"Well, you just gotta settle for less in Provo."
-Austin, scolding Philip for wanting real Mexican food, but also realizing what was happening for three years of his life.

i guess my lack of writing has been due to the fact that i am super busy. my life has been full, of the national and of late night visits to parks and lots of photographs. also there have been weddings, and concerts, and not enough time for sleeping. i am learning to live with it, though, and am so grateful for what God HAS given me to do in that time.

Tuesday night I went and took pictures for a friend's band downtown. That was somewhat of an adventure except none of the photos were bright enough, because of it being late, so we will have to retake them. On Wednesday night I did photos at Crestwood, which, if you've never checked it out, is my FAVORITE park. We used to go all of the time when I was little--the moms from church would get together for picnics and all of us kids would go play in the stream. It's hidden off of Creek Road and is a wonderful place to take pictures at night. Some of my favorite shots I've taken come from nights and days at that park. Anyways. Thursday I met up with the lovely Shannon D'Amico to help shoot Mike and Audrey's wedding, which was fun. I am blessed by Audrey, and Shannon too, so it was an honor to serve for and with them. The wedding was beautiful!

Last night I did my last set of photos for a bit, for Jesse and KaLee. They were such a beautiful couple and were so fun to work with! The night before, Jesse had called me and asked if I would be comfortable with him proposing while we were doing the photos. It was so exciting to watch them take that step, and I can't wait to see what God has for the both of them.

So mainly the point of that is that GOD IS SO GOOD. I went into this week working my actual job, and trying to have a good attitude, and I ended it doing the thing I actually love. God has been faithful, when I am not even looking for it, of giving me these opportunities to practice and get better at what I am passionate about. I have been so stressed about school, and what I actually want to do with my life that doesn't involve working at a grocery store. And then, when I am not expecting it, God gives me people that are willing to let me experiment and some days off to work with them. I am so excited, over the next few years, to continue learning and getting better at what I do, if only to glorify God by it. I am so blessed, and I am realizing it more and more every day. Oh, how He loves us! That is what makes it worth it: working early on Sundays, dealing with people, being real. He LOVES US, and that keeps me going during these full days.

My heart is full, yet again. I just wish I could stop dreaming about the Midwest, because I miss it too much for that. Who knew?

"oh, he's getting there manually."
-kenny, on nick taking the stairs over the elevator.

"The thing is, step into what God has for you today."
--Steve McInroy

I have been thinking about that a lot since Friday night, and it is not easy, but it is so good. I am always trying to step into what God has had for me in the past, or what I think he has for me in the future. There is a time where you just have to be content with what is going on in the day-to-day: that is when you see opportunities to serve, grow, and learn where you wouldn't if you were always looking elsewhere. So that's my prayer for this week.

Also on my mind lately is how much I love the outdoors. God has gifted me with Utah, even if I am always wanting to go somewhere else. Yesterday I took a hike with a friend up in Little Cottonwood Canyon. There is something about being up in God's creation away from people and cars. To me there is almost nothing more beautiful than the mountains. At one point we were walking through a gorgeous little meadow with wildflowers everywhere, and the next minute we were at a stream with snow. It made me want to go camping real soon.

So that's that. The weekend is over, and this week is going to be a busy one. 3 days of real work, and 3 days of photography. Sometimes I get them mixed up.

I am, yet again, three weeks and a lot of miles older. And this time I even made the mistake of falling in love, with the Midwest, even with its humidity and mosquitoes. There is something unsettling about the dry, lack of heaviness in the air back home. It is like the start of an addiction, or a romance, because I am already getting anxious to go back out, and October is too long of a wait. Michigan is a hazy childhood memory that I can't wait to relive. My grandma's house was a summer wonderland even through the initial homesickness and fights with cousins. Each time we'd get back on the plane to go home I would look out the window and cry because I never wanted to leave that place.

So anyways, here is to October, and the useless facts I learned on vacation, like that channel 50 is TLC in Des Moines and how to get to the post office in Kickapoo. Also here is to laughing so hard under the stars that you could throw up. I will cherish these memories for a very long time, and I am so grateful for the people God has put into my life. My heart is full, if still aching to be gone for a few more days.


Some things I picked up along the way:

"And then I took the bricks from the backyard, and then I put them in the car, and..OH GOSH....OH GOSH."
"What, Johnny?"
"I just realized how much TV we watched today!"
-Johnny Mitchell, age 10, during a crisis moment in telling Philip how he spent his day.

"Mom, you have to remember your age, because us kids can't keep up with this kind of stuff."
-Johnny, again.

"Oh, did I just start another fire?"
-Judy Hahn, casually during the middle of a story

and after getting home:

"I've been going for the past three years. It doesn't really help, it's just annoying."
-Austin, on football camp in price.

"Wait, do you know those people?"

--Spencer Scribner, after leaving a house we had been at for an hour.