the blahs

It is January, I know.  And I always seem to get this way this time of year...not really depressed or anything, just kinda blah.  It has been beautiful here for weeks, with the odd rainy day, like today, but really the sun has been shining so much!  So why the blahs?

I'm not sure my life could get any better, really.  I love where I live, my kids are the best, I have a fabulous job and the most wonderful husband.  I have been so blessed with amazing friends and a great church family, so what more could I possibly want out of life?

I've been searching, seeking, and I suppose yearning for a deeper relationship with God.  I'm not sure if it's things in the past that are holding me back, or am I just afraid to step out and trust? Perhaps a bit of both.  

I've been going for a lot of runs lately.  I love it.  I never really got into the whole running thing, but I have a routine where I love to run in the dark.  Where no one can see me, or stop and talk to me.  Where I can go into my own little world of thoughts and actually think.  Think about life, relationships, and whatever else happens to be going on.  Meanwhile I'm running!  I don't run for long periods of time, although I do hope to build up my distance.

Anyway, I feel like I need to embark on some kind of journey, I feel as though I need to grow deeper in a lot of different aspects in my life. 

 I'll keep you posted:)

All in a week

I have been very negligent this past week with my blogging.  Honestly it's been a rather tough week for me.  On Monday, Todd had asked me to lead a devotional for our Leadership Team meeting.  Initially I really didn't want to do it, I didn't really know what I was going to talk about.  It had been a hard week with Tobi's mom passing away, and I really didn't want to talk or share what was on my heart.  But I did.  I appreciate how Todd likes to stretch us, because it actually made me sit down and think about how I was feeling.  I also had to write down what I was feeling and I actually had to organize my thoughts.  Once I finished doing the devotion, which I might add, was in front of mostly men, I felt this huge burden lift from me.  I felt so much better.

So that is what started my week.  A good way to start I suppose.

Tuesday I had a Women's meeting, I think it went fairly well.  We managed to pretty much plan out the year.

Friday was Tobi's mom's funeral.  It was really good.  Well as good as a funeral can be.  Tobi

, Martin and Bob all spoke.  They were all great, they kept it light for the most part and we could all laugh as we remembered what a wonderful women she was.

Last night we went to Andrew and Suzette's for a lovely birthday dinner for Cally.  Joel and I both feel so blessed to have found such great friends in them.  All the kids get along so great, and we can only pray that as they grow they will continue to bond like family.

Today I held my first photography workshop.  I planned it for January as January is usually very quiet for me in the business aspect  of my life.  I've had a few newborn shoots already this month and a couple of more baby/family shoots coming up.

The workshop has been stressing me out a bit and I was up past midnight preparing for today. Fortunately all went well and it turned out to be a lot of fun.

I wanted to share a funny thing Connor said tonight as we were all sitting around the dinner table (did I mention I registered Connor for KINDERGARTEN this week!!) Here was the conversation:

Elissa: put up your hand if your birthday is in April (hands go up)

Elissa: put up your hand if your birthday is in a month that starts with "M" (Joel's hand goes up)

Elissa: put up your hand if your birthday is in July (no hand goes up)

Connor: put up your hand if you want Elissa to be quiet and eat her dinner! (a few hands go up)

Since I had my camera out for my workshop today, I grabbed these pics of Elissa and Joel deep in conversation in the kitchen today (sorry, I can't remember what they were talking about!)

Life

I just read my oldest and dearest friends latest blog entry. I have tears streaming down my face and I feel so much sorrow for her.  Her mom is dying.  I have known her mom for pretty much my whole life.  Our families grew up across the street from each other and I spent so much time with them.  It's hard to believe she is nearly gone.  

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 says "There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die."  I've thought about this verse a lot today as another good friend of mine had a her first baby yesterday.

I know God is good, and God had a plan so much bigger than we can even fathom. 

I know this is life, it's sometimes hard to take it all in.

Happy New Year!

Wow, we started this year off in a winter wonderland!  When we woke up this morning everything was covered in white and snow was falling.  Actually we awoke to the sound of our neighbour shoveling our sidewalk, which was nice, but Joel and I didn't get to bed until nearly 2:30. 

Joel and I went to a super fun New Year's party and rang in the new year with great friends.

We were discussing our resolutions and mine is to get into shape!  I can't believe how great a shape I was in before kiddos and now I can barely run for 20 mins!!  Also I would like to lose weight, which I am hoping will be a side benefit of getting into shape:)  Eating healthier and more organic foods is also on my resolution list.  And finally... to become more organized!

With the help of flylady, I hope to get my house into tip top shape.  Joel and I have actually been working at organizing different areas of the house.  We did the mud room the other day and yesterday we did our walk in closet...whew, that was a big job, but it feels so good!

Anyway, on my flylady list of things to do today is: 

to put away the rest of my decorations

to get rid of extra holiday food (cookies going stale, etc)

And my fly zone this week is Zone 1, which is to spend 15 min. each day going over my front porch, entrance hall, and dining room and getting rid of any junk that is not needed.  

Today we are off to pick up the kids from my parent's house, and then onto Joel's folks.

Happy 2009!

L

Taking it easy

I've taken a few days away from blogland and the whole computer pretty, just to relax and recuperate.   Christmas was great, fairly chaotic, but great.  I slept terribly the last few nights before Christmas and Christmas Eve I couldn't sleep at all!  I don't know why, maybe I was just so super excited, but I could NOT fall asleep.  Since then I've been doing better, still trying to catch up though.

The snow is slowly melting and we took my car out yesterday for the first time since the 23rd. Unfortunately when I went to start it it was dead...ughhh.  As most of you know I just had a horrendous car bill, and this did not make me happy.  In the end Joel jumped it with is truck and it was fine.

We went to Vancouver yesterday.  I had a wedding to shoot and Joel visited with some old friends. Oh, and he also went to Lulu Lemon and got me a hoodie! He's so sweet!

Anyway, to see some pics from yesterday just follow the link to my other blog...my coffee is calling me!

As promised...

I had to pretty much drag the kiddos out yesterday to play in the snow!  They kept saying that it was too cold, which it was, but once they got out there they loved it and played 'till dark.

Here are some favourites from the afternoon!

One Word

I saw this on one of my photography boards and thought I would give it a shot.  You can only answer with one word...copy and paste to add it to your blog or e-mails!

1. Where is your cell phone? charging 
2. Your significant other? Joel
3. Your hair? dark
4. Your mother?Dee
5. Your father? Walt
6 . Your favorite thing? Nikon
7 Your dream last night? zero
8. Your favorite drink?juice
9. Your dream/goal? happiness
10. What Room you are in?office
11. Your hobby? hmmm?
12. Your fear?spiders
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here
14. Where were you last night?home
15. Something that you aren't? perfect
16 .Muffins? yes!
17. Wish list item?lens
18. Where you grew up? Bradner
19. Last thing you did? ate
20. What are you wearing? jeans
21. Your TV? new
22. Your pets? meow
24. Your life?awesome!
25. Your mood? good
26.. Missing someone? 
28. Something you're not wearing? shoes
29. Your favorite store? Gap
30. Your favorite color? blue
31. When is the last time you laughed? tonight
32. Last time you cried? ???
34. Four places that I go to over and over: school, costco, mom's, ?
35. Five people who email you regularly: mom, suz, joel, flylady
36. My 3 favorite places to eat? White Spot, Milestones, Olive Garden
37. Four places I would like to go right now? Starbucks, bed, somewhere hot
38. Book you are reading right now? Twilight