Tough days are inevitable...I've been working through this with our daughter and some days, it's brutal.

Our daughter has been having some rough days.  When we arrived in San Diego, she was super excited to start volleyball.  We found a club, she tried out a few months later, then began the routine of practices and tournaments.  For the past couple of months, she's lost the joy she once held for volleyball.  She was frustrated, crying, angry...name a negative emotion and she felt it towards her favorite sport.  We got her started on one-on-one practices to work on skills and get her more reps, tried to figure out what was going on.  More frustration, tears and anger.  Pep talks about persevering, the ups and downs of athletic pursuits, and working through the emotions of failing practice after practice were had ad nauseam.  After a recent practice, I turned her around and said, "That's it...let's go talk to coach."  I was at a loss.  He shared some encouraging words with her (and me) that the goal of the club is to build fundamentally sound volleyball players with solid technical skills, she's got some bad habits to break and when we try to break bad habits we should expect to experience a decline in ability while our mind and body figure out how to accomplish this known thing in a new way.  

As an important side note to this story (and I'm so out of practice writing that I am unable to smoothly connect these two things), since we've been in San Diego, E has proved to enjoy an extremely wide array of music.  The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Dion, Rolling Stones, The Chordettes' Mr. Sandman, Ballroom Blitz by Sweet and Elvis Presley are just an inkling of what I get to hear whenever we are in the car together not to mention the new pop songs too.  She's an excellent DJ, an ability she gets from her daddy.  

In the most recent weeks, as I've exhausted my ability to encourage her with words, and have become an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on, I've turned the question back on E.  I've asked her, "in the future, when your daughter or son has this same experience because, face it sister, no one escapes these struggles, what are you going to tell her or him about your experience right now?"  She thought for a minute, then said, "I'll say ' hey sweetie, you know, I went through something just like this when I was 14 years old and it really sucked, but I didn't give up because it was a dream of mine to try to play college volleyball."  A few days after this, we were driving home from a practice, E turns to me and says, "You know what song is really helping me right now, mommy?  Elvis's Follow That Dream."  I hadn't heard that song before, so I asked her "Why is that?"  And she said, "The words really resonate with how I'm feeling towards volleyball, I gotta keep moving along so that I can follow my dream."  Of course I had to listen to it and read the lyrics, you can too right here.  E's journey isn't about finding the love she needs like Elvis's was...at least right now it isn't...it's about "keep a movin', move along."

I think we can all resonate with this song because some days are just tough and our dreams may seem far off, but we gotta keep pressing forward.   

(Here's just a few of our zoo pictures from spring break, I gotta add pictures even if they don't go with the theme!)  Have you met my friend?Shenanigans at the zoo. Sky SafariSan Diego Zoo...impressive from above. San Diego Zoo flamingosI say I love elephants the best, but flamingos win out on beauty.

It's been way too long since I wrote on here.  

I really miss it, I love going back and reading my old posts, but I lack the discipline to routinely sit down and put my thoughts into this template.  My subconscious perfectionism wins out.  It tells me "it's going to take too long to create something that is perfect, and, Mackenzie, you don't want to put anything out there that is less than perfect."  Then there's the other voice that says, "who wants to read anything you have to say?  Putting in the effort to write down your thoughts is done in vain."  Well, I know how much I enjoy reading my past posts, how they take me back to Italy, back to weddings and to families I photographed.  I tell myself I want to remember the struggles, the triumphs, the people and experiences from my past.  So, here we are.  

We have been in San Diego for almost five weeks.  It hasn't been the easiest transition, but it hasn't been the hardest.  Tomorrow, I get to reunite with a group of friends from Italy.  Last night, I sat down for dinner at a table of women who I have never met before in my life and they commented on how brave I was to step out so soon after arriving.  And I responded with "if I don't step out now, chances are I won't down the line."  I didn't see it as brave though.  It wasn't the first time I walked into a room of women, not knowing a soul.  The first time I did that, I met some of the finest women I've ever met who were all in the same boat as I and were prepared help each other through.  How can I not step out every time after that experience?  God provided beautiful relationships for me then, and He'll continue to do so now. 

We had an amazing time traveling across the country with my sister; I look back and can't even believe we did that.  It was incredible though.  We listened to books on tape and lots of 80's pop radio when we weren't playing aggressive games of Cows on My Side or reading Harry Potter is our best ugly British accents - think the woman from Princess Bride who tells everyone to "Bow down to Queen Buttercup, the queen of filth, the queen of rot!"  The girls were laughing pretty hard in the van, while the boys were riding in the Jeep listening to some audiobook on combat.  It was pretty great.  We saw a ton though, I do hope to get it down on here and share the pictures of our adventure...praying for the discipline to do it.  I'll keep this one short, my time's up and I have a second coat of paint to put on my coffee table. 

Here's a few pictures....   Before driving across, we stopped in Newport, RI, to visit friends. They played hard...clearly rest was needed. Gotta do the O-H-I-O wherever we see it. (Yes, I think being forced to do such things brings Emma great pain.)
Crazy Horse is going to be quite a sight when it's done. Jolene and I both told Emma she had to swear she would visit it when it was completed, she agreed. Prismatic Basin at Yellowstone. Emma loved it. She pretty much took off and left everyone in the dust so she could just see it at her own pace. My guys. Taking in sights and smells of Yellowstone. The prismatic geyser basin was awesome. So many colors. It was gorgeous. Yellowstone Lake Riverwalk at Zion.

My first assignment in my science teaching methods class was to explain why I want to teach.  I finally wrote it all down and wanted to share it...

Becoming a teacher was never really on my radar until God smacked me in the face with it in September of 2016.  We had just moved back to the States from Italy that July, and I had been praying, and asking friends to pray for me, for wisdom on what I was supposed to do when we got back.  Before we moved to Italy, I was running my photography business in southern Maryland going on six years growing steadily each year, raising my two children, and holding down the fort while my husband lived on a ship in Norfolk, VA, for the middle two of those six years.  I intended to work while we lived in Italy and had the goal of photographing a wedding before we moved back in three years, until I was told I couldn't due to legal issues with the SOFA (status of forces agreement) where dependents of service members are not protected under the SOFA; therefore, had to pay Italian taxes as a small business.  I don't know why my business was targeted while other American dependents continued to work as photographers, other than, it was God's plan.  With my focus taken off of running my business, I was able to volunteer to be one of the Bible study teachers through a women's ministry I was a part of.  My final year in Italy, I was approached to be president of the organization.  Aside from our previous school's almost non-existent PTO, I had never led anything.  So leading a women's ministry that drew 80 women every week and had a 18 person leadership board was a nerve wracking new experience.  But, it was through those three years and all of those experiences that I learned so much about myself, what I'm capable of accomplishing, and how I truly love leading and teaching a group, specifically, the sharing of knowledge and life experiences.  One of my final Bible studies in Italy was focused on understanding the spiritual gifts, and by the end I knew my gifts were leadership and teaching, an idea which was 100 percent affirmed by the other women in my group.  One other thing our tour in Italy, and my stepping away from photography, provided me was wonderful family time, this above everything else was a deciding factor in my next step.

After resettling into the States and unpacking the three shipments of belongings, I began to work on reopening my photography business.  It didn't take long for me to figure out it wasn't where I wanted to put my energy.  Don't get me wrong, I love photography and I miss the interactions with brides on their wedding days and brothers and sisters during a family portrait, but what I couldn't walk away from was the time I would be missing with my own family.  During a conversation with a friend who is a high school history teacher, I experienced the aforementioned smack in the face.  God brought to mind my high school biology/environmental science teacher and how he did everything he could to get us out of our seats and outside studying the environment firsthand.  I thought of the anger and frustration that bubbled up when I read Jonathan Kozol's Savage Inequalities way back in 2007 and how I wanted to work to change the academic realities so many children face at school.  I thought of how I learned in one of my favorite books, Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel, that children have three driving inner needs:  a secure love, a significant purpose, and a strong hope, and that I am finally at a place in my life to encourage children to realize that they have a purpose, are loved and can be hopeful.  I thought, mostly, of how I have only six more years of having my oldest child under my roof and home on weekends, and being a teacher will provide me with a schedule that will meet the needs of my family.  

Reflecting on the excerpt from chapter two of Lortie's Schoolteacher, I can see a lot of his ideas in my life.  I come from a blue collar family; my grandfather, uncle and sister were/are teachers though there was never encouragement for me to become a teacher; I see teaching as a service to give back to my community wherever that may be; and yes, the schedule will allow me to have a career and soak up these fleeting days of childhood in my home.  I can't say that I've wanted to be a teacher since I was a child even though I loved going to school, but I can say that being a teacher is all I want to do now.  I've experienced a lot of and from life, and I'm excited to encourage the next generation(s) to do the same, lovingly, purposefully, and hopefully.

So there you have it, I'm still taking pictures for close friends for fun and because I'm a lover of light, color, and the world around me, so here's a photo because that will always and forever be my creative outlet.

Preparation.

This one word has been bouncing around in my head for weeks.  Not bouncing around in that I was trying to figure out what the Lord meant by it, but because I had a big epiphany regarding why I was doing a specific study.  Last summer, a small group of ladies I met through the mom's group at our church invited me to join their prayer group.  After praying over the decision, I felt the Lord encourage me to join them.  This past January we started a book study from Shauna Niequist, Present over Perfect.  I flew through the actual book because she's a great writer, a lot of what she said was good to see in print and I love personal testimonies.  The book is a testimony of how Shauna was working herself to the bone trying to be everything in every aspect of her life (work, wife, kids, friends, extended friends, extended family, PTO).  After 10 years of running and pushing towards perfection, she realized that she was letting down the people that meant the most to her, her inner circle.  In between traveling for speaking engagements, writing books, "living life to the fullest", she would get home and be exhausted, snappy and not present with her husband and kids.  

I'll be honest, I didn't see myself in this book.  This is not where I am, this is not the type of person I am at this point in my life.  Have I been here, yes.  I don't like the crazy busy schedules, I think mostly because I'm not a good planner.  I live day to day, meal to meal if you will, and I really like the open schedule to provide spontaneous fun and adventure.  But, as I prepare to start another semester of school and go hard charging to graduation next May, as I look down the tunnel coated with graduate courses, 95 hours of student teaching, a clinical capstone, new and unknown pressures, and as we dove into the chapter "Yes and No," the Lord pressed on me "preparation."  

Oh, He knows me so well.  He brought to my mind the words I spoke to a friend "I can't wait to get involved in the school and community with the extracurriculars, not just teaching, but maybe coaching or newspaper or a photography club, I just so excited for those possibilities too!"  He knows that I would throw myself into everything that interests me in the name of "teaching and reaching out to these kids!"  He knows that I would "Yes" all over the place because that's what I do when I get excited about new adventures.  He knows that I needed this book, if for nothing else, then to prepare and protect me from myself as I dive into this new place.  He knows that the tools of centering prayer, Lectio Divina, spiritual direction, etc. that Shauna gives us in this workbook will help me when life becomes louder and busier that I'm used to.  He is such a good Father!

He knows the tunnels ahead, He knows mountains and the valleys, He knows what's coming.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"  And wouldn't you know this verse runs through my mind everyday, every hour.  My daily walk with the Lord, provides me this comfort, this promise.  

Hebrews 13:20-21 says, "Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen."  The Lord has plans, but He won't push us into those plans ill-equipped.  He prepares us for His will, it's up to us to actually see it, trust it, and follow through with the preparation even if it doesn't make much sense.

Now I need a picture because I may not be doing photography right now, I'm still a photographer and lover of light.  Yes, these are from Italy...a piece of my heart is still there.    

On June 10th, we left the life we lived for three years and began the transition into the yet life unknown.  New church, new city, new schools, new friends, new neighborhood, new job, new house, new bills, new everything.  I knew it was going to be hard moving to a city where I didn't know anyone especially after coming from having developed so many incredible friendships in Naples. 

We moved into our new house on June 30.  Knowing that we needed to find a church, and find one fast, we set out on that first Sunday to begin our search for a home church.  It was tough y'all.  Before Christ Community Church the biggest congregation we've ever participated in was no more than 75 people, this church has the capability to seat 1000!  Overwhelmed doesn't begin to explain what I was experiencing.  I was lonely, terrified, sad, you name it I was it.  I wound up crying through the entire praise and worship (about 30 minutes) and then again during the closing prayer.  At the end of church, we just sat there and Sean gets a tap on his shoulder.  This beautiful soul asks if we are new.  We say yes, very new.  He introduces himself, Jack, and Sean introduces us to which he replies "I have a grandson named Adin, how do you spell your name?"  Adin spells it out and Jack replies, "Wow, that's how he spells his name too!"  (A side story:  Sean's grandpa, after whom we named Adin and who Sean was so very close to, had been nicknamed Jack by his family and friends.  We lost Grandpa about 10 years ago before Adin was born, but he died knowing that if the baby just beginning to take shape in my belly was a boy, he would certainly carry his name.)  So, Sean and I were pretty stunned at this point and I for sure knew that our Faithful Father was looking out for us in this hard time.  The following week we went back to Christ Community, and there was Jack at the end of the service looking for us.  He said he wanted to take us out to lunch.  We were experiencing yet another emotionally draining day, but accepted because we didn't want to stand in God's way and what He was doing through Jack.

Fast forward a couple of months, some good stuff, some bad stuff, some happy stuff and some sad stuff.  Each day is better than the last, yet some are just better because we got out of bed.  It's rough, I can't say much more than that.  Change is hard, it stretches and challenges us.  You know what else it does, it makes us remember His faithfulness to overfill our cups when we least expect it.  Each Sunday we attend, the Spirit touches our hearts through the sermon, through the people and their powerful prayers, through it all.  So, again I fast forward to this past Thursday.  I attend the mom's group at Christ Community where we break into small groups.  I'm the new one in my group, the other ladies know each other and have for quite a few years.  I tell them my story about how we found Christ Community.  One lady, who is an elder with her husband for the church and is choked up at this point, asks me, "Do you know who Jack and Barb are?"  I say no.  She goes on to tell me that they are the founders of Christ Community.  This church was built out of their living room, it is because of them and a handful of other couples that we have what we have today, and the story I just told them was a terrific example of what the heart of Christ Community looks like.  Wow.  Just wow.

So, today, September 11th, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Christ Community Church's existence.  We learned of Jack and Barb's hearts for a handful of couples who were struggling and desired a church closer to their community on the Westshore.  We walked through three different buildings Christ Community called home over the last 50 years.  We witnessed a now pastor talk about knowing Jack and Barb as a child while listening to our lead pastor say upon meeting Jack, "Jack was like Dick Clark to the body of Christ!"  We witnessed the fruit of 50 years of loving labor in the Lord. We witnessed most importantly the grace and faithfulness of the Lord through two servants who responded when called.  Pastor Hess read from Hebrews 13:7, "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.  Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith."  He added to the end, "...be as bold in your adventures as they were in theirs."

From a living room to an auditorium.

As I stood there applauding for Jack and Barb, my cup overfilled for these two very special people and once again I am reassured that the Lord is taking care to put us exactly where we need to be.  Great is thy Faithfulness.   

My mother has told me that as a baby, I loved to lay outside and watch the trees sway and the leaves rustle in the breeze.  I am not ashamed to say that I could spend hours (if I had hours) outside watching leaves flip and turn in the wind.  I will also say that on the majority of my walks I take, I stop when a good breeze comes through so I can listen to the leaves.   While living in Italy, we didn't have the luxury of a lot of trees in our neighborhood, but I'll admit the palm trees and pine trees we did have did a decent job at meeting this underlying need of mine.  Ask a few friends what I was most excited to see, aside from family, when we got back to the States, they'll say trees.

After spending most of June and July tying up loose ends and unpacking boxes upon boxes as a result of our move from Italy to Pennsylvania, I needed to commune with God's creation.  I needed to be immersed in a forest...I just needed to get out to my trees. We attempted for a couple of weekends, but found we needed to hunker down and get some household chores done.  So, with Sean traveling to Ohio to get our cars titled and plated over my birthday weekend...bummer...and being new to the area with pretty much no friends yet, I knew just one thing I wanted to do that I could drag the kids along with me.  Through divine intervention though, the Spirit pressed on me a plan to give the kids a break from each other.  Adin could go with Sean and Emma could stay with me!  Praise the Lord!  A break from refereeing squabble after squabble about the unfairness of anything and everything.  I will neither confirm nor deny that I have said quite loudly that my constant refereeing of their petty arguments "IS GOING TO SEND ME STRAIGHT TO THE LOONY BIN!!"

I told Emma that I wanted to go on a hike for my birthday.  There was groaning, but she reluctantly agreed that I was the birthday girl and it was my choice what we did.  I assured her it was going to be a short one to just check out the trails and wander around a little.  So we set out on Friday morning for Boiling Springs and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.  I will say one thing about these central Pennsylvania natives, they are a kind and welcoming bunch.  From the butchers and deli counter clerks to the rangers at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, each one is interested in talking with you and helping you with whatever you need.  We arrive, find our maps with the help of a ranger, and set out on the north trail because they advised it would be full shade and with 95 degrees, I think that's what we want.  

There are many things I love about being in the woods, the previously mentioned stopping mid-hike to listen to the wind rustle in the leaves (which I did), feeling small in their grandness, meeting other hikers along the way.  I am generally not someone to start up a conversation with strangers, but it's been something that has been occurring so much since we've moved here.  On this hike, Emma and I met a wonderful woman, Marcia.  We met her as she was tromping through the thick brush on the side of the trail.  She emerged in her coveralls (which she later stated she had jeans on underneath because the thorns are so big), long sleeve shirt and a bucket full of fat blackberries.  We talked about the different berries found on the trail, wine berries and black raspberries in addition to the blackberries.  She walked with us for quite a bit so she could point out the wine berries.  I asked her what her plans were with the berries and she said they make country wine.  They have grapes, but it's generally just country wine they make.  We talked more and come to find out, her husband flew helicopters for the Navy and she visited Naples in 1984 when he pulled into port during a deployment.  We talked about where she visited and how the traffic scared the daylights out of her!  It was a beautiful interlude during our hike and a gift from God to chat about Naples.  We said our goodbyes to Marcia and finished up.  

Famished when we got back, we found some lunch at Cafe 101 after wandering around the pond laughing at the geese with their rear ends in the air searching for food beneath the surface of the water and checking out the south side of the trail that runs along the creek.  We both agreed it was a beautiful day spend together, and it was just what this frazzled brain needed.   Later in the weekend I was reading an article in my InTouch magazine titled, "And the Trees Will Clap Their Hands."  The author sites Isaiah 55:12 in the article:

"For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing,

and the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

She also goes on to site Romans 1:20, "For His invisible attributes...have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made..."  My study Bible note makes is so much clearer, "The natural world bears witness to God through its beauty, complexity, design and usefulness."  When I am in the woods, I am in awe of God's creativity in the berries, leaf structures, details in the bark of trees, variety of birds and small animals and of how in all of it's gnarly, knotted, viney chaos there is still beauty and peace.  It is direct communion with our Creator, all encompassing wonder and awe...it's no wonder I come out of the woods feeling renewed.   Adventure on amici!   

A few days ago, a dear friend of mine posted on a mutual friend's Facebook page, "I really miss the Italy I knew before you left.  It is like a totally different place."  These statements affected me in a few ways; first I was sad for my friend who is missing her adventure buddy, talking late into the night buddy, go to friend for getting lost on the tight streets of southern Italy and much more.  After I too mourned the departure of this dear friend whose trademark saying was "I'm free that day!"  I felt a fire ignite in my spirit, and with only nine weeks left before we return to the US, I said, "It's go time."  I've spent the last year working through my first time presiding over a Christian organization.  I was given the incredible opportunity to sit as president of PWOC  (Protestant Women of the Chapel), the organization that helped me to meet all of these amazing women and build so many strong friendships over the course of our three years in Italy.  But, as this year winds down, I will be honest...I'm tired and I'm feeling that I haven't been able to put much effort into actually spending quality time with these women I've known or getting to know the 100+ new women we have welcomed since September.  (100+!!!  God is building this ministry!)  Please don't get me wrong, this experience of leading this group is definitely in my top 10 of experiences I won't forget, and I mean that in the best way.  It has been a massive year of growth for me, I have sought, leaned on, and depended on God more than ever.  I have loved every trial, challenge, triumph, lesson learned and warm hug I have received at PWOC.  These women have watched me laugh, cry, stumble, rise back up and, just recent, dance my tail off.   

As my friend's words bounced around my brain, I said to myself, "If I get on that plane in June exhausted, I want to be exhausted from spending time with these ladies adventuring around our piece of the world.  I don't want to sit on that plane thinking about the things I could have done in my last two months with them, I want to reminisce about the sites we soaked up during a hike on the Path of the gods, or the laughs we had over cappuccini and cornetti at one of the million cafes around us, or the flat tires we changed on the side of the road (this really happened), or the plans we made to adventure around the States when we all get back there."  With that, I mentioned my thoughts to three friends who said in their own way, "I'm free that day!"  I set out to make my list of places I want to go, adventures I want to take before I say "Arrivederci, bella Napoli!"  Here's a few:

One more cooking class at Porta di Mola, (now scheduled for May 9th),

The English Gardens at Caserta Palace (have never been, hence no photo)

Hike the Path of the gods

Positano from aboveSeriously.

Tile Cove and stairs climb

A Vietri trip

A day on the island of Ischia

Have boated around several time, only walked it for an hour once.

Gaeta

From the Turks Grotto

And whatever else my adventure seeking friends bring to the table!

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to go on an overnight with my hubby, not just any overnight though, we went up to Milan to see Dave Mathews Band!!  I have no pictures of the concert...none.  I must say, it was nice to walk around not carrying my bulky camera, no purse, nothing!  

I did carry my camera around for the rest of the getaway...I mean seriously!  Let's talk about Milan though.  The day before, I ran to the library praying that a Rick Steves Milan book would be available.  We enjoy his commentary and walking around knowing what we are looking.  His walking tours through cities are pretty fun too.  Luckily, there was one available.  There isn't much to see in Milan, and fortunately our main goals were to get to the concert and see the Duomo...it was a very laid back 36 hours.

 The duomo is outstanding!  It is the fourth largest in Europe, behind the Vatican's, London's and Seville's.  Let me tell you, it was cavernous.  The Steves told us there are more than 2000 statues on the inside and 100's of statues on the outside...they are everywhere!  "Made between the 14th and 20th centuries by sculptors from all over Europe," says Rick, and each one is different.  We did the tower walk first, walking amongst the spires and getting a closer look at the statues gracing the tiptop of the cathedral.

A few tidbits about the cathedral: 

The first stones were laid in 1390 and the work was completed 1810

Steves says, "This construction project originated the Italian phrase for "neverending": "like building a cathedral."

It is built from marble, the entire thing.  Not just any marble, but Pink Candoglia marble rafted in from a quarry about 60 miles away.

Inside there are "52 one-hundred-foot-tall, sequoia sized pillars" representing the weeks of the year, each pillar topped with 8 statues.

It was built to house 40,000 worshippers, the population of Milan when construction started.  

The interior of the church leaves you feeling miniscule.  The size is hard to take in all at once and you have to allow a few minutes for your eyes to adjust.  From the stained glass windows to the 2000 statues, it was a bit overwhelming and magnificent.  There is one very noteworthy piece in this church, and two other pieces that stood out to me.  The first, and unless you know it's there you will miss it, is the tiny red light above the altar.  Rick Steves tells us that this red light on a cross indicates the home of one of the nails from the crucifixion of Jesus brought to Milan by St. Helen in the fourth-century when Milan was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.  I have no words for that...just WOW.   The second is the statue of St. Bartolomeo, "an apostle and first-century martyr skinned alive by the Romans."  It is an incredible work of art, grotesque and magnificent.  The Steves told us to walk behind to see that St. Bartolomeo is carrying his own skin, wearing it like a robe in fact.  The statue was carved by a student of da Vinci's.  Sean and I had a great time showing other tourists this detail of the statue.   The third piece to not miss is the huge plaque outlining the uninterrupted rule of 144 local archbishops starting in the year 51 A.D.  Now that's history through the ages!  No picture for that one, but here's a few more from the cathedral. 

Sean and I did get the opportunity to wander the streets of Milan, stare in amazement at the Dolci & Gabanna dresses for $10,000+, check out the multiple Lambourginis, Porsches, Rolls Royces, and belly up to the cappuccino bar in the theater district amongst the uber-chic Italians going to the theater.  It was fun and entertaining, and the concert was awesome, in usual DMB fashion.  

I hope you enjoyed a taste of Milan.  

Happy Halloween!!

Mackenzie

To close out the summer in the last week of vacation for the kids, I signed us up for a Tomato Sauce making lesson through a cantina named Porto di Mola.  I have been told by many a friend who've attended that this educational class was a must do in the late summer.  I was lucky enough to attend the everything eggplant class in the late spring, learning to make traditional Italian eggplant dishes by a wonderful nonna (grandma) of the family.  The process of a day at the cantina is you help them prepare the food, cook the food, set the table for the whole group for lunch (between 30-50), then they serve you a full Italian lunch with a lot of their delicious wine.  If you want my opinion, this is a fantastic way to spend a Monday and everyone should try it at least once a week ;-). Their backyard!  I called my dear friend, told her I wanted to sign us and the kiddos up for the Tomato Sauce day since the summers here are crazy and you barely get to see your friends due to travel, family, stateside travel, etc.  She happily obliged.  This dear friend is 99.9% of the time early for everything and this day was no different, even after the GPS guided us through someone's vineyard-normal everyday occurrence here, you just have to commit to it and pretend that you know where you are going-we arrived early.  Her punctuality rewarded us in the best possible way...almost one full hour of just the five of us with the Italian ladies of the cantina prepping tomatoes for cooking, crushing and canning.  And they remembered us for the rest of the day. Adin working in pomodori QC. This was the most popular station.

The kids had a chance to try every station in the process of making and canning the tomato sauce.  They had a great time and didn't mind the cheek pinching and head rubbing from the nonne (grandmas).

 It was an incredible day and I'm thinking that any day I get a chance to bask in this scene, smell a wood burning fire and enjoy some delicious homemade Italian food and wine....that's a great day.  

The beauty and simplicity of true Italian tomato sauce: washing, cooking, crushing, canning, sealing...tried and true for Lord knows how many years on this land.

A double wash These pomodori were well taken care of. Softening    

A few more of the grounds. Prepping some antipasti for our lunch.

Preparing delicious antipasti for our lunch.

Inside their cantina.

The scene inside the cantina.

Some friends we met on our way out my first time at Porto di Mola.

Some friends who gave us a "Buon viaggio" on our way out.

Every yard needs a fig tree too!

No Italian land is complete without a fig tree. Batter for the zucchini flowers.

Preparing the batter for our fried zucchini flowers. Four burner stove to feed 60+ guests...these women are rockstars!

These ladies are rockstars feeding 60+ adults and children pasta for lunch with a four burner stovetop.

Ciao!

It may have been December...no, no...it was January.  I was going through a workout on the spin bike, and God gives me an idea.  A day, a full day, of portraits for some beautiful women that I have the privilege to call "friend."  I have been wanting to do this for months, but the thought of building a backdrop, storing a backdrop, setting up a backdrop, and planning five separate days like this....seemed a bit daunting in my tiny apartment with my tight schedule.  So, this idea of one day, one full day, seemed less daunting.  I could move my son out of his bedroom for a couple of days, set up a backdrop...this could happen.  Thanks God!  Let's do this!  I felt excited, creative and motivated which led to an amazing finish to my spin workout that day!  

As I researched and read to find out how to build the backdrop I wanted, I realized that Italy and my apartment may not be the best mix to do just that.  Good thing, I have a beautiful friend who is able to think outside the box for me and she looked at me and said, "Why don't you try wallpaper?"  Hmmmm.  I will tell you that Italy has an outstanding wallpaper collection!  It was a very creative and easy solution to my dilemma (this is the norm here, we are often trying to come up with creative solutions to dilemmas whether it be substituting ingredients in recipes, fixing our cars, or crafting in any way to name a few instances).  So, I found two papers, a gray solid and a cream pattern.  I sent out invitations to my friends, asked two of them to help with hair and make-up, made a schedule for the day and took off running with this idea.  

The whole day was inspired by Sue Bryce.  She is a glamour photographer whose passion is to get women to get out from behind the camera and exist with their families in photos.  She has been doing this for over 20 years and is an amazing portrait photographer.  I had been watching some of her webinars on CreativeLive, and was truly inspired at what she does for women.  It started a fire in my heart to do this for a few of my friends here.  My whole goal was to show my friends how I see them, as the beautiful, creative, loving, welcoming, strong women they are.  

It was a superb day with them.  It, also, was an exhausting day for my brain, but I learned a ton through this experience and I hope I was able to give these beautiful mothers, wives, daughters, granddaughters a photo of themselves that they love and their families will cherish for years to come.  Enjoy these photos, it was a labor of love for me and I can't thank them enough for following my directions no matter how strange they were!  

Alison Alison Kelly Kelly Danna Danna Thea Thea Elizabeth Elizabeth               Never, never forget....whenever you are having your photo taken, weight on the back foot, hand on hip, chin forward and down.  :-)

Grazie amici!

Mackenzie

COOKING CLASS:  MAKING PIZZA - HANDS ON!!

I've allowed many of these invitations pass me by and I LOVE pizza!  You know in Eat, Pray, Love when Julia Roberts says "I'm having a relationship with this pizza."  That's me!  I adore pizza, could handle it daily if my husband enjoyed it as much.  But, for the mercy of my jeans and my family...and probably my tastebuds, I enjoy pizza maybe two to three times a month.  When the Hands On Italian Pizza Making Class in Gaeta popped up onto my newsfeed this time...I signed up immediately. In talking with a friend (Sheri), I found out she and another friend (Danna) had signed up too and we decided to carpool with another lovely lady, (Yaya).  

For the last few weeks, maybe since mid-December, I had been wiped out.  With a scary busy fall full of good things, once my schedule cleared all I really felt I was up for was staring at the wall.  With finishing up my NYIP professional photography course, teaching a PWOC Bible study, taking a Precept Bible study on Revelation, being the PWOC Historian, soccer Saturday's with the kids, the husbandry of my family, attempting to keep my home clean, meal planning, grocery shopping...you get where I'm going...keeping up with friends was difficult at best.  So, I was excited for this day with some ladies who I don't get to spend enough time with socially.  

For the few days prior, I had been feeling deflated with various changes I am attempting to institute with my photography business.  My expectations for the day were to relax, use my hands to make some delicious pizza Italiano, and learn some new ways to make my home pizzas better.  I took my camera along with me because I felt I needed to get back to doing what I do best, capturing moments as they happen.  And boy was I rewarded in that.  I look at these photos of my friends from that day and I can hear the cheers for successfully getting the raw pizza on the paddle, a feat most deserving of raucous hurrahs.  I can feel the warmth from the pizza oven.  Smell the yeast throughout the restaurant.  See the smiles on the faces of men and women who are displaced from their families, friends, comforts of home and are delighting in spending time learning a new trick, meeting some new locals and sinking their teeth into the culture.  Learning that cooking by hand, sight and feel is the Italian way.  In the 18 months we've lived here, I've learned the top four things that are of the utmost importance in an Italian's life:  l'amore, la famiglia, il vino e la cucina - love, family, wine and cooking.  These are bits of the culture I so want to take back with me, hold them close in my heart, make them a part of my every day (maybe not the wine daily, I did that and ended up with some really tight jeans!).  My expectations for the day where tiny compared to what God gifted me with with those ladies's company.  We had great talks, we laughed hard, we ate beautiful pizza...and may have had a relationship with it for that brief lunch.  I'm so glad I brought my camera because when those yucky days swing back around, I can look back on these and so many other pictures and feel the day all over again.    

I hope you enjoy my photos from a day of rejuvenation, I'm hoping to make these more commonplace in my schedule.   

Our fearless pizzaiolo!One of the three brothers who inherited the pizzeria from their father. Three wannabe pizzaiola! Keep it simple and do it by hand. A tasting of just the dough and some olive oil. A drool worthy menu

Loving hands preparing pies.

I never realized how large these paddles really are! Yaya is so full of life and loves meeting new friends! My abnormal circle pie. Not quite a pizzaiola yet. Unsuccessfully working the paddle, but I am so glad they were patient with us and let everyone have a go!

The life of every party!Sheri is such an amazing friend, she gives time to everyone and has so much fun adventuring around. Her best line..."I'm free that day."

Pizza BeautyRuccola, pomodori, parmesano...delizioso!    

Quattro matte!A beautiful day with some beautiful friends.

Danna, Sheri, Yaya...that day with you did more for me than I thought I needed.  I am so thankful that God has crossed our paths, I look forward to more fun days with ya'll!!

Ciao amici!

Mackenzie

(Future pizzaiola)

Clarity is a God thing.  It is Him lifting the veil to questions asked, prayers, uncertainties, past choices and experiences.  It is a conviction from the Holy Spirit after months of praying myself, and asking sisters to pray for me.  I yearned for this clarity, so I could move forward with a focus...I've yearned for this clarity, prayed for this clarity, talked about yearning for this clarity...since January.  Months had to pass, God had so much more He needed to show me before my heart would be willing to accept this.  It comes as to no surprise that I received this clarity during a conversation with my dear, dear friend and former neighbor Brenda, one sentence from her and...BOOM, all of the puzzle pieces fall into place.  

Like I mentioned, for months I had been struggling with my photography business, wanting to grow and change, seeing that this growth is a necessary step in order for me to make a business, a career, for my family and more than a side job.  But, I was so closed off to seeing it or worrying about a misstep...I froze and did nothing.  I wrestled in my head, "What is your problem Mackenzie??"  "If you love doing this so much, why are you not working at it?"  Something just held me back, continued to hold me back.  I felt that if I go all in with building this business, revamping all that I've done for the last 6 years, I would have to give up something and there was nothing I was willing to lose.  I love that I get to capture the essence of your family, the details of your wedding day, I truly do, but I have felt very confused with all of it, the choices and changes I need to make in order for Neer and Far to thrive for my family...not just survive.  Clarity for this specific issue has graced the page of many a prayer request book, prayer request notecard, and in discussions with friends.  But, I continued to feel uneasy and foggy with how to move forward.  

Foggy and on a cliff of uncertainty.Maybe i'm being a little dramatic, but it was foggy.

That is until yesterday, August 14.

I hadn't talked with Brenda for weeks and felt like I just needed to catch up, let her know about new prayer requests, updates on the kids and Sean and ask for counsel on how to move forward this fall with what is looking to be a busy schedule with God.  A little background on our neighbors, they are the ones who told us about Christ.  They prayed for us for four years before that fateful day we knocked on their door three years ago, August 11th, and further committed our lives to Christ.  They showed us what it truly looks like to be a follower of Christ, they discipled as Paul did...they were different and God softened our hearts to accept what they had to share.  They hold a huge place in our hearts, they're family.  They welcomed us into their home, as we did for them without judgement, even before we were Christians.  They loved us like Jesus says to "love one another as you would love yourself", they mentored us, they counseled us, they encouraged us, they showed us what it means to live a godly life.  God has shown me that through the unwise decision of buying our house, He had an ultimate plan and every time I look back on it, tears spring to my eyes.  We needed them. Sometimes you don't have to look any further than right next door.  

So, I chatted with her yesterday about a variety of God things because it seems that He's always our main topic of conversation and we both love it.  I told her about my dilemma's with regard to all the awesome things going on starting in the fall.  I will be the Historian for PWOC, possibly teaching a PWOC class (if I get selected for that!), doing a Bible in a Year group and then there's also the Precept Revelation study that starts, in addition to my daily devotional, time with husband, kids and friends AND I have to work out and then there's my photography.  I have been on the fence about the Revelation study because 1) Revelation is a daunting book of the Bible and it scares me a little, 2) I have a tendency to get lost in the Precept study I'm doing now...lost in a good way ie. hours of study and 3) time, time, time.  And she said the most amazingly OBVIOUS and simple thing, "I would encourage you to take these opportunities to grow in God and RUN WITH THEM.  You have an incredible opportunity for huge growth with these women encouraging you along the way, nothing that he is asking you to do is difficult to get to.  This could be an amazing season of growth and God has put all of these women in your path for that reason...I firmly believe that."  It dawned on me that this time here with these godly, wise, Christian sisters is fleeting.  I will never be in this position again...we WILL move, they WILL move, it will NEVER be this easy-logistically speaking-to fellowship, serve, worship with sisters in Christ.  Now is my time to build my bedrock which is what I thought I was doing, but I was unwilling to accept the fact that maybe the business side of my photography needed a rest.  It's not defeat...just a different season of life.  God knows what's coming down the line for us, not me...He's put me here specifically to grow in Him to prepare my heart for the times down the road.  

I will always have my camera.  I've built a business once without God, but the next time I will seek His face in every facet of that process and it'll be strong because He is strong and through Him I can do great things, then again maybe I won't, but right now I see that I need to rest in Him, get to know Him so I can prepare my heart, my mind for future endeavors.  Some things I know, but still need to hear them over and over for them to sink in, thanks Brenda for this one, "If you decide to do this, I know for a fact that you won't look back at your time in Naples and regret spending all of that time with God and all of those women He's planted in your life."        

Months and months of fog cleared like that first day of sunshine in Seattle.  

What a glorious thing seeing the Light is...

And just three years and a couple of days from the day we received Christ, God blessed me with clarity from the woman who believed in us all along.  

Clarity is the sweetest thing. 

Grazie mille amici!

Mackenzie

Mt. Vesuvio groupie:-)

As friends sprinkle back to base after summers traveling to the States or adventuring around Europe, the question is asked, "So how was your summer?"  "What did you all do?"  Sean has a pretty tight schedule, so our travel was limited to the holiday weekends and having local fun boating, dining, and touring.  The kids had fun swimming, playing for several hours each day with our quad kids, trying out new sports like volleyball and dodgeball (go ahead..."If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"), taking swim lessons and working on math and writing here and there.  But, for me this summer was different than any other summer I've ever had.  Aside from the fact that we live in Italy and toured bits of Germany and Venice, I spent the majority of my summer getting to know God a little more through various avenues.  But here's a little Germany and Venice first... San Marco A Florian treat with a live orchestra! The famous lions of San Marco Ahhh Germany! Neuschwanstein Castle The Gorgeclose to Garmisch  

My most involved was the 1 Thessalonians Precept study with 4-5 days each week of an hour long study.  You know when someone sees something in you that you don't quite see in yourself, well that is what happened here.  I'll get to that though.  So, Precept, then I had my monthly InTouch publication and daily devotional that did not disappoint, as usual, and I still went to PWOC and had fellowship and discussion with the ladies that inadvertently helped me battle through the rough roads of this transition last fall.  For this post, I want to focus on Precept though.  

I had really no idea what I was getting into with this, but from the encouragement of our fearless instructor (she knew it was right up my alley), I said yes.  Precept is a ministry that "exists to establish people in God's Word."  It is an inductive Bible study that uses "the Bible as it's main source of study to learn about God's word and what the Bible teaches."  Words directly from the precept website, here:  Precept.  But the best part...how do we apply that to our daily lives...that's what counts right?  How we relate to brothers and sisters, those who believe and those who don't, those who see things maybe slightly differently that I do...how do I move forward in love, patience, kindness, joy and not fleshly irritation and pride and...well there's so many I could list.  

I tell you what, it was just what I needed this summer.  We are studying in 1 Thessalonians, five chapters...11 weeks, three weeks left.  Precept gets you deep into God's Word.  We may have been in 1 Thessalonians, but we walked all through the Bible seeking Truth through cross-references and pointed questions.  Our first meeting, I was a little concerned when our instructor handed out a package of colored pencils.  As a means to highlight keywords, the pencils became a wonderful tool.

1 Thessalonians 4I thought it was my most colorful page, I think I found my keyword groove!

We read through this incredible book of the Bible written by my personal favorite apostle, Paul, and God showed me so much more about myself than I thought was possible in just the first six weeks.  God showed me how much my pride tore me down each day, showed me that it's OK to ask him pointed questions when we don't understand something and to be READY for the answer because usually He's going to do some refining, showed me that I have something to offer but don't get proud about it, showed me that the day I die is the first day I will ever be perfect....and all of this is OK.  I just have to accept it all and "excel still more."       

Paul's callThese three words may only be seen twice in the text, but their theme runs rampant throughout the whole book.

If you're ever asked to dive into a Precept study, I would strongly encourage you to at least try...it's fun, eye-opening, a little tough, but soooo worth it!  Oh yeah, and I would also encourage you to start with a short book of the Bible....then COMMIT TO IT.

Grazie mille amici!

Mackenzie

Why do I make it so hard?  A teeny, tiny task has taken me seven years to accomplish.  I feel ashamed, pathetic.  Adin's asked me more than a few times, "why are there no pictures of me in that frame, just pictures of Emma?"  I had no answer, I just said, "We'll do it soon, I'll get a photo of you in there buddy."  A teeny, tiny task...seven years.  It's these characteristics of me that frustrate me, anger me.  I really hope I can turn it around, move toward being a more intentional creation, not one who sits and waits.  But, it's so easy to slide back into the me of the last 34 years.  Just like it's so easy for us to be mad, irritated, sad rather than joyful, forgiving, hopeful.  

As you can see I'm having a day.  I wanted space, peace.  So, while Sean and the kids watched Star Wars, I closed the door to my room and watched Sue Bryce talk about "getting out of my own way."  After that I talked to my mom, cried a little, then looked at this picture frame that has moved to three different homes and has never been updated from the photos given to us...Emma as a baby and Sean and I with her.  Don't get me wrong there are photos of Adin around the home, but what was my deal with this frame?  So, it ended there.  

Three minutes, a couple of misprints, some cutting later, we have a new something to look at.  And I bet you I will be looking at this frame several times throughout the rest of my day.  It may seem like a teeny, tiny task, but for me it's something a bit more than that.

Sometimes accomplishing the smallest tasks can do the most for our habits.

      Ciao amici!

Mackenzie

Life here in Italy passes incredibly quickly...with that said, here is the second to last post about my March trip to Nove, Italy with a couple of crazy ladies...

As I said many, many weeks ago, a voyage to Nove is a right of passage for some wives stationed here in Europe.  When we pulled into the parking lot at VBC Ceramiche, we were so upset to see a tour bus!  On a Friday!  But we persevered, oh yes, we persevered.

VBC makes beautiful ceramics for companies like Tiffany & Co, Pottery Barn, Lennox, Vietri, Arte d'Italia, Williams Sonoma and more I'm sure.  They do beautiful work and there was no lack of choices from elegant to quirky.  When making this 7 hour trek, it has to be made on a Thursday in order to peruse on Friday morning, purchase on Friday afternoon after reposo and shop at more ceramic, copper and pewter, and leather stores on Saturday before leaving.  This is the only way it can be done...make sure husbands know this...;-).  On the weekends, VBC is only opened Saturday mornings.  Since I was shopping with two veterans who knew exactly what they wanted, I had time to just wander and pick up stuff that spoke to me.  This was no easy task though.  I must say I was very excited to see outgoing shipping labels to the Homegoods distribution center in California.  There's hope to find this beautiful dinnerware in the states for less than an arm and a leg! The Vietri collection The Vietri collection

Stacks upon stacks of beautiful ceramics More Vietri

Some of you may know that I have a very unfocused brain for decor.  I love too many colors, shades of colors, designs, flowers, it's virtually impossible for me to settle on something, so I bought a lot of gifts.  It's the year of the ceramic, right?  I ended up with some really fun pieces for us too though.

When I saw this, I knew I was a goner! Then there was this! And this!

Decisions were made, bellies were hungry, and there was no room left on the cart, we called it quits.

These carts are made for weight!

After we made our purchases, the clerk shared the name of a little restaurant, Melegrano (I think):  locals only, beautiful view, up in the mountains.  Check, check and check...sign us up!  We were so happy we ventured to this little place for a delicious lunch.  I had the special which included, the waiter's words not mine, "special chicken."  Which, of course, was pheasant.  They were beautiful, huge ravioli's stuffed with cheese, pheasant and spinach with some kind of smoked cheese grated on top.  Everyone had a beautiful lunch.  And a caffe to revive us for the afternoon of shopping! 

Melegrano

My pheasant raviolies...deliciousness! Stacy's shrimp linguini Diane's white asparagus risotto.

A little pick me up

On our way up we passed by this little church and decided on the way back to stop and check it out.  As we drove up, we noticed cars.  There were two older ladies picking the ruccola and dandelions from the grass.  I got out, did my best to strike up a conversation, talking about how my grandmother would send my father as a boy to pick the dandelions from the yard for salad.  And they told me how the sun at noon shines through the top of the church lighting the cross at the front and how adding ruccola and dandelions to the water increases the iron in it...at least that's what we took from it.  Luckily, one of the ladies spoke English and helped us out.  I asked if I could take their picture and they said no, so Stacy set up to take my photo in front of the church and the one that didn't speak any English, Sister Maria, dashed in to take a photo with me.  And again, I fell in love with Italy.  We said "Grazie!" and drove off to visit some more ceramics stores.

My new friend, Sister Maria

We ventured on to Elios.  Elios makes a lot of funky pieces for Anthropologie and stores like it.  They had some really beautiful ceramics and I happened to stumble upon my beautiful dishes on the discount rack, so it was a score for me!   Anthropologie funkiness With the sun going down and stores closing up, we dashed out after making our purchases to find the copper and pewter lady a friend had told us about.  Luckily she was still open and we had some time to walk around.  Maybe I've never really paid too much attention in the States, but the copper here is awesome and there's a ton of it!  Whenever I see copper, it always reminds me of my mom who liked to make the caramel for our caramel for our caramel corn in one of her copper pots.  There was some kind of chemical reaction that made it so much better, she would say. Copper, copper everywhere...   At this point the Shaggin' Wagon was pretty full, BUT in our defense, stacking these purchasing is not really an option!

Second row...hehe.   That's our story and I'm stickin' to it!  Saving the best for last, hopefully I will get it done before our tour here ends!  At this rate, I just may!!  Stay tuned...but don't hold your breath, but gaze on this beautiful villa while you wait...

Grazie amici!

Mackenzie

Today, Sean left me the car and I was itching to get off base to a market.  I had a delay getting started this morning, finishing up my run and all by 10:30.  I thought about just going to Auchan (a Wal-Mart type store) or going to the Caserta market, one I haven't been to yet, and I was able to find the coordinates.  With no friends to go with me, I set out.  Stopping at the ATM, I thought "Well, if I can't get any Euro for the market" -the machine is down occasionally- "I'll just go to Auchan."  I was able to get some Euro, so I put in the coordinates.  Feeling like seeing something other than the interstate, I hit "Yes" to avoid the toll roads...hehe.  

As I was driving down a somewhat unsavory road close to base, our car started to act funny.  As I pressed on the gas pedal, it wouldn't go.  I swerved over to the opposite side where I could pull off the road, punched the gas a couple of times and it responded.  So, I continued on my adventure.  As I passed through the towns, the landscape became more and more rural.  Apple blossoms, pear blossoms, cherry blossoms, vineyards, olive tree groves, tiny village towns with mountainous backdrops at each turn...incredibly beautiful landscape.  Bright, cheer-y yellow flowers lined the country roads with some new purple one on the verge of popping.  I thought of my mom as I passed an embankment full of white and purple irises.  I was back on the DC Ragnar trail, in the middle of nowhere on a bright sunny day with cotton ball clouds.

 My GPS said my final destination was two minutes away, a mere right turn INTO A BUILDING away.  After a few turns and U turns, I accepted the fact that I wasn't going to find the market and turned around.  But, I decided to drive along this country road a bit more before heading back to support site.  

Once I felt it was time for me to head back-I was only driving for about 40 minutes, friends-I pulled over and input "Home".  Awesome!  I can just continue on straight and there's a right turn ahead.  Only, this right turn was the dirt and rock road you see below, but it connected with a more prominent road.  

I decided "OK, I'll just go."  As I bounced and bumped my way, I had visions of some "people" doing some scary "things" along this dirt road, my tire popping, so many things ran through my brain, and I calmly prayed out, "Jesus, please just get me home safely."

I made it to the paved road and drove home, and passed a shepherd and his flock on the way.  

I thought of going to the Auchan to pick up some food, but thought to just go home because I still had to walk the puppies and get some milk.  I pulled up to base, called Sean and briefly told him I had gone out to find a market and was back to base safely.  I stopped at the commissary for some groceries, decided I didn't want to lug tons of milk up the stairs today and would come back tomorrow for the big trip.

I got into the car...and it wouldn't start.    

PRAISE JESUS!  Praise Jesus that I didn't find that market and get stranded there!  Praise Jesus that I didn't stop at Auchan and get stranded there!  Praise Jesus that He got our trusty Santa Fe and me HOME!  

I broke two of the first rules we are told in AO:  Always tell someone where you're going and take a friend when venturing into new territory.  

Will I answer "Yes" to avoiding tolls in the future, absolutely.  

Will I take a friend with me when I decide to answer "Yes" to avoid tolls...YES!  

Did I find a great new little country road to possibly run on with a friend?  I sure did!  Once we get the car started and fixed.

Note:  I did stop the car for each picture...just never turned it off.  

Parte Seconda...

Diane took the lead in reserving our hotel room because she had a great experience at Hotel Due Mori, and we trusted she knew what she was talking about.  Let me tell you, it was a fabulous hotel.  Placed just inside the wall of Marostica and less than a five minute walk to the city square, it was quiet, quaint and convenient.  Getting there is another story though, as is always the case when driving in Italy.  

We arrived after dark.  We approached the wall which had a sign that appeared to symbolize "do not enter".  This confused Diane as this was exactly how she went in the first time she visited the city.  So Stacy continued on with Diane saying "It's just right up there on the corner, I can see it."  After seven hours in the car, yeah...the easiest way to get from point A to point B was all we wanted.  We did notice people looking at us, but we just continued on, we were committed now.  As we drove past the front of the hotel, barely scraping by, Diane hops out to get the desk manager, Alberto.  He says, "Yes, that's a one way and you're going the wrong way."  We just laugh not knowing that wasn't the end of the driving adventure.  Stacy attempts to make this TIGHT turn down the street to the parking lot, I think that one ends up being about a three point turn.  But this next turn took the cake as the most insane turn; two inches forward, two inches backward...WATCH THE POLES!  Two inches forward, two inches backward...DON'T BOTTOM OUT!  Two inches forward, two back...CRAP, THERE'S A CAR COMING!  This went on for it seemed like ten minutes.  Probably a lifetime for Stacy who afterward said "I am NOT pulling into that parking lot again."  And as she completed the ordeal and put the car in park, Alberto says to her, "Congratulations, you did it."  During the escapade, his face was the funniest though it just read, "There is no way she's getting that behemoth in here."

Not the entrance we went in, but as you can see not the best place for a minivan... Hotel due Mori on the left, it looks wider than it actually is.

We check in, get all the info on restaurants, Alberto makes us a reservation for the following night at Osteria Madonnetta, a restaurant Hemingway frequented,  and we make our way up.  It is a beautiful hotel with table with various loose teas at the front door in the evenings, a glorious breakfast spread with meats, cheeses, honey, yogurts, beautiful bread, lots of good food, and a small but divine room with wooden beams, beautiful curtains and luxuriously hot water (we don't get really hot water here, at least not in our apartment).

Two wordsWood beams Tea for all!

After a much needed bottle of vino rosso, we head out for some eats.  Diane tells us about a festival Marostica has every two years in the summer where they play a living chess game with real people and horses in costume in front of the castle, complete with fireworks as the finale.  Researching a little more about the event, it has an interesting story behind it.  All of the intrigue we so love:  two suitors, one royal girl, and a high octane chess duel, click to read more.  Anything for a festival, I love the fun traditions here!

The castle

  We walked the courtyard and found a small osteria named L'Angelo e Il Diavolo.  Diane had dined at this one before and was raving about the pumpkin, pear, ricotta ravioli she had.  We were seated very quickly, it was Thursday though.  The restaurant was wall to wall pictures, various knick knacks, and copper kettles, to say there was a lot to look at is a gross understatement.  Both Stacy and Diane ordered the pear ravioli and I, the pizza girl, ordered the Greco pizza.  Feta, olives on an Italian pizza?  How can a girl go wrong?  That is if I miss the part that reads acciuga (anchovy), then it can go wrong.  It was fishy, but not too bad, no I take that back...it was fishy even after I picked them off.  But I still ate it with lots of red wine. Pumpkin, pear, ricotta ravioli...Mamma mia!  

Have to remember the Italian word for anchovies!

Once out the door, I felt the urge to go back inside and talk to the owner (something this introvert rarely does).  So, I did.  I asked him about the NYC marathon Bib I saw and if he was the photographer of tutto le foto.  He said, "Si, si, si."  There must have been something lost in my translation as he posed himself for a picture as I pointed to my camera.  He was very charming and even gave me a disk of his music, a musician too?  These Italians are multifaceted.  

He seemed always ready to have a picture taken.

 After the excitement of our day, we headed back to the hotel to get some much needed beauty rest in preparation for our ceramic adventure in the morning.  But here's a few more from our walk back to the hotel.

Have you ever seen pasta look so designed? I'm a fan of swanky lighting and lights. Grazie amici!!

Mackenzie 

What do you get when you cross three friends, a seven hour car ride in the "shaggin' wagon", a day and a half of ceramic shopping in northern Italy and an American classic rock cover band in a small walled town named Marostica?  Sixty hours of laughing so hard you could say we were guffawing, three American girls singing Country Roads, Ring of Fire and Friend's in Low Places at the TOP of their lungs and too many "good games" to even count.  Welcome to a new theme entitled "Born to Be Wild-Northern Italy".  I learned so much on this trip and was asked by more than a couple of ladies upon returning, "Tell me everything!"  I knew I needed to write about this experience...additionally we had such an awesome time, I never want to forget it!  

Traveling to Nove is somewhat of a right of passage for ladies stationed in Europe.  It's important to go with someone who has already experienced the ceramic insanity to help you to remain calm.  I do remember looking to my friends and asking them in a terrified whisper, "Why did you bring me here?"  It is overwhelming.  The ceramics are beautiful, good quality and amazingly priced.  More on that later.  

We left right on time Thursday morning to which Diane quipped "It just goes to show that our husbands and kids make us late."  Much snickering ensued.  Nove is situated between Milano and Venezia, so it takes about seven hours from Naples.  At the halfway point in Siena, there is this junk man of sorts, Aldo Sestini and his store Sestini e Corti (S&C).  

Benvenuti Sestini e Corti

Now, my friend, Stacy, made this trip before with two of her friends before they moved back to the States.  They stopped at S&C and were invited down into their makeshift cantina for a small lunch, in exchange for many cheek kisses.  Stacy has recounted this story to many people, so Diane and I were excited for this possibility again.  I must explain that Stacy has a way with people...they just remember her, especially the older Italian gentlemen (it could be the blond hair and warm smile).  

We exit the Autostrada, eager for the opportunity to stretch our legs and see the magnificence and artistry of S&C.  And maybe get a lunch out of it.  Stacy and Diane both have been to S&C, and they weren't lying when they said the reconstructed items are truly amazing and it's just fun to get lost in the store.  At first we don't see Aldo, just who we later find out to be his sister.  As we wander around more, in he walks.  I exchange pleasantries with him, "buongiorno's" all around and then he sees Stacy and immediately remembers her.  (Yesssss!)  I hear him ask her, "Picolo pronzo?"  She looks to me and I say "Si, si, si!  He's saying small lunch!  Yes!"  So we find ourselves down in the wine cellar or what Aldo calls his "picolo ristorante".

He was quite cute and so excited to feed us.  As you walk down the stairs you are confronted with more beautiful restorations and antiques...wine racks made from some large piece of wood, demijohns in wicker baskets, antique wine barrels.  

Down into the depths

Turn left and you see this...

Piccolo ristorante davvero (indeed)!

He has a table set for us with salsiccia (sausage) that he's cut from the ceiling of his picolo ristorante, pancetta, pecorino cheese, asiago cheese, fresh walnuts, marmellata di arance (orange marmalade), bread and of course the vino rosso.  He joyfully serves us and we three ladies soon realize that together we are fluent in Italian!  OK, maybe not fluent but three heads are better than one, especially after a cup of Italian red!  We tell Aldo "Siamo tre matte!  We are three crazy ladies!"(a phrase I've learned in this awesome book I'm reading...more later) and he chuckles and says something about wine helping with the crazy.  He continues to place cheese and sausage on our plates until we tell him "Basta, basta! Enough!  Enough!"  But the wine continues to flow.  We take some pictures, enjoy vino piu bianco (more white wine) and Aldo smiles at each one of us and exclaims "Sono contente, I am content" as he takes another swig of wine.  His smile is infectious and his words sincere even if only to get more cheek kisses, we linger in this time and place trying our best to soak it in.

Tre matte e Aldo

As we make our preparations to leave, Aldo asks "Caffe?"  We say "Si!" and he hops on his bicycle and pedals out of the driveway and down the hill to the caffeteria, coffee shop.  It ranks pretty high up there with the most endearing acts I've ever seen, he must have liked us as I don't think he wanted us to leave and we were even cutting into his reposo time!  He arrives some minutes later with three caffes strapped to the back of his bike, very excited with himself and his mad caffe hauling skills.

Aldo on his bicycle off to the caffeteria.

We enjoy and Diane makes her purchase, a gorgeous wine barrel slat candle holder for the mantle or dining table...truly a work of art and excellent craftsmanship.  As we make our way to the car, he is coming along and says for us to drive down to the end of the driveway, he wants to show us something.  We stop and see the Lago de le capre, Lake of the goats.  They have goats!  AND baby goats!   And Aldo continues to smile, while I continue to pinch myself.  We drive back up the hill to drop him off, hugs, cheek kisses (I think an extra one for Stacy) and a buona giornata.  We drive away.  

I am in awe of this experience.  I still can't believe it.  I am so thankful these two ladies invited me along for this girls weekend, it is one I won't soon forget.  No worries, I will document the rest of the details if only for the three of us to remember, laugh at and enjoy.  Here's a few more from our two hour layover at Sestini e Corti. I'm digging short, squatty demijohn. Terra cotta...OH MY!

Finito!

That's one HUGE bellows! I see something new in this photo every time I look at it. Two great travel buddies.Sitting on a piece of outdoor furniture I would love to own!

Buona giornata amici!!

Mackenzie

So, as I was running around my house one day, something caught my eye.  

A few weeks earlier my friend gave me this rock and on it she painted "Bloom where you are planted".  I thought it was sweet and very thoughtful, but my mind was too clouded for those words to really sink in.   This day the words really hit me.  It was sitting on my desk which was buried 4 inches deep in papers and it was like a beacon..."Bloom where you are planted".  "Bloom where you are planted."  The military is going to move us...that's a guarantee.  It's going to be tough...that's a guarantee.  Each time it is up to me to be creative in how I run my business, or at this point not really run my business by myself.  Each time I get an amazing opportunity to make new portraits of new families, capture that once in a lifetime moment, meet new people who all have a story to tell.  And it hit me...it's my responsibility to bloom wherever I am.  If we had stayed in Waldorf, I may not have realized this, I would be creating photos and be very busy (which I truly loved), but I wouldn't have seen the need for growth in myself.  I would have been too busy with running through life portrait to portrait, wedding to wedding, and I wouldn't have taken this opportunity to cultivate my craft and build my photography knowledge and see the changes I NEED to make in order to run a successful business, and here's the key words, into the future.  I have this incredible opportunity to really grow myself, to truly develop the skill set to be a successful entrepreneur...I want that.  I want to be successful, I want to be a strong business that can reach communities "Neer and Far".  

I realized we all need to "bloom where we are planted".  Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, make the most of it whether that means taking a break and traveling, making a change to your day, reaching out to your community, volunteering somewhere new...just do it.  I've come to the conclusion that after nine years of being a stay at home mom, breaking out into the "work force" is going to be very challenging for me.  Being a stay at home mom didn't feel like work, in hindsight, it was what God called me to do in order to keep my life stable.  I won't say I liked every minute of it, but in looking back I loved 100% of it and would do it over again.  This...this finding what I want to do or if I should be doing what I'm doing...that's hard.  I was talking to a friend, a very wise friend, about this struggle I am having that whether photography is something that God wants me to do or how to glorify Him in it, leaving the wheels in my brain just spinning like tires on an icy road.  She told me that he calls us to do "an excellent work" no matter what we are doing.  To work with integrity, kindness, love, perseverance with Him at the center...it could be my photography, but it's mostly how I interact with my clients...that's where I can really make Him shine through. Even when it feels like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.        With God at the center of my life, my top priorities are my family and meeting their daily needs...that's just a fact.  I am seeing my weaknesses and my strengths, I am hating my weaknesses right now.  I told my husband last night, "I wish I had a teeny tiny bit of a type A personality."  I feel so far from type A, I should just be on a different alphabet.  Maybe a number!  This is what i'm struggling with lately.  I know, I know I really need to embrace Mackenzie and if I need to make changes then quit being a baby a make them little by little.  

All I can say is I'll try.  And remind myself that I am never alone, I just need to look upward and outward because you never know there may be someone right next to me with the same struggles.

Ciao amici!

Mackenzie

I follow a few photographers via social media outlets, but there's only two that I really take the time to read their blogs, look through their websites, watch their tutorials and videos.  They are Sue Bryce and Jasmine Star.  Each, in her own unique way, has the ability to encourage, push, and excite me about photography.  Last week Jasmine Star's new website went live, so I found myself clicking around it.  I stumbled upon her magazine she published last year.  Basically, it lays out how she started her amazingly successful business and her philosophy on 165 glossy pages.  I further found the blog that explains how that magazine came to fruition.  She made a pact with a friend to write 750 words a day for 31 days.  She simply wrote what was swimming around in her head; dreams, to do's, lessons learned, frustrations, mistakes, successes...everything and anything.  I thought, "Could I do that?  Could I commit to that for 31 days?  It doesn't seem like much, but I don't want to fail...start something and yet again, not finish it."  I think writing every day would be great for me, maybe it would clear all the noise in my head and that may help me to focus better on whatever the task at hand is.  Or sweep out the clutter in my brain to reveal  space for something...anything else!  There are only two times a day when my mind goes blank, when I'm sleeping and when I'm praying aloud or reading my Bible aloud.  Maybe it's weird that I pray aloud to myself, but if I try silently I find my mind drifting to my task list or dinner ideas...you get the picture.  If often looks like this... A mess...with one bright shiny thought in the center.  

So, with that floating in my mind, I turned to my devotional for last Friday out of the, you guessed it...InTouch magazine.  Charles Stanley sites Ephesians 5:15-17 (a verse underlined in my Bible and written on a notecard, taped to my mirror.) "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."  In the commentary, he states various ways to "be a good steward of this fleeting gift".  The one that hit me the most was the last, "Writing a mission statement for your life.  As the Creator, God knows the plans He has for you.  So ask about His desires, and then take the time to summarize how you intend to use the remainder of your earthly days.  If you stick to the plan God has helped you set, you will find that your time will be invested rather than simply spent."  

My time will be invested rather than simply spent.  I need to be a better steward of my time, I go through my days thinking I have all the time in the world, yet some days dishes sit until the end of the day, laundry doesn't get done, dinner is thrown together haphazardly (which sometimes turns out amazing!).  And I can't tell you what I did....sad, but true.  I'm not saying that everyday has to be EPIC, LEGENDARY, I would just like everyday to be productive for my family, for my future, for my walk with Christ.  

I am terrified of committing to 750 words a day because I'm terrified of letting myself down, failing myself.  But, I think it would be an awesome experience for me, something to help me clear out my brain clutter.  And there's no limits, just write 750 words a day.  750 words of what's happening.  750 words of learning to write better.  750 words about my God and His Word.  750 words to my dear husband.  750 words to both Emma and Adin.  750 words to write to my parents and sisters and friends.  750 words of reminiscing, dreaming, planning.  750 words in Italian...now that would be something, let's not go too far.    

So, I'm asking for your help...please keep me accountable.  After discussing with a friend, she had the great idea to write until I go on my spring retreat with my Bible study ladies from PWOC (Protestant Women of the Church) on March 21.  So starting today, that's 40 days, so there's my challenge...40 days of 750 words a day with my reward of my spring retreat at the end.  I will not blog everyday, still just once a week at least, but I'm allowing that to be organic as well.  If there's something I want to share...I will.  And I would like to encourage you, if you are feeling stuck or too noisy in your head, keep your eyes and ears open for God to light up a path to help you out.

I think I can......and you can too!

Now to fold laundry and help out with Valentine's.  :-)

Ciao amici!

Mackenzie 

My New York Institute of Photography Unit Three has commenced.  The second lesson discussed artificial lighting was pretty eye opening.  During we were told to stop what we were reading, find some flood lights and practice some techniques using solely artificial lighting.  Being in Italy with limited storage space, as well as being a totally organizationally challenged individual, I left my flood lights in the States thinking I wasn't going to have any space to store them here...bummer.  So, I looked to people I know here who may have some sort of lighting kit.  Thankfully, I attend a Bible study with a photographer's wife and have met him once at a Christmas party where he was doing the formal pictures.  Additionally, he is tremendously giving and generous with his photography knowledge and equipment.  It's great to be in the company of passionate photographers who break creative rules and stretch their artistry...I hope some will rub off on me!  

Onto what I learned about artificial lighting.  It was a lot of things I know, but have never practiced.  I rarely use my reflector and really dislike the artificial look of flash, but I think that is because I don't know how to use it properly.  What I learned, then practiced in this lesson was how to CREATE shadows and enhance the shape, texture and translucence of subjects.  Now, the old procrastinator Mackenzie would have said, "Oh yeah, I'll get to that at the end of the lesson or the end of the Unit when I'm doing my photo project."  Trying to change my ways, I finished the lesson and said I won't go on until I've actually practiced these new techniques, and I have to say...IT WAS FUN!  I have never set up a light kit, let alone played with lighting to see how the shadows move or how slight adjustments can change the entire essence of a pear :-).  

We were assigned to photograph an object to show it's shape, another to show it's texture and a translucent liquid to shine light through it without actually lighting the liquid from behind.  We were encouraged to start with one light, then add another to fill in the shadows, use our reflector to bounce light, move the lights from 45 degrees to 90 degrees in relation to the subject, block light, or feather, using a piece of cardboard.  You know...it's quite amazing what a simple piece of cardboard can do!  

Now, these pictures are not all that interesting, but it's an exercise to possibly make some future photos amazing.  My favorite is the wine glass...which is yours?  Hover over the photo to get an idea of where my light is coming from.

Lighting an object to emphasize it's shape.

Pear45 degree side-lighting, one main light. I do see some spillage from where I didn't close the shudder in the kitchen. Pear 245 degree main light with reflector bouncing light onto shaded side.

Lighting to show texture and feathering the light off the back.

Bread45 degree main light Bread 245 degree main light with a piece of cardboard feathering light to add dimension

Lighting a translucent liquid without actually shining the through the glass...these were really fun.

Vino bianco90 degree main light with a piece of cardboard blocking some of the background. Vino bianco 2Main light straight on with a piece of cardboard under the light blocking it from shining directly onto the glass. The light bounced off the white paper and eliminated the glare which would be quite distracting.

Now to experiment with some bubbly liquids!

Grazie mille amici!

Mackenzie

This week was trying for me for a variety of reasons.  Up and down and round and round...menopause will not come lightly for me, I can see it already.  So, this Saturday morning as I listen to the Ray Lamontagna Pandora station, I find myself downing Advil to help ease the pains of being a woman, cleaning up a huge pile of vomit from my 3 year old dog who on Thursday ate my wallet while I was having a grand time sloshing through puddles in the rain at the Posilipo market and having a delicious cappuccino with a couple of friends.  Thankfully she only ate ALL of the leather, but none of the contents.  American dollars must not taste that good to her; coins either.  

I'm staring at my Christmas tree that just hasn't been taken down yet, mostly because I truly enjoy the twinkle lights in the evenings-the plastic wrap solution is looking pretty good now.   I've fallen off my course work bandwagon this past week and it bothers me, yet I've had a nice week.  I've lost my schedule, due to what I can't say.  I took my camera last weekend to Gaeta, yet before that hadn't picked it up since we got back from Paris.  There in lies my problem.  It's hard to carry my camera around when I'm constantly worried about pickpockets and being so focused on getting a shot, that I don't realize someone's hand in my purse.  All thoughts I conjure in my active imagination.  

Spring is approaching and I have no portraits on my calendar which is OK, but so different from the previous five years.  I am not marketing at all here because I know that I need to focus on perfecting my skill, but I can't do that if I am not picking up my camera or if I'm up to my eyeballs in portraits.  My brain can hardly focus on getting a load of laundry done without thinking about a story, a blog post, what I learned in my devotional, am I following God's path for me, this image or that image popping into my head.  I see others creating amazing photos and I don't compare myself, I just appreciate their ability to see beautiful photos before they take them and to make the photos in their mind become a reality.  

Do I have a solution for myself today, no, I do know this too shall pass.  But as I listen to Adele croon on my phone, watch my Emma bear paint with her watercolors, feel the sun shining through my windows, listen to Adin's sound effects while he plays with his Legos, rub IcyHot on my poor husband's neck because he drove a computer for 12 hours yesterday; I feel joy, content, love, hope.  Three years ago, this would not have been the case, but today through God's grace and love...it is.  Just wanted to share in case anyone else was having this kind of week...you're not alone.

So, since there's no real theme to this blog just some ramblings, here's some pretty things to look at...flowers always make my brain happy like eating a big bowl of pasta is like giving my belly a big hug.

Found while walking around Montagna Spaccata, I love the life that can spring forth out of rock. Lily of the Valley at our house in Maryland. Transported from my mother's garden in Ohio and her favorite flower.

           The cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin at sunrise are definitely a site to see. Just this morning realized I have a monument in this picture...can you find it? Pretty.

Grazie amici!

Mackenzie

I just completed my Unit 2 photo project, uploaded and submitted.  The unit was a bit heavy with things I felt I didn't need to know, but as I made my way through the lesson on Developing Black and White Film, followed up with a lesson on Scanners (really?), I learned quite a bit.  If anything it gave me another approach to really understanding proper exposure and what that looks like, microscopically, on a negative.  That's why I'm doing this right?  In order to become a professional in this industry, I need to know the ins and outs of these incredible machines.  How proper exposure was achieved before the reflective light meter, how Ansel Adams developed such impressive masterpieces in the darkroom, how to read a negative and be able to determine if it was overexposed, underexposed or properly exposed.  Even if I may not use them daily it is still important for me to understand what reciprocity failure, neutral range density, developers, fixers, ppi, bpi, RGB, CMYK, TWAIN all mean.  Just to name a few :-).

One piece of information though really struck me.  I have always felt that my landscapes left something to be desired.  I'd make an image and when I would check it out, I always felt like I didn't do it justice.  The camera didn't pick up exactly what my eye caught.  It didn't pick up the details in the shadows as well as the details in the highlights.  Now I know that the human eye is more sophisticated than film or the latest digital sensor, but I never really knew how much more sophisticated it was...until I read about Exposure Latitude-the range of light intensities from brightest bright to darkest dark that the sensor can capture.  There are a lot of numbers, terminology and details that go into this explanation, so I won't go into that...I'll just cut to the chase.  Black and white film has a latitude of about 500 (equivalent to 9 stops f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, etc).  Pretty good, that means the lightest light is 500 times brighter than the darkest dark.  Take a guess as to the exposure latitude of the human eye...go on guess...think about that for a bit...

50,000 (equivalent to 15 stops)!!!!  

The eye can see the brightest light that is 50,000 times brighter than the darkest dark.  WHAT?!?!?  Incredible!  I've always known the human eye to be an incredible and beautiful organ, but that just is mind boggling!  God truly is an amazing Creator!  

So, as I move on to Unit 3 I am looking forward to more nuggets of information and new tricks of the trade.  As I increase my technical knowledge of photography, my creative side can take over and soar...at least I hope!  

Here are my photo project pictures all emphasizing the subject through various compositional techniques:  size and off center placement, framing, and leading lines. Gargoyles in the mistI love the Eiffel Tour so faint in the back. Guests at the LouvreA good example of the limitations of the exposure latitude of the sensors, my eye picked up so many more details in the shadows, but my goal was to retain detail in the pyramid...I had to make a choice. Champs Elysees Ferris WheelUsing leading lines to draw the eye in to the subject. What I really love are the very faint details in the shadows, the outlines of the windows...I can feel it. I am there all over again. Grazie mille!!!  

Ciao amici!

Mackenzie 

It's Saturday and my husband is at work and it's raining and we have no car.  I partly accomplished one goal I had for the day, so I picked up my InTouch issue to read an article.  Every month, I read it cover to cover and every month is strikes a chord, any chord for me.  Telling stories of families who've overcome the odds with grace and love, telling stories of forgiveness towards those who've sinned against them, encouraging me to dive deeper into the Bible everyday.  I'll be honest, it's not everyday I do this, but I'm a work in progress and am trying to do better.  

So, I read my article (I like to only read one a day to sort of let the awesomeness that is "InTouch" keep me waiting in suspense throughout the month).  I went on to see what the rest were about.  The one I quote below was amazing to me and it's just the first page...the INTRO!  I've written about how I've always compared myself to others, not being able to do what they do, not having the abilities they do, blahblahblah, and not having the courage to just be myself...you can read it here.  Shockingly, I quote Charles Stanley.

Beautifully written by John Ortberg in the January 2014 issue of InTouch magazine, if you want to read the whole article, click here.

"When your life ends, the Lord will not ask you why you weren't Moses or David or Esther or even Charles Stanley.  If you don't pursue that life for which God created you, He will ask you why you weren't you. God designed us to delight in the lives He's given us.  When I am growing toward the me I'm meant to be, I am being freed from the me I pretend to be.  I no longer try to convince people I'm important while secretly fearing I am not."

Well I'll be darned... grow toward the me I'm meant to be.

I need to be comfortable doing the work that He wants me to because this life is not about me, it's about Him.  I've always called myself a "late bloomer" and it's OK...I see that now.  These are things that most people know and are comfortable with in themselves, but I feel that if I'm struggling with something, quite possibly there is someone else who may be too.  Sharing stories and perspectives is how we grow and learn.

 How many Pinterest boards are out there that say, "it's not about the destination, but about the journey."  As long as I have done the work to be the me He created me to be in the end...I'm perfect.

He didn't make us to be cookie cutters, how boring.  He's an amazing Creator, an exciting Creator, He made us to be wonderful, if we allow it.

 "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well."  

Psalm 139:14  

You could say procrastination is my middle name.  A name handed down by my father who my stepmom says is the king of "why do today, what I can put off until tomorrow?"  I do this.  I allow duties to hang over my head or ideas to go unfulfilled until they are lost from my brain forever.  Among my many flaws, another is focus...or lack there of.  In this, I am like my mother who will be, for example, mopping the floor when she remembers that she needed to put a load in the dryer, so she goes to do that.  She will then see that she has not made her bed yet, so she does that.  On her way back downstairs, she'll see that her pictures on the wall need to be straightened and dusted.  After straightening and dusting, she will notice her grandmother's silver needs a good polishing, she will take that into the kitchen to begin the process and see that she never finished mopping.  It's a vicious cycle--one I am guilty of at least once a week--of very similar a popular children's book that I've read 100's of times, "If You Give a Mouse A Cookie".  In addition to these, I am the recipient of some very good genes from my mother and father...strong work ethic (when I'm not procrastinating or faced with a bathroom to clean), dry sense of humor, creativity, passion in my convictions, level-headedness and calm, strong legs and awesome curls.  

So, knowing all that...going against every procrastination and inefficient multitasking gene in my body...I am looking to make some changes in 2014.  

In January of 2012, I started The Complete Course in Professional Photography...this year I finish it.

I've wanted to do one blog a week (let's start slowly folks)...this year I do it.

I've always wanted to be on time with birthday cards to family and friends...this year I'll do it.

I have a lot of ideas that never come to fruition or are often lost from my brain because I don't write them down and say "Oh I'll remember that!"  HA...this year I will write down my ideas.

This year I want to develop my photography skills and knowledge, enhance my business knowledge and begin the process of developing a plan for my business to thrive so when we return to the States in 2016, I can hit the ground running.  You may think "She's got plenty of time to do that!"  And there lies my procrastination, if these last six months have shown me anything, it's that time here will pass by in the blink of an eye.  

So, with all of that swirling in my brain, January 3rd, I sat down to do my devotional from the January issue of InTouch magazine from Charles Stanley.  The title "A Balanced Schedule".  He points us to Ephesians 5:15-17 "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."  He goes on to elaborate "...seconds are precious because they are a creation and a gift of God.  How we use even these small time increments makes a difference...we must consider how we spend not just years, months and days, but even minutes and seconds.  And the time to decide is now, before any more of your life passes by."  

My time to buckle down and do some work is now, and I pray that I can keep my eyes trained to my God to help me see what He wants me to do and to glorify Him all the way through to His Son's birthday celebration next December.   

As I look back on 2013, it was a year of great adventure and change.  I look forward to 2014 and see lots of adventure still, but also growth in many facets of my being. Company DanzanteWhat a fun way to spend a winter's night! Quick trip to the city.

Game onMorning sunlight + Headbanz Egg roll New Orleans New Orleans New Orleans Family time. Cherry Blossoms at the Tidal Basin Almost there! BFF's Over the ocean we go First day of school!! Florence Never leave home without him

As you will see from our clothing, this grape stomping occurred several weeks ago.  I am behind in the blogging of my personal adventures here in Italy with Sean and the kids, but I really think the days fly by faster than they did in the states.  It's that or I have gotten worse in my time management, I think it may be the latter.  

Nevertheless, I bought tickets through the USO for us to go on this grape stomping, wine tasting and lunch at Cantina del Vesuvio.  Picture this:  grape vines full of luscious purple and green grapes streaming along at the base of Vesuvio,

a small white house with the rustic ambiance and warmth of a farmhouse served as our restaurant,

steaming bowls of spaghetti,sun-ripened cherry tomatoes and homemade olive oil with a slightly smokey taste due to the volcanic ash in the soil, 

and of course, the wine...the Italians know how to make some wine.  

To say it was a nice outing is an understatement.

We began by meeting the owner and host of our event, Maurizio Russo.  He then led us to the area to be harvested.  We filled three bins for stomping.  We then carried them over to the stomping station and barrel while getting a bit of knowledge on their modern method of crushing the grapes.  Lines were formed, shoes removed, feet rinsed, grapes were stomped, photos were taken.  By the time we got to the barrel, it was slightly disgusting and very crushed.  I think Adin felt a bit sick and didn't really like the feeling...which was understandable.

After cleaning up, we found a table for lunch on the patio and learned the history of Cantina del Vesuvio.  Maurizio's father opened the winery in 1951, working day and night, using a horse-drawn carriage to deliver wine to restaurants.  Maurizio spent many years apprenticing under his father, learning everything about the business and the craft.  Skip ahead to 2000 and Maurizio decides to open up the winery for wine tastings.  With its beautiful view of the Bay of Naples and Capri in addition to it's incredible location at the foot of a volcano, it would be a great spot for tourists and locals to have an all around experience.  Maurizio changed his focus from high quantity to higher quality and a more memorable experience for the visitor.  Now, you can only purchase his wines and olive oils by making a visit to the cantina.  

For lunch he presented us with an antipasti of bruschetta with tomatoes from their garden, cheese, salami and bread drizzled with their olive oil.

Then a steaming bowl of the most delicious spaghetti I have ever tasted, most likely it was the volcanic ash from the tomatoes combined with perfectly cooked al dente pasta.  I'm beginning to love the crunch of pasta!  

We also tried four wines, I can't remember exactly what we tried, but I do know we tried two reds, a white and a sparkling rose.  He has four wines that are named Lacryma di Christi, Tears of Christ, a brand for a specific type of Neapolitan wine made from the grapes grown on the slopes of Vesuvio in the Campania region of Italy.  The name comes from the story that after Lucifer's fall from heaven, "Christ cried his tears on the land and gave divine inspiration to the vines that grow there."  (wiki source), there's also the story that Christ looked upon the Campania region and cried from it's beauty.  (I'm not sure which is correct.)  The land is extremely fertile with several villages and vineyards poking out of the slopes.  Maurizio explained to us that he uses no chemicals or fertilizers on his land, it is completely organic.

After the lunch we had time to wander around inside and out, make our purchases of wine and olive oil, and just enjoy the quiet countryside of Trecase.  Here's a few more from our time.

Buona giornata amici!

Mackenzie

I met Meghan and Josh at the first command event we attended here in Italy.  They are warm, friendly, very intelligent and go-getters.  Since they've gotten to Italy, they've spent some time apart as Josh has flown back to the States for work a few times for a week or more each trip.  She contacted me to photograph them for their anniversary of their first year of marriage, and I jumped at the chance!  Through our correspondence and reading their wedding blog, I learned more about them as individuals and as a couple.  For example, they both are adventurers.  They met during a semester study abroad in Scotland, coincidentally bumping into each other on the bus and became fast friends and travel buddies; and as you can see, the rest is history.

Via Toledo: Quiet among the bustle

They arrived in Italy about the same time we did, and they haven't sat still yet.  I had a wonderful time grabbing a pastry and caffe along Via San Carlo, soaking up the drizzle and dodging Vespas and Fiats with you two!!  

Enjoy! I promise, this is not a backdrop.     

There's always some kind of street performer in Galleria Umberto.

Among the columns at Piazza Plebiscito.

Castel Nuovo It's always when I'm about to wrap up, that I turn a corner and find a fun little spot. This is a sculpture garden of horses, coming out of a concrete hill of sorts. I should have taken a full view for perspective. It was interesting.

Buona giornata amici!

Mackenzie

I first met Laura at PWOC (Protestant Women of the Church) here in Naples.  It is a weekly Bible study and I have to say it's really been an amazing experience for me thus far.  I don't know how we got to the point of hugging, I guess it just happened naturally :-).  Her and her husband have two beautiful children who Laura said the youngest didn't really like having his picture taken and rarely smiled for photos.  So, I was ready with jokes, ideas to make the session more entertaining, poses that would be more fun for him.  Additionally, I was ready to make it the most efficient and fast family portrait I've ever done so as not to lose his interest in the process. This is what her sweet son brought for me...

I don't know if his smile can get any bigger!

It was so much fun photographing them in their Chargers jerseys on the Naples Wildcats football field.  Enjoy a glimpse into the Tran family's love.

So cute, aren't they? We're #1!

We, the Roska family and I, left base at 8:45am to head to Pozzuoli for their family portrait, the rain looked like it may hold off for us, but after making a wrong turn, it wasn't hanging on for more than a few seconds longer.  Once we determined that we would need to get to the amphitheater so we could use the underground tunnels as shelter for their portrait, it started to pour.  Big, pelting rain drops.  

Having the Roska's as my first big family portrait was a huge blessing.  They are the most gracious, loving, patient family.  Having to do their portrait underground in the darkness was a new challenge and they were very patient with me as I worked through those challenges.  We dodged mud puddles, two inch deep mud, slippery marble ruins, rain drops all the while embracing the time we were spending together in this beautiful structure and staring in awe at the amazingness of it.

A brief history lesson on the Flavian Amphitheater, or Anfiteatro Flavio.  It is one of the oldest amphitheaters in Italy, built from AD 69-79.  During the persecutions of Diocletian, Roman emperor from 284-305, "it was the site of martyrdom for many a Christian." (site).  Like the Capua amphitheater from my previous post (here) you are free to wander the underground tunnels where they would house the animals for the matches and often the gladiators too.  This amphitheater is the third largest in Italy, second to the Coliseum and Capua.

Enjoy the pictures from this beautiful family, I know I had a wonderful time creating a few portraits for them!

Super cute Bella The darkness added a little bit of drama to the pictures with the intense shadows...I like shadows and really love the moodiness of this one. Sweet MaileMaile is their precious 15 year old lab. DanielHis smile is so big and genuine, it's hard for him to keep his eyes open when he does. Bring on the sun!A ray of light underground! JuliannaBeautiful inside and out. I am so in love with this photo of her...why fight it just embrace the rain! GarrettThe funny guy of the family A little balancing act The two that make it all happen. Such a wonderful, Godly couple. Thank you so much, Roska's, for a great morning in the rain!

Ciao amiche!

Mackenzie 

I walked into my new friend, Elizabeth's, apartment and felt like I was walking onto someone's Pinterest board.  I asked her if everything she did was from her own (amazing) creativity or if she was a Pinterest addict like myself.  She said it was all from her brain and she's not even a member of the site.  It was beautiful, organized and I knew I needed to keep her around to help me figure out the chaos that I call my home.  So, I was ecstatic when she said that we could photograph her very beautiful baby boy, Jonah, for his first birthday in their apartment.  (And maybe many more portraits after that, Elizabeth, can I use your home for a studio?  Lol...just kidding!)  

I haven't photographed a one year old in a long while, so I forgot how hard it is to catch them.  There was one photo we wanted of Jonah standing next to a number one we made out of blocks, all I have is that ONE picture it went a little like this...

Me:  Ok, I'm ready...put him down!

Elizabeth:  You sure?

Me:  Yep!

She puts him down, jumps out of the way and the shutter opens and closes at 1/500th, Jonah is on his bottom...All in less than 5 seconds!

He's such a great baby though...a lot of smiles for Mommy and a fun morning spent with half of the Kipp family.  Enjoy their photos!

He needed a break from modeling. Can you say "baby blues"???

Ciao Amiche!!

Mackenzie

I learned something new a few weeks ago, the Brenizer method.  An awesome wedding photographer, Ryan Brenizer, developed this method of taking a series of photos of the same exact subject, setting, pose and merging the photos in Photoshop to have a photo that looks like it came from a very expensive lens.  I do not have a full frame camera, what this means is that when I put a 50mm lens on my camera body it's really closer to an 85mm lens because it has a crop sensor in it.  Although my 50mm has a f/1.8, wide angle, 85mm is not.  It is possible, with this method to get the look of having a lens with an aperture as low as 0.5 or 0.8, a nonexistent lens...INCREDIBLE!  This does a few things for me: 1) A new technique to add to my arsenal, 2) get the look of a $1500-2500 lens without actually purchasing the $1500-2500 lens, 3) becoming more friendly with photoshop as we have a love-hate relationship.  

So, I asked my new friend, Tami, if she would mind being a subject for me today as I attempted to give this technique a whirl.  Similar to taking a panoramic picture and merging them together in a program, I took about 15 shots and used 10 of those to merge together in Photoshop.  I virtually did nothing, fixed the exposure of all of the shots I wanted to use, and selected them all and opened them in the "Photomerge-Panoramic" option.  What do you think?  The pose isn't great, exposure is off BUT I think the depth of field with the wide angle looks pretty good.  Yay!  How fun!

Tami - Brenizer methodThanks for your help Tami!

If you are interested in learning more about the Brenizer method click here.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Mackenzie

One Saturday (uh, a few weeks ago), we made last minute plans to venture to Capua with another family to see the "broken city" as their almost five year old has coined them.  We heard that the amphitheater is better preserved than the Coliseum in Rome and you can actually walk every where there isn't a chain due to somewhat treacherous grounds.  We were able to venture into the passages underneath where they kept the animals and stage machinery (so says this website) and in my opinion it was more impressive than the surface, just see for yourself...

I could have sat down here for a long time...completed in 138AD? That's amazing.

A brief history lesson:  (taken from various websites) Capua was founded by the Etruscans around 600BC.  The amphitheater is the second largest in Italy, second to...you know which one.  Spartacus was the most famous gladiator who trained and fought at this facility which at one time boasted as being the best gladiator training center in the empire.  There were three rings to the amphitheater with the third inner ring being the most preserved still which just shows the strength of the Roman technique of brick and concrete.  The outer two rings were almost completely demolished.  The rest of the city of Capua is underground which is astonishing to me.      

I think Emma may have missed the day at orientation where they tell us to try to fit in and not look like a tourist...LOL!

Amphitheater floor

So, a little more about our adventure.  We drove up and it was just there.  We had to walk down a path, through a building to get our tickets, then down another path to be totally in front of it to take in its intensity, so about 200 yards from the street.  Once we got out of the car, I noticed a large group of men standing around at a court...I turned to Sean and said, "I think they're playing bocce."  Some of you may not know that bocce is big in my family.  I grew up playing yard bocce at every party, killing time during the long days of summer playing bocce, and every time I go back to Ashtabula in the summer I try to time it up so I can at least go to see or play on my sisters, aunt and mom's bocce team.  I have vivid memories of playing bocce throughout my childhood, adolescence and adulthood.  It's our thing.  So, with Sean's encouragement, I mustered my courage and went over to watch and asked that question I have worked hard to memorize:  "Posso fare una foto?"  "May I take a photo?"  They obliged..well at least I think they did...I heard the word "Si" and that was enough for me.  I did my best to tell them about my family tradition, but I'm pretty sure it was lost in the translation.  They went about their game, broke out their tape measures, gestured wildly with their hands, argued about who was closer...all I could do was smile from ear to ear, feel the tears well up in my eyes and think about my family.

It's a wonderful little trip, somewhat easy to get to and close.  There was no one there, so we just kind of broke up and wandered around yelling for each other whenever we needed each other or wanted to show each other something.  Emma was a little freaked out being underneath when I told her to climb into one of the enclosed portions, or what I think were cages, she adamantly said, "NOOOOOO!"  Sean told me that Adin said to him, "This is SO cool."  

The best remains of the outermost ring.

What a great day with some great friends followed by a lovely dinner.  Definitely an easy site to see...not as famous, but equally as amazing.

Arrivederci amiche!!

Mackenzie   

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since this day trip to Vietri with my friends, Stacy and Diane, and their two sweet babes.  Since then we've been to Capua and grape stomping at Cantina del Vesuvio as well, so one might say I'm behind on showing you all pictures from our adventures.  The night before this scheduled trip to pick up some custom ordered tiles for a friend of a friend, I was watching a photography webinar on creativeLive.  It's an awesome website with daily photography and photography business related classes.  The session I was watching was talking about honing your craft, and releasing your creativity.  The instructor said that he is never without a camera because you just never know what you may come across something that sparks your creative juices.  I wasn't planning on taking my camera with me (why? I don't know, maybe because it was a quick trip not really meant for me to take photos), but I did.  And while we were driving I captured one of the sweetest exchanges I've ever photographed...I've seen this happen a lot, but have never had a camera with me to capture it...here you go: Share those O's! I mean...doesn't that just make your tooth ache??  :-)

They took me to the hot spots for ceramics where the clerk said he could tell by my eyes that I was Italian, so I don't stand out until I open my mouth and attempt to speak Italian.  

Lorenzo's is down on the left a little passed the blue awning.

We cruised by small restaurants where I spotted a strand of garlic, braided exactly like my grandma tried to teach me for many summers when we would harvest the garlic that my great-grandparents brought over from Italy in the late 1890's.  Every fall to this day my grandmother (up to her passing), and now my father and stepmother, have planted a crop of garlic, then harvested, cleaned, dried and braided it in July to share it with neighbors, family and friends.

 We passed stand after stand of fresh fruits and vegetables where I bought my very first canary melon (a cross between a honeydew and a cantaloupe) very sweet and delicious.

We stopped at a great little meat, cheese and pasta shop where we were greeted by the owner with pear and ricotta candy coated almonds, so good and super sweet, and bought a delicious panini for the ride home!  He also sells great limoncello, meloncello and almondcello.  For those that don't know, limoncello is an Italian lemon liquor, mainly produced in southern Italy.  It is mostly offered on the dessert portion of the menu, and it is said to help aid digestion.  I've tried it and it's very strong and burns as it goes down!

All of the different kinds of "cellos" the lovely owner of this store makes and sells.

But as we all know, there's always room for dessert, so I picked up this delightful little pastry which I can't remember the name of because the clerk rattled it off so quickly, but I thought to myself "how can you go wrong with light flaky layers of puff pastry, powdered sugar and chocolate.  I will say it was molto delizioso and we loved it!

Here are a few more lovelies from the trip.  

I really kind of liked the sign more, but the door has a nice worn look it too. So I'm gathering that each town of the Amalfi is known for something, I think Vietri is known for its ceramic donkeys. Interesting.

Salute Amiche!!  

Mackenzie

We drove to the Marina di Porti di Proscida, and the adventure began.  Sunday was it...the day I finally felt like I was living in Italy. I mean honestly, how can you cruise around an an island, Ischia, in the Mediterranean Sea, jump off the back of that boat, swim with schools of fish and drink in this...

The view from where we dropped anchor...I couldn't stop staring.

Most of you probably don't know this, but PS I Love You is one of my favorite movies (second to The Notebook).  I love to watch both of these movies a few days before I would shoot a wedding to get inspired with the beauty of the cinematography, ideas for posing, etc.  There's a part in PS I Love You where the girls are stranded on a lake in Ireland on a tiny boat.  They are surrounded by rolling green hills and every time I would watch it I would say to myself, "I gotta get there, I have to see this landscape in person."  Sunday I felt it.  It was quite a bit warmer than Ireland, but as we zoomed around Ischia it hit me..."This is where I live, THESE are my landscapes for three years!"  And now, all I want to do it share it with my family and friends in person.  So you all better be saving your pennies!   Who wants a modest house on a hill overlooking the Med....uhhh, I do!

Emma was LOVIN' the boat. And look at how awesome her hair is after she swims in saltwater...my hair? Standing straight up...I looked like I stuck my finger in a socket!

I think this goes for most people, every time you do something new and different you  come away with memories, but there's always one that stays with you the most.  For us and this trip that would be when our boat took a nose dive straight into a huge wave.  We were crossing to head back to the marina, and our trusty driver (one of Sean's bosses) said it can get pretty choppy.  We were jumping over waves and ahead Sean and I both noticed a rather large one.  We went straight into and a wall of water crashed down on us.  The kids screamed, joyfully, and all exclaimed "THAT WAS SO AWESOME!!"  And it was.

Not the wall of water, but I love the energy and the fun of this picture.

Castle on a rock. Amazing engineers and architects these Italians are.

We passed by a boating race. It looks like they were waiting to start...gorgeous day and I love sailboats. Through the door are probably stairs to get to the restaurant that sat on top of this cliff.

Gorgeous fishing town...it's so colorful here, a feast for my eyes!

I love the contrast between the really old structure in the foreground and the less old in the back.

I wore my pink "Fight for Second Base" t-shirt and black pants that I cleaned in all day.  My hair was haphazardly swept up off my neck and face, accentuating the wrinkles in my forehead and crows feet from ten years of fun in the sun.  

Sean wore his uniform undershirt and a pair of basketball shorts, thankfully he took off his mid-shin high black work socks.  His hair...well it was swept off his face too ;-).  

The menu was homemade pizza, the same pizza that helped get me through the two years that Sean lived on his ship in Norfolk, the pizza that we love.  For dessert, I made a white two layer cake with strawberry/raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream, similar to what I think we had for our wedding cake.  That was ten years, six addresses, and two children ago...It's hard for me to remember what I had for breakfast!

We sat out on our deck and celebrated ten years of bliss, separation, pregnancies, births, anger, happiness, exhaustion, fear, nervousness, challenges, excitement, love, and always ten years of "expecting the worst yet hoping for the best."  Our 10 year anniversary was unlike any other, it wasn't a huge or even a small party, we didn't exchange gifts of the traditional tin or aluminum, it was simple and very much like us.  After dinner we had a crazy session of Super Mario family game night.  We laughed and laughed and laughed.    

After a mere seven weeks in Italy, we've undergone transition after transition after transition.  It was ugly, then it got uglier, but then...then it became beautiful.  This is ten years.             

Our final day of orientation was a trip to downtown Napoli with our ICR (Intercultural Relations) instructor.  The goal was to give us a brief tour of the main sites downtown, hold our hands as we navigated the public transport, take us to a market and assist us in learning the cultural ideologies of the Napoli cultural-one all it's own.  I do have to say that our instructor was amazing.  She told us exactly how it was going to be and encouraged us to not be afraid to just get out there and try.  Her final words to us as we finished the classroom portion  were "DON'T SIT!  GO!  GET OUT THERE AND SOAR!"  She admitted she was a life coach as well and poked holes in our excuses on how it was hard to learn the language.  She pushed me, she pushed me to not be afraid of driving amongst the Neapolitans, to not be afraid to use the little bit of Italian I had learned, to just get out there and do it!  She assured us that if they chuckle when we try to speak Italian, they aren't laughing at us, they are just happy we try.  (True or not, I'll take it.  I need all the encouragement I can get!!)  

So, we all piled on our bus and drove into il centro (downtown).  The plan was to get off close to Galleria Umberto, grab a cappuccino, catch the cable car to Vomero for the market, come back down to Galleria Umberto for lunch then wander around downtown Naples to check out the palaces, church, and famous cafe's.  

Galleria Umberto (built 1887-90) is nothing short of gorgeous, amazing, truly decadent.  Then to sit outside of the cafe to sip my cappuccino and experience this wondrous pastry, the sfogliatelle, and stare at this beautiful structure, I only wish Sean could have been there with me.  I know I broke a cultural rule in that when you sit at a table at a coffee shop, you do so like it would be a restaurant and they come to take your order.  We had little time, I did what I needed to do and I needed to soak in that atmosphere.  It was the best cappuccino I've ever tasted...EVER!!

(I'm not sure what happened there with my font color and I can't figure out how to fix it....booo!)

Afterwards we walked a short bit, bought "due biglietti, per favore" (two tickets, please) and took a ride uptown to the Vomero market.  Vomero is the most recently built part of Naples and is considered the central district.  It has the biggest open air market in the area with almost everything you need from shoes and clothing for adults and children to the freshest fruits, vegetables and live octopus in the food market, I'm not even kidding.  It was amazing.

After about 2 hours of wandering around the market (buying a new dress then a purse for 2 Euro, trying raw coconut for the first time, practicing some Italian)  we met our group to make our way back downtown.  She gave a us tiny bit of time to venture down to the water front before lunch.  Along the way we crossed the Piazza Trieste e Trento right in front of the Teatro di San Carlo which is the largest opera house in Italy.  It was built in 1737 for King Charles' birthday, and interestingly enough it is known to attract some of the "noisiest and worst behaved audiences in Italy."  (source)

Across from the opera house you find Gambrinus, a cafe and meeting place for the culturally elite in Italy and Europe, past and present.  Writers, poets, politicians would grace this restaurant.  We didn't have time to go inside, but I am anxious to check it out.

  Lastly, just across the street from Gambrinus is Piazza del Plesbiscito, one of the largest piazzas in Naples.  Initially, it was to be a tribute to the emperor Napolean, as history would have it, this never came to fruition.  After Napolean was removed from power, Ferdinand I completed the building of the piazza and dedicated it to Saint Francis of Paola.  It has been used as a venue for open-air concerts for artists like Elton John, Maroon 5, Muse and Bruce Springsteen.

  Our final stop right before meeting the bus to head back was just to walk down to the Castle Nuovo.  Our guide told us a story about a queen who once lived there, and how she fed her lovers to the alligators that inhabited the moat!  Then she quipped, "The alligators were fat."    

Well, that was our quick trip to downtown Napoli.  Here's a few more lovelies of Galleria Umberto and random city streets/alleys and Royal Palace walkways.

Grazie e arrivederci amiche!!

Mackenzie

In the Harper's Bazaar May, 1953, issue John Steinbeck wrote, "Positano bites deep.  It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."  I'd have to say I agree.  We spent a mere two and a half hours there, and the whole time my mind kept saying, "Am I really here?  I'm not here, I can't be here, places like this don't exist."  Steinbeck talks about his drive to Positano from Rome, quite funny, and he paints great word pictures to really give you a nice visual of the environment.  It's a very nice essay, you can read it here, but I'll give you these photos and our story of Positano too. I often have problems taking landscape pictures because it's so hard to really do any landscape justice, many times you have to experience these sites yourself to feel the ocean breeze, smell the cappuccinos, see the entire view that no photo can capture.

On to our story...

The kids and I had been in town for about 10 days, somewhat locked on base and I was dying to see some beautiful Italian country.  I went into the USO office to see what they had to offer.  Every Saturday in the summer, they have a mini-cruise of the Amalfi Coast with either a stop in Positano or Amalfi.  Without talking to Sean, I bought our tickets hoping he wouldn't be too upset getting up at 5:00am on a Saturday to catch a bus then a ferry. I was excited, but really had no idea what we were walking into. I knew it was going to be beautiful, but this is a beauty beyond my imagination.  We caught the ferry in Castellamare di Stabia on the Bay of Naples.  I'm pretty certain we were the only English speaking tour group with the rest being Italians going to Positano or Amalfi for lunch or dinner or just for some beach time.  The ferry took quite a while, but it was very relaxing.

On the bus we talked to the kids about things that may happen on the ferry.  I have to note that I grew up around a fair amount of Italians, and my cheeks were very often pinched, my head often patted.  So, I mentioned this to Emma and Adin and told them to not be fearful of it, Italians just really love children and if they see pinchable cheeks..they're gonna pinch them.  Well, right before we got off at Positano, an older Italian gentleman was walking passed the kids stopped, talked to them in Italian and patted their heads and pinched their cheeks.  They both looked at me in amazement, like how could I know such things would happen??  I just laughed.

By the time we got to Positano, it was time for lunch.  We stopped at the first place we saw right on the beach, Buca di Bacco.  We sat in their patio with beautiful wisteria as our shelter from the intense sun.  

We knew we wanted something very light because of the heat and the following walk uphill.  So for our antipasta we had mozzarella wrapped in lemon leaf and grilled with a tomato salad, and for our main we had O'cuoppo-a traditional Neapolitan fried fish that is served in a paper cone so people can munch on it while walking around.  I normally am not as adventurous as Sean when it comes to seafood, but I thought, "there's no time like the present" and went out on a limb.  The menu said "catch of the day".  Sean and I interpreted this incorrectly because this is what was put in front of us.  Sean said, "I really think they dropped a net, scooped them up and fried up whatever they caught."  It was good, I'd just never eaten fish heads or an entire needlefish or an entire crab (shells and all, it was small though).

After lunch we ventured up and up and up.  There are no streets down by the water only sidewalks that weave their way through the art galleries and shops.   We didn't have enough time to go all the way up, though.On our way down we stopped at Santa Maria Assunto of Positano.  

Once back at sea level we prepared for our ferry home with some gelato, strawberry and peach for me, chocolate and vanilla for Emma and Adin and stracciatella for Sean (no pictures, but it was the most delicious gelato EVER).  Our ferry home was still hot on the top deck, but we were able to catch a lot of that ocean breeze and get unobstructed views of the cliffs, watchtowers and huge homes along the way.  

It was a memorable day spent together having tons of new experiences.  

Grazie e salute amiche!!

Mackenzie      

Being stuck on base for 4-6 weeks for 5 of the 7 days of the week because we have no car will be OK.  Even with the fickle Internet and my flip phone that I only really talk to Sean with.  It’ll give me time to work on the photos I took of the cherry blossoms and get those into a gallery on my website, and write my blog about the awesome-ness that is NOLA from my and Sean's trip in *sheepishly* March, and work on that Italian so I can communicate with the market vendors and locals.  It’s going to be fine.  Right?

Right? 

Right?  

Yeah, we'll be good.

Well, it’s almost our first week and every day gets a bit better.  The first few weren’t quite that great (change is hard people), but we are getting out everyday to find places on base, go to events they are having for the kids, and just play around. 

All things I didn’t really get to do for the past couple of months as we prepared to move.  I am anxious to get off base though, and have just today (Tuesday, because who knows when I’ll actually post this with the way the internet is acting today) scheduled our first tour!!  We are headed to the Amalfi Coast on a USO tour.  I am beyond excited! And will tell you all about it afterwards!

Living on base is exceedingly convenient when one doesn’t have a car.  Within walking distance we have a bowling alley, commissary, NEX, library, chapel, multiple playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, a gym and pool, restaurant…there’s a lot of stuff to make living without a car possible.  We are on the third level of our building and I am very thankful for that.  Did I mention I can see half of Mt. Vesuvius out my kitchen window? 

The dogs enjoy watching the goings-on on the sidewalks and streets below, and you can’t beat the cross breeze we get when both balcony doors are open.  With the white tile and white walls and huge balcony doors, it’s gloriously bright in our apartment.  It wasn't what we initially wanted, but God has a plan for us and this is where we are supposed to be.  So for now, I am really enjoying the convenience, the great people I'm meeting while walking the dogs and the views...morning

and night.

 Buona sera amiche!!

Mackenzie

With these last four weeks in limbo, I have to say I feel very blessed, appreciative, and thankful because I have two ladies that I can call best friends, and I must thank God for placing Sean on the ships that put these families in our path.  

Haley is a bookworm.  She absolutely adores reading.  I asked her to bring her favorite book along and she picked out this one. 

Through my eyes, Gail and Jeff Riegel are a power couple.  They are smart, determined and hard workers.  Gail runs her own meeting and event management business, she's the so called "Super Planner", and she's amazing at it.  Jeff is an incredible videographer and editor, he's helped me more than a few times navigate various technical questions that have come up in my business.  He's given me one opportunity I will never forget which resulted in more than 100 people having one of my pictures autographed by Middleweight Women's World Champion, Tori Nelson, placed in their hands (you can see it here).  Maybe more than they know, they've helped me navigate these small business waters and have encouraged me to keep going.  They have two beautiful girls who are so sweet and silly and have been such great friends to Emma and Adin.  

Gail was one of the first people I met when we moved to Waldorf.  She had just had her youngest baby and I had my two month old.  Our oldest babies were almost three and four.  Many of the friends I made those first few months were because of her.  She opened her house up for a Bunco night and much debauchery...I mean friendships... followed.  I still laugh at the times we had.  At the very least, I gave her some tips on how to cook some amazing ribs and she gave me some tips on how to be a business woman.  She's one of those people who listens completely and totally when you're talking.  We've had many deep philosophical conversations, Biblical conversations, silly conversations (mostly about the Twilight saga), and have debated more times than I care to say over Team Edward or Team Jacob.  More often than not we've laughed so hard we've cried.  Gail is a beautiful person, she has a huge heart and that's no understatement.  She is always looking for ways to help people out and get involved in a cause.  She is inspiring.  

I know this is supposed to be about their family portrait but her's is a friendship that has touched me so deeply I can't keep from talking about it.  I know that God put Gail in my path for a reason, and I will certainly miss seeing the Riegel's every so often.  We will always have Facebook and email and hopefully they can make a trip to Italy to visit.  Then we can have our talks while eating gelato and roaming the streets of Naples, Rome and wherever else our feet may take us.  

Enough crying and reminiscing, on to the photos!  In the infancy of their relationship, Jeff and Gail spent a lot of time in Old Town, so I thought it would be fun to venture there again, probably a last time for me for a while, and see what we could get into.  I hope you enjoy their pictures!

This picture cracks me up, it just shows how much of ourselves we pass to our babies...I've seen Gail do this on more than one occasion!  Allison's execution is flawless, I'm sure much practice has gone into this.

I love these guys so much, thanks for stopping by!

Mackenzie

I was just looking through my Neer and Far photo albums Facebook to count the Winder's portrait sessions, and I saw our very first one, you can see it here.  I have to say it...these kids grow up so fast!  Seeing them for the fifth time was bittersweet.  They aren't my very last portrait, but they were my last for southern Maryland.     

Ginger was another one of those people who marketed more for me than I could have ever imagined.  Thank you, Ginger, for all you've done to help build Neer and Far Photography.  One last time for a while, unless they make it to Naples to visit, take a look at the Winder's.

Enjoy!

When Bella got out of the car, she came up and gave me a great big hug...one more thing I love about my "job".  She is an incredibly sweet girl, and a hula hooping pro!  

(PS...I love Ginger's hair...I could never pull that off, these crazy curls would never stand for such a cut!)

I think this photo of Bella with the bubbles is in my list of favorites, look at the pure joy in her eyes.  Joy for bubbles!  It makes me smile, great idea Ginger!

Best of luck to Brennen, he's going to Nationals soon!!  

Thank you Winder's for allowing me to photograph your beautiful smiles and your loving family through the years.  It's been my pleasure!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mackenzie

Last Sunday was the fourth time I had the wonderful opportunity to spend an afternoon with Michelle and Jackson.  Like most of the families I've photographed, we've been around and around the parks in the Waldorf area.  Wanting to get away from the park setting, we went to the Charles County Courthouse for their portrait.  Jackson turned five in February, so we had some fun with frosting to get some birthday pictures, and he was sure to bring along his most favorite superheroes.

 It has been amazing for me to watch these kids grow up, I remember my first portrait with Jackson at Gilbert Run park three years ago.  He's grown up like kids tend to do.  I will certainly miss the Love's and I thank them for being such loyal patrons to my business!

Enjoy!

The phone is ringing, I think J. Crew is calling for Jackson!

 Most times I try to catch kids in a  natural state, but sometimes I have a vision in my head and I pose them head to toe...this was one of those times.  It's funny because he had the hardest time putting his hands in his pockets (not a natural state) because like my son says, "pockets are for rocks and acorns!"  But once he relaxed into the pose, it was magical.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mackenzie

When I first set foot on the Fuese family farm, I was in awe.  I remember saying, "I want to live here!"  It's the farm house where the mother of this session, Laura, grew up.  Built in the late 1600's, this farm oozes all that is Southern Maryland.  Although it has only been in the family since the 1940's, it is still bursting with memories and stories from the past.  It's incredibly quiet, sprawling and has a great porch where you just want to sit and sip on some sweet tea while swatting flies.  

Enjoy their pictures!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of welcoming a brand new family to Neer and Far Photography.  We spent a beautiful afternoon at the Colonial Farm Museum.  If you haven't been there, you should go, it's a peaceful historic farm with access (albeit rocky) to water and view of Mount Vernon and lots of farm animals.  The quiet is what brings me back every time though.  

 Back to the Mason's, this was their very first family portrait outside of a studio.  I was so excited to meet them and to share in this new wave in family portraits that makes my business go round!  They are a beautiful family full of laughter and love.  In talking with Sabrina prior to their session, I asked her what one word describes her family.  She said it was tough to pick, but it would have to be "forever."  Well, from the brief time I spent with them, I can tell that their love for each other is everlasting.  

Enjoy a small glimpse into their session on this sunny Friday!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Mackenzie

I met Meredith in college, we were on The Ohio State University's novice rowing team.  We remained friends throughout college and on into adulthood through the miles and long distance calls.  A few years after college as she planned her wedding, she asked me if I could photograph the cocktail hour between their ceremony and reception, I happily obliged.  Up to that point I had only really done photos of my babies with my little D50.  During her wedding, I took some photos of her niece that her sister, who lives in northern Virginia, really liked.  She contacted me in the fall a few months later, weeks before my first official wedding as a photographer, to see if I was available do a family portrait for her in their backyard.  Neer and Far Photography was born. I have had the incredible opportunity to watch Julie and Paul's daughter, Claire, grow from her first birthday.  That is what I love about my "job".  I love fostering relationships with families and spending time with them even if it's once or twice a year.  Watching their children grow from babies to toddlers to silly, imaginative kids has been truly a treasure for me.  

This past weekend their whole family was in town for the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in DC.  To see entire families come together is an incredible experience, you see each personality come out and how they all interact together.  You see years of bonding, inside jokes, and love bubble at the surface, a phenomena only siblings can bring out in each other.  

I've certainly enjoyed seeing them through the years and am eternally grateful for the trust and encouragement they gave to me. 

You can tell who the clown is just from this picture, it's not the one who is cracking up....this was one of several I took of them laughing.

My dad told me the other day that I've made quite a little business here, I've also made quite a few friends and met some really amazing and loving people.  I am so happy that I was able to see this family one more time before our move, I felt like I have come full circle being in their backyard, the same place I took my first family portrait.  I now feel it's OK for me to leave.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mackenzie

There are those families that stick with you, who are your biggest marketing tool without you even knowing, who are always there with uplifting comments and words of encouragement, who help you to grow and experiment with new techniques because they simply trust in your abilities, at times more than you do yourself.  The Wright's are one of those families for me.  

I've been their family photographer since the meager beginnings of my business four years ago.  They've stuck with me as I've grown in my abilities, confidence and style.  Throughout their various portraits, we've traveled from the yard of their previous house to Fort Washington to the Colonial Farm Museum, and most recently, Old Town Alexandria.  They have been such a huge part of my growth.  It's hard to come up with words to express how much I appreciate their trust in me to capture the "Wright" essence.  

Last weekend was the 8th time I had the opportunity to photograph Tig.  Through projects with a mutual friend, her four family portraits, one extended family portrait and a personal project she helped me with, Tig is the one person (aside from my own family) who I've photographed the most.  She is a beautiful soul with a warm and inviting smile.  I will certainly miss the Wright's when we move as their names are definitely etched into the cornerstone of Neer and Far Photography.         

I invite you to experience with me a classic Old Town family.

Sometimes you just have to look at the whole picture.  I loved out their feet and legs were posed, not any of my doing, this was how they naturally sat down.  

These two pictures are very telling of these two personalities.  Harrison is a performer, he's a dancer and will soon be in his first community play.  Brooke is a thinker, she loves bugs and if she doesn't study animals or bugs as an adult, I will be shocked.  Their parents, very lovingly, do everything they can to get give them opportunities to perform their best at the things they love to do.  

 Thank you so much for stopping by!

Mackenzie

Stephanie was one of the first people I met when we moved to Waldorf.  She was a part of a Stroller Striders group that I somehow hooked up with as they disbanded.  We had a lot in common, two kids (girl and boy), although they were different ages, but a toddler is a toddler.  My son has known this family since he was three months old.  We both liked to work out with running being our favorite mode of exercise, she was born in the great state of Ohio (but grew up in Wisconsin) and went to an Ohio college (although I would have to say the less cool Ohio college than the one I attended ;-)), and she's an amazing masseuse and I LOVE getting massages.  One thing I can say is that she's just a great friend.  Before they moved farther south, we were able to spend tons of time together, lunches at each others houses, playdates and sharing in the agony of the horrendous HIIT workouts at the gym we both went to or just pounding out some miles during training runs.  I do remember one time she watched me climb a ladder to my second floor, squeeze myself through our tiny bathroom window because I locked us out of the house.  Since their move, visits have been less, but it's always wonderful to see those who befriended this new girl in a new city.      

For their portrait, I thought we could go to the Sotterley Plantation in Hollywood, Maryland.  It's a beautiful setting, you've got everything...a plantation house, beautiful flower gardens, water in the distance, hills, lots of open space.  

Enjoy!

Over the course of the three portraits I had last weekend I observed something curious, especially with the daughters...they are growing up.  Sad but true.  All three families have girls as the first born, and I watched all three girls do their best to calmly help their little brothers get to where I needed them for their pictures and listen closely to me as I directed them.  I caught glimmers of their total sweetness and love for their little brothers, and then I saw their playfulness as they tackled them or played tag with them or made crazy faces at them.  It has been something I have seen in my own daughter the past few months.  

It's hard to put into words, what her friendship has meant to me over these almost 6 years and I'm so happy I was able to photograph the Magill's one more time!  

Thanks for stopping by...and reading my ramblings, it'll only get worse as I wind down my days in Waldorf, MD!!

Mackenzie

One thing I am quite certain of is that Camp St. Charles is very near and dear to this family's heart.  So dear, in fact, that Laura has a tattoo of the camp logo that she had done along with two other camp staffers.

Laura was a counselor as a young adult.  She taught horseback riding and environmental education and was on the leadership committee until 2001 when she became director. In the summer of 1999 she met John, a fellow counselor and riflery teacher, and I guess you can say the rest is history.  They had their wedding there in August of 2000, her children have only ever spent their summers at camp with her youngest, Owen, coming home from the hospital and heading out to camp with her, and her daughter, Melanie, lost her first tooth on the dock.  To say that camp is "special" is a huge understatement, which is why when she said she would like to have their portraits done at camp, I wasn't surprised.  

This would be my second trip out to camp and both times it was very peaceful, maybe not so much when there's a hundred campers running around, but there really is something to be said about getting away from cellphone service and just sitting on the rocks watching the water roll by.  Well, it would have been nice to sit on the rocks, but the snake was there first.

This reminds me so much of myself and my daughter.  I love those moments when I can just BE with Emma, as I'm sure every mom does.  

What really cracks me up about this next picture is how the process of getting to this point makes most people feel silly, and John was sure to point that out by saying, "Yes, we normally are sitting with each other staring at the other's shoulder."  BUT, check out the great smiles and hint of laughter in the result.  It's the silliness of it that makes it work.  

With our impending move to Italy and all the hectic-ness that comes with that, I will have availability for 8-10 families this spring from March thru May.  I have heard from about that many families on Facebook who are interested in having their family portraits done during this timeframe.  Additionally, I am really interested in stretching my creativity to do some different kinds of portraits, ie. a soda shop themed portrait, a city streets themed portrait, maybe if a family is huge Blue Crabs fans a baseball themed portrait.  If something like that sounds like fun to you just let me know!  After all, this may be my last spring in the DC metro area...let's explore and have some fun!

Below are the available dates for Neer and Far Photography for spring 2013 (March-May):

March 23 (Cherry Blossoms in the city) - 9am and 11am

April 6 (possibility of Cherry Blossoms still, can't be certain) - 9am or 10am, 3pm

April 7 - 4pm

April 13 - 10am, 3pm

April 14 - 4pm

April 20 - 10am, 3pm

April 21 - 4pm

May 4 - 10am, 3pm

May 12 - 4pm

May 18 - 5pm

May 19 - 4pm

May 25 - 10am, 3pm

I will update and post this list as slots are taken.  Once ten slots are closed, that will be it.  I look forward to seeing some of you again and to meeting some of you for the first time!  Thank you for making my small business a success for the past four and a half years!  Here's looking to springtime!

Ben and Brittany have a love that makes long distance seem like one block, they make love and devotion look as natural as breathing.  

At my first meeting with the two of them, it was clear how totally and completely in love they were with each other.  Each one made the other shine.  Once they decided that I was the photographer for them, we went on our first "date" :-).  I love getting to know my clients, it not only helps me to do a great job for them, but I love hearing the "how we met and fell in love" story.  I also learned they love to dance, laugh, have fun, ride bikes and take photos.  Their favorite type of pictures to do?  Jumping shots!  It just so happens that I love jumping shots as well and don't think they will ever get old in my mind, AND the first try of a jump shot with their entire wedding party...THEY NAILED IT!

Back to the ceremony... 

Ben and Brittany had a rustic, outdoor wedding on the grounds of Carl's Farm Place in Hughesville, Maryland.   Two friends sang Christina Perri's A Thousand Years as Brittany walked down the aisle.  I can absolutely confirm that I had tears rolling down my cheeks during this ceremony.  As a symbol of their devotion to each other and to God, they washed each other's feet.  It was a beautiful display of their love and commitment to each other and to God.

The most touching part I felt incredibly honored to photograph was their pre-ceremony prayer together.  We set it up so Ben wouldn't see her, and...here you go...

Throughout the ceremony, they laughed, cried and smiled with each other.

To say I was excited (and nervous) to meet with Monika and Andrew about the possibility of photographing their US Naval Academy wedding is a colossal understatement! Naturally, I was over the moon when they asked me to be their photographer, and even more ecstatic when we discussed doing a week before shoot of just the two of them...OH, the possibilities!  I had never set foot on "The Yard" until we met for our first meeting, and let me tell you it is a gorgeous setting for some photographs.  Just check out this first one...

(Seriously...this picture is my all time favorite.)

Monika loves architecture.

Andrew loves sailing.

So, incorporating all of that in their pre-wedding shoot was a MUST!

Their wedding had it all...tears, laughter, tradition, but mostly love.  The love that I witnessed with family and friends was inspiring and beautiful.

Separated by deployment for longer than 6 months, Monika dove into planning a wonderful wedding down to the very last detail.  To show their Maryland pride and a love of Maryland crabs, the favors were tins of Old Bay.  A treat for all of the guests was a cup of Annapolis Ice Cream, Monika and Andrew's favorite ice cream shop, after the ceremony.  (Try the mint Oreo next time you go...it's delicious!) A demonstration of the city where they met, the invitations showcased all that is Annapolis.  During the reception guests could pick up a quick game of croquet or cornhole.  And no Naval wedding is complete without a sword arch!

Oh and one more thing, have you ever cut a cake with a sword?  I know, I know, a lot of service members can say yes to that, but I know I didn't get to at my wedding...and it looked like a fun way to serve some cake!

All in all, it was a beautiful day full of love and happiness spent with family and friends, capped off with 3 foot long sparklers to send off the wonderful couple.  I can't thank them enough!  I'm looking forward to another Annapolis shoot with them, maybe two, if the stork delivers before we move!  

Up to one year and six months ago, I was a mess.  I didn't know it then, but looking back I was struggling in my head and heart.  I had debilitating thoughts of inferiority, coveting the success of other photographers, thinking my work was well below subpar no matter how much people would say it was "Beautiful!" and "Exactly what we wanted!".  Thinking I should just throw in the towel because there is no way I can keep up with these pros and their amazing creativity.  I kept it all inside because I couldn't show weakness, I couldn't show doubt.  Who would come to a photographer who doubted herself, lacked confidence in her work?  Some days I felt purposeless and hopeless.  Feeling like I needed to do "more for the world" and feeling like I had so much more to give, but couldn't.  Some days I was hanging on by the thread that is holding the thread on.    

One year and six months ago, God saved me and my husband.  No kidding, the Holy Spirit entered my body, my heart, my head, my soul.  The day I surrendered myself to Christ and His will for my life, I became a different person (finally understood what it means when people say they are "reborn").  Inwardly first, because I still suffered from feeling inferior and worrying about what people would think, but in my heart I was different.  That day I folded our clothes with purpose (I honestly remember!), I had hope for the future, I was no longer terrified of the Mayan calendar!  

Since that day life hasn't been all blue skies and roses, but gradually I've become stronger in my God-given talent (to capture life at 1/100-1/3200 of a second), more confident in my roles as a wife, mother, friend, sister and daughter.  Confident that I know that I am where I need to be right now, and the work I'm doing right now is the work He wants me to do.  He calls me to laugh, play, talk, and BE with my two beautiful babies, He calls me to be a loving and respectful wife, He calls me to reach out to my family, He calls me to talk confidently about His greatness and His love, He calls me to talk to Him.  I read the Bible and am moved at how timely God is, how His word can affect us everyday of our lives.  It leads us to see a need, make a change, learn to love, and be honest with ourselves in the VERY least.

Last month was hard for me.  One day I asked Sean, "Why did you choose me?"  I was hoping I wasn't going to scare him into thinking I was starting menopause early or having a third-life crisis with such a left field question!  He did wonder why I asked, but he said "Because you're fun to be around, and I thought that would help in life."  I asked him because I was worried that I had lost that something that I once had.  Passion for things, drive, enthusiasm, motivation.  All of the things I see in other photographers, but sometimes don't see in me.  

I've been wanting to write something like this for a while and the last few weeks in church our pastor has been talking about how we need to have a sense of urgency in spreading the good news and making the necessary changes in our walks.  I am seeing more and more that God is putting new people in my path, and I am loving these people.  But, today's devotional topic was "When we feel inferior".  It sites Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."  The part of the commentary that jumped at me was the following, "After salvation, the first step toward healing is to get the Creator's viewpoint of yourself.  Ephesians 2:10 clearly spells out that you are His workmanship--God is at work in you, and He doesn't turn out shoddy products.  In fact, the word workmanship here means 'masterpiece.'  Would He allow His masterpiece to end up inferior?  Absolutely not!  His work in you is perfect.  If you doubt that, you might be looking at others and thinking that you don't measure up to them.  Of course you don't.  God has designed something different for them.  Because you are unique, there's no one with whom you can compare yourself.  God is fitting you for a purpose like NO ONE ELSE'S."  (Charles Stanley's InTouch magazine February 2013).

So with an impending move to Italy, changes in my business that are unknown, exciting adventures soon to come...I am fully looking to God to see us through.  I pray that I can keep my cool, overcome whatever obstacles we may encounter with patience, and spend as much time with those who have made life in Maryland something I will treasure forever.

Last year was nothing short of amazing for me... with some new challenges sprinkled throughout.  I met so many new and beautiful families,  had the wonderful opportunity to witness four incredible weddings each one moving me to tears, and even photographed an evening of boxing with a talented group of videographers from GLJ Media.  It seemed as if 2012 went at hypercrazyfastdon'tblinkbecauseyou'llmissit speed.  Armed with a number of changes I made through the winter months, I dove into the portrait and wedding season with a new zeal.  

I am so incredibly thankful for each of you, big and small, but I am especially thankful to God for this awesome gift.  Thank you to everyone who allowed me to capture a teeny piece of your life, you've helped me so much more than I can say. 

Here are the Neer and Far families of 2012!  Some familiar, some new, all beautiful, all true.

Stay tuned for Neer and Far 2012 weddings!

I am behind!  So far behind on blogging!!!  June was a whirlwind of a month:  three weddings, a few family portraits, completing another school year for the kiddos, camping, a Dave Mathews concert...and then came July!  It's been a great summer for Neer and Far, and the Neer family, with each portrait and wedding making me more thankful for this wonderful gift of photography.  I've met so many amazing people, families, families of families, brides, grooms, best friends, and oh the babies!!!  Each one unique, each one wonderful, each one a gift.  

I will start with the Savage family portrait from the end of June.  You may recognize part of this family, the Wright's.  If not, check two blogs prior to this one.  I always love meeting the family of a friend, you get to hear stories from childhood, see how they react with their siblings, I'll just say a fun time was had by all.  These pictures show just how much fun they have when they all can be together.  I was laughing, they were laughing...we all were laughing!  Enjoy their pictures!

This past weekend, a friend and client emailed me to inform me that they were going to say goodbye to their sweet 15 year old husky, Elvis.  I've photographed this very dear family twice now, and did a third session just to capture Elvis one last time with a few of Mick in there as well.  Elvis was the sweetest dog, he loved to dig and had the sweetest singing voice.  I know he will be dearly missed by his family.  I dedicate this blog to Jay, Jody, Vaughn, Mick and most of all their sweet boy Elvis.  

Tig and I were friends before I took their very first family portrait.  I met her a few months after I moved to Maryland just under 5 years ago before I even had the thoughts to start Neer & Far Photography.  Soon after that first night of Bunco, I realized that it was necessary we be friends.  Although we don't get to see each other as much as we like, it's easy for us to pick right up when we do get the chance.  It has been my pleasure to photograph them three times, and every time is always more fun than the last.  They are a beautiful family with so much love for each other and love of life.  Enjoy their pictures because I sure loved taking them! 

     

One thing I realize as I do more repeat families is how truly important it is to have a family photographer.  Every time, the kids are just a little more comfortable and show me just a little more of their huge personalities.  Every time we laugh more, learn more about each other, and become a larger presence in each others lives.  They ask how my children are, if we are moving anytime soon and how my husband's work is; I hold their children's hands as we cross streets and know the secrets to get them to laugh.  A familiarity develops that you can't get from large chain portrait studios.  I truly cherish these moments with clients, new and old.  Stay tuned for a look at the families that have helped me build this little business.  

From the first email exchanged with Heather, I knew this was going to be a fun family to work with.  When I asked what are some things they like to do as a family, she gave me so much information to work with.   This is a family of travelers, beach lovers, comedians, silly face makers.  They love to play together, have adventures together;  they are a family of love and excitement for the baby brother or sister they will soon be blessed with. 

After much debate on my end, we decided on Piscataway National Park, if you’ve never been there, you should check it out.  It’s beautiful and wonderfully rustic.  It was a warm, sunny afternoon to spend with such a wonderful family, and I am definitely looking forward to the portrait sessions that will follow!  Enjoy their pictures! 

Three years ago this summer, I had the privilege to photograph Scott and Karlene's wedding.  So, I can't say how thrilled I was when he called again to let me in on the big news of their new baby girl and to have another opportunity to capture their family.  The Griffea's were a pleasure to work with and it was such a blessing to spend time with them a couple of Saturday's ago.  I don't get calls for baby pictures very often, so I looked forward to getting photos of her sweet hands, nose, feet...you get the picture, and since my youngest is four now, I especially loved getting to hold their sweet baby!  I haven't held a baby for quite a while.  I hope you enjoy their pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Well, I guess I must take the plunge.  I'm seeing that blogging is one of many keys to getting my photography business out into the world, and frankly, I'm ready to meet more fun and energetic people to stand in front of my camera!  I'll keep it short and sweet because my gift is pictures not words.  I photographed my first family in October of 2008 (Thank you Toma family!!), my first wedding in November 2008 (Thank you Gina and Jared!!) and have been loving working with my clients ever since (Thank you to all of you!!).        

I have many hats I wear; wife/CFO, mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, neighbor, BFF, friend, photographer, runner, PTO Vice President, so keeping up with a blog may be a huge undertaking, but I'm ready to step up my game.  We are a military family, currently living in Southern Maryland.  This is our fourth home, technically fifth if you think living in a hotel in Connecticut for 5 weeks counts.  Hey, home is where your heart is and that's where mine was!  It's a long story and I sometimes fall asleep telling it, but it's our life together and I love it.   

Photography was not my major in college (Go Bucks!!), I've been a learn-as-I-go kind of photographer by reading books, practicing, questioning other photographers, practicing, reading, practicing, reading, practicing.  But, I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree, more than one family member has the knack, and several others have creative genes.  I am currently enrolled in photography school, so I can learn all the crazy physics, chemistry, and math behind the art. 

I think I’ll keep it at that for now must leave some details out for future blog posts, right?  Enjoy these pictures (a few of my favorites from the past year) as I give you a glimpse into my itty-bitty life.  I will add one more thought I just had as I uploaded the pictures, one of the many reasons I love photography is because of the emotions that can creep up with one glimpse at a photo.  They can make you laugh hysterically, cry like a baby, reminisce of days gone by, and maybe remember a simpler time. The picture of the kids with our neighbor building a fire had me laughing because Emma is being swallowed by smoke while the boys just go along with their work. Enjoy.