Saturday, September 20, 2014

Friday, May 2, 2014

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Baptism













Rain




“The rain to the wind said,
You push and I'll pelt.'
They so smote the garden bed
That the flowers actually knelt,
And lay lodged--though not dead.
I know how the flowers felt.”
Robert Frost


Spring




 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Dear Old World



“Dear old world', she murmured, 'you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.”
L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

You've Put Your Mark on Me

 
A mark for every breath you took, every blink, every sleepy yawn.

One for every time you sucked your thumb, waved hello, closed your eyes, 
and slept in the most perfect darkness. 

One for every time you had the hiccups. 
One for every dream you dreamed within me. 

It isn't very pretty anymore. 
Some may even think it's ugly. 

But that's okay -- It was your home.

It held you here until my arms could hold you outside, 
and for that, I will always find something beautiful in it. 
 
Link - http://gentlechristianbirthing.blogspot.com/2011/05/birthmarks.html

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 With my daughter I received no stretch marks. Not a one. Even after gaining 40 pounds, I went back to the smooth skin I had before. Everyone said, "You are so lucky!" At the time, I agreed!

 Bean has left one small stretch mark on me. I look at it, and you know, I cherish it.  He and I have struggled together, in a way my girl and I never did. She was everything a pregnancy should be. I even wondered why so many women complained so much! But our whole beginning together was wrought with struggle. Pain and struggle, struggle and pain. My daughter instead pushed up into my ribs, wriggled around constantly. He laid low, almost trying to stay out of my way, to not be a bother. But finally it was too much, and he came into the world.

 It has all been so fast, and he has been away from me in the hospital, so many times I forget that he exists. Do I really have another child? I think. No. It's just my girl, right?

 Then I look down. There it is. That dreaded, cherished little mark; reminding me....it happened! I'm here!

 And it will stay there, forever reminding me of him. A beautiful little reminder.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Baby Boy



Well, our baby boy decided to come a tad early. He is considered 34 weeks. It was a whirlwind of a delivery, very fast. Although a fast delivery was good for me, not so for him. He is having breathing issues, and is currently in our local NICU.

Its hard to be away from him, and my motherly instinct is to be there every single min, but my body....which just had a baby three days ago.....is getting tired.

I plan on taking my camera in today, and taking some photos. The photo here was taken by his daddy!

Prayers are always a nice thing.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Giving Meaning to Suffering/Bad day

"St Paul wrote to the Christians living in Corinth, "God comforts us in our sorrow so that we might comfort others . . . . in their time of tribulation." (2 Cor. 1:4). In my own personal experience, I have discovered the truth in these majestic words. I have learned that out of the painful crucible of my own suffering, I was able to find within me a well-spring of strength that I never knew I possessed. I acquired a deepened understanding of the human condition, a greater sensitivity and compassion for the sufferings of others, and a heightened ability to share with others my conviction in the sureness of ultimate victory. Indeed, I would be reluctant to avoid the trials of my past if, at the same time, it meant that I would have to surrender their many personal gifts that now have come to grace and enrich the whole of my life." -
Rev. Andrew J. Demotses

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 Yesterday was not a good day. I had begun to feel very good, eating more taking my meds having a bit more energy.....then boom out of nowhere it rears its ugly head. The pain, the pressure, the nausea, fatigue....and to add this time a fever, and achy joints. My body working overtime to attack itself, yet again. I had been feeling so good that I began feeling guilty for not returning to work, but after yesterday...and feeling that today I haven't fully recovered....it was truly the best choice. 

  But as always when suffering comes in whatever form we find it, there is always the question....why? Whether one believes in God or not, the question still comes. Other then the quote above, I remember reading once, suffering is a part of life. It comes to all. It is just how we deal with that suffering that either makes us stronger because of it, or weaker. Some of the most truly awe inspiring people I have ever met have been those who have suffered but were not broken by it in the depths of their souls. Instead they shone ever much more brightly, because their suffering purified them like glass when it comes in contact with fire. 

 Yesterday, even my little doggie...who had her own little suffering... felt it was best to just rest.


 

Saturday, February 15, 2014

The Meeting of the Lord

 Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for the revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Thy people Israel (Lk 2:29-32)




 When you have to be stuck at home, you have one of two (or three) options. One is to wallow in self misery, two is to watch every single TV show and movie you can find, or three is to find something, anything to do.

 I feel I can't, and shouldn't wallow, I really hate TV these days anyhow, so investigating seems more like it. Bug has a way of finding things that I forgot I had. She found two books that as she gets older will be a real treat I think. One is based on the Feasts of the Church the other are Russian Fairytales both with awesome   pictures!








Thursday, February 13, 2014

In an attempt to photograph snow....






Snow


"O, wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"
- Percy Bysshe Shelley



Sunday, February 9, 2014

Its been awhile....


It's been awhile, but life has made me slow down now. I've been very sick since Dec, and also pregnant (7 months!) with number two and now my Dr has told me that I need to stay at home till baby is born.

So what do I do to slow down? Play with little one, read, clean, cook, take care of hubby, pray and perhaps photograph again? I can't expend energy climbing mountains, but I can take pictures of life at home I guess. At least to keep me sane.

I worry about things now, but what can I do? As a nurse said in the Dr's office, "Just trust that God is going to take care of things, while you take care of you and the baby." So that is what I have to do.

Maybe it will be a good experience to slow down and learn to just be ok, and appreciate the little things for once, instead of worrying about them all, all the time.