Amanda [Senior 2010]

My beautiful friend,Amanda,just graduated from high school this weekend.
I had the privilege of taking her senior pictures couple weeks ago. We had quite a time of it traipsing around: from Marble to Spokane,shooting from country to urban and back to country...and had a blast doing it all!
Amanda is an aspiring photographer as well and wants to specialize in photojournalism to open eyes and hearts...and making some money doing what she loves.
Congratulations once more on achieving this first milestone in your journey and I pray you succeed in whatever God directs you to put your mind to. Dream big and stay strong. You are my 80's rock hero! Love ya!

Here's a few favorites from the session:

"Live long and prosper."

Auntie Update: Ariel Rose (7 Months)

This little princess was born October 8th,2009 to my brother Sean and his wife Yvette. She is the most precious little thing (okay,so I'm a bit prejudiced) and I love her to death. Look at how big she has gotten in just 7 short months! Auntie loves you, Ariel!

Long Time,No Blog...

This sounds like a forlorn journal entry title. Oh well,it has been a long time.
You can't really blame me though,I've been busy.
Between July and August I was in prep mode to enter into a 4-month life training/biblical worldview school in my community,the School of Statesmanship. From August 10th until graduation on December 6th, that is where I've been.
I'll give you a very rough breakdown of the modules:

August: Moved In,Orientation Week(Destined for the Throne Module),Work Week,Stehekin Trip/Courtship module(7 days--amazing!), Beginning of Mr Johnson's Biblical Economics module.

September: End of Mr. Johnson's module,Uncle Steve's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People module,Beginning of Auntie Anne's Dedication and Leadership module

(Somewhere in here we had our first awesome YWAM team come through!)

October: End of Auntie Anne's Ded-Led module,Pastor Barry's Providential History/Paradise Restored module,Auntie Anne's Principle Approach module,
Evaluation Week,Our 2nd YWAM team came through,Start Packing(tearful moments already?!),Thanksgiving Break,Prep for Banquet and Ball

December: More Prep for Banquet and Ball, Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th: MCF Youth Banquet and Ball 2009,Sunday the 6th: SOS Graduation/Community Ball,Monday the 7th: Pajama/Movie Day(declared by Aunt Cheryl),Tuesday the 8th: Move out and continue the journey,changed individuals all.

This doesn't look like much when you're looking at it cut-and-dry like that but it was FULL!
Along the way...
We worked (put up siding,raked leaves,put up arena fencing,housesat, washed dogs,loaded grain bags,moved stuff,etc)
We prayed (individually,corporately at 6:30am Tuesdays and Thursdays,and many times during the week--we had some pretty powerful mealtime prayers!--No really,in all seriousness,
we had lots of sweet/intense times in prayer filled with healing and breakthrough and anointing)
We played--Yes,it's true! (danced,took walks/hikes/drives,barn/beach volleyball--thats what I'm talking about,basketball,regular and ultimate frisbee,took some lively photos,
watched movies a la Melzer Home Theater,played all sorts of games,etc.)
And....
Mrs. Johnson taught us cooking (which we joyfully consumed) and hospitality skills on Thursday afternoons/evenings...
And Uncle Steve lead us through the beginning stages of Parelli while each of us got the special privilege of training/being trained by one of the Melzer's horses! Horse rides were a definite highlight throughout our time! Eventually,we were all able to ride as a "family"--doesn't get much better than that : )

So now my classmates (Shane,Mandi,Bree,Josiah,and Kaleb) and I are transitioning back into our homes and out into our lives as young adults and growing citizens of the Kingdom...
More blogs coming! Promise.