why thanksgiving was great

thanksgiving was great because...

right when i walked off the plane i saw snow on the ground. ptl.

i closed my moleskin planner at baggage claim and didn't crack it once till monday.

i did 4 photo shoots. yeah. f o u r. (both great & grueling)

i got to wear scarves, boots, jackets and socks. everyday. mmm.

i logged copious amounts of nephew cuddling, family love time and friend fun.

i was freezing for a whole week (literally, our heater broke), and loved it.

even though i had to work more than i got to play, i was in my house, at my home, savoring the part of my life which takes place in a different area code.

the next 3 weeks will be a marathon, and i'll have the warm fuzziness of tgives to hold me over till christmas. 

here is some evidence...

pure glory.

the grandest mccord/fair/scott/pannell tradition of all time

the result of: me, lauren, childhood nostalgia and a wee bit too much Riesling.

the original thanksgiving, obv.

amen to that.

seriously, amen.

gearing up for another week of absolute craziness.

i'm sure you are as well. 

godspeed, my friend.

i love being aunt ray ray.

yesterday my heart melted into a puddle on the floor. and i'm pretty sure its still there.

amber (one of my sisters) called me in class and as i picked up i heard this lovely little voice saying: "oh, hi ray ray, i miss you!"

U G H. slayed me, right then and there. insta-tears.
it was Lawson, my favorite freakin 2 year old.

shortly followed by this little voice: "blorajdja hi rayraaay asndlk"

Tanner, my favorite one year old.

my day was made, and i had a silly smile on my face for at least an hour.

after talking to amber for a bit she told me that when my whole family gets together when i'm at school Law always says "where's ray ray?"
my dear sweet little neph notices when im gone.

gosh, so amazing. and breaks my heart even more that i'm not there.

after lawson singing me a song and tanner mumbling adorably i said goodbye - feeling so refreshed and loved and missed. and now i really s e r i o u s l y can't wait to go home and squeeze the living daylights out of these little creatures. only 18 more dayssss. ptl.

This day in [my] history...

Every once and a while I skim through my old blog posts from previous years.
I always peek and see if there is one I wrote on the same day on which I'm browsing.
It's always so interesting to reflect who I was, what I was thinking about and what I was feeling months ago or even years ago.

So today [in 2009] this is what I was thinking... and I haven't changed a bit.

_____________________________________

It's days like today that get me super pumped for heaven.

I didn't have a particularly bad day today, just an average day.

A day like a million other days I've spent, living my life, day to day.

Because it's all I've ever known how to do.

I just can't wait for the fact that in heaven I won't ever wake up tired.

I won't ever have to do homework, take tests or go to class.

I won't ever have to work, save money to buy things, or to even have to deal with the whole mess of money in general.

I won't ever have to say goodbye to the ones I care about. Just have continuous conversations.

I won't ever have to get sick, be late, or have to apologize for something I've done or haven't done.

I won't ever have to impress anyone or feel guilty about the things I'm not doing that I should be doing.

I won't ever judge anyone or look down upon those I subconsciously deem lesser than myself. 

I won't ever get cold, get lost while driving somewhere, stutter because I talk way too fast, or have to do my hair.

I won't ever have to fool others into thinking I'm smart, cool, hip or whatever it is I'm trying to prove at one time or another.

I won't have to read about celebrities and deem the ridiculous things they do as a point of interest.

I won't have to just sit and wonder what in the world I'm supposed to do with my life. It will be done, I will have learned, I will be content, and I will be relieved.

I'll never have to be anywhere other than in the presence of God and do nothing but praise the crap outta Him.

And it's day's like today that I can't wait to meet Jesus.

giggles & lasagna

i'm realizing something that makes me happy every time - never failing, is community. whether a situation is completely miserable or amazing, it is made better by sharing it with someone, anyone.

earlier today i did a photoshoot for the r.a. staff of a dorm on campus, and i only knew 1 girl out of the 7. and it's always a little odd to photograph groups, especially groups of girls that are your peers - it always takes them a while to trust you and relax. but later into the shoot, i realized what great girls they were and how kindhearted and hilarious each one was. even though i never met any of them until that moment, i felt so comfortable interacting with them - result of good community.

tonight my roommates and i went next door to our neighbors apartment with about 10 other people, ate lasagna and played telephone pictionary (which is fantastic) for hours on end, laughing ourselves silly.

even though, again, i didn't even know several of the people before that interaction, it was so great to be so chummy with them and my dear friends. it is situations like these when i remember how important communication, interaction and quality time are to me - they're game changers. i value my time with people so highly. i dislike being by myself for long periods of time - people are like my batteries, they charge me with energy. 

i think i'm also realizing that this is the l a s t time i will get to live in such a thriving community of people with such good hearts. 

this is my l a s t year of college. that still hasn't really hit home yet for me, but im slowly coming to grips with the fact that i am not peter pan, and that i eventually have to grow up. 

but not yet, i've got some more giggling to do.

little box.

one of my fave photogs, spreading some juicy photog wisdom.

(here's some of his work, if you are not familiar)

so great.

yes, sir.

"the key to change... is to let go of fear."

-rosanne cash

go get it.

"Whatever course you decide upon, 

there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. 

There are always difficulties arising 

which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. 

To map out a course of action and follow it 

to an end requires courage." 

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

now, it's time to run.

... aaand breath out.

and just like that, weight off my shoulders.

after weeks of worrying, asking friends, asking professors, asking photographers, asking myself, asking anyone and everyone... i am proud finally breath out and say: i have an internship for the fall. [yesssss!]

with a photographer that i have heard nothing but great things about, in addition to his impressive body of work as well as great interactions i've had with him so far.
i can legitimately say that i am so stinkin excited.

in other news:

- it's dead week, and i am actually not dying yet, ha, just on an IV of diet coke and cat naps.

- still crossing my fingers for on campus job for the fall [think happy thoughts for me]

- my studio final projects are creepin up on me but aren't overwhelming which is a new feeling, i actually have a good handle on them and am happy with the way they're turning out so far, which is also a new feeling.

- i will be a senior in college in exactly 9 days. N U T S. who let this happen?

- the national is delicious, see for yourself down below:

no longer

no longer cringing
no longer tense
no longer avoiding
no longer spent.

no longer longing
no longer alert
no longer possessing
feelings of hurt.

no longer missing
no longer pained
no longer wishing
for what i once gained.

no longer burdened
by what i had lost
no longer dwelling
on what it cost.

no longer my problem

no longer my part

no longer affected by the cracks of my heart.

no longer am i tethered
no longer am i fearing
no longer am i unsure
that what took place was healing.
__________________________

"chains be broken
lives be healed
eyes be open
Christ is revealed."
{hillsong/hosea 6}

hallelujah.

more than up[lift]ing words

soak these in. they're juicy.