Begin Again

December 31, 2009. Not only the last day of the year, but the last day of a decade, too. Alot has happened in this big world as well as in my little life. It's been a busy 10 years! There's so much to reflect upon...

Ok, snapping out of my reverie :)

God has been faithful through it all. That was true in the past, but better yet, it will remain true in 2010. I am so thankful for that! You see, I am not always faithful to myself. Case and point: over this last year I have done myself the disservice of becoming complacent. Somewhere along the line I let not only my sense of personal discipline, but also the act of purposeful living slowly trickle away. I somehow became more of a spectator in my own life, rather than a leading lady. I didn't recognize it as it was happening; so slow and discrete was the process. Yet I see it now, and I am grateful  to seize the opportunity of a new year, a new decade to reinvent myself. (With however much time God gives me.) I'm not much of one to cling to new year's resolutions, but I do like the idea - so charmingly expressed in Anne of Green Gables - that tomorrow is fresh, with no mistakes in it.

It's a gift...and I'll accept it. Tomorrow, the first day of 2010, I will give thanks to my faithful God and begin again.

WYSIWYG

WYSIWYG (whiz-ee-wig) is a phrase Tom Hubbard used in an intro to photography class I took a few months ago. It is an acronym for "what you see is what you get"...meaning: your mind can see, or visualize a photo, and then you can turn around and create it with your camera. This is not an easy task for a novice like me! You need to have the camera set correctly, achieve the right angle, and utilize good light.  True WYSIWIG is ideally accomplished with as little post processing as possible. Needless to say, it doesn't come together for me every day.

Today, however, I did get a WYSIWYG photo, so I had to share it with you :)

It's just what my mind saw when I looked up and into the leaves of this tree!

Yay for WYSIWYG!

Mail

I don't know about you, but a bit of my inner child comes out each day as I approach our mailbox to see what has arrived. I can't help but feel a stirring of anticipation as I crack the door and peer inside the sturdy black box that waits so patiently in front of our home. "What will I find today?" I wonder. I can't deny the whispered hope that perhaps I will find something unexpected...like a note from a friend or a surprise check made out to our family. (Hey...a girl can dream, right?!?) And as my hands pull out the bundle, my eyes quickly scan the postmarks and size of envelopes, able to discern the routine, obligatory mail from years of experience.

More often than not, our mailbox holds the UNanticipated type of mail...like bills and circular ads. But occasionally that whispered anticipation is rewarded. Especially this time of year, when families and friends exchange greetings for the Christmas season. I think it is one of the things that makes the holidays fun. No one can resist a handwritten envelope with festive postage! There is a simple joy found in tearing back the flap of paper and discovering the colorful card within. I believe it is a pleasure I'll never outgrow.

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LOST/MISSING:

Blog author's creativity. Believed to be misplaced or hiding. Perhaps on unauthorized vacation. Greatly missed by author, blog, and flickr stream alike. Requesting speedy return. If seen, please contact me asap.

Boyish Imagination

A recent drawing from our son:

Yes, that's Ben. Standing bravely upon the deck of his own personal ship. Notice how he is fearlessly brandishing his lightsaber against the terrifying pair of sharks and the monster octopus (Sea level and to the left). His cannons are at the ready and he is prepared to save the day.

 My hero!

Little Christmas Spirit

I have been trying to get all three kids together for a cute photo for this year's christmas card. So far, I've been unsuccessful! Either all three kids aren't home at the same time, the light isn't right, or someone is unwilling to look at the camera and smile. Just the other night I had a failed attempt, so I decided to make lemonaid out of lemons. I took my one willing subject and found our own unique light source. Turned out pretty fun...

Looks like she is impersonating Rudolph with the light on her nose :)

TOES!