I want to shoot the world.

A statement only a photographer can make and not be considered deranged... 

When I was young I had such a desire to travel the world. I dreamed about breaking free and leaving my little town. But as I got older and became such a homebody I chalked those feelings up to what most young people go through when their time to leave the nest arrives. Yes, at that age we want to fly high and we want to fly fast. 

So as I find myself having this desire to travel the world after so many years of feeling completely the opposite, it shocks me. I even went as far as to get my passport renewed after many years of being lapsed.

However unlike when I was young my reasons to want to travel have changed greatly. It is not because I want to break free of my world. I still feel in many ways a homebody. Now my reasons to want to travel are to photograph and capture some of this amazing world that God has created. 

And maybe even do some mission work. 

So when, where, how and what I'm I gonna do with a pack of dogs in the mean time... I don't know. That is for my dear husband (Jesus ... That's what I call Him now) to decide.  

Until then I'll keep shooting this world ... Because it's pretty amazing too. 

What I love about this next shots is not just the subjects. It’s the story behind the shirt Shannie is wearing. It was Poppy’s. She dug it out of my drawer and immediately claimed it as hers. She said it smells like Poppy and she just sat on the couch pulling it up to her nose giving it long big sniffs. This is why I love photography. As she grabbed her little buddy and was savoring the moment I got to capture the joy on her face and forever when I look at this picture I will always remember why. (One thing that puzzled me though was I had washed this shirt since Richard passed away…but I didn’t tell her that.)

Silent Sunday

Connecting the dots.

 My sweet Grand baby Shannie is going to be 9 this coming week.  I look back at some of her photographs and just smile at all the joy this precious gift from heaven has brought to my life.

 This picture below is of me as a little girl….I see my baby’s face in my face. It makes me in awe. I truly believe God is in the same awe when He looks at us and sees Himself.  

Yes, I know her Birthday is days away but I just had to start celebrating now... because she is my heart.  

Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation. ~ Lois Wyse 

When we’re sick…

…where do we go…well off to Grandma’s house you know.

Received a phone call this morning my Shannie was not feeling well. So she is here a little early for the weekend getting lots of TLC.

She decided if she is feeling under the weather then so must Gwenie, that is why here head is swathed. The girl watches to many cartoons…lol

I didn’t have the heart to tell her that means toothache.

My post went down the toilet today.

Yes , I wasn’t able to get a blog post together today because I was out buying a toilet. We had a little leaky mishap yesterday but thank you Jesus for great kids and wonderful friends. We will have a new commode in this weekend. Thankfully I have another bathroom in the house. Although the back yard and a tree works for the rest of the household…it’s not quite my thang…lol

So any who … for your viewing pleasure I’ll leave you with some pictures I shot of these pretty flowers my kids gave me the other day. It was either this or a picture of the toilet. 

I opted for pretty....aren't you glad. Haha

Ricky Dean

Every time I look at this picture it makes me think of James Dean. Not that I was ever a fan of his or anything…I really know nothing about him other then in my head if he was a puppy this is what his snapshot would look like. 

I know…Richard said it all the time…

“It’s scary in your brain dear”

The gift of tears

I have so many amazing friends all who in many ways bless me. But today I want to share a story about one of my dear friends and something she did for me recently and I'm sure she doesn't even know it.  

She walked into my daughters baby shower crying... Her tears were not about the celebration of my soon coming Grandson....although that was a most tear worthy event... and her being one of my peeps knows the miracle of this more than most.  No her tears were not tears of joy. They were tears of sorrow because, as she put it, when she pulled into our church parking lot for the first time since Richard went home to Jesus she became overwhelmed.  She missed him. The fact that she didn't hold back her tears was a gift to my aching heart that meant more to me then I can say.  Because even in the most joyous of moments there is still this pain in my soul that I carry everywhere I go. 

I know only a person who has gone through  great loss can know it's ok to do what she did...And believe me she has...in fact I believe she has felt levels of sorrow I can't even imagine because she has buried a child.  Something my mind can't even wrap itself around. 

Sharing your tears with those who have lost a loved one is a precious gift to them that mourn. It tells us you have not forgotten the one we can never forget. 

I know many people are afraid that if they share their moments of sorrow with you when it looks like you are happy and full of joy that they will just cause you to hurt....but what most people don't understand is you are already hurting and to know someone is feeling your pain is comforting.

So my dear Christine thank you for just being you. We have shared many tears together over the years….but also much laughter. Yes no one can make me laugh harder than this woman. She is the one that has named our little group of friends the Os-born-agains. That was around the time the reality show The Osbournes was popular...and also the day she shot a rubber band across the room in a church we were visiting and hit the Pastor in the family jewels. But that's another blog for another day ...maybe....lol

 Thank you for all the tears and all the laughter you are a treasure my friend! 

P.S. Christine I thought maybe I shouldn't share that family jewels story but after your post on my FB I feel sooooooo ok about it now....LOL