One of my continuing goals is to learn more and more about taking decent pictures. While this goal is often sidelined in lieu of studying, I do sneak in a blip here or there to further my progress. Today I was browsing and found this tutorial. I know a lot of people advise getting to know your camera but this girl broke it down in a way that was short enough to grasp but detailed enough to get something out of it.
Now...back to the homework!

A Decade Down.

Upon turning 25, the loveliest of best friends reminded me, that how-cow-how-did-this-happen?, but, we had been friends for nearly 10 years, a decade! For some reason this had not crossed my mind, at all, until she brought it how. How was that possible? How had I let 10 years fly by, unnoticed? Also, I was totally overwhelmed by what a blessing this friendship has been. How comforting is it to look someone in the eye who has also looked back at you in your 17 year-old-eyes (is anyone in there???), 21 year-old eyes (umm, you did what?!?!?! and are you sure that was a good idea?) and now today (gosh you're old!), is still right there with you? What changes have taken place over those 10 years? I started thinking about how we both had changes, how our families had grown close, how our geographical locations had changed, our daily lives have changed, our means of communication had changed, the lessons that we have learned, the lectures we've given one another, the issues that we have mulled over and bounced off one another. What a journey. Like a ribbon delicately woven through the path of life to create a strong, protective, safety net.

St. John of the Cross:

"Wisdom enters through love, silence, and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others."

I found this on a blog during Lent. I felt like it pertained to me and what I am striving to do, especially now, when nursing classes seem more competitive than ever. It is so great to take the wisdom of a life that has gone before and know that at some moment, that person, felt the exact same way that you feel at this moment.

Coffee Overdose

Dad says this to me after I'm feeling guilty about pouring my fourth cup of coffee for the day.

"Coffee beans and human beings are meant to be the best of friends."

He said that it used to be on a Starbucks commercial. It just made me smile.

Make-up Mishap

I had a little issue yesterday morning with makeup. You would think after so many years of being a "big girl" this wouldn't be a problem. I swear, I was just minding my own business going about my morning routine, when suddenly there was a huge streak of mascara lashing out at my eyebrow. What? How did this happen I wondered? Further proof that I am, as they say, special.
I figured I take an after picture to prove that I rectified the situation and did not go to the hospital with mascara smeared across my face. We're trying to look professional, right?

Happy Easter

Easter always brings a renewed sense of hope. For me, there always seems to be lots of challenges related to the period leading up to Easter; Lent always presents with particular struggles that stretch me and grow me and make me more dependent on Him. Not to say that Easter relieves me of my need to rely on Christ but it gives me a new view of how possible it is to rely on Him and to know that He is taking care of me even when I cannot take care of myself. The walk towards Easter is a time for me to remember what the whole point is, what the GOAL is and how much has already been sacrificed with me in mind. With that being said, Easter Sunday is always a time of peace for me. One thing that I can compare it to (in a very rough, small way) is finishing a long run, completing a task that didn't seem possible, completing a tiring journey - and somehow owing all of these successes to Someone other than yourself.
This morning mass was a packed house. As I sat in church I looked around and wondered what brought each person there this morning. I wondered if it's allegiance to an elder in the family, the memory of a childhood tradition that has fallen victim to the busy schedules of today, guilt, reunification, need for forgiveness, gratitude, curiosity, habit. . . or was there Something more? Someone more? I hope that no matter what brought all of them in this morning, that for some, even if only one, a change was initiated, a fire lit, to continue the relationship that was started this morning. If someone were to come to your house and explain to you that their Son had just given up HIS life in order to save yours, wouldn't that gift have a completely and wholly life altering affect on your life? Would it change the way that you lived? Would it change your relationship with that man's Father?

My Valentine

I have been meaning to get this post up for a long time but I hadn't taken any time to muck with the pictures. When Andrew asked me what I would like as a Valentine's gift I told him that what I wanted was one day in which he would let me take any pictures of him that I wanted and he would do everything that I told him to. Request granted. While I have so far to go, it's fun to get the practice with my camera. Especially on such a awesome person! Okay, I'm only slightly biased.