I am in Virginia right now, I am sitting in "my bed" which is in the basement. A series of events put my room down in the basement, which is fine with me, and probably a good idea because I will not be using it as much as other people would if my room were upstairs. Anyway, I digress... I was saying, I am here in Virginia. It is my weekend. I get a break from the work week, and the hustle bustle, and driving around using a lot of gas. It is nice to be home.

I was planning on writing some more in depth stuff, but the thing is that I am just so tired, I dont think I can. My writing on this probably is terrible, oh well.


We here are some photos...


making apple cider


making cider 2


the sting of defeat.

So I have been interning with The Frederick News Post for about three weeks. An experience that has been enjoyable, interesting, and very educational. I have been learning a lot about this unique career of photojournalism, what it involves, and how it is done. I have never worked in a place like this before. Most of my previous jobs included bagels and coffee, so this was a big step. Its a big step to come into the "real world". Its an even bigger step to try to come to terms with the fact that I am going to be in it for good in one year. That is a step that I think I am still working on. That is one of the bigger things that I am learning, what it is like to be working full time. I really can honestly say that I have never done it before. It is a good experience, and for the most part I actually enjoy it. I enjoy spending more time on photography, that has been really fun. My job is to take pictures! I don't have to try to balance that with classes or a million other commitments. I still want to be actively educating myself on other things though, such as Spanish.


As for the actual photography, I feel like I have learned quite a bit. I have a different outlook when I am here, I am looking for the news value of a photo, which I really wasn't doing before. In a way it is somewhat of a relief because I don't have to go around frantically trying to take every single interesting thing there is before it disappears. Instead, I can focus on the story or project that I am working on, occasionally snapping a few frames of a particularly nice random shot. I have also learned how rewarding it is to have work published. Not really even to hear people say anything about, although of course that is always nice, mainly because I know that other people got to see it. My photo's were used for something, for a purpose instead of sitting here on my computer waiting to be seen.


There is probably much more that I could go into detail about, but I am going to leave it at that. I will probably keep posting pictures, and a couple thoughts throughout the summer.

here are a few more from the summer....




a bishop visiting a camp



a gospel singin' man!



red, white and blue



motorcycle racing, number 25 is a girl!

here are just a few photos from my internship....










more to come later (i have to run out the door to work :)

i am a christian

i am a photographer


These two things lived separate in my head for a long time. When it was time to be in my Christian circle all the wheels of faith began to turn. I would get excited thinking about the fact that it is possible for me to know my purpose in life, I got excited to know that there was more than this fallen, broken world. I would feel these things in my heart, and it would affect every aspect of my life.

Until I walked into the world of photography. The world where no opinion is the right opinion because to have one would infringe on the ability to be a journalist. And I understand this, I don't want the newspapers to be overflowing with religious pieces all the time. I want fair news, and balanced news. But I have a faith that extends beyond the news of the day, I am living with the knowledge that there is something better. How can I hold in that knowledge, how do I balance this knowledge with the tolerant and balanced view the media should take? I don't think that I have figure out all the answers to this. In fact I know that there is still much learning to do. But I do know that my prayer is when I am taking photos that my mind will still be fully in love with God and reflecting that in my work. Maybe it means I will work to bring social justice, giving a voice to the voiceless. Maybe I will be highlighting the good in the world. Show little slices of the kingdom breaking through. I

I am ready for this journey.

"Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."


i read this verse over break...and for some reason it stuck. even though it doesn't directly tye in with my break i feel like it fit for some reason. I didn't play with a bunch of little kids, or even see any really. But I thought a lot about growing up. I spent half a week with people that will include me in their family...








then i traveled with my in-a-year-and-three-months-husband in a car for hours down to my parents. a drive that will soon become very familiar... a drive that we will take together to visit my parents. The kind of thing that grown-ups do.



















then i spent the week visiting my family...talking about planning a wedding, deciding where and when its going to be...even trying on wedding dresses.













all this to say it was a very grown-up week...or atleast it could be. but i think that that verse is so good, and so important because through all this, and through life we must have a child-like out look. I want to look at the road trips, and the wedding planning through a child's eye. I want to be giddy and excited like little children are. I want to love with out holding back. I want to forgive like they do. I want to look at the world with amazement. I want to always be learning.







so that was this week...it was a good good week.

plus...i feel like i am more in love than before :)

its exam week and we are eating soup as a family...

these are the people that I live with...my community. I love these girls so much. I've been thinking about how this year and next I want to be with them as much as I can...after this next year and a half my whole life will change...i will be living with a boy...i wont see them as much. What an amazing time in my life this is. I am enjoying so much this engagement time with Dave. I am learning so much about him, about myself, and about us together. even though all i want to do is marry him tomorrow i am soaking up this time that i have right now. it is a sweet time to be in.

as the rain falls outside and the t.v. is making noise downstairs, i think i may take a nap.