Change

I find it amazing that it is already December.

I love looking back on the year that I have had and seeing all of the changes I've made and seeing how much I have learned. This year in particular has been huge for me.

I think the 5000 km physical change I made has been matched by an equally huge internal change.

I am so happy.

I was happy before but this is different. I feel energized. The more changes I make the more excited I get about learning and growing even more.

I am so excited that I have finished my university degree (I am now looking into graduate schools). I am so excited about photography school (I am learning so much). I am so excited about family and friends and sharing my home with others. I feel more committed to doing the things that I know are right. I find myself looking at people differently. I have learned so much about kindness and friendship and love. I look at my kids differently. I feel so grateful for the fourteen years I had at home with them and I feel excited about discovering a new balance in being with them and getting out and talking to other people. I have been learning so much from the people I have been meeting.

I have realized that for years I made my family and home an island. A safe place. There is nothing really wrong with that; but, I have been learning how much more fun and interesting it is to let more people into my life. I have discovered that I can learn new things from basically everybody I meet. I feel almost childlike - full of wonder and curiosity. It is so fun.

and Exhale...

I have finally -FINALLY-finished my bachelor's degree.

I have had a few days to catch up on some family time and some photography schoolwork - although I am still a little behind.

I have been working on portraits, which I find difficult.

I am used to taking pictures of my kids while they are running around. This kind of photography is so much slower and really hard for me. I really have to learn to slow down and think before taking the picture. I am hoping that with my other courses done and my stress level lowering that I will be able to relax a little bit and just enjoy the process.

I've done some pictures around town and a few more landscapes. I went out early one morning to get better light. I love the early morning light…I just need to learn to love getting up extra early.

The October holidays went by so fast. We had a great Thanksgiving…and the kids had fun on Hallowe'en. I missed out on a lot of Hallowe'en as it was my final day of class and I was writing my last essay. But, I don't think anybody missed me too much. The boys went trick or treating and filled their bags with candy. I don't usually let them get so much so I think they may have been happy that Dad was in charge this year. 

My husband has been really busy building a dining room table and a wall of bookshelves. He is trying to get the living room put together - I am hoping before Christmas everything will be finished. A couple of the missionaries from our church have been helping in their spare time. We are very grateful for their help. 

I am really happy this month and completely exhausted. I think it is going to take me a few weeks to figure out my new routine. I feel a little strange not having any essays to write! I feel like I am heading into a new chapter of life and I am really excited to see what is going to happen next.

First month of Photography School

Almost one month into my photography course and I really am loving it.

I will finish the very last (I promise this time) of my Bachelor of Arts Degree classes at the end of October. I can't wait to finish. In the meantime my life is insanely busy! I am trying to keep up with both courses and find time for my family. It is so difficult to fit everything in.

I may not be posting much in October as I finish up my degree.

The next few weeks of photography school are going to be really busy as we finally learn how to use manual mode on the camera...

and learn photoshop. I am really excited to learn both of those skills because I really have no idea how to do either.  

Hopefully I make it through October... I keep picturing a cartoon image of myself with my brain exploding with too much information...

I really hope that doesn't happen...but I am a little afraid.

We have spent a lot of time shooting landscapes and have moved on to portraits. This is the area where I feel really weak. And just to make it extra difficult we have been shooting self-portraits all week! I never get in front of the camera so it has been a bit of an adjustment for me. I do not like posting photos of myself...but in the spirit of education...

This is me with no edits.

A Little Love

Wow - The past two weeks have been crazy busy. But, I am feeling the love.

Let's see:

1. I love our exchange student. She is wonderful. I am so happy that we have somebody who isn't freaked out by the craziness that is our family and someone who doesn't add to the craziness either. So far the experience is perfect.

2. I love photography school. The only downside is my weeks go by SO fast. I mean freakishly fast. And since this is the beginning and we are learning everything from the beginning, photography has become a little more difficult. (If you are familiar with photography - we have to keep the camera on P setting and can only adjust the ISO). But, I love it and I am learning so much. This is a sample from my homework this week-end. We are just starting landscapes. This is actually portrait style rather than landscape - but I hope it works. I liked it anyway. We are working on framing and ISO, so that is all we are allowed to play with right now.

3. I love being out of the house. I feel a little guilty saying that because I do really love being home with my kids. But, I have been home with my kids for fourteen years. It is really fun to get out and talk to other adults. Although, everyone in my class is closer to my kids' ages than to my age. But, it is still nice. 

4. I am learning a lot about time management in the kitchen. Being out of the house has brought some new challenges in the kitchen. But, I am loving coming home and making a meal for my family. I am learning to appreciate it even more than I did before. (I can't wait to get some extra income so I can really start playing around in the kitchen...and with extra photography skills too!)

5. I love how we are all learning to juggle our schedules a little better. My husband is learning to do the school runs in between working. The kids are learning how to help out a little more. I am learning how to juggle two batches of homework everyday ( I still haven't finished my last degree...although I am really getting close now), helping five kids with homework instead of four, being out of the house all day, and still finding time for my hubby, the kids, church, chores and everything else that needs to get done around here. 

I am hoping that soon I will finish my last batch of classes for my BA degree freeing up a little time and energy and that I will be able to find a little time to relax...somewhere in there. If not...I should have my time management skills perfected by the end of the year. 

6. I love that life continually brings changes and learning experiences. I always feel like I am growing and learning and ever so slowly improving.

7.  I love that I have the opportunity to create a life for myself. Although I am limited by time and money I can still constantly move forward and I think I love that most of all.