Not again....

14 books and $280 later,

I begin my first day of my last semester as an undergraduate at 

 BYU-Hawaii.

Its gonna be another brutal semester, just like last Winter:

2 Shakespeare classes (yes, TWO)

Victorian Literature

PostModern American Literature

New Testament

Senior Seminar (in which I retake 5 of my core English finals and write a 25+ page dissertation that I present to all of my English professors and get grilled with questions)

Let's get this party started.

So I have this thing....

with horses.

If you haven't noticed. 

oh, and also

I'm changing my photography business name to

m rose photography

I am is just too pooooopular. 

(Though I thought of it first, of course)

Hour Won Ye Ear Annie Verse Hairy

In the words of my dear friend Heather Cox,

What a year, yeah?

What a year, indeed. 

On September 5th, 2009, we got married in the Logan Temple.

In the past 12 months, my husband has shown me

my true potential, my divinity, my inner - as well as outer - beauty;

We both have

loved, grown, sewed and reaped the benefits of nourishing and nurturing a marriage

I have learned so much about what it means to be a wife -

It means so much more than house cleaning and cooking (though those are major parts, I've discovered)

It truly is putting him before myself

and him doing the same for me

And that, right there, in and of itself, is a truly beautiful thing. 

It is a little piece of celestial-ality

a bit of heaven on earth, if you will.

I haven't given up much,

and yet have received so much love 

in return.

So very much love. 

I discover more and more each day the power of love. 

The kind of love that Christ showed while He walked this earth, teaching and healing

The kind of love Christ demonstrated when he suffered so much for all of us -

just because He wants to be with us all again some day.

I learn more about this type of love as I more fully learn how to

demonstrate this type of love.

As I wrote in my journal:

"As the days, weeks, months, years go by, I find myself loving Adam

a little more and it continues to amaze me. 

Once we reach eternity together,

our love will be perfect and perpetual"

Adam, and his characteristics, are truly more than I could have thought up on my own. 

To me, my husband is a testimony that God knows me personally. 

God knows me better than I know myself,

and He loves me more than I love myself,

because without God, I may not have picked Adam.

And that is truly a sad thought.

I would have fallen so short

of the blessings I am receiving now. 

(and possibly my kids wouldn't have been as cute as they will be in the future)

I guess what I am trying to say is,

I love him more now than I did a year ago. 

And it is only because God loves me that I have Adam. 

Below are pictures from our anniversary weekend adventures: Sea Life park and a homemade kite :)

Would that this next year be as wonderful as the past one.

Moana

My mind clears.

My skin is renewed - 

and so is my soul. 

(though my hair suffers)

Its not about the tan --- although thats a nice plus.

Its about the freedom I feel

Facing open, endless possibilities

Its quite frightening

and quite exhilarating. 

And thus begins my love affair with the ocean.

It's Official!

I have a website.

www.i-am-photography.com

This lovely couple....

is getting married in 6 days.

And I am so excited to be their photographer!

Antsy Pantsy Artsy Fartsy

There is a little something about graduation that is just 

DRIVING. ME. CRAZY. 

and I'm pretty sure its called

senior-itis. 

Worse than high school.

Because now, I have to start a career. A job. You know, earning money. 

All these plans running around like little leprechauns, just barely out of reach, and I can't quite tell if they are

actually there or not....

Anyhow, I was in such a mood of "unsettled"-ness. So much anxiety; wanting to move on, yet recognizing I still had hours of homework due before I graduate...before the end of this month...

by tomorrow (and of course, I haven't even started on it). 

Instead, I'm surfing the net for the next house we get to live in,

puppies I want to buy when I'm no longer in TVA and am allowed to have pets

and looking for jobs that pay enough to keep a puppy alive (plus my husband and I, of course).

On top of this anxiousness to move on, lately I have been feeling so incredibly inadequate. 

I look at other people's blogs (this is going to sound pathetic)....and all I can think is, "40 comments? Are you serious? The most I've ever gotten is 2!" 

Or, "I should just give up. My photography will never compare to theirs." 

It was quite pathetic.

The point is....I stumbled upon this lovely article as I lay exhausted in bed.

And it completely put me in my place. 

All things in order.

Prayer before food.

Scriptures before homework.

Homework before play.

Graduation before job.

Job before puppy.

Inappropriate or irrational concern for how our efforts compare to the accomplishments of others will result in unnecessary frustration and spiritual decline. Diligent attention to our duties, our inspired choices, and recognition of our limits will enable us to "win the prize."

Go Ensign! For always knowing what I need!

As far as the artsy part of this post, I did manage to finish my very first wedding album. I sent off for the prints, and am excited to mail it off to the bride and groom who have been so patient with me!