Spring in Michigan!!

So spring is finally here! Yes, I said spring... it's definitely not summer weather yet here by any means. (It was in the 40's when we got up today, and it's JUNE!!)

All the BEAUTIFUL flowers that have bloomed have been calling my name, and I finally made a couple of outings and got a few nice shots. (Of course I had to include a picture of my little buddy too since he went with me! :) Enjoy!

Nicaragua- May '09

I just got back from 2 weeks in Nicaragua (Central America), which as most of you know is like my second home! I had a blast spending time with my best friend, Melissa Buzbee, (who is a missionary down there)!















We crammed a lot into the week and a half that we had together. We spent a weekend at the beach outside Chinandega (which provided numerous beautiful photo opportunities!!)



We went to the dump school to pray with the director and to visit the kids. (Yes, the school is really in the middle of the Managua garbage dump!! People actually live there, and this school is like and oasis for the children who would be spending their days digging through the trash if they weren't in school!!)


















We had a slumber party at Casa Havilah (a rescue home for abused girls from the dump that Melissa funds and administrates). We celebrated Naydelin's birthday, and we painted "picture frames" and flowers on the wall in the main living room so that we could mount the girls pictures on the wall. This was a surprise for the girls, and they LOVED it!!














We also saw "X-Men origins- Wolverine," ate lots of flan, and laughed all night!




A small vision team from my Dad's church in Tallahassee, Florida also came down for a few days, and we got lots of planning done for our 5 year mission vision in Los Cedros and Monte Fresco (little villages about 30 minutes outside of Managua). The pictures here are from a feeding program in Monte Fresco.




This was also a fun trip because it was the first time I've been back since getting my Nikon, so it afforded lots of fun photography opportunities. (More bars in more places... hmmm... does that include Nicaragua?? Sure looks like it!)


Enjoy the photos, and if you're interested in getting involved in the on-going ministries down there, let me know!!

Georgia is blooming

The flowers were blooming in Georgia when we got there last weekend! They were gorgeous so I just had to stop and get a few pictures while we were house-hunting. Enjoy!

Winter Shots

I think my skill has increased a lot since my first try with the fall shots. These were taken at the same park, but at sunset. Most days up here during the winter are overcast and can be just blah, but this particular Saturday the sky was clear and a gorgeous blue! Gracias Dios por lo que pintaste!



So I have to tell the story that goes along with these pictures. Id' been dying to go out and get some pretty winter shots for over a month now, and I just hadn't had a chance with the miscarriage, the holidays and Morgan's death. So I was determined to go out last Saturday. Well... Jim and I spent most of the day going to Cabela's and Bass pro looking for a winter coat for me and some other stuff he needed (They are both about and hour from our house and not right next to each other so we spent most of our time driving!)

Anyway, when we got back it was about 4:15, and I quickly grabbed my camera and was about to head out when I felt God tugging at my heart. I hadn't spent any time with Him, He seemed to be telling me. So I wrestled with Him for a few minutes because I was afraid there wouldn't be any decent photographing light left if I didn't leave soon, but I finally gave in and read a little in Ruth and then journaled. In my journal entry I thanked him for the way He had allowed photography to be a distraction from the pain of losing our baby, and asked that He would "help my abilities and confidence to increase... and [allow] my photos bring glory to [Him] in some way."

So I headed out, and changed my mind about which park I would head to because of the little sunlight that would be left if I went that far. The whole way I was praying for enough light to get a few good shots, and... WOW... did he deliver over and above! When I got there the sun was beginning to set, casting its magnificent light through the trees and across the snow. I started shooting and ended up with some AMAZING shots! And to think, if I had left when I first wanted to I would have gone to a different park, started much sooner, and been finished shooting before the sun began it's beautiful journey down for the night! GOD IS GOOD and works in misterious ways!

Looking through these photots, I think you will agree that they do bring glory to Him for the beauty that only He could create! Enjoy! And please let me know what you think!! God bless!

P.s. Of course I had to include one of my favorite bridge! Check out the cool way the sun is reflecting off of the bottom of it! God is the master artist!

Fall Shots (my first success!)

Here are some of my favorite shots from my first outing with my camera. I took these back in the fall right after I bought my Nikon D60 (which I LOVE!!!) Enjoy!

This is one of my favorites because of the angle and the beautiful fall colors!

Check out this bridge! This is my favorite spot to photograph!!





Same bridge, different (FUN) angle!







Isn't this a neat photo of this church? It had ivy growing up the side and was just begging to be photographed!