San Francisco!!!

The above picture is the studio where we're leaving right now. It's not too big, but I am LOVING the bay windows and the view that I see on a regular basis. Here's my side of the bed and my desk. I think it's pretty calming, and I've enjoyed resting, reading, and writing since I've been here...

I woke up Friday morning and immediately grabbed my camera. I'm not usually awake early in the morning, but I saw this view and was just stunned. I could get used to this view.

Yesterday we went touring around San Francisco. It was absolutely beautiful, and I cannot wait to actually go to Alcatraz and tour the site.

Here's to many more days of touring and travel here in San Francisco!

and, we're here!!!

So, San Francisco, California, it is... Things have been good so far. We are WORLDS apart from where we were last - Fredericksburg, Virginia, and I must admit that some of it has been a bit "concerning." We've got A LOT to learn about living smack dab in the middle of a big city, but I'm pretty excited about it.

I love being reminded of the quote that Mom "left me" through my friend, Bridgette:

TRY TO TAKE EACH DAY AS IT COMES AND LOOK THROUGH THE EYES OF A WISE WOMAN. THE BIBLE SAYS SHE LAUGHS AT THE FUTURE BECAUSE SHE KNOWS IN WHOM SHE BELIEVES AND KNOWS THAT HE IS ABLE TO HANDLE ALL THINGS.

That is my calm - the idea that I can laugh at my future, for God has a beautiful plan for my future. Will that plan include Fredericksburg, Virginia? San Francisco, California? Birmingham, Alabama? Will it include travel nursing for a long time? Settling down and having a family of my own? Going to grad school? I'm grateful that I can rest in that beautiful plan... I'm excited about what will happen.

More from here soon. Thanks for reading!

Delight

Sometimes I just wish I could talk to my mom again. There are simple, everyday things that I just really miss about talking to her. For example, my hair has been rather greasy lately, and I'm certain that she'd have something that I could do to fix it. In fact, she'd probably bring it over to me right after I called her about it!
I think a lot about how much she delighted in daily life, and it makes me want to do the same. She would've LOVED playing with Mason and Riley. Mason, as you can see from above, is in the sweetest little stage of his life. He'd LOVE playing with his "Nanny."
We had some family pictures taken after Mom passed away, and I cherish them like none other. I think it's a true testament to who she was to each one of us... as a wife, mother, and grandmother. She taught us so much, and I'm proud of who I am. A lot of who I am is because of her, and "so much of me is made of what I learned from (her)."

lately...

I have LOVED travel nursing. I have had so much fun on the east coast, visiting friends and seeing new places. In exactly 4 weeks, I'll be in an unknown location, so I am going to soak up my time here.

The picture above is from New Years Eve. My dear friend, Katherine, and one of our mutual friends, Erin, went to Baltimore to ring in the new year. Since she is now overseas doing missions work, the trip was ultra special. I will miss her greatly.

We got to stop on the way home and see another mutual friend the day after her birthday. Bread pudding and wine? I think they make PERFECT gifts...

I cannot really explain this view. Just look at the photo below. Two of the kindest, most interesting, giving people let me visit - AGAIN. It was a great adventure.

My friend on the left, Julie, is from Canada. We love her. My roommate/travel partner is on the right - Nicole. She's made her appearance on this blog before.

My mom had a piece of jewelry made for me a few years ago - a necklace. I had it re-made into a ring and just LOVE it. I am so excited about it!! Many thanks to the great people at Isbell's Jewelers for always being so great to work with - their unique stuff is so reasonable.

Joey and Ashley

Last Saturday was a special day. It was 8 days before Christmas, my 25th birthday, and the day that Joey and Ashley got married. I LOVED being apart of this beautiful wedding; isn't Ashley stunning?

This moment with Ashley's dad was one of the sweetest things I've ever been apart of.

Remember Keri and her gorgeous Sonnet House wedding last year?

They had the SWEETEST "first look," and I loved the images we got from spending time with them...

I can't ever hold back tears when a wedding ceremony is started with "Be Thou My Vision." The music was just lovely.

While I was getting this image:

Jessica was getting this one:

Many thanks to Jessica Wright for shooting with me (again). I love our days together!!

And, many thanks to Ashley for letting me be apart of your big day. You and Joey are so kind, and I wish you nothing but the greatest...

Sorry!!!

I haven't posted in a while, and I need to. Badly... I'm about to have some much-needed time away from the hospital and will be able to get some work done on the computer. That should mean some images heading this way.

For now, it's me and my favorite nephew. (image by Jessica Wright)

Jade

There are just those people in the world. People who you actually feel regret over not keeping in touch with, people involved in memories that are forever sketched into your mind, people who make you better just in knowing them. Jade is one of those people.

I can't begin to express the joy I felt from the moment Jade contacted me about shooting her wedding. The whole event was joyful, and Jade made me feel like the luckiest girl in the whole world - by giving me the opportunity to photograph her wedding!
I'm still working on her images but had to show these few. These are pictures that show EXACTLY who Jade is: beautiful, kind, loving, patient, sweet... Daniel is a lucky guy! (He's not so bad himself!!)