we know.

pulse open. open. open.

you will get hurt. shattered -- guaranteed.
a glance will cut. denial will bruise, rejection will fracture.
you'll cry. clenched. you'll be infuriated. you may choose to walk away -- agonized.
leave. quit. swing back. shoot a dart of defense.
you'll regret it -- more or less.

if you stay there, closed down 'round your core, then you'll never leave the house feeling like yourself.
you'll pad your soul with stuff destined for landfills.
piles of dislike and complaints will heave between you and bliss.
(bliss is possible. we know.)
itchy. tight. foggy. this happens when the heart is veiled.
nothing will ever be quite right, day after day.

pulse back open.
do it to be it.
lean toward.
worship your precious impulses.
focus to expansion.
this once.

open
up
any
way
.

Izzy, the Painter.

2011-03-13T10:36:00.000-05:00

What is a girl to do when she wants to go to a coffee shop and there is no such thing to be found? Make your own! Thus, coffeeshop night was born. We painted on canvas's, we listened to coffee shop music, we drank coffee, and we watched an Indie ish kind of movie. It was fabulous. There might have even been a moment of interpretive dance, but I shall never tell.

The best part was our painting endeavor.I have had a blank canvas for a couple of years that I have never gotten the nerve up to touch a paintbrush to. If you've never done it, staring at a blank canvas with a paint brush in hand can be quite terrifying.

This particular evening, the fear was conquered.

Coffee was enjoyed, masterpieces were painted, quality time was spent.

Izzy didn't enjoy it as much as we did, but her painting was my favorite.

Spring Makes Me Happy

2011-03-08T10:12:00.000-06:00

Spring time makes me happy. I love that God creates things like tiny pink flowers.

I've been waiting all winter for the green to come back! The last few weeks I've been checking a tree in our front yard for the first hint of color-and it's finally here!

My new favorite pair of shoes. They will be a perfect compliment to my bridesmaids dress for Chandee's wedding, don't you think?

BJ and Jeffri

2011-03-07T11:02:00.001-06:00

Jeffri and BJ were both cheerleaders in college. It's tradition for cheerleaders to take a picture of them doing a stunt on their wedding day-they didn't get it in on the actual day but wanted to keep the tradition anyway. Really, I just think they're cool for being able to do this. And brave.

Here are two dear friends, they have been a blessing to me and I am excited about what our friendship holds in it's future! BJ and Jeffri have been married 3 months now, so I'd consider this a "Day After" session. Look how totally gorgeous Jeffri is, BJ is a lucky man!

Jonathan and Alyssa

2011-03-01T10:48:00.001-06:00

Classic story of boy meets girl, girl says yes, boy and girl live happily ever after. Jonanthan and I have been friends since before we can both even remember, we grew up together and left for college at the same time. We both ended up in Texas and both ended up marrying Texans. Alyssa and I just met about a year ago, when Jonathan brought her home to ABQ and it was one of those random times that we were home at the same time. I liked her right away, she made my friend so happy. A few months later, I decided that I was going to train for a half marathon in San Antonio. I posted it to Facebook and found out that Jonathan and Alyssa were training for the same race, Jonathan the half and Alyssa the full. The next few months Alyssa was a huge encouragement to me. I would post a workout that I had done and there was Alyssa, cheering me on.

Finally, the big day came. We had all trained as best we could, eaten a carb loaded meal the night before, and we were set to go. Little did Alyssa know that Jonathan was planning something a little extra special for the finish line.

Four hours later, most of us were done with the race. There, at the finish line, Jonathan got down on one knee and asked Alyssa to marry him. It was perfect! Of course, she said yes. Happily ever after, here they come.

Vegas Baby

2011-02-24T11:20:00.000-06:00

My partner in crime. You really wouldn't think it would take us 3 attempts to get a halfway decent self portrait. It did.

The lovely ladies at the Shoot Sac booth. They were seriously so awesome. We became friends in about 10 seconds flat. Maybe a new record for this introvert.

Our castle. I felt like a princess, kind of.

My Shoot Sac with awesome cover. I think it's perfect, can't wait to take it on a shoot!

Inspiration

Closest to Paris I'll be for a while yet. But that's another post.

Fish

2011-02-23T09:05:00.000-06:00

All the color, light, textures, lines, shapes, etc. that I could ever want is all right here in Vegas. The hotels, inside and out, are all pretty neat looking. The mountains in the background, the interesting people….I have so many options to find great images. So naturally, I took pictures of fish. I took just a few pictures today, and the majority of them were of different fish in a giant fish tank. I was mesmerized by them. I felt like a two year old, exclaiming over the pretty colors, the silly one who liked the bubbles, the size of the monster fish. I happily snapped away, completely enthralled with all of these magnificent fish.

My husband makes me a better person.

In the midst of all of this madness, the classes, the tradeshow, the aching feet as we walk from place to place, the multiple meals at McDonalds, the conquering of fears, the tired brain… I was able to take a few moments and just enjoy the moment. My sweet love would do just that. I could imagine him right there with me-exclaiming even louder than I and probably entertaining anyone within earshot with some funny fish story.

Safe to say, he’s been my rock. When I didn’t even believe in myself, he’s never given up on me. He’s been my biggest fan since day one. Two and a half years ago I made a decision to start a business with no clue as to what I was getting myself into. He was right there with me, pushing me forward and dragging me along.

Thanks love. These fish are for you.

I Thought of a Hundred Different Titles Today.

2011-02-22T02:42:00.000-06:00

And if I could use all of them, I would. You know the Red Bull slogan, "Red Bull gives you wings!"? Well, it's safe to that my personal slogan could be "Photography gives me wings!" Like for reals. I almost become a different person. I'm small talky and chat with strangersy and shake handsy and introduce myselfy...and who am I? I am not the shy, fearful that no one will like me person. Sure, I don't mind skipping the after parties to get to bed early-let's not get crazy here. But I sure do have a wave of confidence and peace as I sit next to people I don't know and then end up praying with them a few hours later. (Of course, we really should attribute that to the work of the Holy Spirit, cuz I don't do that on my own)

As the day rushed it's way past me, I tried to grab and hold onto every important moment that was flying by. I wanted to have a stellar blog post tonight, to equal the stellar day I've experienced this day in February. So of course, as something awesome was happening, I was trying to come up with blog titles that would be be the perfect balance of relevant and clever. I'll give you a sampling.

I Guess I'm Not Afraid to be Myself Anymore.

I Am a Person Who Sets Goals...and Accomplishes Them.

Why Action Runner is Brilliant.

How I am Going to Become More Awesome in Business.

The Satisfaction of Crossing a Life Goal Off the List.

Nothing super clever, this I realize. I was sitting in MGM Grand Garden Arena today listening to Jasmine Star speak (cross that one off the list!) and she said something that has stuck with me. I don't believe it was her point-but it stuck nonetheless. She said when she sits down to write, she has a really hard time coming up with the title. And to me, that's a bit like life. If I am living a story and I am trying to be intentional about the way my story is unfurling, then I should have a fabulous working title. But how do you squeeze your life down to the little bits that make themselves into a working title? If your life is unimportant and being lived without purpose-you have a pretty boring story and thus an even worse title for it.

This hotel has a special place in my heart. *N Sync, now WPPI. Thanks MGM.

Losing $. Lost a whole dollar to this one!

I got to meet Jessica Claire, she came up with the shootsac. Super cool product and she was super nice!

Jasmine Star presenting...more to come on this experience later. For now, it was awesome.

Wow, super rambly post-I can't make the brilliant phrases stick together tonight, my brain is on overload. How about a few images from the adventures so far.

Sweet Little Girls

2011-02-18T13:50:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of doing a session of two sweet little sisters here in Goldthwaite. Aren't they two of the most photogenic children you've ever seen?

It's all about the angle.

2011-02-17T23:16:00.000-06:00

Today is a lesson in what it takes to get the proper angle. The number one goal in photography is to find the best light. Essentially, that's what a photographic image is. It's how you see light and tell the camera to capture it. No light=no image.

As a photographer, I am committed to capturing the best light no matter what situation I'm in. Sometimes to get great light I have to contort myself into very strange positions, and I believe I may look a bit strange from time to time. I would like to believe that I will do anything to get the perfect shot, despite my fears (which my list of fears is quite long, so it's often a battle). The wonderful thing about having a camera in my hand however, is that my fears are conquered without too much delay. More often than not, it's the fear of what people think of me as I get into strange positions.

The other day I did a photo shoot for my friend Patrick, he breeds hunting dogs and so he brought the dogs over and we had a some fun running the dogs and getting pictures of them doing their retrieving thing. Here is a great example of me doing something weird, but doing it to get the perfect angle.

Left: this is what I see Right: this is the weird thing that everyone else sees.

Top: this is what I see Bottom: this is me braving the field that may have snakes in it, and looking kinda weird.

Braving the Bulls

2011-02-10T15:32:00.000-06:00

As one of my life goals is to be not so scared of everything, I decided that while photographing my friends on bucking bulls, I would get as close as possible to the bulls without actually being on a bull. When I got the arena, I was asking the friendly cowboys where a good, safe spot to stand would be. Asking a cowboy who willingly gets on a 2,000 pound, angry bucking bull where a "safe" place to be is somewhat of a joke. Of course, their answer was not exactly what I had pictured. The conversation went a little like this:

Me: Hello Mr. Brave Cowboy, where is a safe place for a wimp with a camera to stand so as to get a good shot of the ridiculously dangerous activities happening this cold, clear evening?

Mr. Brave Cowboy: In the pen.

Me: ...oh.

I believe that was more or less the conversation. I made up my mind right then and there that I was going to be just as brave (well, almost) as this cowboy and jump in the pen with the bulls. As I followed through the maze of bulls and fences, I was becoming braver and braver, feeling as though with a camera in front of me, I can do anything.

After assessing where the light was best (light chaser first, bull chaser last) and then where the bulls would be coming from, I was hoisted on top of the pen itself, where a friendly and humorous ex-rodeo clown warned me about how high the bull just below my feet could jump. Still not sure how kidding he was, you know, being a clown and all. I couldn't let myself believe him, because that meant that mean bull kicking the metal I was standing on might decide he didn't like being caged up. No bueno for me. So I bravely stood on top of the bull pen, with an exit strategy in the back of my mind, and did what I came to do. I loved every second of it. The danger, the images, the switching gears in my brain between exposure and staying alive. It was an adrenaline rush.

It was a step in a good direction. I won that battle for courage in my own mind, this time.

Cowboys

2011-02-02T14:19:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, the youth ministers in town got together to make an Imitate video For Disciple Now. They dressed up as cowboys (well, except for Michael, he's a real cowboy) and decided to do all the things cowboys do. This resulted in some really funny moments, and some really great images. The guys all had fun playing in the dirt with the horses and steers, and I had a great time capturing these hilarious moments.

Photo Friday

2011-01-28T10:59:00.000-06:00

Wow, really a whole month? Well, I'm back on the wagon again, as they say. I started the year off thinking I would do a photo every day and post it every few days. Well, that worked really great for a few weeks and then I obviously got behind on blogging and then here we are a month later. Holes in my month of photos, no blog post. I decided that perhaps I bit off more than I can chew. Here's a new plan. For now, I'm going to focus on one photo a week. In addition to my regular blog posts I'll have a special Friday edition where I post my favorite image here and call it Photo Friday. At the same time, I'm sending a print to my mom every week and she is going to collect the weekly photos in an album. This way, we both win. She gets pictures and I get accountability! For my first photo Friday, I chose an image that was taken by my mother, just last week. We have about a million pictures of us three sisters, but most of them are of us looking straight into the camera with our practiced natural smiles. This one is a new favorite, it's more us. We spend a lot of our time laughing at each other. These girls are absolutely my best friends in the whole world, I can't describe in words how deep our relationships run with each other. Love you sisters.

Goodbye 2010!

2010-12-31T19:49:00.000-06:00

Well, it's the last day of 2010. It was a year of twists and turns, ups and downs. It took me up mountains, brought me to my knees, sent me to the hill country, stretched every part of me, ran me across a finish line, and here I sit. Ready for 2011 to begin. I have my list of goals, plans for this new year to be the best one yet. I'm expecting big things this year. Dreams to come true and challenges to be met. I pray that I am more faithful, more courageous, more...me.

I'm spending the evening with my family, here in my hometown. It's a perfect evening. Coffee, games, family, cozy pajamas. What a way to celebrate the end of a life changing year.

And tomorrow, I'm shooting my first wedding of the year. The first day of the new year, and I get to do what I love the most. Capturing moments and love and family and joy. The best part, I'm shooting the wedding in the city I grew up in. It's all just so poetically perfect.

Goodnight 2010. Thanks for a great year. And tomorrow, I will greet 2011 with high expectations and hope.

Goldthwaite Seniors 2011, Creative Senior Portraits

2010-12-28T15:27:00.001-06:00

Hello, Goldthwaite Class of 2011!

Mills County Parade of Lights

2010-12-14T14:48:00.000-06:00

I've always wanted to ride in a float at a parade. I've marched in plenty, but playing the flute in a super awesome outfit/hat and feather and sweating off any trace of beauty queen doesn't exactly count. How do those girls get in a parade? All smiling their beauty queen smiles and waving the famous beauty queen wave. How does one achieve such a feat, experience so much magic?

I decided this year my dreams were going to come true. See, I have made a friend here in Goldthwaite that helps me make my dreams a reality. So far we've made t-shirts for our favorite band, she's taught me how to sew (or is trying really hard to teach me), I'm making my first quilt, we have become workout buddies...she's much better than I am at making ideas happen. So, when she had the brilliant idea of entering a float into the Mills County Parade of Lights, I laughed along and we came up with some silly ideas, but then the idea actually happened. I signed up for the parade, we went shopping for decorations, and we spent a few hours right before the parade turning her simple golf cart into a magical, glowing winter wonderland, complete with a puppy in the basket. We had a ton of fun getting the thing decorated, and giggled the during the entire drive to the start of the parade route, and then we waited. Nestled between the Boy Scouts and the Revival Center, we waited for the sun to set and the lights to start glowing.

When the sun had sunk below the horizon, the parade began. Inching ahead, one float at a time, we grew closer and closer to the start of the parade. And then, we were off! Emily expertly navigated the golf cart/winter wonderland on wheels and I practiced my best beauty queen wave. Just like I have always imagined. Well, sort of, anyway.

Fifteen minutes later, our trek down Fisher St. was over and we were on our way back home. It was over so quickly! Maybe next time, I'll find a longer parade. But for now, my first float in Mills County will have to do. And yes, it was pretty magical.

13.1

2010-11-23T14:32:00.000-06:00

My partner in crime...I absolutely could not have done this without him.

Don't be fooled. I am exhausted and in pain.

The race day outfit, complete with bib number. Looks official doesn't it.

My feet were aching, my legs were shaking with fatigue, my lungs were struggling to draw in a breath, but the finish line was just around the corner. There was a man on the corner, shouting as I ran past. "It's just around the corner! You're almost there!" My body was threatening to quit, I wanted more than anything in the world to just stop running and lie down in the middle of the pavement. His words gave me hope. I had been running for the last two and a half hours and now the finish line was just around the corner.

And it was a beautiful sight. Thousands of people screaming, cheering us on, waving signs and banners, music blasting from huge speakers. I rounded the corner and there it was. The finish line. I had only .1 of a mile to go and I would accomplish something like I've never accomplished before. My best friend was right there beside me, a personal cheerleader that had stuck with me the last 5 months, encouraging me to keep running when all I wanted to do was stop. We had trained for this. At the end of every run, he would yell, "finish line training!" and we would envision the glory of it all. We would pick up the pace and sing the theme song to Rocky and lift our hands in the air, practicing for race day. And it was enough to carry me through to end. The real deal. THE finish line. More wonderful than I had imagined on those hundreds of runs leading up to it. We grabbed hands, yelled, "finish line!" and crossed it, our hands thrown into the air in the way that finishers do.
And that was it. I was on the other side. The other side of the finish line. I hadn't thought about what would happen there. Someone placed a medal around my neck and we were corralled into the "Safe Zone". People were on all sides of me, handing me water bottles (which I gulped down 2 of right away), bananas, Snickers marathon bars, veggie chips...and I ate it all! I was ravenously hungry and my legs were threatening to quit on me.
I stood there, medal around my neck, John holding one hand and a bottle of water in the other, and I basked. Basked in the glory of all that I had accomplished. 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 48 minutes. Not even close to a qualifying time, but it was MY time. The time that it had taken me to run a half marathon. Because I had actually just run a half marathon.
Just 5 months earlier a half mile around the park next to our apartment ate my lunch. Thinking about running a marathon was daunting, if not impossible. But I kept at it. I ran those first half miles painfully and slowly, sad indication of just how out of shape I had become. I didn't want to be an unhealthy person, it had just slowly crept up on me. The cherry vanilla cokes, the fried mozarella sticks, sitting in front of a computer for a good part of each day, the sedentary lifestyle snuck up slowly, so slowly in fact that it tricked me into thinking I wasn't that lazy, unhealthy person that I thought I could never become.
Now that I'm on the other side and feeling better about myself than I have in a VERY long time, I realize that running 13.1 miles is about so many things. It isn't just about fitness and cardiovascular health, I now have a whole new mindset. I am a healthy person. I am a person who sets a goal and takes the necessary and sonetimes difficult steps to achieve that goal. I am a runner. I am a person who knows what mental toughness is and can claim that for myself. I saw how a whole bunch of small steps morphed into a huge distance.
You know what the coolest part is about all of this is? Anyone can do it!. You don't have to be in good shape. You don't have to be an athletic person. I look like a total dork running. My knees turn in and my feet kick out...trust me, it's unattractive. But I did it anyway. Anyone can make the decision to right now, walk outside and walk a half mile. That's all it takes. Just do that every day. Then you can run a half mile. You might want to throw up, lungs and legs burning, I sure did. But you keep going. You are in control of your mind and your mind can tell your body to keep going.
Set a small goal. Every day. Then do it. That's all. Then before you know it, you have accomplished something wonderful. Something you will look back on for the rest of your life and remember it as a time that you set yourself on the road to becoming who you want to be.

What are you waiting for?

Justin and Tiffany + The World Race = Awesomeness

2010-11-18T15:53:00.001-06:00

Even though we weren't in Lubbock for very long, we were there just long enough to make some really cool friends that we miss hanging out with. Justin and Tiffany are just one such couple. They are really probably some of the coolest people I know. In January, they are leaving on an 11 month mission trip and are going to do mission work in 11 different countries. How sweet is that? They're already done some other international missions and are focused on doing what God is asking them to do, no matter how scary or how crazy it may seem. They are true examples of living a great story with your life. Here are some favorites from their session we did before I moved. And go check out The World Race, it's pretty crazy. And if you want to keep up with their adventures, you can check out their blog justinandtiffanyhanes@theworldrace.org.

Family

2010-11-11T14:33:00.000-06:00

If I haven't said it before, I'm pretty much obsessed with my family. My cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, sisters, parents, and even all of their dogs. I know most everyone's birthdays by heart and whether or not I send them a card or gift, I think about that person on their special day. (Happy Birthday today Mames!) My family is so precious to me. Some of the very best memories I have are with my big crazy extended family. We have a whole bunch of crazy traditions that we may or may not do anymore, but I still treasure all of the memories. I'd like to share a few with you.

-Every Thanksgiving or Christmas, whichever one we are all together for, my cousin Amy and I make the fruit salad. This is a tradition we take very seriously. I'm pretty sure it started when both of us were little and in the way but wanted to help because we both liked to cook, and we both still do. I'm sure a mom or a grandma said, here, take these cans and open them and cut the fruit into smaller pieces and then add these other things and get out of the way while you're doing it. And I'm sure our little 9 and 10 year old selves were ecstatic to help with the meal and feel important. Amy and I, in our mid 20's, still open all the cans and cut the smaller pieces and add stuff to it. We've even developed a secret ingredient. It's the best fruit salad in the world.

-When we used to have our big giant Christmas Eve celebrations, Nanny, would always plan some crazy awesome thing. One year we all had fuzzy socks and clickers, one year her and Papa made all of us matching striped pajamas, and then Nanny's last year with us we had the biggest time. What started out with a luau complete with a pig, pineapples, and hula skirts turned into a night of Irish dancing. Little cousins and big cousins, moms and dads, all jumping and spinning around to the sounds of some Irish melody. It remains one of the best nights of my life, some of the sweetest memories I have with my family.

-Sleeping. This family knows how to sleep. After a big meal, or not after a big meal, when there is a Whittenberg gathering there is someone napping. We're all really good at just picking a nap spot and snoozing away. My new little cousin, my cousin Ashley's son, is only 9 months old and he is a phenomenal sleeper. The kid sleeps like 10 hours a night and has since he was a few weeks old. We are all like this.

-Movies. Every time we get together for a big holiday, we all pick out a movie to go see together. During the year, when we see previews for movies that are coming out on a holiday, we say to each other, oh that would be a good one to see together this year. And everyone knows what that means. Then all 25 or so, the number keeps growing as we keep getting married, take up 2 rows in the theater and pass popcorn and drinks all up and down the aisle.

-Coffee. We are the coffee drinkingest bunch I've ever known. All of my uncles pride themselves on their perfected cups of coffee. I look forward to drinking coffee with my family around the table and telling the same stories and laughing at the same memories every year.

The little cousins plus 3 big ones and Nanny on Easter. It's funny to look at this now, all the "little" cousins are in their teens!

One of the rare pictures of us girls with our mom. She was always behind the camera and rarely in front of it. I'm going to try to learn from that and make more of an effort to be included in the pictures.

Anyone notice the little dog attacking Charise? We were trying to take a picture on the way to the *N Sync concert and this little pup would not leave us alone. He really wanted to eat Charise's pant leg. I love how Chandee and I are both unconcerned with our little sister's plight.

This year most of us were able to be together at balloon fiesta time, and we celebrated two big birthdays this year. Seth turned 16 and Madison turned 13. Big years, you know. And when we all gathered around the table to pray before we filled our plates, our sweet Seth shared a few words with us. He talked about how much he loves his family and how we love each other. He talked about how cool it is when we all get to be together and how precious those times are. He said it out loud, but we all know it on our hearts. We are a family. No matter what or where we are, we love each other.

Me, Shley, and Mames. Two of the best of cousins. We've been through a lot of life together!

This is me sometime around 6 or so? Nanny and her mom Gammy. These two women shaped our family.

Cousins and sisters at my graduation from high school in 2003.

My sweet Papa and me on my wedding day.

Cousins and sisters plus our Nanny. We would always spend a week with them during the summer, I think this is us on the way home. Aren't we so cool?

To my family...I love and cherish each of you. Thank you for shaping me into who I am.

My new hobby

2010-10-21T12:36:00.000-05:00

I have always wanted to learn how to sew. Sometimes when I'm at Hobby Lobby I wander into the fabric section and look at all of the fabrics and ribbons and buttons and patterns and wish that someday the skill would magically enter my head and my hands would know just what to do. I've had some pretty sorry attempts at sewing, when a fabric called to me and I pretended I knew what I was doing while telling the lady at the fabric counter how much fabric to cut. I've even bought a little sewing kit complete with red pushpin and colorful pins. Just looking at my sewing kit sends me into a mini daydream about becoming a rockstar seamstress.

No matter how much I wish it, knowing how to sew doesn't just happen. I have all of these projects in my head, purses and dresses and t-shirt quilts...none of them have happened. Until now...

Goldthwaite is turning out to be a really great place. Every day gets better and better. What are the odds that in this random small Texas town of 1800 people I would meet someone my own age with a great sense of humor and a love of...you guessed it. Sewing! My new friend Emily is a terrific seamstress and can make all kinds of cool things on a sewing machine. Best part of it is, she's teaching me to sew! My first project is a pair of pot holders. We went to the fabric store in Austin a few days ago and wandered around looking for the perfect combination of fabrics for my first sewing project. We went home that night and got down to business.

I'm proud to introduce for the very first time...

Stay tuned to see the finished product...

It's the simple things in life.

2010-10-12T17:32:00.000-05:00

I recently got a new pair of shoes. You know how sometimes you find an item of clothing you become obsessed with and decide that it goes with everything? Anyone? No, ok, so that's just me then. Well, this new pair of shoes has become that obsessive accessory that goes with everything. Seriously, I wear them every day. Seriously. I love these shoes.

Christmas Time!

2010-10-06T17:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, you read that right. Christmas time! It's just around the corner and will be here quicker than you think. I love the Christmas season. Christmas trees, parties, Santa, snowmen, reindeer, food and...Christmas cards! This year, I have a really exciting special to offer for this special time of year:

The sooner you call and book, the better! I anticipate spots filling up quickly so let me know as soon as possible so we can get your cards ordered in time. I have several custom designed cards you may choose from so you can have the cutest cards in town! Additional cards and products are available for an additional price.

I will be scheduling sessions until the end of November, so make sure to get your appointment today!

Balloon Fiesta 2010

2010-10-05T18:24:00.000-05:00

Pretty sure I've been to at least 20 balloon fiestas in my life and every year I love it more than the last. From the time we were little kids and Nanny and Papa would come stay at our house and all the girl cousins (5 of us) would camp out on pallets in the living room and our parents would bundle us up for the cold. We would wake up hours before the sun rose, it was almost as exciting as Christmas morning, and make our way through the long line of traffic so we could get to the field before the Dawn Patrol balloon went up. Once on the field we would quickly procure breakfast burritos with loads of green chile and steaming hot styrofoam cups filled with hot chocolate. Once we had our fill and the sun rose over the mountains, the balloons began to rise into the air. A million colors, floating into the sky, making the invisible Albuquerque box visible. The excitement of walking balloon to balloon, feeling the temporary warmth of the fire that heats the air inside the balloon, joining in the cheers as each balloon rises from the ground.

These are sights and sounds that have come to signify home for me. At this point in my life, home is an abstract term. But each year I return to ABQ in the fall and smell the roasting green chiles and feel the chill in the air as a promise of winter, and I am home. The best part is being home with my family. How precious these times have become. What were once no big deals have become jewels to hold onto. These people have helped shape who I am and what I hold dear. I am so blessed to be a part of a family that genuinely loves to be with each other. As a self professed memory-aholic, the camera comes in super handy when capturing these small pieces of time.

Yappy Irth Ah

2010-09-29T19:53:00.000-05:00

Last night we had some awesome new friends over for dinner. Patrick and Emily just moved to Goldthwaite 3 months ago, he's the youth pastor at the Baptist church here in town. It's so cool, I just feel like everything that happens to us here is so blessed. One of the things I was most afraid of when moving here was not making friends our own age. Kind of limited in a town of 1800 people. Last week, my first Wednesday night with the youth, I met Emily. Within minutes, I knew we were going to be friends. She's hilarious, spunky, and artistic. She paints, quilts, sews, and makes pottery! I am so excited to put our crafty brains together and see what adventures we come up with! When we were talking we discovered our birthdays are one day apart. Happy Birthday today Emily! Mine is tomorrow, so we decided we would have ourselves a little dinner party. Emily brought a cute little cake, which our husbands, not sure which one because no one ever 'fessed up, turned "Happy Birthday" into what you see there on the cake. There were many more jokes made, lots and lots of good belly laughs, a rousing game of Farkle, and a silly cake. What a huge blessing their friendship already has been and I know is going to continue to be!

Sunset, Izzy, and New Shoes

2010-09-28T17:11:00.000-05:00

Quick post tonight, we have friends coming over for dinner tonight. Friends! Yay! Here's a few pictures of us settling into our new life in Goldthwaite.

This is the view from the backyard. I call the hill in the background my favorite hill. One of these days I'll hike over to it. Don't you love the yummy sunset light?

Izzy in the lawn chair on the porch. Her new favorite place to be.

Goldthwaite, a week and a half later.

2010-09-27T18:03:00.002-05:00

Has it really been so long since I've blogged? Yikes! Here marks my return to the land of the blog.

I have some exciting things coming up....a Christmas special, a redesigned blog....be excited.

For now, a list of things that have been going on in my world.

Between Wagon Wheel, El Tapatio, and Peabody's restaurant, I don't know if I have a favorite local joint yet. They are all AMAZING. What Goldthwaite lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality!

I got a Kindle for my birthday! Since I am a reader, I am super nerdy excited about downloading books. Can you believe it holds up to 10,000 books? Amazing!

I am still training for the San Antonio marathon in November. I ran 6 miles on Sunday, the furthest I have ever run. It was hard, but not impossible.

Izzy is getting settled into her new home quite well. So far, her favorite things are digging holes in the yard, chasing bugs, and sitting in the chair on the porch. That last one is new. I'll have to sneak a picture of her.

About 95% of the boxes are unpacked. We have a couple odds and ends that don't fit and I haven't figured out quite what to do with them. Other than that, our new little home has become very homey.

I love Goldthwaite! It's beautiful country here. Green trees, big rolling hills, lots of sheep and goats to laugh at. The town is precious, and we feel very welcomed. We've been here a week and a half and we're already running into people we know every place we go. I love it!

My birthday is this week. We have fun things planned every day this week. Tomorrow we have friends coming over for dinner (yay!), Wednesday we're shooting fireworks with previously mentioned friends, Thursday is the big day and sweet husband John is planning something and won't tell me, and then the weekend brings a trip to Albuquerque and fun time with family!

John is talking with the city manager about designing a disc golf course at the city park. He's so cool.

That's all for now, keep checking, I promise I'll post more!

The Adventure Begins

2010-09-10T10:30:00.000-05:00

Most of you remember, recently John and I went through a very intentional 40 days of prayer about careers and where God wanted us in life. Let me just say, the hardest part of all of that is praying genuinely, and having faith that God will do what you are asking Him to. You better be prepared for Him to actually do it. You might recall I wrote a post on that recently, you can read about it here. So I made the decision to pray with my whole heart and tell God that I want to live into any adventure He has for me, no matter what.

And God showed up. Big time.

During the very beginning of our 40 days of prayer, John got a phone call from a pastor at a church in Goldthwaite, TX. John's youth pastor from high school knew the guy and knew John was looking for a job and the connection was made. When the pastor from Goldthwaite called John, they had a 2 hour phone conversation about all sorts of things and John realized they were on the same page in a lot of ways. I was at Ponderosa that week that they had that conversation, and I was experiencing all kinds of cool things. God was teaching me and loving on me that week in some pretty miraculous ways. So when I returned home and told John all the cool things God was doing in me, I didn't have any idea God had done some cool things for John as well. We walked around the park near our apartment for a long time that night, lap after lap, just talking about what we thought God might be doing in our lives, of course never fully able to realize what that might be. While everything John was telling me about Goldthwaite sounded ideal, there were two major things that made me feel very uncomfortable. One, it's a Methodist church and two, it's Goldthwaite, TX. That would mean uprooting from Lubbock, which I have come to like very very much and moving to a random small town in central Texas and working at a church that has a completely different system from what John or I had grown up with. Luckily, the pastor was about to begin a 3 week vacation and said he would be in touch with John when he got back. So Goldthwaite Methodist went straight to the back burner while we searched for other options.

Fast forward 3 weeks. Nothing else had come up in our 40 days, and we were nearing the end of it. We were discouraged and frustrated that we had no clear direction. Then out of nowhere, the pastor from Goldthwaite called John. He was almost done with his vacation and he had taken the liberty of speaking with the committee who would do the hiring about John. They were very interested in us coming to visit and had put together a package. So, we halfheartedly agreed to come spend part of a weekend down there and check things out. So the date was set to go visit. As it got closer and closer, we started second guessing the whole idea. I mean, a small town we've never heard of and a church we are completely unfamiliar with? Sounds a little crazy, really. So the Wednesday night before we were supposed to go down for the weekend, we had pretty much decided that we weren't terribly interested in making a visit because we really didn't think it was going to work out. Lo and behold, as we were walking into small group that night, the pastor calls. John looked at me and said, "uh oh, what should I tell him?" and I so wisely replied, "the truth." So John answers and tells him that we aren't feeling very positive about the whole thing and just aren't sure it's worth everyone's time for us to go down there. Shame on us, for asking God to send us somewhere and the politely saying no thank you, not there. The pastor started telling John how excited they all were about meeting us and how he felt so strongly that God had put all of these things in motion and he really thought we needed to come check it out. When John hung up the phone, we both knew that we needed to go.

So the whole way down to Goldthwaite I'm asking all sorts of worried questions like, do you think it's big enough for a Dairy Queen? Do you think it's going to be run down? Do you think we're going to move there? What if we like it? What if we hate it? Of course, all of these questions drive John crazy but I ask them nonetheless because I'm a little bit crazy. We ended up having a great drive down there, I don't remember the last time John and I laughed so hard at each other. We were both crying we were laughing so hard at the silliest things. Funny how we had such a spirit of happiness and laughter as we drove into our possible future.

When we arrived. I like the town immediately. It's beautiful country. Green rolling hills, huge green leafy trees, and big open pastures. And not to worry, they had a Dairy Queen AND a Subway! We drove to the church building and met Carlos, the pastor. He gave us a quick tour of the facilities and then we went to dinner to meet some of the people from church. We had a wonderful time. Everyone was so friendly and kind, we laughed and told stories and I felt peaceful.

Sunday morning was a little bit different than I'm used to, but not a whole lot different, and we were surrounded by new friends that had loved us instantly. I still just felt so much peace there. After church was a potluck, which was amazing, and we got to visit with even more kind people. From there we went to check out the mobile home that someone had donated for us to live in. They had offered us a 4 month trial period to check things out and this was the place we would live during that time. It's the cutest little mobile home you've ever seen. In the middle of a big pasture, our next door neighbors were a couple of horses that paid us no mind as they grazed in their wide open field. There was even a little fence around the yard for Izzy to play in. Picturesque, really.

So after many more prayers, John and I have decided that Goldthwaite, Tx is going to become our new home. We are really excited about what we feel like the Lord is going to do there. We have tried so hard to discern His will for us and we feel so much peace about this door that He flung wide open. I am going to miss my family and friends and I am not looking forward to saying goodbye. I know deep in my heart though that if we are going to live called according to His will, then we better be prepared to do what He asks us to. And we know that this is what God is asking us to do right now.

So, next Thursday, September 16 we will drive away from everything familiar and embark on a big huge adventure in a tiny Texas town. Stay tuned to see how our adventure unfolds...

Camilla and Karina

2010-09-02T22:56:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, John and I were out of town and we started receiving texts from people in our small group. Chelsi, our friend who was pregnant with twins and about 7 months along, was having contractions. Not to worry though, this is the kind of thing that the doctors can stop early. About 30 minutes later, I got a call from my sister and she was saying that Chelsi was in labor. We had been praying for Chelsi since we got the first text, but we stepped it up a little more. We knew that babies were two months premature and we were worried about what that might mean.

Not even another 30 minutes later, we received another text telling us that the twins were here. Within four hours, Chelsi had started having contractions, gone into full labor, and given birth to two beautiful, perfect, and most amazingly of all, healthy little girls. Camilla and Karina had decided it was time to make their mark on the world, whether any of us were ready or not!

Camilla weighed 2 lbs. 15 oz. and Karina was right behind at just 2 lbs. 13 oz. They are doing extremely well, but they do have to stay in NICU for another 4-5 weeks. They are absolutely perfect, and the tiniest babies I have ever seen. We went to visit them tonight, and I loved being able to see their sweet parents love on them and show immense courage and faith. Birth is an amazing thing but to have twins two months early is another story. Downright miraculous I'd say.

The girls did a marvelous job on their first photo shoot. Welcome to the world, Camilla and Karina. You are loved.

New Beginnings.

2010-08-17T00:15:00.000-05:00

Well, today has been a big day for Chelsea Lynn Photography, which really is me, Chelsea. There's been a whole lot of tears and struggles that have led up to it and at times I thought I would never make it. But I'm on my way. It's amazing what God can do when you humble yourself and open yourself to new and different possibilities. Today is the day that I got a new camera. It's absolutely going to launch me to a new level, not just photographically, but personally. It's a giant step towards achieving my dreams, being that this is a major one to have come true. I am super excited to post these new pictures tonight, they are the first of many!

I have decided that for a while, probably a few weeks, I'm going to post a picture every day. After all, this is a photo blog and I've been filling it with nothing but words. The best way to become better at what you do is practice practice practice. Good thing I don't mind practicing!

To be or not to be?

2010-08-13T16:06:00.000-05:00

So today I'm hanging out at Barnes and Noble for a bit of a change of pace. And I wanted to read a new book while I did some work on the old laptop. The book I found is called The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing. It's really interesting ( I think I may be turning into my dad a little with boring to everyone else/interesting to me book thing.) As I'm reading these immutable laws, they are totally making sense. Law of leadership, law of perspective, law of the mind, etc. I'm thinking of all the different things I can do to integrate these things into my marketing strategy and business plan. And then I move on from the simple thoughts of business strategy, to the thought of what does all of this mean to me? Why am I doing any of this? Am I running my own business so that I can make a million dollars and tell people that? Am I doing this so that at my 10 year high school reunion I can go home and show off to all my friends what a successful business person and artist I have become? Admit it, we all think about our high school reunions and how we have to show up more awesome than we were in high school. I know I'm not alone in this. Am I doing this to satisfy my life long curiosity of what it would be like to be famous?

I think all those reasons are wrapped up in my thought process somewhere. But I hope that also wrapped up in there, and perhaps I should make a greater effort for this to become THE reason and not A reason, is the simple fact that I am doing what God created me to do and by doing what He created me to do, I am bringing HIM glory, NOT me. I mean, being purposed as a creator by THE Creator is a pretty cool thing. I pray I don't turn that into a worldly, consumeristic thing.

(Stay tuned for some cool things next week. New business cards, new sample album, and more!)

My Whole Heart

2010-08-09T23:51:00.000-05:00

So tonight we had a really cool meeting with most of the small group leaders from church at our preachers house. It was cool getting to visit with people, but the best parts always come when you don't expect them. So for me tonight, it was after the last prayer was said and everyone started to leave. That's when John and I got to have a super encouraging/convicting conversation with Kyle and Hope, Kyle is the youth minister at our church and John has been interning with him this summer.

We were talking about how today is our 39th day of our 40 days of prayer and so far we have not heard anything from the Lord. No doors have opened, no blinding lights have been shone, no thundering voice from the heaven...nothing. Seeing that we have 2 nights left to pray in our dedicated prayer time, this is a little more than frustrating. I understand the whole, things happen in God's time-not ours concept, but that's not what this conversation was about. As we were talking about what kinds of signs John and I have been looking and listening for, I realized that this whole time, I've been praying with my own agenda in the back of my head. I am getting pretty settled here in Lubbock. We are deepening numerous friendships, I love the church we belong to, I love being close to my sisters and cousins, closer to my mom and dad...Lubbock is really becoming home. And as much as I thought I would never say this, I don't want to leave. So I've been praying that God would open a door, but then slip in a quick, "as long as that door is convenient for me" before it's over. It's a super sad and uncomfortable thought to think about moving away from everything I am familiar with. I don't do change super well and to think about uprooting again and going somewhere I didn't pick does not really sit well with me. At all.

So if I am to pray tonight that God would open a door, Im going to have to add in a "wherever that door may be" and really mean that. I don't know if I can do that. Friends, please pray that my faith would not be weak and I can come to the Lord with an honest and sincere heart. What he wants for me may not be what I want for me. I need courage to accept that.

Here's a Sneak Peek

2010-07-31T21:17:00.000-05:00

Sneak peek of tonight's session. I had a great time taking pictures tonight, it's so much fun when you have a couple that knows how to have fun! You guys were great models. I'll have the rest up shortly after we get home from Mexico next week. No internet connection there, so no blog posts till I get home. Here's a few shots to keep you satisfied...

Hmmm

2010-07-31T00:43:00.000-05:00

Well, today was a good day. To say the least. So I've actually had a rough couple of days, not feeling well and also being frustrated about business business. Today I felt better, not nearly as sore, and I decided that it was time for me to try and find a part time job. This has been a huge battle in humility and failure and that's all for another post. I realize that photography is not keeping me busy all day every day and it's becoming necessary for me to make a little more money. So I was going to make some calls and see what I could find. And lo and behold, right before I had finally decided to make a phone call about a job, my phone rings. And it was a random person that found me through Google and wanted to schedule a photo shoot for tomorrow night. So just as I am going to take things into my own hands, God sends me a client that wants to book me for the very next day. So I freaked out a little and immediately thanked God for taking care of me. I mean, I'm getting down to the wire and frustrated that this business isn't going like I think it should. John and I are coming close to the end of our 40 days of prayer and we haven't really gotten any clear signals and my prayers lately have been pretty frustrated. Then out of nowhere, bam. A paying client that books for the very next day. I just get blown away by how faithful God is. He doesn't promise us that any of this is going to be easy. He does promise us that He will never leave us. Even when, not if, but when we feel like He isn't super interested in what we're going through, He gives us gentle reminders in ways that speak to our hearts that He is here and He is in control. I feel so humbled and so blessed to have a Father that loves me so much.

Whiny Baby Kitty Whiner

2010-07-28T14:47:00.001-05:00

Have you seen the movie Bruce Almighty with Jim Carrey? There's a scene where after he gets fired from his job at WBKW news station, he yells at them," Whiny Baby Kitty Whiners!". John and I say this to each other when someone gets whiny. And that is exactly what I am saying to myself today. I've been running every day for almost 2 weeks now and I seem to have hit some sort of wall. My muscles are aching all over, it's almost like when I have a fever and my body aches. Almost. I'm not sure how sore I'm supposed to be, but I hope this is normal. Everyone is allowed to call me a whiny baby kitty whiner for a while, because that is exactly what I'm doing. But dang, I'm sore! Half marathon training is tough! Worth it? I sure do hope so.

My Book List

2010-07-27T18:31:00.000-05:00

So it's not secret that I love to read. I'm actually a big reading nerd. I have to not read because when I do read it just sucks up all of my time and I will read for hours straight without even moving. When I get into a book I like, I can't put it down. Like it's a physical reaction my body will not do. As a result, I have this long list of books that I would like to read that just grows longer and longer. I'm going to write that list for you here today, and if you have a favorite book recommendation that I should add to my list, I really would appreciate it! (the titles that are wompyjawed are copied and pasted from my Amazon list, just fyi)

-Awakening the Giant Within
-The Greatest Salesman in the World
-Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
-The Magic of Thinking Big
-Mindset
-The Millionaire Mind
A Meaningful Life by LJ Davis
The Peep Diaries by Hal Niedzviecki
Columbine by Dave Cullen
A Pearl in the Storm by Tor Murden McClure
Yes, My DArling Daughter by Margaret Leroy
-Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
-Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality

by Scott Belsky

-Influence: Science and Practice (5th Edition)by Robert B. Cialdini

The Success Principles(TM): How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

by Janet Switzer

The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Success by Achieving More with Less

by Richard Koch

Permission Marketing : Turning Strangers Into Friends And Friends Into Customers

by Seth Godin

Non-Designer's Design Book, The (3rd Edition)

by Robin Williams

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

by Al Ries

Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women

by Cornelia Meigs

The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself [Hardcover]

John Jantsch

Comparisons

2010-07-26T15:45:00.000-05:00

I have a love/hate relationship with blogs. It's super awesome to be able to keep up with people, learn about people, and find inspiration in what other people are doing. That is the love half of the relationship. The hate half is this. I can spend all day looking at other people's blogs and I am in constant comparison mode. Every single blog I look at, I tear it apart in my head. Most blogs I look at, I sit and scroll through the images berating myself for being less talented, less artistic, less awesome, less everything. Then with some other blogs, I find myself puffing up, thinking I am so way better than that. I have better composition, exposure, etc. So when I look at a blog, I do one of two things. Either make myself feel horrible, or make myself feel horrible. Why do I do this?

It's not just with blogs. I compare myself to people all the time. Always have, really. I look at people around me and think, they're more outgoing than me. more artistic and clever than me, skinnier and more fit than me, prettier than me...the list goes on. If I let myself think this for long enough at one time, I end up having a grumpy, I'm ugly, bad day. This is a terrible way to feel!

I have a husband who tells me I'm the most beautiful woman on the planet constantly, and I believe with all my heart he thinks it's true. I have a God who created me perfectly to be exactly who I am and He rejoices over me. I have parents and sisters that support me and love me. So what in the world is wrong with me? Why do I constantly second guess myself and put myself down in my head? It's only hurting me and the lies aren't true.

But everytime I get on someone else's blog that is better than me in the photographic world, it starts this chain reaction of negative thoughts. Grrr. Go away negative thoughts!

Maybe I should stay away from blogs and just be who I am for a while. Hmmm...scary thought.

Dreams

2010-07-25T20:43:00.000-05:00

I have really big dreams. There are so many things I want to do with this life that is so short. Some may be noble, most are not. Whenever I get down on myself and I feel like my life is unproductive, I think about these dreams I have for myself and my family and I think about them coming true. I feel like if I can visualize them they have a better chance of coming true. I think I'll just make a list.

-Build my dream home.
-Buy awesome furniture for my dream home and paint it cool colors.
-Learn to play piano.
-Go on vacations. There are lots of places I want to travel, so this would be another list in and of itself.
-See Garth Brooks perform live. This might be tough.
-Watch my business take off.
-Raise smart children.
-Run a half marathon.

The thing about having dreams and setting goals is understanding the possibility that they might not happen. There is only so much I can do to make these happen, mostly, I have to trust that the Lord is good and He is the giver of these dreams. But as far as it is up to me, I want to work hard to make these a reality. I have to do my part in conquering my fears and taking steps to make these happen. I am so blessed that I have a God that loves me unconditionally.

Tonight, think about your dreams. What do you want?

Blogging is tough!

2010-07-24T20:41:00.000-05:00

When I started my 40 days of blogging, I didn't realize that summertime and vacations would make it tough to be consistent. I hate that I've already missed so many days. I would like to point out though, that every time I haven't blogged it's only because I have no internet connection.

So we just got back from Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels a couple of hours ago. We had a total blast, what's better than hanging out with entertaining teenagers at a 70 acre waterpark for 2 days? Not much, I can tell you that. It was an educational trip, if nothing else. Here are some things I learned.

-off brand sunscreen doesn't work as well as the brand name. it's worth the extra dollar for the Banana Boat.

-"Beast" can be used as a verb. "Dude, I totally beasted that game." This is a good thing.

-I can't stand "screamo" music. Google Devil Wears Prada and you'll probably agree with me. And they're a Christian version of this "musical" genre. Yikes.

-Anytime a large group of boys, regardless of age, gets together-someone will get hurt wrestling.

-Lubbock is not even close to being humid. South Texas is the definition of humid. This might be the only reason I love the landscape here. No trees=No humidity. Worth it? Question mark.

I'm still trying to get motivation to run tonight. I got up early and ran on Thursday morning and that made 3 days in a row without skipping. Friday is a rest day, and so today I need to pick it back up to earn my star. I've been so proud of myself, but I want nothing more than to take a hot bath and go to bed early in my own bed. Dang commitment.

Discipline?

2010-07-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

I was totally convicted at camp last week that I completely lack discipline. I start to do all kinds of things or talk about doing all kinds of things and then when it comes down to it, I don't do them. Oh sure, sometimes I'm too afraid, afraid to fail, afraid to be uncomfortable, etc. Not that fear is a good excuse to not do something, but it is an excuse. Sometimes though, I'm just flat out lazy. Laziness is no excuse at all. It is what it is. I wish sometimes that I was a super driven person. Someone that just can't sit down and not be busy. However, that is not me, and I don't think it ever will be. I really love to sit and read a book all day long. Literally. All day. I love to take naps. I love to play with my puppy or go on an evening walk. I love to take bubble baths or read my favorite blogs. None of these things are bad. When that's ALL i want to do though, nothing productive gets done. I know my biggest weakness is laziness. Or one of them at least. I hate that about myself.

So, in response to this conviction about not being lazy, I decided (well, Jana, my sister in law decided) that we need to stick to the decision we made several months ago that we are going to run in a half marathon. November 14th, in San Antonio is the Rock and Roll Marathon. We will be running the half marathon, 13.1 miles. I have always kind of sort of in the back of my head wanted to run a half marathon, but two things have always stopped me. You guessed them. Fear and laziness. I just can't get away from those two! So with the encouragement of Jana, and John telling me he's proud of me ( I love it when he says that to me!) and feeling inspiration from the Spirit, I've put my foot down and decided that it's time for me to begin to conquer my worst enemy. Myself.

Today was the first day of half marathon training. Up at 6:15, met Jana at 6:30, ran 1 whole mile without stopping in only 11 minutes (ha) and gearing up for day 2 tomorrow. Tomorrow we're leaving to take about 40 kids to Schlitterbahn in New Braunsfels, TX for 3 days. I'm already making excuses as to why I should just sleep in and not run tomorrow. And it's the second day! Shame on me. I'm going to do it though, if only for the purpose of putting a gold star on my progress chart. I need that star.

Hopefully I can still post while in New Braunsfels...

I'm Back From Camp!

2010-07-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

So I was totally fired up and about the 40 days of blogging and was loving that people were starting to read and comment on my blog, and then I don't post for a whole week! Sorry dedicated readers. I went to spend a wonderful, life changing, holy spirit moving week in the Jemez mountains. Wouldn't you know, not a lick of internet connection. I am sorry to have not been consistent in my posting, but in the interest of not being legalistic, I am allowing myself some grace and will pick up right where I left off.

I'll have plenty of interesting (to me, at least!) posts about some of the awesome things that happened at camp last week, but they will come in time. Today I am super excited to share a sneak peak of the wedding that I did last Monday.

Meet the new Mr. and Mrs. Eric Taylor. It's quite a whirlwind tale, and and I know my dear friends have gotten their happily ever after. I can't wait to show you all of the fab pictures we were able to get, but for today it's going to have to be a sneak peek. More to come later.

About my puppy

2010-07-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

Just barely squeaking a post in here...it's been a long day! I was feeling a bit under the weather today and decided to give myself a sick day. All day long, I was so grateful for my sweet little puppy. Well, she's a year old now, not as much of a puppy anymore. I still call her my pup. She just loves to cuddle, so while I laid on the couch, she was right there with me. She's super smart, John has taught her all sorts of tricks. Maybe someday I'll post a video of her doing ring of death. It's pretty awesome. I think she's one of the best dogs I've ever had. My sweet little Izzy pup, I love you.

Manual Mode Changed My Life

2010-07-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

Ok, so this might be a semi-nerdy photographer post. I am going to discuss different shooting modes on a DSLR camera. There's a good reason for it though, I promise. Stick with me here.

There are several different shooting modes on a DSLR camera. When I first started shooting with my trusty old Rebel XTi, I went to a workshop in Abilene and I asked the photographer teaching it what mode he shot in. He is a great photographer in Abilene, very successful, and he replied that he shoots in AV mode, which is aperture priority mode. That means that you set the aperture, or F-Stop (they mean the same thing) and the camera sets the shutter speed for you. Oh wonderful, I thought. Professionals shoot in AV mode, which means you do half the work of getting the "correct" exposure and the camera does the other half. Basically, it cuts the work in half and you can go much faster. I was super happy about this, less work+correct exposure+not shooting in auto mode=i'm a pro. Or so I thought.

So I'm living in my happy little AV mode, shooting merrily along, getting what I thought was the correct exposure (though I had to learn how to fix lighting in Photoshop, hmmm...) and thinking I was pretty awesome because I didn't shoot in auto.

When I signed up to go to For The Love in Tennessee last February, there was no way I could have no the far reaching impact that one week would have on my life. During class one morning, Poser, who is one amazing photographer, told everyone that they should be shooting in Manual mode. And me, thinking that professionals shoot in AV, asked if AV counted as manual, because it kind of did in my head. Well, he all but laughed at me. Actually, I think he might have actually laughed at me. He launched into this lecture about why we should shoot in Manual...I don't want to bore you with the nerdy details of shooting modes, but basically he said I had to. Well I didn't really want to. It's more work, I have AV mode down and I can shoot super fast and never have to worry about exposure. So to be fair, I tried that day to shoot in Manual. It was quite distressing, let me tell you. I felt clumsy and beginnery all over again. I had to learn different buttons on my camera, it took me forever to find the right exposure, and don't even get me started on those stupid histograms. Yuck. Needless to say, I switched my camera back to AV mode and thought I did just fine the rest of the week.

So a few months later, I have the awesomest opportunity in the world to second shoot with Lauren Clark, who I thought, and still do think, is one of the best photographers out there. Naturally, I was super nervous the morning of the first wedding. When I got to her house, she asked me what mode I shot in and I shyly admitted, AV. Well, not anymore! she said. As of now, you shoot in Manual. She gave me a crash course in a couple of minutes and we were out the door. I was more afraid of what Lauren would think of me if I wimped out and switched to to AV during the wedding than of actually shooting in Manual. So I struggled through that first wedding with her, super frustrated and feeling pretty defeated by this stupid hunk of machinery she called a camera. I had the hardest time finding the correct exposure and by the time I got home and uploading my pictures, I was a mess and I wanted to just quit trying.

Funny thing though. The next wedding I shot with Lauren, I got faster. Not fast, just a little faster. And I got more correct exposures. Then the next wedding was even better.

And now I am proud to say... I shoot in Manual mode 100% of the time! Thank you, thank you... I have so much more control over how my images turn out and I'm actually able to work on developing my style. It has been a freeing process. I bucked it big time at the beginning, and it hasn't come without frustration and maybe a few tears and doubts, but it has been totally worth it.

Top: Shooting in Manual, not in control of what my camera sees.

Bottom: Most recent wedding, shooting 100% Manual, in 100% control of what my camera sees- fear conquered!

Moral of the nerdy shooting mode story. If there is something you want to do, or know you should do,
but you're afraid it's going to be hard or uncomfortable or frustrating or the way you do it now is just fine...whatever excuse you want to use is fine. Stop making excuses. Just do the thing you're scared of, the thing that you know you should be doing anyway. Do it! Yeah, maybe it won't work like you thought it would or should. Just keep at it. Don't give up. It could be one of the best decisions you'll ever make.

On Failure

2010-07-07T14:09:00.000-05:00

I mean seriously, what is failure anyway? Why is there this "fear of failure" that covers me like a shroud everyday? I've decided to take this photographic path on this grand adventure called life and the whole time I've been tippy toeing through, like I'm afraid the failure monster is going jump out at me from behind a shadowy tree. What about a path filled with sunshine? I'm talking awesome sunshine, like that yummy sunshine that happens about an hour before the sun goes down and totally inspires me. Why can't the path be filled with that kind of sweet light? The clouds have parted before and I've seen it, but the rest of the time I'm stumbling down this rocky, dark path with my hands over my eyes so I don't have to see what I think is up ahead. The failure monster. So who is that jerk anyway?

Here's my theory. Want to hear it? Lean in close...

He doesn't exist.

Yup. That simple. I think I'm making up the whole thing. It's like I heard a made up story a long time ago and can't shake the thought. He creeps up in my dreams, but never in real life. SO this makes me think he isn't real.

There is no such thing as failure. As long as I'm listening to my Father, loving the people around me and pushing myself to keep going down the path, I haven't failed.

Sigh of relief.

But wait...here he comes again! As soon as I breathe deep and lose the thought of Mr. Failure lurking around, he comes lurking again! I have all these goals for myself...buy a new camera, lenses, IMac, lighting equipment, go to Love Affair, WPPI, For The Love...all of these things cost money. Which is what I happen to be lacking at the moment. These are the silent words Failure whispers over me.

My everyday has become a battle ground. And it's a bloody one. Will the non existent failure monster prevail again? Or do I have the courage today to fight back?

Today, I'm going with fighting back.

My Poor Blog

2010-07-06T19:32:00.000-05:00

I apologize to you, my poor little neglected blog, for just that. Neglecting you. I am so consumed with every image and every post being perfect that I end up not posting anything. I have learned a few very important lessons today. Lesson #1. Imperfect action beats perfect inaction every time. Now if that quote wasn't said just for for me then...well let's just say it was. Lesson #2. Dreams can come true if we merely make the decision that they will. That one I wrote on my own. You can have it if you want, gratis.

So here is to imperfect action. No more whining about being scared to do something. No more procrastinating because some post or some image or some business card design isn't absolutely flawless. I am here to embrace my mistakes and learn from them. Not to do nothing at all so mistakes won't be made. I get so sick of living life afraid. God has confirmed for me so many times in so many ways that photography is what I need to be doing right now, and I waste that every time I sit frozen in inaction.

John and I started an intentional 40 days of prayer about a week ago focused on our careers. We wanted some clarity and direction from the Lord on my business and his decision to become a youth minister. Money is a bit tight at the moment-he has a youth internship this summer and if you don't knowit-internships don't usually pay the bills. I own a business that is making just enough to pay advertising costs (barely!) and isn't anywhere close to paying bills for us. I know, it's a sad story, right? So instead of sitting around in a cloud of used kleenex, we decided to ask the Lord to help us. And wouldn't you know...the second day of our 40 days a friend calls John and said the company he works for is looking for a part time, temporary employee and would John like to start on Monday? Umm, not a coincidence. John's extra job is helping to make ends meet and reminding us that when we just ask the Lord for help, that's exactly what he'll do.

So here starts an experiment. I'm going to try 40 days of blogging. Pictures or no pictures, perfect or imperfect, inspirational or idiotic rambling, I'm going to blog every day for 40 days. I'm going to swallow my pride, work on being transparent, and see what happens. Maybe nothing. Maybe I'll have the same 4 followers at the end as I do now. Maybe it will still be Charise that comments and no one else. (btw, thanks for always commenting sister) Whatever happens, I'll know that I can do it.

Here's maybe my favorite image from camp last week.

Day 1 of 40.

McCall Kids

2010-06-19T14:13:00.000-05:00

I think when I have kids, I want them to be as well behaved and sweet as Brayden, Tanner, and Brooklyn. The boys with their baby sister were just so precious. They were so sweet and gently with her, it almost made me want some of my own. Almost. They all did a great job, being super patient while I stuck a camera in their face for an hour, not exactly how two boys want to spend a morning! I enjoyed it though, a cool location, cool kids, and we ended up with some nice stuff!

More to come...

2010-06-07T16:33:00.000-05:00

Getting behind on wedding posts. This is the weekend before last in Midland. Talk about a cool venue and a super sweet couple. More to come!

Lubbock Wedding, Alex and Ashton

2010-05-26T16:26:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I got to do another wedding with the fabulous Lauren Clark. The The wedding was sweet and the reception was one rockin party, it was a good time all around!

Samantha's 8th Grade Banquet

2010-05-17T13:12:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Samantha is almost in high school! Surely I'm not that old. I remember being sad that I couldn't go to the hospital when she was born, I was in the 6th grade. Weird. Samantha looked absolutely beautiful, so grown up. Here's some favorites.

Wimberley, part two.

2010-05-06T14:34:00.001-05:00

Sara and Josh's wedding was definitely the highlight of the Wimberley weekend. When Lauren and I pulled into Old Glory Ranch, I was sure I had died and gone to photographer heaven. The venue is beautiful, to say the least, and the details of the wedding were absolutely exquisite. The flowers, the dress, the candles, the food... it was all so wonderful. I for sure teared up several times during the evening, Sara and Josh were precious together and looked so blissfully happy the entire time. I just love weddings!

Wimberley, part one.

2010-05-04T11:31:00.001-05:00

If anyone is curious, Wimberley, Texas is one of the most beautiful places in Texas. Grass and trees greener than I've seen in a really long time, clear blue sky with fluffy white clouds perfect for shape hunting, and a clear green/blue river winding it's way around this sweet little town. I had the great opportunity to spend a weekend there with the super talented Lauren Clark. I got to do so much on this mini adventure, I don't know where to start! First we had a session with one of Lauren's friends who is 8 months pregnant and her adorable family. The wedding was the next day, and on the way home we stopped at the Indian Pictographs in Painted Rock, TX and got to hang out with some interesting characters, ginormous buffalo included! I'll post as I edit. Here's a few to start with!

Lubbock Mini Sessions v1.0!

2010-04-27T16:01:00.000-05:00

A super cool special from Chelsea Lynn Photography:

Reminiscing

2010-04-19T22:33:00.004-05:00

I was just thinking about Tennessee, it was pretty awesome. This picture is of us during worship time in the morning. Powerful, beautiful.

My Photography Journey, a really long blog post by Chelsea Giles

2010-03-10T09:37:00.016-06:00

These are early pictures. Don't judge me. I've learned a little since these were taken.

UNO

Lauren Clark is running another contest...she's pretty good at thinking of contest ideas-she seems to have an endless supply. This time, a 6 hour brainwash session is up for grabs. Here's the thing. You, dear devoted readers, are about to learn the st

ory about how I got to this point in photography. Let me warn you, this is not for the faint of heart. If you don't like long blog posts-turn back now. You have fair warning.

UNO

Last weekend, I went to visit my mom at her new house in San Angelo. She and my stepdad, 3 horses and 3 weiner dogs just moved out there a few weeks ago. During the grand tour, we were out in the "man cave" as Bob has affectionately nicknamed it, and Mom was going through a few boxes that contained little pieces of our childhood. In one b

ox there were all sorts of things that I had when I was really little and one of them was a poster I made in preschool, so about 4 years old. It was the funniest little poster. My teachers had asked me questions about my favorite things, etc. In case you are won

dering, my favorite color was red(it still is) and my favorite food was pizza(still in the top 3). The thing that caught my eye though, was what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be an artist. From the time I was 4, I wanted to be an artist. I remember wanting to be an artist ever since.

UNO

Fast forward to college. I went to college as an interior design major. I was determined to become an artist, despite my lifelong inability to draw. Decorating I could do, drawing, not so much. But I went with high hopes, dreaming of becoming a designer. After a semester of art classes, I was so discouraged by how "unartistic" I was compared to the im

mense talent of my classmates, I quit. I gave up on my dream of becoming an artist. The backup plan was education. Teaching was a good, fulfilling career I could be good at. So the rest of my college education was early childhood development, reading, math and science for elementary teachers, etc. You want to know what my favorite class was? Art for elementary teachers. Anyway, I graduated with a BS in elementary education and a teaching certificate for EC-4, the dream of a becoming an artist faded away.

UNO

The summer after I graduated, I was pretty nervous about the future. My student teaching experience was the toughest semester of school I experienced in all my years

of education. For a lot of different reasons, it was difficult to get through and I felt more relief than anything when it was over. I was not exactly eagerly anticipating a future of teaching school. It's funny how the Lord works, everything happens for a reason and in His divine timing. That summer I had the incredible opportunity to visit my sister in Italy for 2 weeks. She was living there as a missionary and Chandee and I were able to stay with her and experience some true once in a lifetime opportunities. John had gotten a cool point and shoot camera for graduation the year before and that was what I took to Italy. I ended up taking about a thousand pictures in 2 weeks, I couldn't stop. You can check out my blog posts from that time, that's when I started blogging. I absolutely loved taking pictures then and I am so glad I have all of them. Our time in Italy came to an end and I flew back to r

eal life, still very uncertain about the future.

UNO

At that time, we were at the beginning of a friendship that has since turned into a rock solid relationship with some amazing Godly people, Brant and Megan Greathouse and Grant and Laura Wright. Megan had done a little bit of photography in college and had a DSLR camera, a step up from my cute litle point and shoot. She had seen my pictures of Italy on my blog and the Lord planted in her an idea that has since changed both of our lives. She asked me, one fateful summer day, what I would think about starting a photography business with her. She liked my pictures and thought I would be a good person to go into business with. The business part of it scared me to death, I thought I could never be a business owne

r. But the photography part of sounded like something I could get into. The dream of becoming an artist was beginning to surface again. Maybe, a camera could be my medium. Maybe, I could create art through a machine. Maybe, my dream wasn't just a dream...it could become real.

UNO

Since then, life has taken a huge turn. Huge. Megan and I started taking pictures of everything, taking turns with her camera. There were so many blurry pictures of her puppy, it's comical. A few months later I got my camera, my trusty Rebel Xti, and was thrilled to death. We immediately went on a photo shoot, you saw some of those pictures at the beginning of the post. I bought books, I joined forums, I followed blogs, I did everything I could to learn everything I could about this art. Here I am, a year and a half later, with equipment I couldn't have dreamed of then, officially a business owner/artist. The Lord has blessed me in unbelievable ways, with relationships and resources that so perfectly fit my needs it could only be from the Lord, the One who knows me best.

UNO

It's been tough, starting the business. For me, it meant not going the traditional career path. I just couldn't teach and do this business at the same time, so I have taken jobs that pay the bills. I've been a dental assistant, an associate at American Eagle, a hummer driver, and currently a cook at a restaurant. It hasn't been glamorous, but I'm following my dream. The Lord has given a passion and a purpose, it's only because of Him

that any of this is possible.

UNO

This is an image taken at For The Love workshop in Tennessee about a month ago. That week started a chain of events that has been unpredictable. The Holy Spirit rained down like nothing I've ever experienced and I will forever be a changed woman. I won second place with it. I think it's an indication of what's to come.

P.S. I edited this picture with the skills I learned from Lauren's UNO DVD, it's super awesome. I can't even tell you how much my editing skills have improved since I bought it. Worth every penny. Check it out www.unobylaurenclark.com

Coming down the mountain

2010-02-13T09:16:00.002-06:00

Well, we drove down the mountain yesterday. I always have a hard time on that drive, whether literally driving down a mountain or figuratively leaving a time of rest with the Lord. Yesterday was a literal drive down a steep, winding mountain. There was a worship CD playing in our vehicle and I was lost in thought as I soaked in the breathtaking scenery one last time. My heart was hurting as I prepared myself for the real world. Last week absolutely changed my life. I made relationships with some amazing friends that became family in a matter of days. The Holy Spirit moved in my life like I have never experienced before. To give an example, I actually stood up in front of the group on the last night and shared my testimony of what the Lord had done in me. Me, standing up in a group of people I didn't even know a few days ago. God works miracles, that's for sure.

I know that it's unrealistic to think that we could live on a mountaintop. As much as the selfish me wishes that it was possible, I know the Lord has us live in the valley, where real life happens. I was blessed beyond measure to experience a time of rest. I went up the mountain tired and weary, worn down by the lies of the enemy. I came down it a new creation, renewed in strength, ready to live in the valley and share the light and love I experienced on that mountaintop.

Guess what my favorite kind of camp is. Photography camp!

2010-02-11T00:50:00.004-06:00

The end of Wednesday and I am completely exhausted. It's purely out of duty that I am writing this post at this late hour. I am anxious for sleep! But all of the excitement of the day is still swirling around in my brain. A bit of it is about to spill out!

We woke up this morning to a beautiful snow covered scene. Right out my window I looked out and saw the great Smokies wrapped in a white blanket. Big fluffy snowflakes continued to fall throughout the day and even as I write this at 1 am there are still little flurries falling. Who knows what we may wake to in the morning! We started the day out with some awesome worship and time with the Lord. The Holy Spirit is in Tennessee, I can say that much. Wow. Anyway, after that, a group of us went outside and just played in the snow. Playing in the snow with a bunch of photographers is so cool. You can be sure there were a whole bunch of pictures taken in this winter wonderland we are currently living in.

And only photographers would dress up another poor little photographer in a little dress and make her pose in the snow. What were we thinking? Poor Alison. She was a trooper and we got some absolutely stunning photos of her. She is gorgeous!

After some photoshopping classes in the evening, we ate dinner (another fabulous meal) and then went downstairs for some hang time. One never knows what the evening hang time might bring. Tonight it was handshake competitions and prizes, Holy Spirit moving powerfully and lives being transformed. I know my life has been transformed. I am embracing who I was made to be and I am resting in the peace of my Father who loves me and provides for me.

Stay tuned, we may be snowed in tomorrow. Another day in Pigeon Forge, TN won't be the worst thing in the world. This could get interesting.

2010-02-10T09:07:00.008-06:00

Ok, so already a little behind on the blogging. How about I post this morning for yesterday and then later today for today. Internet can be a little patchy here, we are in the mountains!

So yesterday...wow. I was telling Megan that I feel the Holy Spirit moving in this place like I haven't experienced in a long time, maybe ever. I have met some amazing, spirit led, genuine people I have met in a long time. God has put me in this place and has been preparing my heart. Please say a little prayer of blessing for me if you think about it today. I know the prayers that have been said already have been heard and are being answered by our Almighty Father.

Photography wise, I am trying not to be overwhelmed with all of the information that is flowing so freely from people who know so much about this field. Yesterday we had a class on camera settings (super exciting, right?) from Erik Clausen (Poser) and got to talk about all kinds of awesome things. I am proud to announce I have been set free from AV mode. I am dedicating myself to the practice of Manual shooting. One small click on a camera dial was such an exhilaration. We went on a beautiful hike yesterday and I was able to test out my new found courage and felt like I was looking through the lens for the first time, but not in a scary way. It was so wonderful to feel like I really CAN do this.

The scenery here is absolutely gorgeous. The tall trees, the smokey mountains that look smokey, amazing.

It's taken me all morning to get this written, so I'm just going to post it.

For the Love...Day 1

2010-02-08T20:43:00.002-06:00

Ok, my goal is to blog everyday I am here at For the Love. I wish everyone could be here with me, so the next best thing is to follow my blog. It's been absolutely amazing so far and I can only imagine what else the Lord has in store for me. I don't think the blog will even be able to cover everything that happens, it's only been one day and there is already too much to talk about without writing a book.

I wrote a little bit while on the plane, here's an excerpt:

Current Conditions: Up in the air

Megan and I are sitting on the plane with about an hour before we land in Tennessee. We were served a lovely little sandwich and bag of chips, a perfect lunch portion. We have been blessed with very kind travel buddies. We are currently sitting next to a nice Canadian family man who lives in Mexico City with his family. He’s showing us pictures of his Chihuahuas and wife and we’re sharing pictures of Cade and Izzy. We have been so blessed on our adventure here, and I do mean adventure, the people we sit next to on the plane, the staff at the airport, everyone. God has truly set his angels with us, we are safe, well fed, and happy. I’m getting knots in my stomach in anticipation for meeting all the new people that I hope are anxiously awaiting to meet me.

Oh! The captain just came on, we’re descending…25 minutes till we touch down. Here we go!

So that was a taste of the first day. The adventure continues...

Ashley's Maternity

2010-02-04T21:25:00.003-06:00

You know you're really grown up when your cousins your age are having babies. It's so cool and still a little weird that my cousin is having a baby any day now. The first grandkid. Are we really old enough to raise children of our own? I remember playing tag in the dark at our old house, now in a few years our kids will be doing that. Weird. I'm so glad I got to get a few pictures of my cousin during this special time in her (and Cash's) life. I love you cuz!

Sam and Jessica

2009-11-30T15:05:00.004-06:00

John and I drove to Abilene on Saturday for Sam and Jessica's wedding. Sam has been a friend of ours for several years now, he was one of John's groomsmen and John was one of his. The wedding was at The Windsor Hotel in downtown Abilene and it was the perfect setting for a beautiful wedding. I wasn't the official photographer, these are just a few snapshots I was able to snag here and there. I am so happy for these two, they will have a wonderful marriage!

Grant and Laura

2009-11-12T21:29:00.004-06:00

Last weekend we were in Abilene for John's class (4 weeks to graduation!) and a few photo shoots. Get ready, this is the first of 3 posts from the weekend! First we have Grant and Laura, two of the most awesome people I know and just happen to be two of my very good friends. They have really been with me since the beginning of this crazy photography ride and have been patient models more than once! We had a ton of fun laughing, you guys are so encouraging and uplifting. Plus, they are beautiful people on the outside as well which makes my job easy cheesy. I love you guys, thanks for being awesome. I hope you like your pictures as much as I liked taking them!

Wheeler Girls

2009-11-06T14:05:00.005-06:00

I love my cousins/aunt! They got all prettied up to go to the Kelly Clarkson concert a few nights ago. There was hair curling, makeup applying, and outfit changing galore, and I think it was totally worth it. They looked just fabulous.

For The Love

2009-10-31T14:23:00.004-05:00

So I found out about For The Love Workshop on Lauren Clark's blog, I've mentioned her before, she's awesome! Anyway, this workshop isn't just about photography, it's a spiritual retreat as well. Can a workshop be any more awesome? As soon as I read about it, I felt right away like I need to go. The Lord has been teaching me some things lately about how He wants me to run a business and I know He has much more to show me as I am only beginning this journey. I'm so excited to be able to take my camera and connect to God through the creativity He has given me. So, not only will we talk about photography and all the exciting topics of lighting, posing, and workflow, we will also have worship, speakers and quiet time. Hello? So perfect! Go check out the site www.fortheloveworkshop.com to read about the awesomeness for yourself!

Brainwash Me!

2009-09-21T15:27:00.003-05:00

Ok, so those of you who haven't heard of Lauren Clark, this is your lucky day. Now you have! She is an amazing photographer here in Lubbock. She does the most beautiful shots with great lighting, colors, and composition. I follow her blog religiously. Here's the cool part. She is offering a seminar in February that will be fabulous I'm sure, and she has decided to give a spot away. Seriously, dream come true for me. In order to to win, your name will be put into a drawing for the grand prize. To be entered into the drawing you have to...well...I'll just let the picture speak for itself. Wish me luck! (and go check out her blog, www.laurenclarkphotography.com/blog. it's seriously awesome.)

Look how good Izzy was for the picture. She's such a good pup!

TPPA Conference

2009-09-19T11:49:00.003-05:00

This may be the first time this has happened, but this is going to be a post with no pictures! I am at the Texas Professional Photographers Convention in Arlington on my lunch break. For those of you who have never experienced the wonderfulness of Panera Bread, I suggest you find the one nearest you immediately. I might also suggest the tomato mozzarella panini (panino, to be grammatically correct in my Italian). It is just fabulous.

Being here at the convention by myself has been an interesting experience. I am, by nature, an introvert and making friends with total strangers for the sake of small talk is not my idea of a good time. So, I've spent a good bit of my time alone. Which really is good for introverts like me. After spending time alone I feel totally energized, so this is a perfect situation for me to be in. As far as the conference goes, I feel like a sponge. The speakers say things like," As photographers, we are natural people watchers, we are fascinated by it!" and ,"We get excited about little things, like light coming through a window." I knew these things about myself, but it's so exciting to be surrounded by people who are so much like me! I just want to absorb all the knowledge I can, I love it! I am so blessed to be here, taking a big step towards realizing my dream. I'm getting really excited about the trade show in a few hours...it's going to be free pens and sticky pads galore!

Three Girls and a Mustang

2009-09-14T22:19:00.004-05:00

My lovely younger sister came to visit Chan and I last weekend ( or maybe 2 weeks ago?) and she rented a Mustang to make the long journey more bearable. Not really, she got it for cheap because of her employee discount... so it was completely practical. Whatever the reason for the car, it was awesome. We had such a great time cruising around town and even more fun just laughing and enjoying being with each other. We just had to take advantage of such a cool car with a photo shoot. I had seen an old country road I was anxious to shoot at and this was the perfect time!

Cade is one!

2009-08-03T01:35:00.011-05:00

This is absolutely my favorite family shot I've done. Look at the colors! I love it!

We have had so much fun in Odessa this weekend! It has been so good to see friends, we are truly blessed with very unique and special relationships with some amazing people. While we were here celebrating this very special occasion, we set up a family photo shoot for the new one year old and his parents. Cade is such a sweet boy, he did so good being a model today. Enjoy!

Coy and Karitsa get hitched.

2009-06-23T00:05:00.006-05:00

Well, another wedding down. I had a blast doing this one. The Greathouse family is so sweet and open, I feel like I'm with my own family when we get to hang out. I also got to shoot with Megan, one of my very dearest friends and we had so much fun together. It was quite a weekend, the wedding turned out beautifully and the happy couple got married, so I'd say it was a success. Here are a couple of shots, I'll post more later. I'm playing around with my new photoshop so it takes a while to get a finished product. Enjoy for now and make sure to check back soon!

Josh and Deb's Wedding

2009-05-19T22:06:00.002-05:00

I was so excited to shoot my first wedding on Saturday. I was a temporary assistant for Miranda Kirby, a photographer in Seattle, Washington and Josh's sister in law. She needed someone to help and I needed to shoot a wedding. It worked out quite nicely. Josh and Deb were absolutely a blast to take pictures of. They are so fun to watch interact with each other, they are both crazy hilarious. Josh is taking over John's position as youth minister at Buffalo Gap and I wouldn't leave my kids to anyone else. They are in good hands. Thanks you two for letting me have a part in your special day.

Oh yeah, I freelance.

2009-05-02T18:19:00.003-05:00

So, a few days ago I was contacted by a friend of mine that works in the development office at ACU. They had interviewed several students about their experience at ACU and they were needing pictures of the students to go with their interviews that would be put into a mailer and sent to ACU alumni. They asked my friend Maria to find the photographer and she thought of me! So, on Friday I went out with a few students around ACU campus and had a nice little photo shoot. The students were all super cool and I really enjoyed myself. Here are the favorite shots of each student. If you are one of the students I took pictures of and are interested in purchasing the picture posted or want to purchase the other shots from your session, shoot me an email and we can work something out.

Email me: clh02h@acu.edu

Claire's Prom

2009-04-28T18:08:00.002-05:00

Saturday night I got to take pictures of the beautiful Claire Johnson and her sweet boyfriend Alec Egan. Alec is on scholarship to Princeton in the fall and will be playing football for them as well. Right...he's pretty good at life. They are a cute couple and I had fun taking these super cute pictures of them. Here's a few of my favorites.

My Love

2009-04-24T15:40:00.003-05:00

What a patient and sweet husband I have. When I get new equipment, a book, etc. it inspires me to try what I've just read or received. This particular day, I had gotten a new book and read it cover to cover quite quickly. I was super anxious to try what I had just read, and I think John was quite anxious to take a nap. After I bribed him with some chocolate milk, he agreed to pose for about the millionth one of my grand ideas. Here is the result. I'm a lucky woman, ladies...please, don't be jealous.

The Savage Family

2009-04-24T15:22:00.002-05:00

Last week I was able to take pictures of Cody and Lindsay Savage and little Cody Jr. who is almost 8 weeks old. He is the most chill baby I have seen in a while. He did so well for his first photo shoot! I just love to watch new parents interact with their new babies, they are just so full of love for this tiny little person. Congratulations on your new little family Savages.

Katie Lea's pictures

2009-04-18T21:51:00.004-05:00

Jamie's Prom and Katie Lea's fashion shoot.

2009-04-18T21:31:00.002-05:00

I had a ton of fun taking pictures today. This morning was Karitsa's bridal shoot, but obviously I can't post those until after the wedding. She is beautiful though, and we had a great time and got some fabulous shots.

This evening, I was able to take pictures of Jamie on her way to prom. She looked absolutely gorgeous, I teared up a little when I saw her! There are some really fantastic shots of her...she takes great pictures.

After that, Katie Lea and I went to a neat little place near downtown and played around a bit. Katie Lea is just so much fun to hang out with, I suppose that's why she's my best friend! I love the outfits she puts together and she was super fun to take pictures of. I was able to get a few artistic shots...fitting for the talented artist she is, I hope.

I ran out of picture space on this post. I'll post the pictures of Katie Lea in a new post.

Guitars and Cadillacs

2009-04-02T11:50:00.004-05:00

Well, guitars anyway. On Sunday night we hosted our house church and John thought it would be fun to go to the park and throw around a frisbee. Go figure. We had fun, it was a beautiful evening and I couldn't help but use the gorgeous sunset light for a mini photo shoot. Here's a couple of my favorite shots. Everybody give it up for Grant Wright on the guitar!

AIM Graduation

2009-03-19T16:28:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we were all in Lubbock for Charise's graduation from AIM. It was great to hang out with family and watch Charise graduate. I'm so proud of my little bella! Here's a couple of shots, including a few of Gus that I am quite proud of. The dog is scared of cameras. I didn't know that could even happen, silly Gus Gus.

Buffalo Gap

2009-02-18T21:59:00.004-06:00

Tonight at church John announced that we will be leaving Buffalo Gap at the end of May. We all knew that this would come, but it seems like it came so fast. I remember so clearly the first Wednesday night out there. We almost ran out of gas and the Gee's followed us to the gas station and bought us a tank of gas. We had just met them that night, they didn't know us from anyone. It didn't take us very long to feel right at home and I think I will always feel like Buffalo Gap is home. Funny how it's only been three years but I can't remember living in Abilene and not being a part of that church. There are so many precious people that I love dearly and will miss terribly. The kids in the youth group especially. They have given me great memories, I will hold them in a special place in my heart. Buffalo Gap has been the perfect place for John and I to grow and learn together and we will always be grateful. We still have 3 months and I plan on enjoying them to the fullest.

New design

2009-02-12T23:43:00.004-06:00

I decided that it is time to start some more serious advertising. So, I asked my BFF who just happens to be an extremely talented graphic designer(and does freelance work...plug for Katie Lea) to make a flier for me. Within minutes she had a sweet concept, we did a mini photo shoot, she spent a few minutes working her design magic and voila! I now have an awesome flier to advertise for Chelsea Lynn Photography. So if any of you reading this found your way here because of the flier...welcome! I hope everyone takes a look around and keeps checking back for updates!

Bridal Workshop

2009-02-08T23:33:00.003-06:00

Another very informative workshop today here in windy Abilene. I had a fantastic time...as I usually do when taking pictures. Something about capturing beauty with a camera just really satisfies something in me. Here is one shot from today. I'm trying to figure this dang photoshop thing, when I get a better handle on it I'll post a few more shots. Here is my first editing attempt. Enjoy!

Just for fun

2009-01-31T14:24:00.003-06:00

Last week I took a few pictures of one of the girls in our youth group. I had a lot of fun taking these, and Jamie is a natural in front of the camera! These were all taken in Buffalo Gap at the church. When I finished up with Jamie, I went downtown and took a few pictures of Evan. What a ham! We had a great time, and it seems like I am always finding a new cool places downtown. Who knew Abilene?

Photography Workshop

2009-01-18T22:23:00.003-06:00

Today was a great day. I went to a workshop here in Abilene put on by Belle's photography and it was wonderful! I learned a ton of great stuff and they provided a model that I was able to take some shots of. I loved the whole experience and I'm eager to practice a few of the things that I learned today. Here's a few of the shots I got of the model. Let me know what you think!

Silly Chels

2009-01-09T18:10:00.002-06:00

So I linked site to blog but not blog to site. So, in case you were going crazy over the fact that once here you had no way to get back to the site, here it is.

http://web.me.com/chelsealynnphoto

Enjoy the site...leave comments!

It's here!

2009-01-07T23:16:00.002-06:00

After hours and hours of learning the program and then attempting to make it work, my website is finally up! It's very basic and a bit rough around the edges, but it's running. Go check it out and them come back here and leave me comments about it! This blog will have more 2 way communication and will have more of the stories behind the photos as well as insights into our funny little life out here in Abilene. So check out the site and enjoy!

Website almost finished!

2009-01-06T22:50:00.000-06:00

I'm getting closer and closer to launching the website! Katie Lea has been an enormous help with the design. I don't think I could do it without her! Business cards are coming along as well, and I'm trying to nail down packages and so forth. I'm super excited about getting a new lens, hopefully it will be here in the next few days! This weekend I'm doing a photoshoot with some of the BGYG kids, I think it's going to be a ton of fun. It's all starting to come together...just keep watching!

Possible Gout and a Found Pickup

2008-11-03T20:21:00.000-06:00

What an interesting day it has been! My foot has been hurting for the last week or so and so finally I went to the doctor to see what was up. After drawing blood to check for gout(sick) and a few x-rays to check for a stress fracture, I will find out the results next week. In the meantime, just deal with it. My sweet husband went with me to the doctor and the hospital and was driving me to Wal Mart to fill a prescription. As we were driving down the road, a tow truck drove by...with John's truck on it. For those of you that don't know, John's truck was stolen a couple of months ago. To see it being towed down the road was quite a shock. So what do you do when you see your stolen truck driving down the road? Naturally, we turned right around and followed the truck. We arrived at a junk yard and were able to tell the surprised driver the whole story. After we told him the situation, he told us where he had picked the truck up at. Apparently, the truck had been sitting in a parking lot of a different apartment complex not 5 miles from our apartment. He had been called there to unlock a vehicle and the maintenance man at the complex asked him to take this truck that had been sitting there for 3 weeks. He jsut happened to be passing through the same intersection as us at the exact right time. Once we figured out what was going on, he called the police, a cop came by and verified that John's truck was actually John's truck and the tow truck driver followed us home and dropped the truck off at our apartment, the very same parking lot that it was stolen from 2 months ago. The only thing that was missing was the battery. Unbelievable! John is extremely excited to have his truck back and we are excited to have a fun story to tel!

Grant and Laura

2008-07-09T22:41:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Grant and Laura, our extremely patient, photogenic friends. Megan and I had a lot of fun trying to figure out a few new techniques that we've been practicing. Our friends were great,
and we got some really good shots. Take a look, hope you like them!

A Business Proposition

2008-07-06T20:50:00.000-05:00

Well...this is what I'm thinking. A professional photography business. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? Here are a few shots from my first "photo shoot". See what you think!

Almost time to come home!

2008-05-29T06:49:00.000-05:00

Well, what a trip this has been. Absolutely the trip of a lifetime. Here are the plans for the rest of our time here...hanging out in Prato today, trying to hit all of our favorite spots one more time,like pastries and capucio at Betti's, gelatto at Valentino's, and scibatta bread at the bakery next to the church. Maybe one more trip to the castle and definitely a run to the grocery store to pick up a few new favorite pasta sauces and delicious cookies so I can share a taste of Italy with my friends and family at home. Tomorrow is our last day here and we are going to Pistoia, the next town over, to have a fish fry with the church. We're going early to help prepare the food, I'm super excited about cooking with Italian women. Hopefully I'll pick up a few secrets to bring home and add to my own cooking. Our flight leaves from Florence at 7 am on Saturday morning and we arrive in ABQ at 8 pm Saturday night. Then I'll fly to Lubbock Sunday afternoon and finally arrive home in Abilene Sunday night after 3 weeks of being away. Thank you to my sweet husband for letting me be gone for so long...I miss you!

Here are a few Italian phrases I've learned in the past 2 1/2 weeks:
Andiamo! (let's go!)
Tutto posto (everything's in place)
un cono piccolo con cioccolato e cafe (one small cone with chocolate and coffee, this was extremely good to know when ordering gelatto)
prosima fermata (next stop)
Dove il mio criceta? Asbeta! Non o un criceta. (where is my hamster? wait! I don't have a hamster.)

I've learned a few other things, but those are what I say most often. I have had so much fun learning another language, but I think I still have a long way to go before I could be let loose on my own!

I'll try to post a few more pictures before I come home, but I'll have tons to show when I get back. I've taken almost 700! Italy is an extremely photogenic place, I'll miss it very much.

Roman Holiday

2008-05-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

The sad face picture is right after Chandee and I had an extremely close call with a pigeon and it's poop. Luckily, it landed just inches in front of us and only splashed our pants instead of a direct hit. Gross.

Well, we just got back from a 3 day adventure in Rome. There just are no words to describe all we saw in the "Eternal City". We saw the Colloseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basillica...it was all amazing. Just the feeling of being in a city that is thousands of years old was incredible. When we first arrived in Rome, we got settled into our hostel, which was very nice, and went looking for something to eat. We found a pizza place, sat down outside and just as we began to enjoy the wonderful food the skies opened up and it began to rain...hard. Luckily we were under an umbrella, so we were able to enjoy a Roman thunderstorm being only slightly damp instead of soaked. When it finally stopped raining, we took off in search of theColloseum, a sight we were all extremely excited to see. Let me tell you, we were not disappointed. It was amazing. The place was huge, I could not believe I was standing witness to something so monumental in human history. The next day we toured the Vatican Museum, which if you only spent 60 seconds looking at each artifact in the museum it would take you 12 years to see everything. It was huge, to say the least. My favorite place was the Sistine Chapel. It was breathtaking. To see it in person when I've only ever seen pictures was great. Michaelangelo was a genius and left behind something truly amazing. I could go on and on about all of the history I learned and saw, but I won't. To sum it up, Rome was a seriously incredible place and I am so lucky to have been able to go there. Tomorrow we are going to Cinque Terre, a beautiful place right on the ocean. We are staying there Monday night and will get home late Tuesday. We still have to visit Lucca and Sienna as well, so we will be busy up until the day we leave! I'll post a few pictures of our Roman adventures for you to enjoy. (When you see Chandee, you have to ask her how she feels about the buses in Rome...she'll have a very funny story for you!)

Happy Birthday John!

2008-05-18T16:55:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet sweet husband! I wish I could be there for you today, but thank you for letting me come to this wonderful place.

Today was a great day. Chandee and Charise brought me a fantastic pastry for breakfast and we took a nap after eating, one of my fav things to do! We got up and decided to take a trip to Florence for the day. After a short jaunt to the train station, we realized we had arrived minutes after the train left and so we had an hour to burn before the next train left. So, Charise decided to take us to a gelatto place that was close by and that, so far, has been one of my favorite things that we've done. We got to take another little tour of Prato and ate the best gelatto in the world. It seriously was amazing. The walk over there was beautiful, and of course everywhere we go we just enjoy each others company so much. We made it back to the train station in time to hitch a ride to Florence and spent the rest of the day there. We got to see the duomo, which was beautiful, and shopped all around the market. We ate some pizza, walked around some more, and then rode the train home! It was a really neat place and we had tons of fun. I'm not sure what the plan is for tomorrow, I know we are going to Monday market with Charise's friend Patrizio, and who knows what else. Ciao!