Tuesday, July 31, 2012

~Some of My People~


Tuesday, July 31, 2012

~Some of My People~


People. 
They can be a blessing or a curse.
These people happen to be blessings.

They are:
Authentic
Iron sharpening iron 
Honest
Loyal
Supportive
Loads of fun
Vastly different
Oddly similar

Thanks to a whole lot of grandparents, we were able to steal an adult only weekend in the mountains.
We played, laughed, talked, ate, grilled meat, ate lots of peanut butter, jumped off rocks, ate, swam in rivers, shot guns, ate, and shared our hearts for 2 and a half days. 





 
 
 



Who plays "spoons" in their 30's and 40's?   ~WE DO~   ....and it's still as fun as it was when I was 17.
  


Looking forward to tonight with my family.
Supper is on the stove.
The house is clean.
Brad should be home soon.
We are settling in for a cozy night of Olympics. 
Swimming and gymnastics finals. GO USA!!!
~stacey


Thursday, July 12, 2012

~What I Think~


Thursday, July 12, 2012

~What I Think~



I am completely fed up and turned off by politics. 
I think at least 80% of all elected officials in Washington should be fired and we should start all over.
I think our freedom is being taken away one tiny bit at a time. 
I think good people, in the name of not being offensive, keep their mouths shut when they should speak up. 
I think equal opportunity means everyone starts from square one. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I should get a head start on a man.
I think my government owes me NOTHING except my freedom. 
I am disgusted by people's ignorance. It is my responsibility to be knowledgeable, to be informed, and to be involved in whatever capacity I can.
If we loose sight of where we've come from and if we fail to teach our children why we became a nation, they will most likely believe whatever they hear from whatever the source.
I wish more people were fearless.
I've about decided it's better to be one of those people with fifty bumper stickers on their car than it is to remain silent and spend your life doing nothing, striving only for self-preservation. 


An excerpt from George Washington's Farewell Address after he announced he would retire from political office after completing his second term:

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity,
religion and morality are indispensable supports. 
In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism,
who should labor to subvert these great pillars."


The previous is what I frustratedly (is that even a word?) typed a couple mornings ago, after two days of brooding over several things I'd recently seen on the news.  
I'm laid back for the most part but one of the things I get really fired up over are things concerning my country because I love it dearly.  Few things frustrate me as much as seeing events, people, and cultures that are undermining this nation that I believe in. I genuinely was angry, irritated, bothered, and just mad about some things and needed to get it off my chest. I don't like to be unhappy. I'm an optimist. I like happy endings and I refuse to stay grouchy for long over anything. 

As SOON as I typed the above rant, I got a message from a friend who's Daddy just learned he is facing potentially serious health issues. I instantly stopped and sighed for her. The world really does stop when your slapped up side the head with something life and death, doesn't it?
Then it hit me. All the anger over these issues, (that are still vitally important) left me. I still believe in right and wrong. In absolutes. In conservative values. But my perspective was fine tuned.
My hope doesn't lie in things earthly.....temporal. I know the God of the universe.
Doesn't really matter much what happens on this earth because it is a tiny fraction of the life I will live.
Scratch that. It absolutely DOES matter what happens on this earth because I have a  purpose here that is critically important. (which is why I HATE when Christians act like it's ungodly to care about the affairs of men and government. We are made in His likeness but God made us human and we have a responsibility to govern what we've been given)
Death comes to all of us.  But for me, death is simply an open door to eternity. 
Not fearing death changes how you live. 
I want to matter. To count. Which is why I won't apologize for what I believe. 
It's not when you die, but how you live. 
Matter. 
Make a difference. 
If it's being kind to a neighbor who doesn't think like you...love them for who they are, not what you think they should be.
If it's running for public office and changing legislation, do it. I hope you get elected!
If it's taking McDonald's to a needy child in your child's school for lunch, they will love it.
If it's putting on your business suit and being a man of integrity in an office full of back-stabbing, power hungry men....be a leader. Do the right thing.
If it's training your children to think critically and be people of integrity, do it with passion. You're affecting generations to come. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Moving on.....
What a great Saturday we've had! 
Brad got up, took the kids to breakfast and I stayed in the bed, listening to the quiet.
It struck me that in a matter of time, this will be my every Saturday. I'm embracing the noise now, and plan to embrace the quiet if and when it comes. 
We've been productive enough, cleaning up a few things, hung a couple things that have been propped on a chair for weeks, and now Brad has the big three at the pool and Emma is napping. (thus the post)
What a Daddy my kids have. I mean, the man is a good one. 
We get to go tonight to visit with old medical school friends.
Tomorrow, a walking miracle, Michael McMillan, and his two lovely women, Gracen and Haley Clayton, are coming to visit. Can't wait. I might cry when I see him. A few weeks ago, he was in the ICU with a hemorrhaging brain tumor, at death's door step. I cried and prayed like there was no tomorrow and low and behold, he's coming to my house tomorrow. Post surgery, mid therapy. Like I said, a walking miracle. 
I'm full of grateful, happy love today. I could be a hippy for the day. silly


She's 2, you know. Did NOT want to have her picture taken.

          
Bless her sweet, funny, stubborn, independent heart. And mine, too.

~stacey

p.s. wonder if I'll regret this post. if it goes away, that means yes. 




Wednesday, July 4, 2012

~The 4th~


Wednesday, July 04, 2012

~The 4th~

We have been a non stop party since yesterday afternoon. 
The house is quiet....... I think the kids were asleep before their heads hit their pillows. 

4th of July is near the top of my favorites list. Second only to Christmas.
I hope we can preserve our freedom. 
I'd be lying if I didn't say I have serious trepidation about where we are as a nation, where we are going, and how exactly we will get there. 
This is a wonderfully unique country and and I am blessed to call it home.
I love the foundational pillars that support us.
One of the founding fathers said that morality and religion were necessary components to a successful nation. He went further and said when those things cease to exist, we would crumble.


*next morning* (Couldn't hold my eyes open last night)
All in all, it was one of the most fun, packed full 4th's we've ever had. 
So thankful for friends and family.
Yesterday, the day started at 7:30 with a 10k run organized to benefit a family going through an international adoption.
I was there to take pictures of the event.
Brad nor I are true runners.
I'm a treadmill kind of girl. Or I'll go out and walk or ride a bike. If I go two miles four times a week, I'm a happy camper. (That doesn't happen as often as I'd like, just for the record)winky
Brad, on the other hand, LOVES working out. I'm talking, actually enjoys it. I enjoy getting FINISHED, but he likes every minute of it.
That being said, he does not like to run more than 2 or 3 miles. Never has.  
Back to yesterday, he gets up at 6:30 to swim laps. He comes home to me getting ready to go to the race. 
"You think I ought to run?"
"Uhm, no! You've never run more than a few miles. You just swam. Why are you even asking me that?!"
His sweet, loyal smile crept across his face.
"Well, Chris was messing with me last night and said it wasn't about running but it was about camaraderie."
I chuckled a little at how sweet he is and how crazy he is. 
"Well. I mean, you could do it. It's whatever you think."
"Dang it. I'll run it. Hang on, let me dry off and I'll be there in a little bit."
I am really proud of that man. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    
  

Happy Birthday, America!

 ~stacey

Monday, July 2, 2012

~Fracture and a Photog Question~


Monday, July 02, 2012

~Fracture and a Photog Question~

If you are here to help with my photog question, feel free to scroll to the bottom
and THANKS for your input!


Avery fractured her clavicle. 
She earned brownie points around here for her toughness.
She has a flare for the dramatic
so there's always a bit of questioning 
when we're told
the world's coming to an end
or 
"I'm dying"
or
"Yes! He did it on purpose"
She fell off the bed in the middle of the night.
Brad did an x-ray the next day and lo and behold....
a nasty little fracture.
She was not happy about the rather unattractive black sling
so Mrs. Mande fixed it up for her.
We call it the bling sling. laughing
She's been a little trooper.


  


My sweet sister took my two big kids to her house for a couple days and let me just say......
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN TWO KIDS VS. FOUR KIDS!
For real.  
I wouldn't trade a single one of mine but it's simple.......
More is more.
Avery is lost without them so Ailee helped keep her company. 

   


Brad gave me a Canon 7D for our anniversary.
I haven't had a lot of time to play with it and tomorrow our July 4th festivities begin.
What is a good setting for shooting moving, multiple kids outside in decent light?
And then the same question for indoors.
I make the most mistakes with multiple subjects. Without fail, someone is not in focus. 
My lens is an 18-135.





~stacey