Wedding Photos!

Melissa and I shot another wedding of some friends two weeks ago! The photos are up on our photography blog - so please, go take a look, leave a comment and tell us your thoughts!!! :D

Josh & Suzanne's Wedding

2011: Life and Other Musings

“This is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.” - Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

2011 was a crazy year. When I sit down and think about everything that has happened, I get a little overwhelmed and have to remind myself that it was only *one* year in which all these things happened. It has felt like a lifetime.

But, I learned so much! In spite of some difficulty and stress, I have recognized God's careful, loving hand as He molded and shaped me. Through difficulty the Lord has revealed grace. I've been reminded that this life isn't about *me*. The Lord has been teaching me to take the focus off of myself and to focus more on Him and loving others as He loves. I've learned that I need to stop feeling sorry for myself. Instead, I need to look at Jesus and take example from him. I need to love as He loves. It hasn't been easy...actually, it's been difficult, but I am grateful for the learning - for the process and where it has brought me in my relationship with those close to me as well as with the Lord.

Besides, without the difficulties in 2011, I wouldn't have a realization that family are the most important people in the world - friends come and go, but family is always, always there for me. I wouldn't have a closer, encouraging relationship with several friends who I hadn't appreciated before as I should have. (I am so grateful for the true friends that the Lord has blessed me with! You know who you are!).

And so many more things that I am unable to write down.

More importantly then anything, though, I have learned that no matter what we may be going through, no matter what tough choices and decisions we face - God is always there, leading us and teaching us and shaping us to be more like Him. When we're in the middle of a hard situation, we don't always see or understand what God could possibly be doing, but when it's over and the worst is behind us, we can look back and see God's hand throughout the storm. He is faithful, dear friends. That is what 2011 has taught me above all...no matter how difficult the future may look, God is in control of it all. He loves us and He holds us in the palm of His hands. Trust in that. Trust in Him.

“At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us to heed Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and we are put into the shadow of God's hand until we learn to hear Him...Watch where God puts you into darkness, and when you are there keep your mouth shut. Are you in the dark just now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? Then remain quiet...When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you get into the light.” - Oswald Chambers

Of course, I don't want you to think that my year has been nothing but difficulty! On the contrary, my hardships have revealed greater blessings! Plus, sooo many wonderful events have happened this year & I have been able to see my sisters who live so far, more often then I did the year before, which was a great blessing to me. Also, James, my oldest brother, got married, Tiffany & Ben had a baby girl, I turned 21, I flew a plane for the first time, I experienced the Northern California mountains up close and personal (cough) and I got to have all of my family together for the Holidays. I call that wonderful. The Lord has truly blessed me. :)

Happy, happy 2012! May this new year of your life be a blessed year and bring you closer to our Savior!

Without further ado, here is a recap of the year in photos. :)

Life Rally 2011
(This is our singing group!)

Twelfth Night 2011

Valentine's Day

Liberty Day!
My first experience with being completely in charge of the household for a week. This includes meals, cleaning, schooling the kids, etc. It was a HUGE learning experience for me! But I was super glad to have Mom and Melissa back home. ;-)

An outing in DeKalb with dear friends!

My eldest brother, James VI asked Jill to marry him and they had a lovely wedding in Peoria! I gained a niece AND another sister this year. :)

Road Trip!
Our big road trip this year consisted of driving all the way out to California. A full, three day journey! It was full of fun & was definitely a highlight of the year. :)

Mom & Mrs. Chapa!

We loved staying with the Chapa family on our way out and back!

We love our Colorado friends. :)

I flew a plane for the first time while I was out in Colorado!

Mr Chapa is a fantastic pilot and let me take control of the plane for a few minutes! It was thrilling & terrifying! And let's not even get into the stalls that we did... :-)

Dad & Mr. Chapa!

Visiting with the fabulous Storrie girls while out in Colorado!

Presbytery took place in the beautiful mountains of Northern California!

Spending some much-missed time with our wonderful, amzing outlaws! I miss y'all!!

Sister & Brother-in-Law! <3

Nic & I were the milkshake makers.

They tasted pretty good if I do say so myself. :-)

I miss my outlaws!!

Moosh & Caleb, exploring the mountain behind the Hectors home!

The baptism of my niece, Lilyana Shapirta Hector!

Outlaws!

Back home! This is our Spring Family Photo!

Turkey Festival!

The Fourth of July was spent with dear friends!

Lilyana and Tiff came out to visit for the Ladies' Tea! And she brought SURPRISES: Mrs. Hector, Matthew, Nic & Anthony!!!

My beaaaautiful niece!

We're just missing Christa & Mom! :-(

Shopping trip!

Because we love little coffee houses... :)

Saying goodbye was ridiculously hard...*sigh*

Some dear friends blessed me with this entire Agatha Christie Mystery collection! I am in love. :)

Dad, Caleb & Mr. Vogel built a tree-house. It is spectacular!

Family Camp in Nebraska!

Concert with the Wintons!

Dates with girlfriends. :)

Thanksgiving!

And the family is back to visit again!! Not Justin Bieber. ;-)

Christmas Morning!

Visiting with my little niece was definitely a highlight. :)

Sisters 2011

Our entire family: Christmas 2011

At Romantique Photography - A Wedding!

Melissa and I, as some of you may already know, are pursuing photography. We started a blog sometime back and have been posting often on it ever since!

Anyway, we recently shot our first wedding, which was both stressful and exciting - a great experience! The photos from the wedding are finally up on the blog! Please check it out and tell us your thoughts. :-)

http://romantiquephotography.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/justin-melinda-wedding/

Sincerely,

Jessica

Romantique Photography

Introducing a new blog! My sister, Melissa, and I have our new photography blog up & running! Please go and check it out!! :-)

Romantique Photography

I've had an...interesting experience this week. I though I would recount it to y'all so you can each share in a bit of my terror.

The Night Terror: A Horror Story with a Slightly Satisfying Ending

So there I am, reading at midnight. It had been a loooong day & I was really into the book I was reading. Somebody must have been dying, or fighting...or something interesting was happening. I'm so engrossed in it that I barely hear the gentle "Plop" beside my ear. But, it being a plop (and "Plops" being shortly followed by my viewing of bugs...) I, of course, must turn to look.

Now everyone knows that I don't care for bugs. Okay, I REALLY don't care for bugs, but usually I can (mostly) keep my cool. There are a few select creatures, though, that really, really, really, really freak me out. Also, seeing ANY bug at midnight tends to freak me out more then it would if I saw it at noon. Does that make sense?

*cough*

Anyway, so I turn to my left and what do I see? WHAT. DO. I. SEE??? A BIG FAT DISGUSTINGLY GREEN AND DISGUSTINGLY FREAKISH LEAF BUG BESIDE ME. Right there. Beside me. At midnight. Waiting - JUST WAITING to plop on my head while I'm sleeping. I could see the malicious intent in it's green face...well, for as long as I looked at it (which was probably for 1/100th of a second.).

I leaped from my bed, through my book on Melissa's bed and ran screaming from the room. I called first for Dad, but seeing as all the lights were off, I decided that he was already in bed. Who is the next closest? CALEB. So I go into his room, flash the lights (while still yelling) and he jumps out of bed. He tries to put on his shirt, which I refused to let him do (I grabbed it and threw it in the air) seeing as it would take WAY too long and by then the bug would be IN MY BED (one of my worst fears). I shoved a shoe into his hands and led him to my room and pointed out the bug.

Caleb, being the sweet, kind, brother that he is killed it right there. But then...(HORROR OR HORRORS) HE REFUSED TO WIPE IT UP. So there, beside my head, on the wall, would be a big, fat, disgustingly green and disgustingly freakish SQUASHED leaf bug. That's almost as bad as an ALIVE big, fat, disgustingly green and disgustingly freakish leaf bug (emphasis on "almost".). He leaves the room, I'm practically in tears even though I am VERY grateful that it's at least DEAD. Mean green trespasser. As I struggle to decide who to ask to pick it up (I just CANNOT pick it up myself.) who do I see as I leave my room once more?

Dad. He's half-smiling and clutching a shoe in his hand. I thought I was going to die of joy. MY HERO. HE would pick up the bug for me! I would never have to see that big fat disgustingly green and disgustingly freakish leaf bug ANYMORE.

"Where is it?" My hero asks, ready to do battle on my behalf.

"Well, Caleb killed it, but............could you please pick it up for me?"

He is amazing and he did it.

Thus, my terrifying night was concluded.



Well...ALMOST concluded. I moved my bed AWAY from where the bug had been and I slept at the farthest end of my bed (just in case that leaf bug had any friends, cousins or enemies.) and I laid in bed for about 10 hours (praying there were no more in the room.) before finally falling asleep.



Now where can I find some Leaf Bug Killer?????



P.S. I was going to add a picture of the horrid thing (I found one on the internet.) But it was TOO terrifying. I just couldn't. So if you want to see what a leaf bug looks like, then go look it up yourself. *shivers*

"It's Independence Day..."

Independence Day is always a big deal over here in our neck of the woods. Actually, I can hardly remember an Independence Day in my life that WASN'T celebrated. We love to get together with friends, enjoy the heat (*cough*), munch on watermelon & grilled meat, laugh, play and of course - FIREWORKS. We Americans sure do know how to put on a party, if I do say so myself. :-)

So anyway, without further ado, here are some photos of our 4th of July. :-)