AN ANGEL BY MY BEDSIDE

I’ve been going through many trails and under a lot of stress these days, one of them being my surgery. I found myself turning to my heavenly father to find my strength again. There are many distractions in life and when things get overwhelming I stop and reflect… to find what is truly important again. I have always been able to turn to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to ground myself and find my footing again. I’ve been witness and apart of the many blessings and miracles within the church. The community alone is no stranger… everyone is family. The past couple of months I’ve been really turning to the church for guidance, support and comfort. I’ve even attended sacrament the last two Sundays. ☺

Early morning on the 20th as Jeb and I wait in the lobby to be shown back to my room before surgery, emotions rise to the surface and time ticks by slowly. Our pager finally goes off and we are greeted by a lovely woman with a warm smile and shown back to my room. As she looks over my information she is struck by something and asks me if I grew up in town. I answer her with a yes and tell her the high school I attended. She asks me if I know who Amber Nelson is. I felt the spirit rush over me… and smiled with a yes.

I’m certain that everyone whom attended high school with me knew Amber. She was truly an Angel sent from heaven and was one of the most pure at heart spirits I’ve ever met. At that moment all my memories of her flooded my head, filling it with joy and love. Her time with us here was short, yet she brought to us all teachings that will last a lifetime. My first memory of Amber was on the bus headed to seminary (we bused over to the Sunset building before Westview had their own). She hopped on the bus with a big smile wearing her cheer uniform and asked me my name; she knew my older brother and I instantly became “the little sister” (her little sister too). Amber held a service at the church to give her testimony of the church and many attended to give their love, support and to say goodbye (or until we meet again). My brother and I attended her service together. As we took our turn to hug her and tell her how much she meant to us… she (whom was losing her hair in her fight against cancer) looked up at my brother (whom had been losing his hair since he was 16) and said to him with a smile “I still have more hair then you”. Funny girl she was. I still carry with me the Book of Mormon handed out at Amber’s service with her testimony inside.

The woman whom brought me back to my room with a warm smile and asked me if I knew Amber was Janice, Amber’s mother. I felt I couldn’t be in better hands. Before she left my room she gave me a big squeeze filled with joy and love, then shortly returned to my room with a small bear and around his leg a hospital tag read “I heart Jayme”. Janice told me not to feed him for he was stuffed (I see where Amber’s sense of humor, warm smile and caring spirit came from).


I feel very blessed to have the most amazing, selfless, caring people in my life. I had the greatest team of people taking care of me. I felt safe and comforted at all times. My parents and Jeb stayed by my bedside. My surgeon was one of the most caring doctors I’ve met and handsome (meds talking ;) and ALL the nurses and staff were genuine and loving.

Most importantly… I had an angel by my bedside. The hospital is a big place and I don’t believe it to be a coincidence that I was to meet Amber’s mother the day of my surgery. May I always carry Amber’s spirit in my heart.

JUST DUCKY

I have been taking SO many pix and videos with my new iPhone (does that sound funny coming from a pro?)... I just love it!!! I guess I'll use any tool given to me to capture life's little moments. Here is my first project from the footage taken with my phone. It is not the highest of qualities, but none the less it has been very enjoyable to be able to capture the fun times had... when just being out and about.




T, Faith, Ella and I went to Dawson Creek just yesterday to feed the ducks (One of my favorite place to be, near the Hillsboro Airport... just minutes from my home). Always fun for the kids and just SO nice to be outside in sun :)

I HEART VICTOR

I’m going to pass on through May and June… just wouldn’t know where to begin. Here I am picking up again and starting fresh.

Today was fabulous. Annette, Yvonne, Robbert and I trekked it out to Sauvie Island and had us a good ole time. Took some pix, baked in the sun, drooled over the fresh farmers markets, ate some fresh picked blue berries, and saw me some farm animals. Then headed back into town and enjoyed dinner with the family, edited my pix from today and then headed out to run with Carrie. Good day… good day.

My shopping list from Sauvie’s

Spicy Pickles!!! YUM YUM. For those of you who don’t know Jebediah and I enjoy the spicy pickles. Another bit of info, I LOVE me some pickle juice. Yup, I drink straight up vinegar. It totally grosses Jeb out too.

Walnuts for Baby Bird and yes he can crack those open in seconds.

Fresh, right up from the ground carrots… just because.

Images from blue berry pickin

If you don't mind small spaces... it looks like there are going to be plenty of my berries through the next couple of weeks, as many were still green.

Some farm animals

This is victor. I totally wanted to take him home. Another insider about me, I’d like to own a big Oak Tree someday. An Oak Tree with lots of shade, one that Victor and I could chill under or another friendly goat for that matter. (Oh, maybe one of those fainting ones, they’re cute)

We saw these guys from the road. There horns were just HUGE. Annette pulled over so I could get some pix. As we were walking up Annette said "I sure hope they don't decide to charge us", we found this to be the opposite. As we got closer I pulled up my camera to look at the image through the view finder, they stood up quickly and made a wall between us and the babies and then made there way away from us. This was all I got... not really the shots I was going for and I totally felt bad as they were laying in the shade under an Oak Tree.

WHERE DID APRIL GO???

Where do I start?...

I. Before & After
Not the most exciting news, but who doesn't like before and after shots. No it's not an extreme make over or a home re-modeling project... it's just my Lhasa’s and their cute new summer cuts.

ESPN and Miss Houston
and then looking ten lbs lighter...

II. Family FUN
Grandma and Papa picked up a "Wii". Enough said.

Classic "waiting for my turn" expression...

III. Ella Goes to Work
My dad has been assisting me on my photo assignments (as most of you may know). My mother runs a day care business out of their house now (as most of you know). Well, every time I pick up Papa for work Ella says, "Papa, I go with you". I finally gave in and Ella (she warms my heart) went to work with us. I knew the clients I was shooting very well and knew Nelly wouldn't mind one bit, so if she was going to go "today" was going to be the day.
On the way home we stopped by a Portland look out point (Rocky Butte) and did some sight seeing. Sometimes people do not tour their own city enough. I found a new favorite place to shoot. The lines, shadows/highlights, texture and richness in color kept me smiling ALL day long. I love the stones and think this would be a great place to dress the girls up in gowns and take (lack of a better word) princes photos. It's like their very one castle!

IV. The BIG Surprise!!!

Momma turns 50... I threw (with the help of my wonderful family, couldn't of done it with out you guys) a successful surprise birthday bash. It was a month of planning and it came and went SO fast. Everything ended out to be perfect, I only wish I had taken more photos... but sometimes you just need to be there.

Everyone pitched in for her gift. We found a basket and loaded it up with "Cindy's favorite things". Above are little hand made plant pots with a special message. There was everything from a homemade book of 50 goofy stories shared with her cousins to gift cards to her favorite places and her favorite candy and frames and photos and artwork and the list goes on... thank you everyone again for ALL your help!!! It was FUN :)

The year THEY turned 50!!!

V. The Coast
Having family come in from Utah for Mom's 50th, was the icing on a cake, the cherry on a sundae... they topped it off. What is a must when out of town family is here? A trip to the coast!!!

He's ALIVE!!!

The kids had fun...

...And so did the big kids. So here is the deal. If you can make it to Oceanside (just outside Tillamook) at LOW tide and I mean the lowest, it is a sight to see. The deal is you have to make it around two points and this doesn't happen often but when you do there is this AMAZING cave on the other side and it is just fun to explore and check out. This day the tide wasn't low enough to make it around the second point... it did not stop my Dad from trying. Nor did it stop me from following. Soaked to my neck and stuck on the rocks... it was worth every minute. The veiw on the other side was breath taking. I shot it using Dad's camera. Becky had mine safe and DRY in her hands... thank you Becky and Destyn for keeping us safe :)

FYI... wet jeans are no fun to rock clime in, but Dad's blue hat is stylin' on me.

Perfcet Oregon Coast shot. The rocks and beach combers in sweat shirts. I think I know these two... :)

Not a trip to the coast unless you feed them birds!!!

VI. THINK BIG! THINK PURPLE!
THE BIGGEST NEWS EVA!!! Jebediah is officially a Yahoo! employee. No more contracts! He went from a blue badge to a PURPLE badge... I'm so PROUD of you Jebs!!! Ok, so I'm a little excited, but he amazes me with his hard work and determination. No we did not have to move to Oshkosh WI or Sunnyvale CA. Jeb, in a time of layoffs and being a fulltime student was able to make himself so irreplaceable that we are now part of the "purple crew". So cheers to Jeb!!!

My favorite is when he received his conversion papers in the mail and opened the purple box it had the Yahoo! yodel... it was great :) (to hear it go to yahoo.com and click the !)

April has gone and went and I’m sure I left out some details, but these were my highlights. Here's to May… now that it's half over too!!!

SHOOT WITH MM

April 1st was no joke, I was part of an amazing photo shoot that will keep me smiling for a long time.

My good friend Terri Lodge hooked me up with the opportunity to assist Matthew Mitchell (fashion/celeb photographer) on an 8-10pg editorial shoot for a local LA mag "Thirteen Minutes" (May's issue).

I first met Matthew when he interviewed me at WMTG with owner Keri and Clayton Beck (Matthew's full-time assistant) over saw my photoshop test (his talents range from CS3 guru to model... and a great friend). Terri was an agent and is a makeup artist that Matthew loves to use while he is in town (her work is flawless). My work at the modeling agency was short lived, but the people that I have met will stay with me forever. One other talent that I want to mention is photographer Diana Sell (another wonderful individual that I met through working at the agency), she and I had the pleasure assisting Matthew together.

I cannot say enough good things about everyone I've mentioned, they have all been so nice, welcoming and are truly talented. I am so lucky and happy to have been apart of this Portland project.

Matthew (originally from Portland) wanted to represent everything Portland in this editorial spread, from the models, talent, fashion to the Gordan House (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright).

With Matthew's permission I snagged a couple of shots to document I was there :)

MM setting up the shot on set #3 (can not wait to see his vision in print).

Bryce (set designer) MM and Diana

MM giving the models direction (he is so relaxed and knows the perfect things to say to pull the right expressions from the talent).

Talent on set #3, wardrobe and Shawn (talent from set #2).

One thing that makes for a great photographer (or assistant) is the ability to think fast at solving each problem that arises with creativity and quickness. Story goes... Shawn sat down on set and up goes his pant legs to reveal white sport socks. Where are your dress socks? MIA. Anyone have any that he can use. No extras... wait I wore my boots today and have my black knee high socks on. Off go my shoes and socks. I save Shawn's day... and got to wear his white sport socks. It's the small stuff (details matter).

Matthew humoring me. Thank you!!!

Sweet young talent!!! (Kristi)

Clayton, Matthew, Terri and Me after a ten hour shoot (you all are amazing). The only one missing is Diana (thank you for taking the pic).

Again, THANK YOU to everyone for inviting me to be apart of this FABULOUS project!!!