the besties.

When I'm with these people, I'm suddenly really, really good at laughing and making odd noises. I am probably really good at getting bizarre looks, too. Because around these girls, I act a bit strange to most. Luckily, I think I can safely say they understand my strangeness! It's nice to meet people that can understand one's insanity, isn't it?



When we get together, we are adventurers. I love our trecks through the outdoors, and feel I've finally done a little bit of an island-trot after all these weeks. Oh, and one of the best parts is that the three DSLR's are always busted out and suddenly we are pro photographers. Perry especially likes it because he gets to play with his friends.

Our get-together's always turn into spontaneous photoshoots, which means we all are getting better with our serious model-stare, though it is tough to hold a straight face with us!



Did I mention that the sunlight was divine during our walk? It was slightly overcast, with the sun glaring an almost neon orange as it loomed in the West. It brought out all of the reddish tones in our hair, and unlike Anne Shirley, I shouldn't mind having red hair at all. It's so picturesque.

Oh, and to mention nothing of the epic jump shot I got.



I haven't even reached the best part yet! Okay, here you go. The best part is all these girls love the Lord and shine Christ's love with their actions and words. It's almost like getting dunked in a bowl full of happiness when I'm with them.

Our memories together are so precious to me; and all the days we spent laughing and swimming and eating together are the days I'll treasure for years to come.

Forgive me?

It happened a few days ago, when I heard a low voice resonate the words, "How many times have you asked someone for forgiveness this week?" I thought about it. It only took half a second to realize that my answer was, "Not once."

The reason wasn't because I hadn't been in the wrong any times that week, but because I simply never took the initiative to apologize when the opportunity arose. I speak harsh words daily, am usually not in the best mood, and make mistakes continually; so why don't I apologize?

Oh, you know -- usually time lessens the heat, emotions numb, and situations are forgotten. Still, I find that in every instance, there is usually a small window of time when I realize I ought to apologize. Now, it may be a very small window; but it's still there, if only for a moment. Honestly, I sometimes make the wrong choice, procrastinate, and then forget.

I realized I need to humble myself more and just say, "I'm sorry. Forgive me?" a few more times each week or day or hour...

I hear it gets easier with practice.

Luke 6:37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Awkward and Awesome

Awkward:

-During art class this week, there was a particularly mischievous 6 year old who I kept needing to reprimand. I must have said his name Kaiyo about a dozen times only to find out when I asked him how to spell it that it was K-y-l-e. Opps. And now I believe there's a child across the room who needs my assistance!
-Eating a blueberry scone and then spicy lemongrass-flavored noodles for lunch all at once. Surprisingly, I didn't have tummy problems later. This is my life.
-Playing with clay, washing my hands, and then smelling my hands and thinking, "this does not smell like clay or soap...!"
-Continually to sniffing my hands to remind myself how weird they smell.
-All the times this week I pretended staring at my phone when waiting to be picked up. Honestly, I had no idea which buttons I was even clicking. I just don't like making eye contact sometimes, people, okay?


Awesome:

-Getting the long-awaited acceptance letter from NMSU yesterday. I just may be studying journalism there this fall! And I am beyond excited. I'm nervous, struck, and floating.
-Meeting the most adorable, innocent six year old girl ever. Her voice, that toothless smile, and those eyes.
-Eating fresh blueberries constantly.
-Wearing my new glasses out everywhere. I don't know if I'll ever go back to contacts
-My alarm clock suddenly stopped working, so I finally have a viable excuse for not waking up as early as I ought. Not that I want to sleep in late or anything, it's just that under the circumstances, I have no options.

My first time doing an awkward and awesome post. More will probably come in the future, when I actually document all the embarrassingly awkward things that happen to me in daily life. This should be fun!

Oh, and thank you, thank you for all of the amazing comments you all left on my last post. I read every single one and loved your feedback.

Pouring out.

30andbroke.tumblr.com via Kimberly on pinterest

Lately, I have been struggling with determining what I am more -- a photographer or a writer? I began this blogging journey as more of a writer. I loved short stories and novels, and began composing a few of my own. I created charaters, mused plots, and entered contests. Idea after idea would creep into my head, and I would sit for hours typing away.

Then last year, I fell in love with photography. It became more then just a hobby, and once I got Perry, it grew into a love. Although I still don't know as much as I'd like, I'm trying to grow into some sort of photographer. I'm just not quite sure what kind yet.

To a certain extent, photography has slowly eclipsed my love for writing. Many of those half-written stories I created long ago have remained untouched for months, and were sadly forgotten. Occaionally, I will scroll through the stories and read a few chapters of one. It's amazing how much better I was at writing two years ago then I am now. I've gotten so rusty.

Then there come the waves of doubt, when I begin to wonder if photography or writing are even things I ought to be pursuing. Neither come very naturally to me, as much as I'd like to think they do. I'm not so talented as many, and hardly a proficient at either.

But I think I'm beginning to realize what the problem is in this all. I can't simply state that, "I am a photographer" or "I am a writer." I can't define myself by those definitions, as much as I would like to. I am not simply a photogrpher. I am not simply a writer.

But I am a daughter of the King, and that is all that matters.

middlechildcomplex.tumblr.com via Kimberly on pinterest

Somtimes I feel like I get so wrapped up in trying to define myself. What sort of person am I? Honestly, there have been times the past few weeks when I had to write a small bio about myself, and I had no idea where to start. Sure, I could type something about writing and photography and crafts. But is that really me?

I'm tired of letting those things define me, because they don't. I am simply a girl, trying to find a purpose in this life. And so far, the only way I have been able to define myself with utter confidence is through Jesus Christ. A sinful person, needing a Savior. A selfish heart, colliding with agape love.

Yes, the Lord has given me a love for writing and a love for photography and a love for crafts. But those things don't define me. I can only pray they will help me to glorify Him.

p.s. my thoughts about this topic are constantly churning. what's your point of view?

The new nerdy look

planned photo.

epic fail photo.

normal photo because sometimes I like to look normal.

sweater: macy's // camisole: wal-mart // jeans: hurley // shoes: minnetonka moccasins

Enter new nerdy look! After years of wearing contacts, I have finally made the switch to wearing glasses full-time. I'll admit, at first I was a bit nervous about it all; the past few years, I used to be extremely self-conscious about wearing glasses. They just didn't look right one me, and I soon succumbed by switching to contacts.

However, I am happy to say that after four years, I have finally accepted glasses. I have decided they don't look half as bad as I once thought they did. I'm getting over this self-conscious thing. It's just plain silly, that's what. And defying this fear is really quite freeing; I can already see the word for 2012 coming to pass. Growth. Time to start this growing process.

"Come here, Mr. Fear-of-Wearing-Glasses. I smash you."

Moving on.

A shout out to my dear mama for taking most of the above pictures for me. Sweaters are sort of a new addiction -- and so are moccasins. Seriously, I am wearing those things everywhere. The first time I put them on, I yelled out, "They're just so fuzzzzy!" in front of a the whole shoe section in Macy's. It was rather embarrassing. Thinking back, I ought to have said fluffffffy -- then it would have been an epic Despicable Me moment.

Anyhoo, hope you all have a lovely Friday! I need to go make a potato salad. Just thought you should know.

My life pinned.

You know that website called pinterest? Well, I love it. It's the place I go to browse inspiring pictures, learn fun DIYs, and pick up design ideas. And since Hannah introduced me to this lovely idea of sharing pins that define or touch us, I decided to join the fun.

It took me forever to choose; but here you have it.

Source: theheavingsurface.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: prettystuff.tumblr.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: encourageous.tumblr.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: thelegandarysigh.tumblr.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: meaningofstrife.tumblr.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: heaterchristo.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: goodmorningandgoodnight.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: blog.freepeople.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: lindseymadora.tumblr.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source:  inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: kinfolkmag.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: startledsparkles.tumblr.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: wolfandwood.blogspot.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

Linking up with Olivia Erickson over here. Feel free to do it, too; I would love to see your list!

7 o' clock

If you know me, 7 o' clock is ridiculously early. For a girl who's lately been crawling out of bed at 10 o' clock in the morning, it's likening to torture. Ah, but photoshoots are worth it. We caught the sunrise. We unpacked our gear in an open field, found the broken wooden chair, and began snapping away.

My beautiful friend was our model, and her sister and I never allowed for silence as the clickity-click of our shutters continued unceasingly. The sun slowly crept from behind Mauna Kea, and we caught the golden light for a few moments before it slipped behind a puddle of clouds.

The two last shots are probably my favorites. I am still trying to learn about manual mode a bit more before truly commiting to it (once I switch to manual mode, I never want to change back to another setting so that I really learn about it). Thanks so much for the websites you all recommended in the last post. They are really helping!

golden hour.

The island-trot this past week consisted of a drive out to eat one evening. It was golden hour, and the sunlight was divine. I took pictures half the twenty-minute drive there, and thus ended up car sick and not-very-hungry when we got to our destination. However, the pictures are worth it. Aren't the pictures always worth it?

I wanted to do a more extensive island-trot, but the Super Bowl sort of smashed that idea like an unsuspecting bug.

This is Perry and I goofing off together. I love you, Perry. Just thought you should know. Lately, I have been trying to research more about DSLR's, manual mode, and all the amazingly-complicated stuff that I seriously need to learn about asap. If you talented photographers wouldn't mind sharing any tutorials or websites that have taught you something neat, I would majorly love to know about it.

It's kind of embarrassing that I don't know about all about those setting's yet, but better late then never, right?

This is the mint chocolate chip ice-cream I found in the freezer last Tuesday. I cannot even tell you how happy I was when I found it in there; in fact, I almost scare myself thinking about it.

Oh, and that laptop I am holding? That's Darcy, Perry's newest best friend. He arrived a few days ago and is my very own. Can you believe it? Of course, Darcy is for college and all that cool stuff which is going to happen in August. Until then, though, he's here to help me, well, not fight over the computer with Michael all the time.

Yay!