I Have Found my Strength in You

How amazing it is that God knows us so well; He knows exactly what and who we need at exactly the right time. I’ve been recently amazed by some of the people that I’ve been fortunate enough to have encounters with. They make me realize the beauty of PEOPLE and the power of human contact.

With my 'day job', I don’t have much of that. I miss that interaction with people, real people. It’s nice to actually have actual encounters with people and to learn more about their lives. Learn more about what makes them WHO they are. I think that's what I love about meeting new people - whether it's through my photography or just through general, day-to-day meanderings, I've been so fortunate to meet some amazing people.

It really astounds me how strong people really are. To go through their struggles, hardships, pain … and in light of them, they find hope and comfort in knowing that it all happens for a reason. I’m thankful for their strength and perseverance - because it's beautiful.

I read this quote the other day: "When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful." ~Barbara Bloom

How AMAZING and how TRUE is that? The cracks make us more beautiful. More refined. Perhaps even braver and stronger than we ever thought we could be.

To the women that I have been privileged to share in this LIFE with, thank you for giving me a little part of yourself … and showing me what it truly means to be courageous. You INSPIRE me. I am forever grateful and can only hope to be as strong some day. ♥

TIME Out

Time is a funny thing. It moves so quickly. At this pace that most often, you can never keep up with. Time makes me remember that it is in fact, fleeting. I don't have all the time in the world - yet - I long for more time, daily.

When I think about my time left on this earth, I want to make it lasting. I want my time to not be wasted on being angry. On being hopeless. On being right. On being wrong. I want my time spent embracing every single moment I am privileged to share with those that I love the most. Because in the end, those are all you have. Moments.

I think about my life, up to this point, and I cannot even describe all the amazing moments I've been privileged to have - and now remember. Growing up, my parents gave us the world. At least in our youth, that's what it felt like. They loved us. And sacrificed for us. They loved us with reckless abandon.

As an adult and parent now, I'm forever grateful for the time they spent with us - to show us the important things in life. That the BEST things in life cannot be bought. And that even in trying times, if you give it over to the Creator of all things, He will bring you out on the other side.

These are the things I want to pass onto my son Eli. I want him to know that despite life's ups and downs, that HOME will always be a place of refuge. That God can do all things, big and small. And that no matter how bleak tomorrow looks, we have today. To live in the moment, and embrace the beautiful 'things' we have been blessed with.

I never thought I wanted to become a parent years ago. To think about that thought now, I ask myself, 'what was I thinking?!' I've found some of the greatest joy in his almost two years of life than I've ever known. My time with him is CHERISHED. And I'm forever grateful that God thought me worthy enough to become a mother. And my husband a father.

I'm thankful for my TIME. I'm thankful that I still get to enjoy the moments of daily living. And I'm forever grateful for the CHERISHED memories that I've made along the way. I never want to take another one of them for granted. Because no one is promised tomorrow. And TODAY is all we have.

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” ~ Mother Teresa

Eli's smile makes me smile from ear to ear. He looks at things in awe and wonder and I'm so thankful I get to call him my son. He makes me so happy. And I cannot say it enough - I'm so grateful God blessed us with him. :)