Rememberings

October has always had a unique smell.

The smell of holidays fast approaching, crisp autumn breezes rushing through me as I stomp on crunchy fallen leaves, recipes that have been put away till winter time making their annual appearance. 

These smells bring both anticipation..

And memories.

I remember raking leaves with my siblings in my grandma's front lawn all afternoon.  And then, because we had so much fun, the next day we'd rake her neighbor's lawn too.
I remember dressing up as some creature from a greek myth (Medusa or a centaur or a muse) and collecting enough candy to last me at least six months.

I remember gathering with family to watch the Chiefs play after church and eat chili.  October was always the month of chili.

Now I listen as my dad tosses the football around with my brothers.  One high-pitched laughing voice warning two deep throated giants about his "really long toss" that they'd better catch!

Now I watch and take pictures as the children I teach build leaf piles to jump in.  I may even join them.

“If growing up means it would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up! Not me!”
― J.M. Barrie

 

Now I sit.  Enjoying life for this brief moment.  Amazed at how quickly time has flown.  Frightened by the same thing.  But content to just be for as long as I can.

 

 

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Katy's Senior Shoot

 I had my very first official, not of a family member and not as an experiment, but a real photography session this past weekend.

I might have maybe enjoyed myself just a little bit...

We skipped all over, exploring Lupburg and its many camera-ready spots.  Hallelujah for living in Europe.  It is so very easy to find photogenic areas here.  Castles, tumble-down buildings, fields, forests, character-filled junkyards.  Germany's got it all.  And within walking distance, too!

When Katy asked me to do her senior pictures, I stood there, thought about it, checked my calender and then coolly replied, "Yes. I suppose. I wouldn't mind taking your senior photos."

Oooor...you know.  Jumped up and down, giggled, hugged her and said, "YESYESYES!! PLEASE! I'D LOVE TO!" 

Because I'm just that professional.

I thought I'd share (some of) the fruits of our extremely business-like afternoon.

 

(We interrupt this broadcast for a special announcement:  I just love candid photos.)





 

--RM

This Is Fall

Turns out, that what I described as "fall" a month ago is not, in fact, fall.  Even if leaves were descending...

This.

This is fall.

A drive through countryside bursting with multitudes of wonderful, rich, golden color

is fall.

Beautiful purple flowers mixed with the reds and browns of leaves in all of their glory

is fall.

Watching farmers work in their harvested fields, preparing them for winter

is fall.

The orange burst that can't possibly be the sign of something dying

is fall.

And I can't get enough of it.

 

The Project Unveiled!

I am opening my very own clothing line!!

HURRAY!!

This summer has been devoted to getting all of the wrinkles worked out and the system up and running and now we'll see how it goes!

 

 

DWA Design

 

^^ Click the link ^^

:D



I've Been Awarded! Huzzah!

My beautiful friend, Sierra over at as the earthen vessel has awarded me the Liebester Award!  Thank you so much for the tag, Sierra!

 

The rules are:

 

1) Each person must list 11 things about themselves. 

2) Answer the 11 questions that the tagger has set for you PLUS you MUST create 11 questions of your own for the 11 people you will nominate with this award.

3) Choose up to 11 bloggers linking them to your post.

4) Go to their page and inform them of the nomination.

5) Absolutely NO tag backs.

6) Remember to ONLY tag bloggers with less than 200 followers.

  

Here we go!

So, eleven things about myself!

1. I've been told before that I smile too much.  But, I say that if smiling makes other people smile, then it's definitely worth it.  I like smiling :D  

2. If I had to choose between jeans or a skirt/dress I'd definitely pick the skirt/dress.  What can I say? I like dressing up. 

3.  I have an odd habit of naming inanimate objects. My camera's name is Philola.  Case and point.

4.  I have never met over half of my friends. Oh the joys of being an online student.

5.  Reading. Readingreadingreading. I love it.

6.   I run on chocolate.

7. I am sixteeeen going on seventeeeen! (And I may or may not have sung this song on my sixteenth birthday....don't judge.)

8. I would rather dance than walk.

9. Bananas make me shudder.

10.  I shoot people.  Regularly.  (with a camera....but that doesn't sound nearly as dramatic).

11. Penguins are my favorite. Dress them in a bowtie and suspenders and I am one veryvery happy camper.

 

Sierra's questions for moi:

1. Right-brained or left-brained?  Probably more right-brained. 
2. Favorite books?  Oh dear goodness. Tough question. Currently: The Ashtown Burials Cycle by N.D. Wilson.
3. Ride a horse or ride a whale? A horse. Whales have this bad habit of remaining underwater for long periods of time.  Which....I can't.
4. What is your favorite Bible verse and why? This changes regularly, but my favorite as of now would have to be Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised."
5. What is your favorite pastime now that you could use as a source of income (or a "job") in future? I love designing and sewing clothing. And painting/crafting.  And dancing.  All of which can be jobs :D
6. Do you have a favorite time of year? If so, what is it? I love all the seasons because they're all so different  and wonderful.  But I would be lying if I said that I didn't have a soft spot for spring. :)
7. Performing arts or ... not? Performing arts!!! Theater, dance, musicals, the whole shabang.
8. Sunny days or cloudy days?  Can I have both?  I love them both for many different reasons. Oh. Weather <3 
9. What is your worst fear? Being completely alone. No friends, no family, and no God.
10. Quote? 

“In this story, the sun moves. In this story, every night meets a dawn and burns away in the bright morning. In this story, Winter can never hold back the Spring... He is the best of all possible audiences, the only Audience to see every scene, the Author who became a Character and heaped every shadow on Himself. The Greeks were right. Live in fear of a grinding end and a dank hereafter. Unless you know a bigger God, or better yet, are related to Him by blood.” 

- N. D. Wilson, Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl

11. (If you would like, and if it is possible) What is a picture that makes you smile? If you cannot post it, please describe a memory that makes you smile :)

 

I mustache you a question. But I'll shave it for later.

At the football games last night.  Good memories with good friends. :)

My eleven questions for my eleven bloggers:
1. Lord of the Rings or Narnia? (I know. Start it out with a tough one)
2.  Introvert or extrovert?
3.  What is your favorite season?
4.  Favorite quote?
5.  Rain or sun?
6.  What is your dream job?
7.  Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
8.  If you could vacation anywhere, where would it be?
9.  Hotel or tent?
10.  What is your favorite type of food?
11.  Nature park or carnival/theme park?

The eleven (or nine) chosen bloggers!!
Hannah over at Genuine
Annie over at Pixels and Stories
Valentine over at Rain and Shine
Isaac over at Not All Those Who Wander are Lost
Megan over at Once Upon A Canvas
Abi over at Lopez Family Fieldtrip
Emilyann at The Nine Tenths
Alexis over at Stargazing and Nonstop Praising
Lillian over at Of the Field



The Suspense is Thrilling

I am so excited!

"Why?" you might ask.

Well, because all summer I've been working.  Working on a project.

'Cause you know..

All work and no play!  That's my motto!

(no play meaning...vacations, reading books, watching movies, taking pictures, sleeping...and puttering around enthusiastically doing nothing)

 

This project is finished you see, and now the only thing left to do is to

announce that I'm going to announce it this

Saturday.

As a suspense builder, don't you know.

And here's a mysterious picture that really doesn't reveal anything about the project.

Feeling the suspense yet?

 

You Make my Heart Smile

"When I give thanks for the seemingly microscopic, I make a place for God to grow within me."

- Ann Voskamp

One Thousand Gifts

 

This month I'm thankful for:

1.  Letters written to fellow Veritas students, some of the most wonderful girls

that I have never met!

2.  Fall leaves falling.

3.  Teen nights, inside jokes and funny hats.

4.  Late night/early morning skype dates with the lovely miss Sierra Mackenzie over at

as the earthen vessel.

5.  Celebrating 15 years of Isaac.

6.  Budgeting for and planning a trip to the states for my school's End of the Year Gathering.

 

 

“A life contemplating the blessings of Christ becomes a life acting the love of Christ.” 

- One Thousand Gifts