:: picking up the food bowl ::

...after a pet dies is an impossible task. You want so badly to hold on to the possibility that maybe it's all just a bad dream. It's a double edged sword though...leave the bowl and it's a reminder...pick up the bowl and it's a reminder. Not that there aren't reminders everywhere...it's just that the bowl is something tangible.

Our hearts have a kitty sized hole in them today from our dear, sweet Josie. It's hard to say what I'll miss most about her...I don't think I'll truly know until the days without her go on. We were so lucky to have spent 10 years with her...the farm kitty. My hope is that we made her as happy as she made us. Her sweet blue eyes, the way she'd lay on my chest with her face literally 1/2 inch from mine, her chattiness (yes, she was a TALKER!!)...so many things to miss. The unconditional love that pets give to us is remarkable and makes us better human beings. We can certainly take a lesson (many lessons) from our furry children.

We love you Josie...always have and always will. Cuddle up with Gus and Savannah for us. We miss you all.



:: Whiplash ::

...what? What's that you say? You're surprised to see me here? ME TOO!! I feel like it's been so long since I've graced you with one of my nonsensical postings. So here it is...TADA! A post. For you. For me. For us. Feeling special yet? You should.

So...what to write about. Hmmm. Well, I've been absent. Clearly! Fall and early winter were extremely busy for me (a good thing!) which did not make it easy for me to write about the randomness that I normally do. Now that things have slowed down, I'm feeling the urge to write again. Lucky you!! Well, probably not, but if you've read this far, you might as well keep going.

Life is moving along so quickly...I think I got whiplash looking back at the past year! I can't be the only one who feels that way. It's amazing how the older you get the faster it goes. I think it's a scientific fact...research has been done...time speeds up or slows down depending on age. Okay, well maybe the research hasn't been done...someone should look into that. I was reading over some of my older posts and I write a lot about slowing down to take notice of the little things that make a day beautiful. Sadly, I have not been so great about doing that myself. It's been such a whirlwind both personally and professionally over the past year that I think I've lost sight of finding that joy in every day. I've definitely been dwelling on the harder things that are present in my life right now (like my husband's imminent deployment) and not taking time to breathe. Seems like that would be super easy, right. Breathe. Yet somehow I feel as though I've been holding my breath for about a year now. I feel so tightly wound at this point that exhaling seems unlikely. I know all of the counselor-y type things that I would tell others, but it's really, really hard to force yourself to employ those same things in your own situation. Breathe. Not as easy as it sounds.

One of the things I'm going to try to do more often is write...even I'm the only one who reads it. So, fair warning...there will be more posts!! Yikes...poor you!

I hope that 2012 has been good to everyone so far. Be careful, it'll be gone in the blink of an eye! Take notice of the wonderful things in each day...good advice for us ALL.

:: SMILE ::



:: i heart faces photo challenge | family fun ::

...yep...another challenge from I Heart Faces...have you checked them out yet??

:: i heart faces photo challenge | best face of 2011

...well this was definitely a hard challenge...I have so many to choose from!!! I truly wish I could enter more than one, but since I can't, here she is...

**be sure to check out i heart faces...such a great resource for photographers, both pro and amateur

:: A New Year's Homecoming ::

...Welcoming home a soldier seems like the perfect way to say goodbye to 2011!! That's what happened the other night...LATE the other night at BWI. Operation: Love ReUnited provides me with some of the most amazing opportunities, and while I'm technically there for one family, it's truly a gift to be able to see so many soldiers come home to their families. True heroes, every last one of them!!

WELCOME HOME!!

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank my very special assistant...my mom. So happy I could share that experience with her...I love you mom.

she was not so sure about Santa

**The photos and other content of this publication do not constitute or imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense**

:: hitched ::

So I was on the blog the other day and realized that I haven't posted any new pics since October! WHAT??!! That's ridiculous. This fall has been so busy that I don't even know which end is up anymore. I'm so thankful for the craziness...but it is crazy! Anyway...I have a bunch of senior pics to share but this post is for the wedding I did a few weeks ago. So happy for these two! Just the sweetest people...I really enjoyed them both. And once again I had the help of the lovely Krishna Hill of Kaptured by Krishna...we always have a good time =) It really was a wonderful wedding and I feel priveleged to have been a part of it. Congratulations!!!