I have been challenging myself with more natural lighting pictures.?? The trade off is noise because you have to shoot at a higher ISO.?? Been practicing to minimize this and I love the results of the above.?? I took this on Saturday when she was having a somewhat happy moment.?? I only took a few while she was sitting in her bumbo – she wasn’t up for a real photo shoot – trust me.?? Still though…holy cow she is gorgeous.??
I just think blogging is the coolest thing in the world.?? I have had a website for about 10 years now and a blog for about 4 and a half years?? and I love the histories that I have been able to write doing this.?? It has taken a long time to catch on with my family but FINALLY many family members have joined the blog world and I love it.?? And….drumroll…after 4.5 years…my MOTHER and my AUNT KAREN…finally see my blog every day!?? Woooohoooo!?? My motherS (including MIL) in this comment, have complained that blogging is too impersonal for them and they want to hear and see everything first hand.?? I get that – I do – BUT I take so many pictures that there is no chance they would see all the pictures of their grandkids if they (break -?? Tori chewing on a huge piece of paper)??????didn’t see the pics that I post DAILY.?????? My Aunt Karen lives in CA and I feel like she has missed out on a lot and we have missed out on being with her.?? I am so glad??that we at least have this “window” to the family.?? (Love you Aunt Karen).?? Then there is the Kacalek side of the family too.?? My Dads sister and her five kids.?? We haven’t seen them in 7 years this month and these are my first cousins.?? Due in large part to blog communities, we are finally working on a reunion.?? (Note to family:?? Michelle and I are working on dates for next summer – thinking of a couple of beach houses in San Diego for a weekend!)?? In this crazy busy culture we are in, blogs can be such a tool for relationship building and maintaining.?? Some may argue that without them we would be in better touch personally but I disagree.???? I am WAY more connected as an SAHM mom in the internet community then I would have been otherwise.?? I am not a phone person (we don’t really need to comment on that do we hee hee?) so I think I would have lived an even quieter life.
Truth is, I love people and I love to talk TO people.?? The thing I just can’t figure out though (hee hee), is people often don’t like to talk to me!?? I approach strangers all the time and start conversations and I think I actually frighten them.?? I get these wide eyed “you are talking to ME” looks all the time.?? Lately I pray everytime that I am in the grocery store that the Lord would give me someone to talk to and love if even for??a moment.?? Once in awhile I encounter someone who is very receptive and needing someone to talk to.?? Case in point, I was at the meat counter one day and started a conversation with the lady in line.?? She got a cell phone call while we were talking and actually told the caller she was busy and would have to call them back.?? :)?? That is unusual.?? She had some things to say and needed someone to listen.?? Yesterday though I had the more common experience (and I had to call my friend Kristi and comment on this because I knew she would appreciate it).
I was standing in line at Walmart and the woman checking me out was wearing flare advertising a book series I just finished.?? I asked her how she liked the books and she told me she hadn’t read them (all said without making eye contact).?? Hmmmm…?? Where do I go from here??? So I try again.???? “So are you required to just wear the flare for advertisement?”?? She answered “yes” and remained quiet.?? I was giggling internally and couldn’t help but glance around and notice that none of the other Walmart checkers were wearing this “required” flare.?? Interesting.?? I decided not to push so I remained quiet a bit.?? My order was big so I stood there in silence packing my groceries.?? Finally she decided to open up a bit and chat and by the end of our conversation she was ready to go purchase the book she was advertising.?? Funny.
This is the more familiar story to me…I try to initiate conversation and people want to run and hide.?? Going to keep trying though because the Lord keeps laying it on my heart that I am to be His hands and feet.?? How can I love people if I don’t take the time to know them and be interested??? We all get so busy that it’s hard to do sometimes isn’t it??? Something I have been praying about though and trying to just learn to keep looking for my opportunities and take every small window of opportunity.??????A little love goes a long way doesn’t it?
9 responses to “Beautiful”
Your posts always bless me…
Tori is beautiful–love the black and white!!
i need to think more like you do – ministry opportunities that can be taken or left… rather than the sense of irritation i feel when, particularly in customer service sides of things, people are cold, stand-offish, unsmiling, and unwilling. i must admit that drives me CRAZY when someone is in a service position and treats the customer like an irritation! i always try my hardest to connect and make them smile… but sometimes they are just plain grumps. i need to start praying for those grumps instead of being irritated at them. yikes… discipline to self is noted. 🙂
your daughter is just stunning. what an incredible gift to have such amazing windows to her darling soul… those knock-out eyes of hers. God certainly IS creative isn’t He? i know he does good work on every person because he loves us all… but some just catch my eye extra – tori is one of those. 🙂
Doni~
I love that you blog and when you don’t post for a few days or longer, I actually worry about you guys!! How funny is that!!? You have such insight on a whole plethora of topics and I love that I can ask you anything and you don’t hesitate to give me your opinion. I’d have to say that most of the time, you and I line up in our way of thinking, you just have more guts to say it! =)
I have followed the blog since before Ty was born, so I guess its around five years now and I feel like I know you and most of your family. I love reading about all the adventures and I definitely love your photography skills!
Someday, I am going to get myself to Arizona, I do have a Grampa I have only met once in my life and we want to do something on his turf sometime. So, if I ever get out there, I hope you’ll be around, cause I’d love to meet you all in person!
Keep up the blogging and try not to keep us in suspense so often!!
Doni~
KEEP THIS ONE(I mislabeled my blog on the first one)
I love that you blog and when you don???t post for a few days or longer, I actually worry about you guys!! How funny is that!!? You have such insight on a whole plethora of topics and I love that I can ask you anything and you don???t hesitate to give me your opinion. I???d have to say that most of the time, you and I line up in our way of thinking, you just have more guts to say it! =)
I have followed the blog since before Ty was born, so I guess its around five years now and I feel like I know you and most of your family. I love reading about all the adventures and I definitely love your photography skills!
Someday, I am going to get myself to Arizona, I do have a Grampa I have only met once in my life and we want to do something on his turf sometime. So, if I ever get out there, I hope you???ll be around, cause I???d love to meet you all in person!
Keep up the blogging and try not to keep us in suspense so often!!
WELL! That certainly was quite a post! Those photos are amazing as usual! You know Doni… the conversations we have had have always had an impact on me. You have a very unique way of planting a seed…
My heart is amening with everything you wrote!!! ….plus your daughter is beautiful!
She has the most beautiful eyes! Thank you for the reminder to love everyone, what an inspiration you are!
Doni,
This post caught me and I’m being forced to respond….as I don’t usually cause I keep my computer time limited so this is one thing I don’t do often, but today I feel compelled! I was wheeled into the Nicu 4 1/2 years ago to look at my sweet little tiny baby girl who was only hours old, and at almost the same time i met her I “saw” you with Ty….I right away was drawn to you and stared at you to the point I was worried you were going to think I was a weirdo or something, but I couldn’t help myself. I was more than ecstatic when our nurse asked me to talk to you about preemie babies and PVL, she new I had a little girl who was 4 at the time that was born at 28weeks and diagnosed with it. I was also super nervous…and that leads me to to the reason I was compelled to write to you today. Doni, you are an amazing woman, and I could see that everyday as we sat with our sweet babies holding them and staring at them and decorating the incubators….I wanted so badly to talk to you ,before that nurse came to me, and ask you why your baby was in here, was he born early how early, what did he weigh…ya know all the preemie mom stuff, but I didn’t…you want to know why…you are intimidating in the most sincere adoring smart and beautiful way one can be. You make such a presence, and I was nervous that you looked so strong and in charge of what was going on. I hope you don’t take this as an insult by any means…it is full compliment. I loved our talk that day and from then on couldn’t wait to see both my baby girl and the mom with the little boy right next to us everyday…so we could compare “Nicu” life. I learned a lot from you in the few short weeks we were there, but have continued to grow and learn from you….
I like what Laurie said above, “you have a very unique way of planting a seed….”
ps….I’m loving all of your photography these days and the kids are all adorable beyond words, but Tori and her eyes…holy moly!!!
~Shayla
It’s so sweet to hear your perspective on this Shayla. I am trying to teach my kids that God has filled us up with so much love that we should never be afraid to let it spill on other people. Our love tanks are full so it would be selfish to not give it away. But….when I oh so often encounter people who look at me like I am a crazy nut for starting conversation at the gas pumps…I have moments of being conscious of my self image. 🙂 What DO people really think of me because clearly they are not used to being approached? And, more often than not…people don’t seem to want to be loved on or paid attention too. Or…maybe…I don’t understand how more introverted people think. I am assuming they want me to be on my merry way and stop talking to them and maybe they just don’t know how to reciprocate the conversation? As for the intimidation factor…I am working on being the kind of person that people don’t fear – that instead they want to come to me for mercy and love. Haven’t succeeded yet because I still have far more runners in my life than takers but the story isn’t over yet. 🙂 Hopefully God will just grow me in grace so that I can be more useful. 🙂 Love you Shayla and thank you for that.