Knocking on Doors

 Ok so I blogged a while ago on Ask, Seek, Knock - if you missed it, it was a 4 part blog of history and current thoughts on the verse in Matthew that you're probably pretty familiar with. See earlier blog here: part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.  Today I was thinking about knocking and how you knock on different doors in different ways.

I realized the other day that a part of me (with little faith) thinks that the door pictured above is essentially what I'm "knocking" on.  A Triple Locked metal door surrounded by hard tile, covered by a fence so you can't even knock on the actual door. You'd have to POUND for a while to be heard... OR be expected in order to get in.

I'd like to believe I were knocking on something a little prettier... simpler... maybe less hurdles (read: locks/gates/security devices) like this cute little door:

But then if I'm honest with myself... I really still think I'm at LEAST knocking on something like this... maybe not a gate on the outside- but several places that need to be unlocked by one with a key to get in.

This one might be better... it still has a lock but just one... and the door looks like its pretty worn and prob easy to get through.

But then why should I expect it to be SO hard, locked SO tight?  I'm gonna have to pray about that one and why I expect God to keep things from me.

Today I'm hoping and choosing to believe for the time being that the door I'm knocking on is like this one.  This looks like a place I wouldn't mind standing outside of for a while.  Its not too intimidating, scary, and looks like it could inspire creativity.  Its simple... but it has beauty in its own way.  This is my door.

I'm ready for it to be unlocked...

or to at least get a glimpse what's behind it.

*all photos taken by me in Peru last Summer.

Look alike?

So i couldn't figure out who I thought Nate looked like today in his little bowtie... then it hit me...

remember that little guy that says "Ze Plane, Ze Plane" on Fantasy Island?  Ya... that guy!!

Found a picture to prove it.  Its a bit uncanny! :)
haha

 

Picture Day

Ok so maybe I'm getting a bit of the blog 'bug'... but i just wanted to post about a significant event in the life of my little man!



See this face!?

Notice something new?  A LOOSE TOOTH!!!

And just one day later - Wednesday- the tooth fell out (at school after nap time).

This is his first toothless pic!! He's super excited.

And guess what? The very next day was Thursday...  PICTURE DAY - OF COURSE!

Here's what he looked like this morning:

He picked out the bow tie and everything.  We even Gelled his hair bc its too long! : )

Here's a pic of him and this cute little girl LOLA (the one nate smiles about!)  She's the only other girl in the class to have lost teeth- so of course they share an instant bond.  I got them to take this picture while waiting for the REAL pics today.... 

AWWW aren't they cute!?  Funny story though- when I tell her to put her arms on his shoulder she says "Uh... this is kinda weird!"  Oh sweet girl!  Ya, I guess it kinda is!! :)

And now for some nostalgia... I think the bowtie might be from nate's 1 yr old pics.  Or if its not, it looks the same anyway.... So it seemed fitting to post a couple of them.  You can see how cute he was (and still is) and how much he's changed!! Back then I think he only had like 8 teeth... now we're starting to lose teeth! CRAZY what changes in just 4 yrs!

He's so tiny!  I kinda think the bowtie makes him look like a waiter.  Too bad the vest didnt' fit anymore but Nate's torso is getting LONG!!

Now for some quick comparison shots:

 Fall 2006

Spring 2011

Fall 2006

Spring 2011

he did this piano pose on his own BTW... I didn't coerce him at all.  But it just triggered the memory of the 1 yr old pic!  Sweet boy!

Oh my!  My baby isn't a baby anymore!!!

What am I gonna do w him!!

Children's Faces

Ok so after editing a few more photos from the Garden party, I realized I really enjoy taking pics of kiddos faces, expressions, etc.  So I've posted a few on my FB page but I figure I'll post some here for those of you that aren't "friends" with me on FB.  Let me just say - My friends have BEAUTIFUL children!! It makes it easy to capture great shots when your kiddos are so photogenic!

First we have a couple more of Sparrow & Eli

Next we have Miss Sarah who is just a doll & super expressive & playful.  

She's definitely used to the camera!  

And then there's her brother- cutie patootie Wilson:

And then there's  sweet red headed Felice - rockin the pink hat!

And of course- I gotta throw in one of my own kiddo from the party.  

 He's pretty handsome if I do say so myself! :)


Ok I'm sure there are more to come.  I'm not even to the 1/2way point on the photos!! But its been so fun to go through and process them!! I really enjoyed shooting this Garden Party!

Garden Party

So last weekend I got to attend my very first "garden Party" - aka a psuedo tea party for a beautiful 3 yr old!

I was excited to be asked to photograph the event with the stipulation that the more photos the better! (my fav!!)

I did my best to document everything from beginning to end and seriously enjoyed trying to be creative and capture the feel of the party.  I am just now getting to edit my photos - so I wanted to post a few of my favs on here.  (per Christy & Amy's prodding to use this space for pictures too! Thanks girls! Ps I love your pics of this same party!)

I'm really just getting started w the editing and dont have a ton of spare time to get through all the HUNDREDS of photos I took - remember - she said "the more the better!!" and I totally complied!!

Here are some of the prep photos from the party.

And of course, we have to have one of the bday girl.  This might be one of my new fav pics of ALL TIME!  I only wish she'd been smiling at the time of this shot.  But I still think the photo is great!

And then just for fun- here's her adorable brother:

What do you think of my first round of photos?

Ask, Seek, Knock - pt 1

Since my last post, I felt like God wanted me to share something else... so here I am.

Most of us are familiar with the verse in Matthew, but I'll put it here just for a refresher:

  ⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

   ⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Ok so after my last post letting you all know the "big secret" - that I'm asking hard core for my husband - I've been pondering this verse.

For a long time I dont think I understood why Ask, Seek, & Knock were all in the same sentence. In my book, they just seemed like a reiteration of the same point.  However, recently, I have come to realize that maybe that isn't the case.

Lets go back to my previous BHAPS and how God worked them out: my car and my home.   They go hand in hand... and its kinda a long story... so  Maybe I'll split them up.

The Volvo:
In 2008 I was working a Commission only job and money came sporadically.  As a single parent, I was having a tough time keeping up with bills on this income and therefore the car that I was making payments on became too much to bear.  It was Repo'd.  I came outside one day and it just wasn't there. That was a bad day!  BUT God had better for me.  My BHAP was: God I need reliable transportation for cheap and SOON.

I opened up to my co leaders in a lifegroup pre meeting.  It was humbling, humiliating, embarassing.  I was failing at something and needed help, needed prayer.  Because I made my needs known quickly in community, my needs were met!  My co-leader at the time calls me the next day and says "My roommate has a Volvo that has just been sitting at our Apt.  He got a new car a while ago and doesn't need it. I think he will just give it to you."  Uh - WHAT? Who just GIVES AWAY cars?

My dad goes to check out the car & even though its been sitting for 6 mo or so- its in decent shape and we end up spending only $1000 to get the car running, inspected, etc.  The car was a 95, but it was great, safe, reliable, sturdy.  It even had leather seats and a moon roof.   BHAP answered.

The Accident:
The volvo was awesome... but then I was coming home from hanging out with friends one night and a guy backed into me in the parking lot of my apt complex.  That night I cried thinking God's great gift was destroyed and now I was at the end of my rope and was again car-less.  I remember feeling devastated and hopeless.  However, GOD works all things for Good!

It ended up being the other guys' fault.  The car was "totaled" according to his insurance and it was worth $4500.  I got a windfall of money from this FREE car and was able to pay for other things I needed.  I put over half in savings.  I hadn't had savings since my sales job depleted it.  The other bonus was that the car still ran! My dad is an amazing mechanic and fixed the car where I could drive it!

The Turn:
So the accident was in April 09, and I was able to drive the car all the time.  However, it had some body damage - something that didnt bother me a bit, but it did bother my apt complex.  It hadn't been a problem because I was gone all day every day at work and returned when the office was closed.  UNTIL... one random day in August when my son was home sick and I got a note on my car saying I had 20 days to get my car fixed or it would be towed anytime it was spotted on property.  Again- this was DEVASTATING!  I was mad.  I didn't know what I was going to do.  I went and talked to the management and they told me that after the 20 days passed, my car would be looked for... and if found on property at any time day, night, or weekend, it would be towed.  But, GOD works all things for Good.


Stay tuned for part 2....

Ask, Seek, Knock - pt 2

Ok so I'm in the middle of my story about BHAPS and cars/houses... go back to pt 1 if you missed it and read that first.  I'm splitting it up bc its long!

The Camry
So there I am at the apts not sure what the next 3 weeks would hold and how I could get a car.  I did now have savings and felt like the Lord told me I could spend $2000 on a car.  It didnt' make sense to spend that on the current car... so I started looking.  At first I was looking for a Honda, but then after taking one to a mechanic, I was told to look for a Camry bc of their reliability and their being easier/cheaper to work on when they break.  So I search auto mags, talk to friends, make my needs known, look at Craigslist, etc.  I found some cars that were 2500 and up that looked decent but honestly felt like the Lord only wanted me to spend $2000.  I wasn't sure how he was going to pull that off.  I was scared... because everything I found in the 2k range was kinda ghetto, run down, lots of miles, looked unreliable.

Randomly, I just fell on an ad that was for a Camry.  Its the car I now drive.  It was exactly $2000.  It had only one owner for the last 15 yrs.  It had every single receipt from every single tire, tune up, oil change.  It was kept in the garage most of its life.  It even had a brand new (3 week old) cd system installed with Aux input (that I could use w my ipod!)  This was DEFINITELY a step up!!  It was a GREAT car.  I bought it the day i saw it and was giddy with thankfulness!  God provided better than I could have imagined.  Better than I should have been able to afford (like models with same mileage/features were typically 1000-1500 more on EVERY search site).   And this happened in the 20 day time limit!  AND I got to sell the Volvo and made $900 to put back in savings.  EXTRA BLESSINGS!!  BHAP answered!

Stay tuned for pt 3 about the House.