Miss E

Here are some of my favorite pictures from my photo shoot with Miss Elliott!

entering into Exodus

At Crossings (my church) we are entering into the story of Exodus. Today was a foundational lesson, a precursor to what is coming. As Mark, our lead teacher, was speaking, I had this overwhelming sense that God was gonna start moving my cars. Meaning, He was going to rearrange my way of thinking. I became scared and excited all at the same time. I guess I should mention that in two weeks my husband leaves for officer's boot camp. The last time my husband left for boot camp, God did some pretty cool things in my life. So, the fact that we are starting an amazing new series at church and my husband is leaving for a time...is that a coincidence? I think not!

I'm trying to keep the attitude of my arms open wide, what's next Papa attitude. Honestly, I'm scared of being alone again. I'm scared of the unknown. Where is this going to take me? Or, what if it doesn't take me anywhere?

I'll keep you posted.


Oh...yesterday....I had my very first photo shoot for money. It wasn't much, but it was a beginning. I'll post pictures later!

Luck O' the Irish

I have a knack for walking outside, looking down and finding a four leaf clover. Call it luck, call it a gift. Whatever it is, I'm beginning to think it's genetic.

I remember my dad finding four, five and even six leaf clovers and showing them to me. I would try so hard to find them and usually could find one occasionally. Now, I walk outside and BOOM there one is! I too have found five and six leaf clovers. Once I found a four, five and six in one day. I should have bought a lottery ticket now that I am looking back on it. I once found two four leaf clovers back to back in my in-laws yard. My mother-in-law couldn't believe it. She had been looking for them since they had moved in there (six years ago) and had never found one. I walk outside her back door and within ten minutes had two in my hand.

My youngest daughter Abbie has the same gift. She brings me four leaf clovers all the time. This one in the picture is one I found at my mom and dad's house.

Who knew I was so talented?! :)

the joy of the shoot

I've only just begun to take pictures. I can honestly say I know how to do three things well with my camera. 1. Turn it on 2. Point it at something 3. Push the button to take a picture

Don't get me wrong. I know how to do somethings, but I'm slow as Christmas at doing them. But, however slow I am, there is nothing better than looking through tons and tons of pictures to find "the one".

I love taking pictures and my husband is so kind to allow me the money and time away from family to pursue this new interest. I'm also very lucky to have friends in my life who are talented in photography. All of them are very encouraging! I also am blessed to have two children who don't mind being my subjects of interest whenever I catch the itch to shoot.

The more I learn about photography the more I learn I know nothing about it. However, I am learning that there is simple joys to be found throughout the whole process. I love finding a beautiful place to shoot. I love the creativity I am allowed while I am taking pictures. I love the delete button on my camera. I love editing my photos. I love taking something unfinished and making it fantastic. I love the look on people's faces when they see the pictures. I love sharing my pictures with others. I love seeing other people's photos. I love to learn more and more about the whole process.

I preface my entry tonight will all of this because I can't believe what I'm about to type next...I have two photo shoots lined up!

WHAT?!

That's right TWO photo shoots! Touch me twice!!

I have a friend who wants family photos taken next Saturday and another friend last night who asked me to take her daughter's senior pictures. Oh my goodness I can barely hold back the squeal as I type this! Why God is so good to me I'll never know! It's not even about making money...it's all about the joy of the shoot!

small groups - it's a good thing

Tomorrow I begin small groups again. I have the privilege of meeting with four fabulous women every other week.

Our group began almost two years ago. I remember sitting at a Upwards soccer game, lonely, wishing I had a group of women who I could lean on and trust. Women who knew all the gross things about me and still loved me. After that soccer game, I began praying for God to send women in my life who would fit the bill so to speak.

A few soccer games later I found myself walking up to two women who I knew in name only and asking them if they wanted to be in a girls small group. If you know me at all you know I'm not one to go out of my way to meet people. I don't think I'm rude, I'm just shy until I know you. So to walk up to these women and ask them to be in my group was definatly the Holy Spirit working. Looking back, I still can't believe I actually walked up to them and asked them and I still can't believe they said "yes"!

Two weeks later we met at my house and boy was it AWKWARD! There was a lot of silence as I tried to lead and not talk too much. When I think about it now, it makes me laugh because now we can't stop talking. I laugh too at God's ability to put together five people who are so different. I never in a million years would've expected these women to be in a small group with me! If you would've asked me to name five women I "saw myself" with in small groups...they were not names that would've been on the list. (Sorry girls) God is such a strong glue. It is amazing to me how we can come from such different back grounds but still have a commonality that binds us together. His love and grace can blur any line society deems necessary to draw.

In the past, we've struggled with what to study. Because we were all coming from such different places in our faith walk we weren't quite sure where to begin in the Bible. I tried to start at the very beginning in Genesis. (Isn't that where Julie Andrews told us to start? Oh wait...that's when you are learning to sing.) That did not seem to work well with our group. So, thankfully, one girl suggested Psalms. Beautiful! The Psalms were an easy read, easy to connect to our lives (who doesn't ever have a day where you are crying out to God?) and easy to discuss. Looking back...David was a bit whiny....moving on...Tomorrow, we begin a study of the book of James. I'm excited to see what God has in store for us! I have read James many times on my own, but now I'm excited to read through it with my group. It's good to listen to one another and share from past experiences. It's good to hear other's opinions and views concerning the scriptures. It's good to be in community.

Molly

This is my niece Molly. She is fabulous! I think I love her so much because she reminds me of my Abbie when she was young. I love that she likes to wear sunglasses and walk around the house. She has a funny "mean" face. She likes to knock down the dominoes when she's sitting on her daddy's lap. Her favorite animal is the dog - seeing how she has two at home it's kinda a gimme. I think my favorite part about her is her smile. It can light up a room and will cause anyone who is looking at her to smile back. My brother and sister-in-law just moved closer. Now instead of seeing her once a year, I'll get to see her often! I'm so glad I get to watch her grow up! Now if I could only convince my other brother to move closer...

Random pictures....small Ode to Madison

I saw God tonight

Today was a very traumatic day in the Perkinson household. Two of the neighborhood dogs got loose and started roaming the area. They started at the top of the neighborhood and worked their way down. During the course of their wanderings, they managed to kill a cat and leave it's mangled body on a nearby lawn. They ended up in our back yard.

Our back yard is home to our ten chickens. Isabella, my favorite, was one of the innocents traumatized by two ferocious beasts breaking into their coop and attacking them. By the time Jake got out there the chicken yard was a mess of blood and feathers. One chicken lay mangled on the ground while another had severe injuries to it's back. Another has it's leg broken (we think - it's hard to tell on a chicken). And worst of all, Isabella was missing! Jake thought he saw one of the dogs had take her and run.

I was angry, Jake was angry, my neighbors were angry. Animal control was called and we all stood at the top of my driveway waiting for them to arrive and bring justice.

Many thoughts ran through my head. I knew this family from school. Their son is in the same grade as Emma. How could they let their dogs do this?! I'm ashamed to admit that the neighbors and I were not nice in our commentary against these people. I wanted justice...I wanted something to be done about this!

After the dust settled, the man and woman came to our house. She had been crying and the man looked ashamed. Jake met them at the door and began talking. I listened expecting to hear prices of chickens and cost for repair to the coop. My husband began by telling them he understood they did not do this on purpose. That we still had chickens left and that he knew they were sorry. Then he did something none of us were expecting. He looked at the man and said, "I'll tell you what. Why don't we do this...(the man and his wife stiffened ready for the amount of restitution to be given) why don't we have dinner together and call it even?" The looks on their faces are something I'll never forget. The shock of what Jake said, their eyes getting bigger, the surprised tilt of their heads as if they didn't hear him right. And then the smiles. The look of pure relief and joy that came to their faces was priceless.

I'll admit, I was shocked as well. When the wife looked at me it was as if she were looking to see if this could possibly be true. Was my husband truly offering a dinner invitation? I tried not to let the shock show on my face as I quickly smiled and nodded my agreement. Dinner? Sure...that'd be great.

As I was smiling and nodding my head it hit me like a ton of bricks...my husband was a true picture of what being a Christ-follower is all about. Those people deserved to pay for the damage to our chickens and the coop. They deserved for Jake to yell at them for not keeping their dogs penned up. They deserved our anger, those chickens could've very easily been our kids...and yet Jake extended them grace. He knew they'd be hard pressed to pay for the damages. And instead of forcing justice, he chose mercy. I have never loved my husband more at that moment. My prayer is that when I start to grumble against him, God will bring that moment back to my mind. Most people, including me, would've set up a payment plan or threatened their dogs with death. Not Jake, he chose to look at the people instead of the disaster.

So...to wrap up this long winded ramble...This evening, as we pulled into our driveway from soccer practice our neighbors came tearing out of their house to tell us Isabella, the prodigal chicken had returned! She has some scratches on her and she's shaken, but I think she's gonna make it. We ended up losing only one chicken and later on this week, we're going to have dinner.... with our neighbors.

sometimes I just need to be reminded

Plato once thought that when man was created he was created with four arms, four legs and two faces. Zeus was threatened by this and split them in two creating our need to find our "soul mates". This past weekend I had the privilege of spending a couple of days with two of my favorite people in the whole world. I think in our case this body that Zeus split was split into thirds. These girls are my friends and long lost sisters.

When I am with my two friends the world is okay again. My worries aren't that big anymore and I laugh easier and louder. I remember how to hug and say "I love you" without thinking it's weird. These two know I'm unique and love me for all my quirks! And I love them for all of theirs. They know exactly when to speak and when to listen. Their creativity challenges me to step up mine. They view the world differently sometimes and keep me looking when sometimes I want to close my eyes to it all. With them I've been brave enough to try new things. They've taught me it's okay to talk with an accent. They cry with my disappointments and laugh at my silliness. They make me want to be kinder to everyone I'm around. All in all...they make me feel complete. Completely loved, completely accepted, completely okay to be myself and yet it's completely okay to change.

I forget when I'm away from them for long periods of time...it's nice to be reminded.