Mt Adams climb

14 hours. sunrise. head lamps. good conversations. lots of snacks. amazing views. fresh air. sore muscles. Mt Adams got the best of us!! Enjoy the pics

wrestling with desire

I can't help but recognize this wrestle within me towards desire. There is a risk and perhaps a cost when we choose to desire and are left with the possibility of being unmet. Even with the little things, like asking a friend for support or wanting the bus to be on time. It seems small and quickly fading but I am aware of this small part of me that dies when my desires are not met. It makes it a little more difficult the next time around to have an expectation or desire for a certain thing to occur. And then there are the larger parts of me that desire to be known, to love, and be loved. My heart seems fragile and easily wounded when I can't seem to get beyond my unmet need or my unmet desire. This all feels confusing and yet I long to engage with desire so that it does not get the best of me...to continue hoping for more despite setbacks.

Who is your King?

I have seen this once before but today it absorbed in a way that was new and inspiring. I love that Dr. Shadrach Meshach describes Jesus in so many ways and yet He is "undescribable." Who is your king and does he/she save you in the end? There are so many things in our life that we place as king- ourself, money, power, possession, food, sex, etc. Do those things save us in the end?

First signs of Fall

The change from Summer to Fall always seems to surprise me. Maybe it is the ambivalence I tend to have about change. The Fall is a season of death and beauty...as the leaves slowly turn and then fall to the ground. The lighter side of me remembers the smell of pumpkin spice lattes, crisp apples, and of course wearing warm cozy sweaters. I am looking forward to capturing the colors of Fall this year in hopes of an expression of this quandary!

gratitude and Mars Hill Graduate School

For those of you who may not know, I am in my second year studying Counseling Psychology at Mars Hill Graduate School. In about the last 5 minutes something struck me and I must reflect about what I am feeling. GRATITUDE might be the word to describe what is bursting from my bleeding heart. I knew that this experience would be one of growth but never would I find myself deeply acknowledging that this experience has and is changing my life. If you believe that the gospel can change the world...if you are willing to see beauty within darkness...or recently I would put it as seeing beauty within immorality, then I would check out this school (http://mhgs.edu/). More reflection to come...


picture from www.patricklovephotography.com

Will, Roxanna, & Isaac

One thing I love about taking photos is the possibility of capturing our humanness and capacity to love! William, Roxanna, and Isaac are a loving family. We had fun taking pictures so that they could send some photos to family in El Salvador. To be honest, I was a little nervous about the language barrier and potentially some cultural differences (in asking them to pose in certain ways). Capturing pictures of family members that naturally reflect love makes it easy! Enjoy

mo theaghlach (my family)

Here are a few faces that I think about often!

As you can see...I have many brothers and and most of my pictures include a little one :)

Palmer (my nephew)Watson (my dad)

Andy (my bro)

Bryson (my bro)

Lisa (my mom and the proud grandma of Palmer)

Dennis (my great uncle)

Alexis (my niece) and Jay (my father in law and proud boppa of Alexis)

Tenile (my sister in law and proud mommy of Palmer)

Brian (my brother in law and proud dad of Alexis)

Sally (my mother in law) and Patrick (my brother in law). Skype is a frequent communication with Pat as he lives in Venezuela

Angela (my sister in law and proud mom of Alexis)

Brandon (my bro and proud dad of Palmer)

Alexis (my niece)

Mt St Helens Adventure

A new annual tradition has begun with some of my college girlfriends. We kicked off the first year in the Mt. St. Helens Wildreness area. June Lake was a great place to backpack and camp. From there the hiking is incredible and fairly easy. Although, I would recommend good shoes as there are big rocks and bolders to scramble over as part of the hiking trails. My time around Mt. Helens was reflective of the cycle of death and life...as this volcanoe destroyed everything around it over 27 years ago and yet finds a way for new growth and beauty. Beauty for ashes may be another way of putting it (Isaiah 61:3)!! We had a great time and I believe the pictures may let you a little in on our experience :) Oh yea, watch out for sasquatch in these woods!! You may never know...