I'm tired.

I'm incredibly tired, and therefore probably should not be writing this blog. I may look back at this tomorrow and realize that I sound stupid and then delete it. Maybe.

Today I went with a friend to lunch. We had a good time, and a lot of good laughs, especially about comparing marital experiences. That's always fun. I love being able to laugh with someone else who understands the ins and outs of being married. At lunch her two-old-daughter covered her clothes with melted chocolate ice cream. I found it quite funny, and laughed at her. (Because I'm nice like that) After lunch we pretended like I was interested in renting an apartment in these new, trendy apartments near the mall. They are totally chic...and we were dying to know what they looked like on the inside. So we visited those new trendy metro apartments, and got a tour. I would totally live there if Joel and I were younger, and if we didn't have a crazy, active Border collie. Before we went home, she had to run into a store and pick up an item really quickly. I waited in the car with her two daughters (ages 2 and 4). While we were waiting, I taught the older one how to make fart noises with her mouth and the palms of her hands. I know I probably shouldn't have, but I'm bad like that sometimes. Let me tell you, that was one of the funniest things I've witnessed in a couple of months. Her daughter caught on quickly, and proceeded to show her mom when she came back to the car, and then continued making juicy fart noises and then laughing hysterically the whole entire way home. Her mother thanked me and reminded me that payback would be sweet when Joel and I have kids. (I agree it probably will, but it was totally worth it) We all laughed as she continuously made those nice juicy fart noises and by the time I got home, my sides hurt so bad that I could hardly breathe, and wiped several tears from my eyes. My point in saying all this is that I'm glad for friendship. I'm glad to have friends where you can be yourself, and you can love each other for who they are, despite the obnoxious things they may do (like teach their children to make fart noises). It's good to have friends.

And one totally random thought to mention - When is it that you can say that you are a "professional photographer"? I would love to say that I am a professional photographer, but I don't feel like one, nor do I consider myself to be one, perhaps maybe an amateur, but not professional. But at what point do you cross the line between amateur and professional? I don't know. But I have a personal goal to become a Professional Photographer. But how will I know when I get there?? Hmm...

Canyon De Chelly

Here they are - photos from my non-vacation getaway last week with Joel (on his business trip). By the way, in case you are wondering how to pronounce the canyon's name, it's "Shay". I don't know why. Navajo, I guess. And one more thing - I apologize ahead of time if the pictures take a long time to load. please forgive me.



this one should have been rotated. sorry. this is the view from the bottom of the canyon wall


Rock stack on a canyon outlook. Some people do weird things. (but it makes a great photo)



on the edge of the canyon.



Indian ruins.


This seriously looks like a face!!!



Canyon lookout.



Yes, I know I'm amazing. And I know my hair looks great too.



This is us.



We hiked down to the bottom of this canyon. 2.5 miles both way, and 500 feet below. It took us half the recommended time. We definitely got a work out.




On the way down into the canyon.



Window Rock, Arizona - headquarters of the Navajo Nation. Serious business!!

Thoughts on Monday

I have exciting news - this is my last week of work!!! WooHoo!! I'm very excited. I have three days of work left (that is, if they don't call me and tell me to not come in). These last two weeks have really accelerated my desire to quit work, probably because the end is so near. I feel like my manager has been doing her best to fire me before my last day has arrived as well. All of the sudden, I have gotten continuous threats of being written up if my performance is not at a certain level (if I don't increase my sales, if I get caught doing a sitting when the parent is not in the safety zone, if I don't do at least 2 extreme croppings during the sales, blah, blah, blah). I think that my manager's goal is to fire me before my last day because it would probably look better. I don't know. Whatever. Honestly I try my very best every day that I work, so if I do get written up, it wouldn't be for a lack of effort. HOWEVER my manager is on vacation for the rest of the week at the moment, and so that means I probably won't get written up. HA! In addition to all of these battles, I was scheduled to work on a Sunday (once again) and of course called and let them know that I wouldn't be able to come in (HA) but the best part is that when I called, nobody answered the phone, so I left a message - which means that I got the last word without having to get yelled at...or lectured...or given a guilt trip.(double HA.) I feel like I won. I feel like it stuck it to The Man. It's a good feeling.

I bought this shirt today: It amuses me. I've been meaning to buy it forever, but never got around to it. I remembered this weekend, and I could only find it one place online. I had to buy a size larger than what I wear, only because they didn't have my size. It should be ok, the shirts look like they run small anyway.

This weekend is the wedding that I am going to help shoot! I'm really excited. I've rented an extra camera lense online to help me add variety to the pictures I take. I've also been trying to prepare like a mad woman, reading material and planning to make sure that I do a good job, and not mess up these pictures (wedding pictures are seriously important). I know that shooting weddings are incredibly stressful and difficult, but I really think that I can do it.

this week, I plan to:
- work out
- have a Keva Juice with a friend (one of my favorite places)
- go out to lunch with another friend
- finish reading the book I've been trying to finish since about February
- rent a movie that my husband would not enjoy watching with me (any suggestions?)
- edit photos - specifically from the canyon last week. so will have pictures to share with you very soon from my adventure last week. In the mean time, I have two photos to share with you....

I took this photo last week. Joel and I were with our pastor and his wife driving out behind their neighborhood. The pastor was showing us the undeveloped land, and neat photo opportunities of the desert. At the corner of one of the dirt roads, there was a chair. It was totally random. This totally amuses me.


But I have a question for you guys. Same picture, one is in black and white, and one is color. Which one do you like better?

I'm in AZ.

I am currently typing this from a hotel room in Arizona. Joel and I are not on vacation, but I went with Joel on a business trip. We are in Chinle, Arizona. (where?) It's northern Arizona. On the Navajo reservation. It's pretty amazing out here, and it's totally a new experience for me as well. I've never really spent much time on an indian reservation before (other than the field trip I went on in elementary school). Joel and I totally stick out like sore thumbs here. We're so white. I'm not used to sticking out like that. For the most part, I've always been able to blend fairly easy with everyone no matter where we went...except when I was in Kenya. Yeah. So anyway, while Joel is working on his lovely networking engineer business, I hang out at the hotel, swim in the pool, and just chill. It's awesome. Chinle itself isn't that exciting, but the really cool thing is there's this canyon about a mile from our hotel called Canyon de Chelly. Let me tell you - It's AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL. It's not the Grand Canyon (I've haven't been there yet) They have Indian Cliff Dwellings in the Canyon. The walls of the Canyon are a beautiful streaked red color. The views are spectacular. Absolutely breath taking. The sunset over the Canyon is fantastic! Being here seriously makes me just marvel over just how much of an amazing God that God really is. It's so beautiful here. I just had no idea how amazing this place is. I'm so excited to be here...and I'm not even on vacation! So anyway, it's pretty amazing here. I love it. I have pictures to share, but I'm too tired to put them up tonight. But I will soon.

One more very cool piece of information that I've been dying to share with you guys - I put in my two weeks notice last Thursday at work. YAY!! Don't get me wrong here, I love my job, but I'm ready to move on, plus I've pretty much always hated the inconsistent work hours I have, among the fact that our work hours are consistently being cut, which makes the 45 minute drive to and from work a little frustrating when you only end up working for about 2 hours. But-- I got a lot out of my job. I'm leaving with lots of knowledge in my head about portrait photography, I've earned my certification through the company, and I have tons of experience in photography, AND dealing with insane customers who stomp out after blaming you for their child's bad behavior. I really feel like I've gained so much from this job....and now I'm ready to be done...and travel with my husband on his business trips and take vacations and be the spontaneous couple that we love to be.

Pictures soon to come.