Photo Shoot!

It was SO FUN!!!!!!!!!

Jessie

Today is Jessie's sweet 16!! Just wanted to really quick say how much I love this girl and am so grateful she's my sister! I love her humor, her hard work, and the way she has jumped into the Word in the past year and is learning so much and loving it so much. Happy Birthday, my dear!

Lovin' My Piano!!

 I have spent so much time at my piano lately!! But, it's a very good thing. Preparing for a Senior Recital is unlike anything I have ever done before! It is one of the most strenuous mental things I have ever done, but also one of the best.

 The mind is really an amazing thing. I have gone back and pulled out pieces that I haven't played since the start of high school, and within a very short time, I am able to remember them. It's kind of like trying to speak a language you once knew, but haven't used in a while...words (or in this case, notes) start coming back to you.

I am only about 3 weeks away from giving my first real "concert"....about an hour's worth of music. All memorized. All perfected. And totally terrifying!! But I'm very excited too.

I get to play my most favorite pieces I've learned to date, without worrying about a judge (like at a competition).








So I'm very excited.

But for some reason, when I think about it, my fingers start shaking......

How to get the fence built!!

This gave me a chuckle :)

As usual, I've been staying quite busy! These hawks built a nest in a tree a few miles from our house, so I drove over there to take some pictures of them the other day. It was ridiculously hot, so I didn't stay long, but it was fun!!

The babies!!!!

Honestly, I have been doing a much better job at updating my photo blog. (www.atruefocus.blogspot.com) There are lots of pictures from our church's camp out on there, as well as the rest of this shoot I just did of my gorgeous sisters!

Also, *conspiratorial whisper* for those of you who loved our "Surfin' Arizona Style" video, there's a "Surfin' Arizona Style, Part II" in the works. More horses + more people + more surfboards + more falls = more FUN!! Stay tuned!

Of beautiful skies and cute puppies!

So sorry that I've slowed down on my blogging lately :)

One reason is that I am currently taking a photography class with Lisa Furey of www.TheLongRoadToChina.com. This lady is a genius and an incredible photographer. I am learning so much!!

Here's some quick pictures from the last few weeks.

I had the camera out in the pasture a few days ago, and this tree just made a perfect frame for a shot of Jessie. Can you tell she is the one who is always willing to pose for my camera?? :)

This is our beautiful puppy, Annie, growing up!! She is just the most beautiful girl, and so sweet and mellow. Our labs are just the best!!

And this....this....was the sky out in front of our house this evening!!!! Arizona is plunging headfirst into monsoon season which means heat, humidity, and overall nastiness. But, it also means beautiful, beautiful skies and clouds! This is really what it looked like...it was breathtaking.

I really have a thing for clouds. I feel like I'm always wandering around saying, "Wow...look at that cloud," or, "look at the sky," or.... but this one was special. It made me feel so small and just so amazed at God's creative powers and genius. And just that He cares for us and notices us when He has so many other big things to do.

Click on this picture and make it big...it's worth it :)

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Ps. 19

Graduation!!!!

Weelll...it's now official! I'm graduated!!

And lately, I've been thinking about how fast time goes by. I know, it sounds a bit nostalgic, but the older I get, the more I realize how true it is that "man's life is but a vapor." 

The things that we get excited about and wait for so eagerly quickly become just a thing of the past. Just a memory. 

I think of last summer...we were waiting and waiting for our trip to Oklahoma last September, and it felt like September was an eternity away. Now it's been just over 8 months since that trip! 

In a few months, I'll turn 19, and then next year, I won't be a teenager anymore!! I remember so well my 13th birthday with everyone asking "How does it feel to be a teenager now?" 

We just have to remember to really enjoy whatever stage of life we're in. Because it'll be gone so fast, and we may just find that we want it back. I really like Trace Adkins' song "You're Gonna Miss This." It's just really, really true.

So anyways!!! *snapping out of whimsical daydream*

GRADUATION!!! It was wonderful! And my mom got to come! YAY!! Some awesome friends stayed here (huge thank you to David and Mrs R!!!!!) and watched our pregnant mare so that Mom could go. My grandparents were also able to come, and it was just a very special time.

Cathi Herrod (President of Center for Arizona Policy) gave the commencement address and did a wonderful job of it! It was a very appropriate speech with a heavy dose of Scripture. And the neat thing was that she is a personal friend of my grandparents, so they introduced me to her after the ceremony and we got to talk for a couple minutes!

The senior address was given by the graduate who won the speech contest...and that winner was the son of the pastor of our sister church, and long-time friend Gabriel Hudelson (check out his blog at www.allauthority.blogspot.com) As was to be expected, Gabe's speech was fantastic!!! We got the first minute or so on video, so I might try to post that at some point....

Here are pictures!

All the grads lined up. I'm somewhere in the third row back on the far side.

Gabe

Cathi Herrod

A very fuzzy picture taken of the screen while I was getting my diploma...with Cathi Herrod.  You're going to have to please ignore how soft some of these pictures are. We had a technical mishap when the big flash ran out of batteries and the sister supposed to bring new ones forgot, and then the sister manning the camera didn't know how to work it, and it was very dark in there, and...and....and...there's not a lot of clear pictures :)

Another very fuzzy picture of me walking off of the stage

Graduated!!!!!!!!!!

Me & Jessie

Me & Anna

Me & Jessie (again)

Me with my awesome Mom!!!!

2012!! I gotta say, those caps are terrible. They are super hard to make stay one, and they are so awkward and awful looking that it's impossible to make them anywhere close to attractive. Oh well, tradition, I guess.

Talking to friends afterwards

Friends leaving.....

Gabe

(left to right) My dad, two friends from our sister church, Gabe, ??, our pastor, and another man from our sister church.

Gabe with his dad and little brother, Micah

The very sophisticated and uproariously funny Moriah (Gabe's younger sister)

And these are just random pics from afterwards.

The city at night can be fun for pictures.....unless you have a camera that gets grumpy after you put your ISO any higher than about 800.

On Saturday, my Aunt Lisa (mom's sister) and Uncle Jerry drove up from Tucson to spend the day with us. My aunt is an amazing cake decorator, and made me this beautiful cake....

My mom's family has an awesome sense of humor. While Aunt Lisa was decorating the cake, the rest of us sat around and gave "helpful" comments, and whoever came up with the dumbest comment would get a piece of the extra chocolate. We were in absolute stitches.

Finished product!!!! Isn't she amazing?!?! I mean, she could do this professionally!!

Me laughing at my grandma before blowing out candles!

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend filled with wonderful friends and family and lots of fun. It blows me away how supportive and encouraging people have been of me!!! I love you all!!!!! God has blessed me with an amazing family and very supportive friends. 

Thank you everyone!!!!

In Him!
Lisa