Oh, Oswald...

"God does not give us overcoming life; He gives us life as we overcome."


"Buck up, take your disinclination by the throat, throw it overboard, and walk out into the thing!" 


-Oswald Chambers

Hawaii 2012

After the long deployment, Adam and I took a trip to Hawaii. It was our first ever real vacation, just the two of us, that didn't include a cross-country move.

We took a helicopter tour of the island since, obviously, that's what you do when you are a helicopter pilot on vacation. Doors off. Which is fine by me because riding in helicopters is Awesome.

I got the classic rainbow over Honolulu shot from our balcony after some light rain.
I don't think I could ever get tired of seeing rainbows.

A half-day was spent at Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Aviation Museum. The video at the beginning of the tour makes me cry. And makes me feel REALLY bad for the guy who said the airplanes on the radar were probably our own and not to worry about it. Talk about an epic FAIL. But the memorial is beautiful and a wonderful tribute to that day.

Can you believe how much oil still leaks from the Arizona?

I made Adam take me to Leonard's Bakery for some malasadas after seeing the commercial 10 times. They're basically Portuguese donuts, and I'm pretty obsessed with donuts. From any country.

We saw the Worts! (Minus Josh. And Peter didn't quite make it into the picture. Don't worry Josh, we'll bug the heck out of you when you move back here. You'll be thankful for those four years of peace:) )

We also enjoyed the beach, a luau, and walking around in the gorgeous weather. By the end of the trip we were pretty convinced this wouldn't be the last time we were in Hawaii.

We had a great time exploring Oahu and a great time reconnecting after a long deployment. I'm ready to go back!

Project MCP: March Challenges

This month, Project MCP changed their assignments from monthly to weekly. I had way more fun having several challenges to think about and look for opportunities to take pictures. I love having more reasons to turn on my camera and snap pictures. I probably took 50 just for this project alone. I participated in three of the assignments and here are my final submissions below:

• Challenge #1 – Take a picture from a high vantage point, from above your subject

• Challenge #2 – Capture a photo using natural light.

• Challenge #3 -  Express the following word in a photo: Transition

March was busy with visiting family, Adam's brother coming to visit us, celebrating 6 years (6!) of marriage, and welcoming Spring to our front and back yards (and sinus cavities). Vegetables are started, a new grill is put together, and  well, I've got a lot of yellow to clean up from all this crazy pollen. Looking forward to enjoying this warmer weather with the hubs this year. And to April photo challenges!

Project MCP: Love

Alternatively titled: Thank Goodness We Have 29 Days In February This Year Or This Would Not Be Getting Done Before The End Of The Month

This months Project MCP theme was "Love" and I couldn't have asked for a better theme during the month my husband returned home.

Love in our household this month is having warrior hands that stood ready to serve their country for ten months and still having room for loving hands that wash the dishes after a meal together.

315 Days....Totally Worth it For This Moment

Resolve

I started the year with a few ambitions. I normally don't do resolutions, but I like the idea of ambitions. Goals.

So one of my ambitions is to photograph more. I want to experiment more and really create something with my pictures. So I thought I'd join in on one of those photography projects online. They've got them for every day and every week. Knowing myself, and my schedule, I decided I'd do a monthly one. So I joined MCP Project 12, with a theme for every month. January's theme was Resolution or Resolve.

I thought about it. I thought about what kind of picture I would take. I thought about what I might resolve to do. What word or emotion would sum up my resolve. I thought about the last 10 months and how far my resolve has gotten me.

And then I thought about Adam coming home soon. I started working extra hours to make up for the time I'll miss at work when he's on leave and because I had meetings with every grade level and some of them were on my days off. And I started making menus and grocery shopping and trying recipes so that I can cook for my husband. And I've been really, really good about going to the gym. And doing my extra exercises for my knee. Oh, and then I thought I might try to give up Diet Pepsi. And I was making sure to eat vegetables and take my vitamins. And keep the house clean. I've made sure to get up early for some time with God, which I had gotten away from at the end of the year. So then I decided to start a year long Bible reading plan. And now it's the last day of January and I had sort of forgotten about my photography project.

So I had to think of something fast. I started snapping pictures of anything that could be resolution. This one is the best one. Sorry it's not my best work. Thus the point of the project. It can only get better from here right?

It's not one of those "I'm going to go to the gym" resolutions. I promise. (Even though that's where I was going when I took this picture.)

I resolve to keep moving. I resolve to not give up. To embrace life, and all it brings, even when I really don't want to. So I'll put on my running shoes and get out there. 

Next month's theme should be a lot easier. 

9 months down...

You know your husband has been deployed for too long when The Office Jim and Pam wedding dance makes you cry and laugh hysterically at the same time. Oh. my. word.

Anyone else?