I was sitting out on my balcony enjoying my bible, book, and a very steamy hot cup of chai tea latte.  You could feel the humidity rising in the air, but I wanted my chai anyways.  Across the street I could hear the shouting of the construction crew as the bulldozers and backhoes went along with their work.  And the highway in the distance had a hum of traffic.  The birds were singing sweetly as they swooped past to their nest of crying babies.  And me, well I was enjoying it all.  Nothing like sitting back for once and taking a little time to relax.

In the morning every part of me wants to get up out of bed and instantly jump on the computer.  Emails to answer and read, sneak peeks to share, or editing.  But days or weeks like that can be disasterious to a body.  I promised myself when I moved I would teach myself how to slow down.  I’m still learning but so far I couldn’t help but feel a little less stressed.  Zechariah 4:10 says this…For who has despised the day of small beginnings? I know that I sure haven’t!  From what I have read on other photographer’s blogs it is so easy to get caught up in something you love so much.  To put everything you have and 100% more.  But I also need to remember to take care of me and learn what its like to not work three jobs again!  I think of the passage of small beginnings and I couldn’t help but relate it to how the  planters on the balcony had only seeds.  Thats where I intend to begin, I can’t wait to grow just as they have.

To be honest I haven’t had much of a green thumb in the past, so I am just happy to see that I can actually keep something alive!

..SPROUTING..

love, echo

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echoes of love

Its muggy out and a slight breeze is moving across the fields of the Dearsman farm.  Inside you hear laughter as family gathers around the TV playing Wii.  Outside you can cut the competition with a knife, your serious game face must be on!   We are playing croquet with Grandma and Grandpa, and its game time.  When I played my first game of croquet with this beloved family (which became mine), I had NO IDEA just how serious a game could get!  I fit in quickly because I was competitive, or so I thought.  Let’s just say I have yet to win a game in Grandma and Grandpa’s side yard of undulations.

For those who have never played, the jist is this: croquet equipment consists of 9 wickets , 2 posts(stakes), mallets, and balls.  Each mallet is colored to match it’s corresponding ball.  The simpilest way to explain play is the ball must be struck from one post on one side of the field to the post on the other side and back again.  However, there is a catch.  There are 9 wickets on the way, the object is that you have to make your ball enter through the path of wickets by striking the ball with your mallet.  The first player down and back through all the wickets by taking one strike at your ball on your turn becomes a spider.  Also known as poison.  Once you are a spider you have to avoid going through any wickets or your dead.  In order to win you must successfully hit another players ball with your own for them to be out of the game.  Sometimes multiple spiders run the course which makes it interesting.  The player with the last ball on the course wins croquet!

The mallets and balls.

I choose Green…

I was only on one side of the course while Grandpa and Brad’s Dad were becoming spiders on the other side… I knew they were coming after me!

After our competitive game of croquet we all enjoyed our own fireworks show!  The sky was beautiful.

And for the record my husband beat us all, a few words of choice and flying mallets were in stow 🙂

..CROQUET..

love, echo

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echoes of love

I think back to the celebration of last weekend and I scanned the crowd viewing just how many different cultures make up the melting pot called America.  There are so many! My husband and I joke all the time calling myself a “mutt” of an American.  My father was born and raised in the Texas Valley where Hispanic heritage is dominant, his father was also very much Apache Indian.  On the other side of the gene pool, my mother is made up of a German and Dutch background.  Thus bringing together Dutch, German, Hispanic, and Indian equaling ME!  I know there are so many other stories behind where everyone else came from.  How they got here?  Who they descended from?  How did they decide to make root where they are living now?  So many questions come to mind.  But looking across the crowd anxiously awaiting the booming air force fly overs and musically coordinated fireworks lies a similar feeling in all of us, WE ARE AMERICAN!  Each of us has a story and each of us are so proud to be where we are standing on free solid ground!

I sometimes question how we differ ourselves from other countries, the ones who seemingly have all made their way into our culture somehow.  I realized that an American is made up of so much more than we think.  I realized that as an American woman I can have my own individuality, most women can’t.  I love American foods like hot dogs, corn, and fast food.  American football is a requirement for my family and sometimes even the occasional Nascar with the Dearsman’s.  I own a smart phone and wish to have a plasma screen TV.   My apartment is heated in the winter, cool in the summer, and has its own bathroom (two to be exact).  I eat at a table, most likely enjoying my family all around.  I’m used to a wide variety of choices for almost anything I buy,  and I love to shop.  If I was talking to a stranger,  I typically get uncomfortable if they approach closer than about two feet.  I and all other non-crazy American’s drive on the right side of the road in cars that are bigger than most in other countries.  And I like other American’s find a way to get my to do list done faster, quicker, more on the go, do everything wherever, whenever, and however possible.  But Sunday, Sunday was all about taking a moment to slow down and celebrate all that we have in common, and even all that we don’t.  I know I am an American!

The fly overs looked beautiful with the yummy setting sun.

The beautiful fireworks display.  Probably one of the best displays I have ever seen!

Thank you to all who serve in all branches of the Department of Defense.  We are praying for you and thank you every day for what you have done.  I know I can be a free American who can be proud of her red, white, and, blue!

..FIREWORKS & FLYOVERS..

love, echo

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echoes of love