hiatus

hey all. sorry for the lack of photos! amist teaching, going to indiana, and my computer trying to commit suicide, posting pics has been difficult. I'll get some up soon of the tree and indiana. :)

WATCH THIS VIDEO!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql58kZE7hL0&feature=related


Oh my word...first off the song is amazing! She picks such baller songs to cover - The Beatles, Elton John's Madman Across the Water?! - it's such a great song, but so obscure! good call...and here's a classic by the Counting Crows. It's just such an tension-y song. It just makes my soul ache and long for love and beauty and Jesus...and to go back to New England when it's raining. :) She does such a great job with it because it's dang hard to cover a Counting Crows' song because the guy's voice is so unique. And the addition of the cello (its a cello right?) is awesome. Small, trivial request to God- to marry a man who plays the violin or cello. It's a small detail, but he says to ask for what we want right? ;)

woops-no tree

I'll post the pic of the tree tomorrow...

Brandi and tree

Apparently I haven't put a pic on my blog since Friday...I didn't think it's been that long...but the past few weeks have been NUTS. I stayed up til 5:30 this morning doing a powerpoint I'm supposed to teach tomorrow, only have to have my prof completely change most of it this afternoon. :/ Life is just frustrating sometimes. This blog is geared to help me reduce anxiety, and today has been a very, very anxious day...but I've felt the Spirit encouraging me and helping to ward off me placing too much on my shoulders. I still do my part and try to heap it on there for myself to carry, but He's been so gracious to me today. I am grateful God.

For now, I am chilling at Espresso Art, jamming to Brandi Carlile while I attempt to memorize the new presentation and grade my students unit projects. Being a teacher is going to be a crazy mess...I wonder what God is inviting me into...hmmmm....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CNYOea9eRPo

The above is a link to Brandi's song "Closer to You". It's such a fun song. It has more energy than her other songs. I really like to listen to it when I ride my bike or drive. I also love her style - she's so inspirational for me!!! She's so young, but has this rockin', low voice and can change her inflections so it sounds frickin awesome. Her music has very folky elements, which I am very into these days. But she sings about relationships, not just with guys, but family and others (particularly her brother)...which also makes me happy. I love how she takes simple things and tweaks them into these creative songs. :) Wow-thanks Jesus for music.

She's playing here soon with the Indigo Girls - woot. I'm there

my job

Tonight, Erin graciously attended a symposium banquet with me as a culmination of my research. Officially, it is done with, but I'll still be finishing up some loose ends this summer. It was a really random evening with good food. At least working for NASA gets you something because I'll be honest, the pay isn't great... :)

Here's the website of the people I work for...click on Impact Processes and you'll see some of the images I work with.

www.hirise.lpl.arizona.edu

mums the word

These flowers were for Hannah's friend and family reception. They're mums - a typical flower of autumn, but usually they're smaller and more fall-ish colors. But apparently they're still blooming in Spring as well. They were pretty dang beautiful (and still are - sitting on our counter), but unfortunately I couldn't get the shots I wanted. Here are two that I thought were better than the others. They look kinda like sea anenomes.

For Julie

Per her request...here's a link to the recorded version of the band I played in a few weeks ago at church.

http://www.villagersonline.com/download/index_byContent.php?type=music

Click on anything by the Refrigerator Magnets or Three Chicks and a Drummer...I'm singing/playing on these songs...

MARRIAGE

Amendment: Coleen has just informed me that I spelled marriage wrong. Watch out folks-its a tricky one.

After a little hiatus, now a marraige

My dear friend Hannah Joy Wevodau is now married to Mr. Stephen Thomas Yeakley. It's hard to believe all that has happened in life since we met in the Union almost 4 years ago. It's hopeful and scary to think of what life will be like 4 years from now. So much has changed within the last 4 years...will the rate of change be so steady? Or confusing? What do the next stages of life hold? I almost never think about questions like these, seriously. Only as God's let me face some disillusionment of life have I begun to wonder what God's long term pattern is. And I'm just as confused as ever...and more scared. But seeing Hannah get married to such a good man gives me faith. Jesus is Immanuel. He is inviting me to believe that he's with me in the crappy times and in the I'm-so-joyful-I-can't-even-process-my-life times...like this weekend. Here are some of my favs from the day. :) I am so happy for you Steve and Hannah, and I love you guys.

golden leaves of maple

One lovely day back in September I took a little photographic adventure on Mt. Lemmon. There's a little cove on the way up that has tons of maple trees that turn colors. Fall is when I miss Indiana the most; it is my favorite time of the year. I'm so grateful that God blessed me with a place to go and still enjoy the beautiful colors of autumn.

Hosea

God has been using the book of Hosea as a metaphor for what He's doing in my all throughout college. From the stripping part, to the romancing part, almost every part has defined my life. Most times, I think I resent it. I wish it was more that I was grateful for the intimacy He's inviting me into, but for the last 3 years I've been feeling the pain and loss of what He's taken away...and I haven't been mature or strong enough to be able to say "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Praise be the name of the Lord". I wish I was. I hope to come more into a place where I allow him to lead me in the wilderness and speak tenderly to me. I think that's the next step. It's only one small verse, but it's nuts to think how long it might take. But this is where David would tell me to "Be strong, Take heart, and hope in the Lord". I will try David. I will try.

how i feel

my brother - what a blessing

Some of you know him. He's pretty great, huh? I began to seriously follow Jesus the summer after my junior year of high school, and my brother began soon after. God knew that I wouldn't make it long without an encourager in my family. My family struggles to relate on more than a surface level, so I can't even begin to tell you how much Neil is a gift. He's really random, super-funny, and he's ok with not "doing" anything, but just living life and enjoying the moment. He's so NOT demanding...very different from him. I love that about him. He likes to surf the web and look up good music and random youtube videos. Here he is in action.

Andrew Bird

He's amazing.  A-MAZ-ING.  Simple lyrics, but complex at the same time.  He's just so dang talented!  I fell in love with this song today - Measuring Cups.  The intro just hooks my heart like when I read John 11 about how Jesus weeps for Mary and Martha's pain.  I'm so thankful to God that he created violins...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=awsXioNhDcg

The Sierras

Sue, Cheryl, and I got to talking about photography and looking at Cheryl's sister's stuff. It was awesome and reminded me of living in Bishop, CA. I would wake up to this view EVERYDAY. It was so amazing. The clouds would roll in, you could tell it was snowing in the mountains, but it was a picturesque 70 degrees outside. Bishop is a very small, climbers' town. It's so cute and is the former home to Galen Rowell - a National Geographic photographer from the 70s. You can check out his stuff at Mountain Light Photography. Google it....it's worth it. But anyways, if you get a chance to head to Bishop, go for it...and let me know if you go. It's funny all the random places God has taken me. I'll post a picture from another one tomorrow.

the gift of music resonating with life

this past week has been rather weird. I really like this song...it seems to describe some of the disallusionment I've felt this past year...

If you make a reference to some trouble that you know

Can it help you keep it under control

Or should I really reconsider My reasons for going solo

David Byrne on Bob Costas puts it pretty well

But I put it better

I still run the show

Don't you forget it

So I had to let some go

Don't think I don't regret it

Because I do and I don't

Think I'm better off alone

Man I could have made a big sound

But I love to let me friends down

Fewer moving parts means fewer broken pieces

When every other start requires a brand new thesis

One good friend remarks with a rightfully angry Jesus dude!

None of us know what to do with you

To which I in pride responded I've got news for you

None of you have to 'cause I still run the show

Don't you forget it

So I had to let some go

Don't think I don't regret it

Because I do and I don't Think I'm better off alone

Man I could have made a big sound

But I love to let my good friends down

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DLK5ENgf-f0&feature=related

blank

At the moment, not much is coming to mind song-wise or photo-wise. I didn't take many photos today. Today was another day with its ups and downs, its awesome joys and very large frustrations.


Ok...after a few minutes...a song came to mind. It's by a guy I saw with with some friends. He played with Dave Bazan, and I really enjoyed his voice. His songs are very chill and very subtle. Mostly, they are just him and a guitar, with a little harmonica, light drums, or violin every now and then. It can be quite somber if you're in the wrong mood, but still soothing. I'm not sure I resonate with all the lyrics, but the chorus has been coming to mind recently as I've thought over my life and how people interact.

If you don't feel the same you don't have to lie

                   Bm                   G
Been writing on the wall this whole damn time

A                              Em
If you've got one foot out the door

                             G
and you've packed up all your shoes

                 Bm                  G
you don't have to feel like i've been fooled




A                        Em                        G
Cause young men play the part play the part of the fools

                     Bm                            G
To keep from standing still, to keep their precious youth

A                       Em                         G
And young girls pay the price for pairing off with wolves

                   Bm                           G
They don't know any better, don't feel like they should

A Em G B

                    G
Don't feel like they should



A                      Em                      G
When i wake up in this room surrounded by your things

                 Bm                       G
None of them have places none of them have names

good times with the roomies

We needed a girls' night...bad. What a great night of bonding - face masks, pedicures, yelling to fun music, Frank...what good times.