The things you find interesting when you take photos.

My kids are my favorite subjects.

I love the look, the smile, the crinkle of a nose.

The tears, the anticipation and a little kids pose

But sometimes…just sometimes…

I like the look of a pair of boots on a staircase.

This girl squiggles so much it’s tough to get a clear photo.  Funny things is she’s my cuddler.

Just this morning we were spooning and she jumped off the bed and took off  running saying,

“Save my spot!!”

“Where are you going?” I  yelled after her.

“To get my blankie!”

And she did. And then came back.  It was tough to get her up and going after that. So I just lay there and enjoyed the quiet moment.

Life changes in an instant.  I’m constantly reminded of that.  A dear friend asked me to post a link to a blog.

She said,

This is a detective that I have work with for a number of years thru the Sheriff’s department and my involvement with search and rescue.  He suffered an unusual cardiac event at a gym a bit ago and has been in a coma ever since.  His wife has posted this blog to keep everyone updated on his condition and I think all the support in the world and prayers would be fantastic.

So I went over and read and then cried.

It’s been a hard week for me.

I thought I’d escape a day without crying and now I read about this family- their husband and father and I am crying again.

I will pray for them.

And hope you will too….

Here’s the link

Eric Christopher- Butte County 80

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

And to my family and friends, hugs from Guam. If you close your eyes tight, you can feel our love.

We miss you all.

I like the nitty gritty imperfect world. I want to hear how great your life is but I’d be just as interested in how much of a struggle this past week was. Just tell me.

This is my photographic style as well. I don’t like posed photos. I don’t try to set up a shot. Sure I’ll move that extra sock that doesn’t need to be in the photo and I’ll look around to see what else doesn’t belong, but the beauty in shooting real life as it unfolds is that it isn’t contrived. If the light is too low, I won’t take the picture. But if it has some nicely placed shadows, I shoot away. It’s seems to look better to me.

When I shoot real life photos, they truly become an accurate portrayal of my life.  As I linger over the photos, I remember the moment so well. It’s almost better reliving it a second time than it was living it the first time.

Here are some surfboards I saw in Hawaii. It was cool then but if I didn’t have the pic I couldn’t now say, “Oh yeah! Those were cool!”

Do you like real life photos or do you like the crazy spruced up ones? Or a bit of both? Do you love going through the old photos and reliving the past?

It’s taken me my whole life to realize this.

And then only on good days.

The sinus infection has been raging off and on since June. We’re scheduled for adenoidectomy in December. He did pretty well with the last procedure. Here he was post op.  Makes you want to crawl in next to him huh?

That’s what I did.

November’s theme is Grateful. Here’s my entry:

Oh and I live on Guam but have a US FPO address. I hope this qualifies me!

I am grateful for….”The Simple Things” -Like a  blue chair sitting amongst fishing gear. It reminds me that you can find some comfort and beauty in anything.

We’d probably all say we’re grateful for our family and our health. But here’s some not so radically important things I’m grateful for anyway.

• Oreo cookies
• Hot coffee
• Candles
• My radio
• Elmo
• Band aids
• Geckos
• Inchworms
• Tote bags
• Ross
• Pasta noodles

What are some not so radically important things that you are grateful for?

I don’t know the history or how long  they’ve been there.  I just know that the first time you see them, you do a double take and then after a while, you hardly look at all – it becomes that common place.

I’ve been away from the internet for over a day now and returned today beer in hand.

Why?

1. It’s Friday here in Guam. Woo-Hoo!
2. And my day off from from work. Double Woo-Hoo!
3. It’s Noon.
4. Grocery shopping is done.
5. Kids are at school for another three hours.
6. It goes well with the Fritos
7. I’m celebrating
8. Hubby comes back into town tonight
9. I found ready made pie crusts that don’t have milk or eggs
10. I was nominated for a 2008 Weblog Award as Best Photo Blog

Seriously. This. Is. A. Good. Day!!

Here’s Kathleen’s comment from yesterday’s post:

To all who enjoy Sheila’s blog:

Please click on “the 2008 weblog awards” link in the sidebar and join me in voting Dr. Cason’s blog as “Best Photo Blog.” Here is the nomination. All you have to do is click on the “+” sign to add your nomination to mine.

“I would like to nominate the following blog for Best Photo Blog. Dr. Cason’s photography is incredible. Her sharing of beautiful photography, her life as a pediatrician, and her family brings so much pleasure to all who visit her blog each day.

Dr. Cason.org A Doctor’s Life
http://drcason.org”

Thank You Kathleen for always being such an enthusiastic supporter of my blog!

Tomorrow I’ll tell you a little more about my camera.

Hawaii hotel shots. That was a while ago when I stole a few moments pre toddler awakening to grab some sleepy feet shots. Then we nearly drowned in the uncertainty.

I’m become accustomed to the uncertainty. It’s that scratchy sock around my neck that I tugged at in the beginning but now it’s familiar not warm, I mean lets not go crazy here, but I’m used to it. I no longer cry every day. Yes it was that bad. I was stuck in quite a depression and could only write, sob and waste time on the internet.

I’ve now re entered my normal life and quite literally have been cleaning and decluttering like a mad woman. Just before I sat down, I sponged the walls. I can’t believe that I let everything go for so long – not working out, not cooking, not even grocery shopping.

The depression has lifted but I’m not fooling myself. I haven’t just developed this amazing ability to cope. Just that he’s feeling better and acting like a 2 year old.Which means on average he tantrums every 15mintues.

Life has turned into obsessing over how to be a more patient Mommy and not how to solve my son’s pediatric diagnostic dilemma.

A day off. She from school and me from work. It was busy and full of fun. Before moving to Guam I never had one on one time with the kids. Now it’s more routine and I’m thankful every time it happens.

She moved at 110% pace all day until we started the long ocean-view drive down the Guam highway.

Her head bobbed up and down and finally her eyes drifted closed.

As I pulled up outside the Exchange I turned the car around to shade her from the glaring hot sun. Her lanky body was asleep in the too-small-for-her car seat. She chose it to be closer to me and not way in the back like usual. I thought that maybe now she regretted it-that is if she was even aware of it, which I doubted.

Her breath was calm and even. Her hair was tucked behind her ears with two clumped strands falling over her tilted pert nose. It highlighted another one of my favorite parts of her- those cheeks- lightly sprinkled with freckles.

I breathed a contented sigh. She needed the rest and I the quiet. I pulled out a magazine and deftly turned the pages.

It was a good day.

BTW- I just might change her nickname from Miss Blue Eyes to Freckles. She’s so cute I can’t stand it.