January 2012 - Resolution

Well, January is all about resolutions. And my resolution for January and this year is to finish my dissertation. I am so ready for it to no longer be hanging over my head. And since my (new extended) deadline to submit is January 2013, I have no choice but to finish this year. So I'm writing, writing, writing. As of now, I have 130 consecutive pages written, not counting the many pages I've written in other papers that will be pulled together to form chapter 4. So I'm making good progress, if I can just stay motivated and avoid other time-consuming distractions. So my pictures this month aren't all that exciting, but they do represent my resolution.

1.  A sad day - I cleared off all my scrapbooking tools and converted my scrapping desk into a dissertation-writing station.

2.  Two laptops, eleven pages, one productive weekend...

3.  The sooner I finish writing, and accomplish this resolution, the sooner I can get back to making giant masterpieces like this:

MCP Project 12 for 2012

In the interest of having any chance of meeting my one New Year's Resolution (completing my dissertation, of course!), I have decided to forego the daily (2010) or weekly (2011) photos. I may come back to those in future years when I have less stress. But for this year, I am instead going to participate in MCP Project 12, which involves taking 1-4 photos on a given theme per month. The themes are posted each month at the website (link above). I don't necessarily commit to following their posted themes, because I may or may not have anything to fit that theme. And I doubt I'll post many photos in their community for others to complete, because I know myself :), but I do want to continue working on my photography and documenting the everyday aspects of my life in photos, so this is one way to do so. I may post 1 photo in a given month, I may post 4, and I may post them as the month progresses or in a single post at the end of the month. It'll probably vary.

Appropriately, January's theme is "Resolution." I know exactly how I will approach this theme (you probably do too, given my resolution above). Check back for 1-4 photos showing how I pursued the completion of my resolution, at least at the start of the year. :)

2012, Week 1 - And so it begins

• Long drive from Texas to Atlanta
• Scenic stop at the Vicksburg welcome center to watch the sunset over the Mississippi
• Getting back in the swing of things at work
• Struggling with allergies
• DeChristmatizing my apartment

2011, The Last Day

New Year's Eve doesn't fit in the previous week, so I'm posting it by itself. After spending an absolutely gorgeous morning washing and vacuuming our cars and packing my car as much as was possible ahead of time, we all got dressed and attempted to take some family photos, since we were having too much fun to remember to take any on Christmas Eve. After a few pics in front of the rather bare Christmas tree (it was only lights, no ornaments), we drove over to Starr's Mill, one of my favorite spots in Fayetteville, for some outside pics. Since they recently painted the building, the pics turned out so bright and colorful. I was quite pleased! Mom and Dad treated us to a really nice dinner at a local German restaurant - yay, schnitzel! - and then we went home to play games and relax until the ball dropped at midnight. It was a lovely way to end out the year 2011.

2011, Week 52

Ahhh, Christmas... the most wonderful time of the year. This year family started arriving in the wee hours of Christmas eve morning, since we were all gathering at my parents' house. We spent Christmas eve hanging out, enjoying a delicious Italian lunch, and having a bonfire and playing horseshoes in the back area of the yard. The weather was perfect, and we loved being out there. On Christmas morning we opened gifts and loved watching Layton experience the first Christmas where he actually knew somewhat what was happening. More family visited, and we were all quite relaxed and enjoyed one another's company, playing games, watching movies, etc. The rest of the week was more of the same, even after the guests left. Mom and I did some after-Christmas shopping, though we didn't buy much, and we played a LOT of marbles. I was quite sad to see the week coming to an end, though, because that meant the Christmas season was over and my time at home would soon be over.

2011, Week 51

This week started with the LONG drive to Atlanta for Christmas. I had not had a really solid, sleeping-in night's sleep since Thanksgiving, so I was rather tired on the drive and quickly made the decision to stop overnight in Tuscaloosa. Only, when I posted that on facebook, my college roommate Dana invited me to stay with her instead. It was so night to get to see Dana and her husband Chris and to meet her new baby, Emily. The next morning I finished the drive, made it home around 1:00, and mom and I quickly started to work baking sugar cookies for the week ahead. The rest of the week was spent shopping, getting a Christmas pedicure, wrapping presents, playing marbles, cleaning, and cooking to prepare for the influx of extended family heading our way that weekend. It was really nice to spend time with my family in a relatively relaxed environment and enjoy the last few days of the holiday season. 

2011, Week 50

I was SO excited to go to Houston for Joanna's wedding. Jo has been one of my dearest friends for about a decade now, even when we lived half a world apart, and I wouldn't have missed her wedding for the world. She honored me by asking me to sing, and then I spent the two weeks leading up to the wedding struggling with a cold or allergies and having very little voice at all. Ugh, I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to sing or would spoil her wedding by not doing well. But God answers prayers - I made it through the wedding just fine, Joanna was beautiful, she and Philip were so sweet together, and now they're married! I was also happy to stay with my seminary friends Hudson and LeAnn while I was in Houston for the wedding. It was great to catch up with them and get to spend time with their daughter, Micayla. What a cutie! After coming home from Houston, I spent the rest of the week working, packing for my trip home for the holidays, and Christmas shopping with Genny. By the end of the week I was worn out but excited to head to Georgia on Saturday!

2011, Week 49

This week, I was still struggling with a cold, allergies, or something. I had very little voice, and was trying to find time and energy to practice the songs I was preparing for Joanna's wedding. I eventually ended up downloading one of the songs in a lower key because I just couldn't do it. In the midst of all the preparations for my class's midterm exam, I made time for some Christmas festivities. Alissa and I met up to go see the ICE Shrek the Halls exhibit at the Gaylord Texan. Man, that place was incredible! The lights were everywhere, and the ice sculptures were huge and perfect. Wow! And let me tell you, it was COLD in there! We had to wear parkas over our winter coats, and my face was so stiff from the cold. But it was worth it - so much fun!