This Boy...

...is heading out on an adventure!

If you are wondering where Xavier is or what his plans are (as many people have begun to ask me lately), the sunshine smiling, hard-work driven, adventurous boy is leaving for a summer at Camp Barakel today (see my previous post about expectations:} ) Although it isn't what I would have thought would happen this summer, I'm so excited for him and the opportunities he will have. It is strange to not be going too, but being home for the summer working and taking summer classes is where I am at right now. I know that serving Christ at home in the day-to-day is sometimes a harder journey than doing it in a fun place like camp, but Xavier's work will be emotionally and physically exhausting. I know he would greatly appreciate your prayers and any letters of encouragement! (http://www.campbarakel.org/cr/campermail.asp) 

The Danger of Expectations

ex·pec·ta·tion

noun

1. a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.

   "reality had not lived up to expectations"

I found it interesting that the example given from the dictionary was one that I so often relate to... "reality had not lived up to expectations." This is kind of an odd post, but one that I have been trying to think through for a while. Expectations seem to be a normal part of life. We expect that things will go a certain way, or at least that some things will happen. Sometimes expectations are a good thing and it allows you to prepare properly. When my family invites another family over for dinner, it is good that my mom expects them to show up. She cooks and cleans and prepares to host. If she didn't have expectations, the guests would arrive to a potentially chaotic home as we tried to last minute pull things together. However, expectations can often be a struggle for me as I place too much "strong belief" in something that will happen in the future. Plans change, people get sick and have to reschedule, weather is often unpredictable, and ultimately God's plans don't always line up with my plans (thus my selfish problem). This is a hard realization to come to grips with, and yet there is so much peace here as well. The danger lies not in just expecting things to go a certain way because I have made plans but it comes when I place all my hope and belief and joy in my plans... and then being crushed or madly disappointed when they don't go the "right way". I tend to swing more towards the extreme. The problem is that reality does not often live up to my expectations. 

One of my favorite quotes is from a book by Tom Harmon, "The refusal to die to my self is what makes me so miserable." Nearly every time I feel trapped in an Anne-of-Green-Gables-depths-of-dispair type mood, this quote pops into my head. It reminds me that the reason I am probably feeling miserable is because I am refusing to die to myself. 

There is so much to look forward to this summer, so much expectation and anticipation. It is different than it was a few weeks ago, but there is contentment. Plans have changed and reality has taken the place of some expectation, but there is still much more to expect. 

One thing that I have started to realize is that sometimes reality is better than my expectations. The most real hope that I can have is in Christ and the finished work on the cross and the expectation that He is coming back again! No matter how much imagination I employ, the reality of that glorious day will far outdo any pre-conceived ideas that I have now. It is exciting to know that there is such a deeper hope and strong belief that I can cling to, far beyond the selfish little hopes I have now, an eternal hope that will never disappoint. 

The main reason that I wrote this was as a reminder for myself. I know that this is something that I will still battle against, even now my plans for today are changing because a friend needs to reschedule a get together. There is truth that battles all the lies I hear and the truth for today is that my plans are not mine. My life doesn't belong to me and none of it is in my control. If I knew exactly how my day was going to go, I wouldn't see the many blessings as precious. One of the things I had to do today was order books for the summer... it has been on my list for a while and I finally told myself that it had to be done today. As I looked at the book list, I got overwhelmed. Then after checking with one of my friends who took the same classes last semester, she offered to let me use the exact books that I needed! Such a blessing, and a totally unplanned blessing that was different from my expectations!! As I go about my day, I need to be very careful to not place my strongest belief in anything besides Christ. He is ALL that I have and all that I need. Expectations become a dangerous thing when I place all my desires on them working out how I have planned... Something that I will need to remember and remind myself of many more times today alone. 

Family Photos 2014

 The last official family photos that we did were four years ago... so for Mother's Day I decided to take some new ones. With the helpful assistance of a tripod and a timer (I don't have a remote yet), I was able to get the photos taken pretty quickly. 

I was very pleased with how the colors and patterns came together. And just saying, I have a good looking famajama!

The middle kiddies.

I got the photo all set up, pressed the timer and then ran to my spot. I went to check the picture and saw this lovely gem... good one guys. Such sillies! (Bethany kindly smiled for me.)

Funny faces, funny boys!

It was fun to be able to take pictures of my family and for the most part they cooperated very nicely ;) Hopefully we'll be able to do another round of updated pictures before too long.

Mini-Me

I just started working on editing family pictures, I didn't get very far when I saw this. Bethany had gone around the corner when Ben took the picture of me. She came back and I took the one of her. I realized later that she did the exact same pose as me! Such a silly billy girly (haha I guess that goes for the both of us!) Sometimes it is a bit terrifying to know how much the little kids watch and imitate. My parents always told us older ones that we are the example and that the littles look up to us, but knowing that they actually do is both a cool and scary feeling. I love you Bethy! 

More pictures coming tomorrow :)

Alex and Laura

I was very blessed to get to shoot Alex and Laura's wedding and after many hours of editing, I have finished all of the photos and am excited to share a few of my favorites! 

Last year I told someone that I never wanted to do wedding photos because of the stress... this is my second wedding this year and I have a third scheduled for June. It is funny how things change! One of my friends called me one night a couple weeks ago and asked me if I could shoot a wedding for her because she had a schedule conflict and couldn't do it anymore. I didn't have much time to think it over since the wedding was exactly one week later! After some flurries of emails back and forth with the bride, asking my dad to be the second shooter, and a few late nights of planning, I was ready to go!

I'm so glad that it all worked out! Alex and Laura were great to work with and I am really starting to like this wedding photography thing :)

In an effort to get some photos taken before the wedding, we ended up having to use a hallway upstairs so that we didn't walk by the guests who had come early. The girls were great sports and they all looked so lovely despite the non exciting background!

Meanwhile, my dad was able to get some good pictures of the guys (so many reasons to have a second shooter! I wasn't able to bring any of the girls I normally ask, but my dad was great and I was so thankful for his willingness to help.)

I loved their cake-topper and decorations, they were so romantic and whimsical! 

Alex surprised Laura with a dance and it was so sweet!

 Such joy and happiness!

Daddy saying goodbye to his little girl (some of their friends and family decorated their getaway car with tons of little drawings and then they filled it with balloons!)

Thank you Alex and Laura for being so easy to work with; it was a blast to capture your day and I wish you both the best in your new life together.

Stay tuned for Mother's Day pictures later this week :) And check out my website here for more photos or more session information.

Wedding Sneak Peak

I am working through editing and I wanted to post a sneak peak of the wedding I shot today. I'm so excited by how it all went, but the story will have to come with more pictures... later :)