Friend of Photographers

This past Saturday, my sisters and I took a train to the beautiful city of Chicago.  Chicago is a great town for shopping, sight seeing, and eating.  However, the purpose of this trip was something entirely different.  In fact I would have never made that trip to Chicago if I was not friends with photographers.     

Last Saturday, a couple of photographers met up to have a photography workshop.  I was invited along for the sole purpose of carrying my sister's many belongings and to be the subject of young and eager photographers. 

   Lucky me to be the friend of photographers: 

                      Nicole                            Jack

Alyssa

I had a lot of fun watching the photographers.  It really was quite interesting to watch how involved one can actually get in  taking a simple picture.   Jack practically did the splits each time he shot a photo.  And I noticed for the first time that when Nicole takes her photos her left eye winks each time she pushes the button.  Photographers really are interesting people.

 Lauren and I enjoyed posing

 Jack's little sister Emily also came along for the fun

Alyssa's little sister, Alexis came along as well.

 After a couple of hours of taking photos, we headed to the Grand Lux for lunch.  This was my delicious meal of Chicken Parmesan.

After lunch we headed to the John Hancock building.  The photographers were able to get several excellent photos at the top.  I was content to get a good picture on my cell phone for a new background.

 We continued to spend the rest of the day taking more pictures, editing, and laughing.  I had a great time in Chicago with my sisters and new friends.  On the way back home, I sat contently, happy to   finally let my cheeks rest from smiling so much.  I then let out a sigh and thought I am a lucky girl to be friends with photographers. 

PS: none of the above photos were actually taken by me :) 

Take hold of my hand

So, I decided to join my sister for Memory Thursday.  I will try my best to write every Thursday.  I am very excited about this endeavor.  There are so many times that a memory comes to my mind, and I find myself smiling. 

For those of you who grew up sharing a bedroom with a sibling you know that it can be a blessing and a curse.  Mostly a curse...well that is until it was night time.  The two of us would just lay on our bunk beds.  I was on the top ( because I am older) and she was below me; we talked long into the night.  I recall many a night where my dad would walk by the room and say, "Brooke and Lauren stop talking you have school tomorrow"  or "Girls, quiet down in there!" We would try so hard to lay quietly but then one of us would start giggling and then it would start up all over again.  So, we came up with an idea... Since we had to go to sleep and we had to stop talking, we would try to hold hands all night.  I hung my arm down under the rail of my top bunk and grabbed a hold of my little sister's hand.  We vowed to never let go of each other all night long.  Most of the time my little sister's hand fell to her bed in the middle of the night.  However, there were some mornings where we would wake hand in hand.  Those were also the mornings that we would both wake with sore arms.  Our entire arm seemed to ache,

Memories like that make so thankful that I have the privilege of sharing a room with my little sister.  So many precious memories were made those nights when we were suppose to be sleeping.

Lauren, 

We are a lot older now.  And we have not attempted to hold hands while sleeping in quite a while. However, I just want to let you know my hand is still outstretched.  Not literally like when we were  children.  But rather as you get ready to graduate from highschool, get a job, and enter into college... I will always be here for you...Always

Simply take hold of my hand.

Beautiful in my eyes

Last Saturday I forever parted with a companion that I had known for most of my life.

I remember the day he was first brought home...

I was a nine year old little girl when I first met him...and I loved him that first moment I crawled into the back seat and my feet dangled.  Oh, the places we went in that little green Taurus.  We drove a 24 hour journey to Texas.  We drove to Wisconsin Dells, we drove all over... I was always so proud of my little green Taurus.

When my big sister, Nicole turned 16 she got her learning permit, my poor little car got abused for a few months.  But he was such a good sport, never complaining.  I will never forget the countless times my poor car was forced to go over curb after curb.  This little Taurus even got its side view mirror knocked off the first time Nicole tried to go through a bank drive through. After a year, Nicole improved in driving...a little, bit at least:)  The Taurus got a break from abuse.  A couple years later I got my learning permit....  Once again the Taurus became the car in which I practiced driving in.  All went well.  I must admit I was, and am a very careful driver.  Then the day after I got my licence, it happened.  I decided to drive around the church to pick up my sister, that way every one could see me driving...ALONE...  I proceeded to pull around the front of the church, all the while scraping the side of the car along the side of the brick wall.  Yes, I believe everyone saw me driving that night and my car got a few marks and bruises.

Then my poor little Taurus got scraped by a yellow pole in a parking lot...once again by Nicole... it really is quite a funny story.. She thought she managed without getting a mark on it, she drove home, thanking God all the way that she didn't bang up the car.  Then she pulled, as the whole family gawked at the thick yellow line of paint all down the side of the car.  Thankfully with a lot of elbow grease it came off!

Then just a few months ago...he was driven into a ditch...a deep deep ditch...that was me!!!

But all the while he kept chugging along; faithfully driving me to and from school, work, and church... 

Regretfully, the Taurus became quite ill.  He began to fail emission test after emission test.  This past month he really suffered.  My dad told me to be prepared to part with him.  

It was hard....

But I knew the time had come when he could only go 30 miles per hour down the highway.  I knew the time to part ways was coming when I couldn't push the break for an extended period of time because he would shake so terribly.  I knew time his time was drawing to an end, when I would proudly get out of the car, only to scrape my leg on the rust on the bottom on my car, and then enter work with blood trickling down.  I knew his time was coming to an end when I had to put the car in neutral for it to be in drive, and drive for it to go in reverse.  

  

But in spite of all its faults, I had a bond with that little green Taurus.  After all, it was a part of my family for almost as long as I can remember, it was the first car I ever drove, it was the first car I ever banged up, and it was the first car that I truly developed a lot of good memories with... 

It was the first car that I had to say goodbye to. And you know when I said goodbye, I was actually really sad.  I had Nicole go and take a few pictures of him just so I can always remember my little green Taurus, a beautiful car in my eyes:

Then we replaced him.... 

with a dashing black Chevy:

 I look forward to making many more memories

with him!

Where have I been

So,  haven't written in a quite a while.  But you see, I have been very busy.  The school year is slowly coming to an end... just about a month and a half and I will be done with my junior year of college.  

The past few weeks have been filled with reports, speeches, a debate, sewing, and teaching!  Let me expound a little...

For my Persuasive speech class I did a three on three debate to a group of about 100 retired folks.  I was on the affirmative team debating that drinking three or more cups of coffee a day was detrimental to one's health.  And guess what..my team and I won!!!  And I actually succeeded in even persuading myself.  I am sure my belief is pretty unpopular with most of you.  However, I am fully convinced that drinking too much coffee has bad effects on one's health.  I would love to go on and on.  However, I am not trying to persuade you that too much coffee is bad but rather that I have been too busy to blog.

Last Thursday I was able to teach a high school history class.  That was a lot of fun!  I was able to teach on anything from the 20th century.  Pretty broad time period, I know.  I choose to do a topic that I knew very little about, and would like to know more about.So I did the Hindenburg.  It was actually very fascinating!

 Do you realize how massive the Hindenburg was?  It was 804 feet long and 135 feet wide.  It was almost as large as the Great Titanic!  It weighed approximately 240 tons! Now isn't that amazing!

 Did you know that Hugo Eckner (the man who designed the Hindenburg) was forced to put the Nazi symbols on the tail fins.  He spoke out forcefully against the Nazi's brutal ways.  Because of this, the Nazi's made him a "non person."  This meant his name could never be printed in the paper, and he could never have his picture taken.  If Eckner didn't comply to put the Nazi symbols o the Hindenburg, the Hindenburg would become the property of Germany.  Thus Eckner complied...

 Did you know it only took 34 seconds for the Hindenburg to burn to nothing but burning wreckage.

Now the fact that is most amazing to me.... 97 souls were on the Hindenburg when tragedy struck....and 65 of them survived.  Now, that is fascinating!

Today, I finished making my culottes!  I am actually pretty impressed!  I made them without too much stress too! :)   I now feel like I could make them again and again without a problem!  

Showing off my creation!

Yes, I have been pretty busy with school work.  But, I will do my best to keep my blog updated.  Now, I must go write another report and prepare for another speech...

Happy Birthday Nicole!!!

Happy 24th Birthday Nicole! Today, on your birthday I would like to dedicate an entire post to you and try to express my love for you on this special day...

Nicole I don't think you will ever know how much you mean to me...

 You are...

My Support:

Nicole, you have always supported me in every decision I have ever made.  You continue to stand by me in both the good times and the bad.  You are my shoulder to cry upon, my strong arm to lean on, and a warm  hug to run to.  Thanks so much for all the support you have given me through the years.

My Ally:

Nicole, you are my ally.  You have always been on my side defending and protecting your little sis through thick and thin.  I can think of so many times in elementary and high school days when girls picked on me.  I knew all I would have to do is tell my big sister and she would take care of the rest...

My Entertainment:

Nicole, oh, how I could expound on this point.:)   Just thinking back over our childhood days, a smile comes to my face.  We had so much fun together didn't we?  Then I think of more recent days...  Times when we are at work laughing so hard together during quiet time that the other teachers have to reprimand us to try to keep us quiet.  You have a way of making me smile and laugh when I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.

My Audience:

Nicole, I can always count on you to be my audience.  Whether it was my first oral book report in the 7th grade, practicing my ventriloquism, or my articular phonetics, or until now practicing my debate and speeches.  I know I can count on you to be audience.  You simply sit there and listen, although I know you have one hundred other things you would rather be doing.

My Critic:

Nicole, we both know you are definitely my critic as well.  But don't take this wrong..I mean who else would tell me when my top totally crashes with my shirt.  Or if that long beaded necklaces I have been dying to wear just doesn't compliment my outfit too well.  Who else would tell me when I have a crease in the back of my hair, or my makeup no longer matches my skin color.  Only a sister, could tell me the truth... that yes- that does make me look fat.

My Biggest Fan:

Nicole, some of early memories include running cross countries, on to running sprints in track, and attempting at girl's basketball and volleyball.  I knew I could count on my big sister to always be in the stands cheering me on (and taking pictures ;))  Thanks Nicole for always cheering for me, for always applauding, for always saying great job- even when I felt like I had the let the entire team down.  

My Best Friend:

Nicole- I don't know if you will ever understand this...but you truly are my best friend.  Sometimes I feel like I am a little girl looking admiringly up at my big sister, trying to mimic all she does.  Then we go to work together, church together, home together. We laugh to together, cry together, vent together pray together... You are the greatest friend I could ever ask for.  

My Sister:

Lucky, Lucky Me!!!

Happy Birthday!

I Love you!

Faith is Walking

This title for a post has been running through my head for over a month now.  However, putting my scrambled  thoughts into words is the hard step.  But here I go:

No doubt most of you  have heard of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho.  Perhaps, some of you, like me, have been told this familiar story since you were a young child.  Some times these wonderful stories become all too familiar to me.  About a month ago, I was reading through this passage, and something in particular seemed to intrigue me...  As a child I was fascinated by the walls tumbling down, but now as I get older it seems like the little things capture my attention.  Let me explain...

Put yourself in the children of Israel's shoes.  Your leader simply commands you to follow the priest.  You are told to  walk around the walls of this enormous city without speaking.  I don't know about you, but I know immediately my mind would be filled with questions.  Most likely I would have questioned the authority of Joshua.  Did Joshua really know what he was doing?  Why are we simply walking, shouldn't  we lay siege or attack?  We are soldiers- why are walking?   The men didn't understand what God was going to do; they simply walked.  Joshua didn't reveal how God was going to destroy the city of Jericho.  He told the people to walk. Then it struck me...Faith is walking.

Walking, even when I don't understand the master plan.... Walking, even when My plan seems more logical. My journey lies in front of me still unclear.  At times I question the master plan.  But when I am tempted to run ahead of God's plan.  I must remember...Faith is simply walking. 

An Eventful Saturday

Saturday was quite the eventful day for my family and I.

As my sisters and I get a little older sometimes it gets more difficult for us all to do something together.  It seems like one of us is always working, or at a teen activity, or at school.  But this Saturday, one of my babysitting jobs fell through.  So my dad decided that after our morning ministries we have some fun together. 

We left for Chicago at about 11:45

And we ate at Lawry's!

Need I say more?  It was absolutely divine!

The food was great, but the company was even better.  I had such a great time with my family.

After our delicious meal, the dessert came...

I love the Windy City!

When we got back home at about 3:30, my dad announced that we would be going to the High school play in a few hours.  I have always enjoyed going to the hometown plays.  As a speech minor, I find it entertaining to   watch the kids act.  They actually do a really good job!  

This year they did "The Surprise Story of the Three Little Pigs."

At about 8:00 our eventful day came to a close.  

I had such a great time with my family!