Where I'm From

I am from tall Maple trees changing colors in the fall;
From hand-tied rope hammocks and grass blade whistles

I am from multiple moves across state lines
And from the Midwest where I call home

I am from homemade sweet pickles and cheesy garlic grits;
From long family roadtrips, counting cows, and license plate games

I am from parents who fell in love and got engaged two weeks after meeting
And who fell in love with Jesus some ten years later

I am from traditions and heirlooms and family trees;
From farmers in the South and a doctor on the Mayflower

I am from tea and coffee and fluffy pancake breakfasts,
From omelets and biscuits, even sometimes for dinner

I am from tent camping and bonfires and roasting marshmallows over amber coals;
From stargazing and canoeing in an ancient aluminum canoe

I am from scientists and teachers and musicians and artists and farmers;
From neighbors and friends and jacks-of-all-trades

I am from shoulders to cry on and words that encourage;
From parents who love me and support me in all things

I am from black and white movies and British miniseries;
From family game nights and jokes that are punny

I am from backyard parties for everyone we love;
From steaks on the grill and vegetables from the garden

I am from neighborhood sports leagues and summer swim meets;
From fireworks and sparklers and bikes decorated with streamers

I am from beach houses and sandcastles and sunburns in summer;
From pounds of steamed shrimp and catching crabs in the surf

I am from laughter and tears and learning and growing;
From love and joy and following Jesus together

::

So tell me...from where do you come?

::

This poem was inspired by a writing prompt on theHighCalling.org.

Pure Joy

Jubilee is a time of rejoicing and celebration. Kate means pure.

Jubilee Kate McNeilly was born at 7:46 a.m. on June 22, 2011 to proud parents: Dani (my little sister) and Alex McNeilly. She weighed a healthy 8 lbs 11 oz. Not anywhere close to her aunt, uncle, and mommy in weight, but she was right on time (and we were all at least 2 weeks late!).

My dad picked me up from work yesterday afternoon and we drove down to Bloomington together. My mom and Alex's mom (the two Nana's!) had been at the hospital since the early morning. Little Jubilee had to spend her first day in the nursery as she had a little meconium in her lungs. She was on oxygen and monitors, but by this morning she was free from the machine and with her mommy and daddy!

I had the privilege of being one of the first people to hold her! And photograph her! I took just a few (well, over 100) pictures and here are some of my favorites...

She is

Pure

Joy.



Happy every-holiday-for-the-next-year to me!

Friday, June 17, 2011 was a special day. Yes, it was my parents' 33rd wedding anniversary. And my friends Kristen and Roger's 5th anniversary. (It's hard to believe that it's been five years since I flew home from Italy for a week to be in their wedding!)

Five years ago was also probably the time that I stopped using one of my best high school graduation gifts (yes, from 2000): my Pentax 35mm SLR camera. It used film. (This my be foreign subject matter for people born after the mid-1990s.) I was SO excited about that camera. I still love it. And, even though it's basically worth nothing (and it's too expensive to use it/develop film), I can't bring myself even try and sell it--or give it away. But maybe someday my kids will take photography class at school, and maybe, just maybe, they will have an old-school teacher who will make them use 35mm cameras and film. And then, they will be so excited to use their mom's old camera. Right? I mean, that was me back in 1998. I got to learn with my mom's Canon. sigh.

I've gotten off track.

This past Friday was a special day because I bought a present for myself; a present that brings me quite up to date with current photographic technology. I am now the proud owner of a Digital SLR camera. It's beautiful. It's fast. It's shiny and new. I love the sound of the shutter when I press the release. I love the quality of the images. I love holding the camera up to my eye--like I'm using my mom's old Canon, or my old Pentax! It even takes video. I'm clearly in a new league. I've been researching DSLRs forever. I wavered over the Nikon v. Canon decision. (I went with Nikon. Mostly because I like how the camera felt in my hands.) I did the math and, well, I did the math. This is not cheap present.

So why now? Why did I leave work a little early on Friday and go to the camera store downtown (where the salesman probably thought I was a little bit crazy) and walk out less than an hour later with a new camera? Well, the timing was greatly motivated by the quickly approaching birth of my new niece. She is due any day now (maybe tonight!) and she really needs to be well-photographed! I mean, she is going to be super cute. My almost 2 year old niece, Mia, and her little brother (coming in September) give me even more inspiration to take our family memory keeping to the next level.

There will be many photos making their way to the blog. I started using Picnik to edit and play and I'm having way too much fun. And I've been carrying my camera almost everywhere I go...in the cutest camera bag ever! It's called "The Bowler" and its sporty-ness has produced comments such as "Cute purse!"...from men! I'm almost positive that I've never had a guy compliment my purse (or undercover camera bag) as "cute" or at all. Love it.