Back to the Basics

Photography has been a hobby and at times a passion of mine ever since I was in my early teens. At one time I dreamed of being a photojournalist and working for National Geographic...Hmmm...perhaps I'll have to pick up that dream again. Anyways, Jesse's birthday gift to me has made me feel completely silly. I had no idea it would be so overwhelming to learn the ins and outs of this new camera. I know how to set the aperture and shutter speed to ensure adequate lighting and noise, but on this baby, you've got a whole slew of options to make your creation optimal. After reading the manual and feeling completely lost, I decided I'd tackle a couple lessons each night. After some hands-on practice, hopefully I'll get somewhere with this thing. Here's some shots of me playing with the settings to get a feel for what I can do. To start off, this is me setting on a new adventure. And no, I'm purposefully not looking into the camera. Don't worry, I haven't gotten two lazy eyes or anything!

Playing with the focus settings on a macro...surprisingly much more difficult on a digital SLR than a manual.
My favorite thing about Jesse has always been his green eyes and his smile. The evening sun captured those eyes perfectly. Ohh, he's too handsome for words!
Couldn't forget to practice on some wildlife! Bentley wasn't loving me sticking a camera in her face, but hey, she's spoiled enough...she can learn to deal with us too!
Outside lighting...still practicing on the aperture and shutter speeds....
This camera is definitely a fun toy! I would be outside point-and-shooting at everything if I could!

Diverting Stress

Within just a few minutes of arriving to work this morning, my To Do list ran off the page. Papers instantly began scattering my desk and at least 10 windows were open on the computer screen. That's when I saw out of the corner of my a very good reminder. The important things in life aren't necessarily seeing check marks next to the list items (though this is important to keep one's job). The little corner on my desk spoke loudly. Flower--a taste of home, and reminder of God's beauty. Candle--peaceful aroma. Picture--reminder of the love surrounding me. M&Ms--have to have something sweet every now and then! So despite the phone ringing off the hook and the requests flying in rapidly, I can remain calm and stress-free because of a small little corner on my desk.

Heather 25th Birthday

I was taught to never beg for anything. Even persistence could be seen as a little overkill. Despite my upbringings, my silent desire to have a new digital SLR began to share itself with Jesse. Okay, I'll be honest, I told him how wonderful it would be if we could invest in a new camera, and how my birthday coming up might be a perfect sign that it's meant to be. After all, you can't ignore the signs! Jesse was very patient with me sharing my dream of receiving such a special present, but his main reaction was to nod and say, "Yes, that would be nice, wouldn't it."
Look below to see what I got for my birthday!!!!!


The digital viewing screen flips around to view and then flips back to protect the screen.

Refreshed

Starting a new week refreshed.


This weekend, Jesse surprised me with a couple's massage at a very nice spa. After having headaches all week and being a bit overloaded at work, that 60 minutes was absolutely perfect. If there was to be a theme for this weekend it would be: relax, laugh, and put on sunscreen. Reaching 110 degrees on Saturday, we took advantage of having a pool to cool down in. It was a great weekend!

Every Day Life

If you wonder how we are at the end of the business day, just take a look...

Here's our little entourage of birds who love the birdseed we set out for them. It's like having a mini garden in the city!

Praying for Our Country

Living so close to Washington DC has opened our eyes to the ever present need for God's hand on our country. It's easy to scrutinize leadership, argue against bills passed, and even question someone's legitimacy, but I'm finding all of that leads to nothing. Prayer, on the other hand, leads to God laying a hand on leadership, controlling the effects of bills passed, and trusting that God knows exactly what's going on. Praying for our country, her leadership, and the direction we are going is more needed now than ever. Please pray.

Piles, Piles, Piles

I'm currently lost in piles of files (ooo that rhymes!). In the process of reorganizing my office, I've discovered hundreds of files I wasn't aware of. Oh boy, this project has grown!

Burried in Books

Where once it was overwhelming to have several books looming overhead, now the stack of books seems exciting. No more papers to write afterwards--just the satisfaction of finishing a good read. Jesse and I ventured to Barnes & Noble as well as the library (after all, free books are awfully convenient!) this weekend. We came home with a stack of books and the desire to cuddle up on the couch and read. We did just that. Absolutely wonderful!!!

Earthquake!

We had to awake early this morning because Jesse had to arrive early to work. Around 5am, as I was still trying to force myself out of bed, I heard one of the birds making a ruckus. I staggered out to the living room and uncovered Kolby's cage because he was still fluttering about. It took him several seconds to calm down, but he still look unnerved. My thought was perhaps there'd been a bug in his cage or something.
About fifteen minutes later, the man on the radio announced there had been a 3.7 earthquake in Georgetown around 5am, and it was felt throughout the region. Neither Jesse or I had felt it, but our little Kolby sure sensed something was wrong. Isn't it amazing what God instills in all of His creatures?

Commissioned

They needed a second Notary Public at work and asked me to become commissioned. Here's the proof that I'm official.

12-hour shift

I had to work late last night to help my boss organize his office (it's been needing some help for quite some time). After my 12-hour shift, I realized how thankful I am for the time I have at home in the evenings. I've always felt like our life right now is all about work, and that the three hours at home just aren't enough...until now. Three hours now seems like a long time! I'm thankful Jesse and I have that time in the evening to spend together. Here's to few and far between long nights at work!

Good Morning, Sunshine

Mt. Vernon

A flashback to last weekend. Here's Luci and I with one of the reenactment actors before they started shooting off the canon.

It's a Bloomin'!

Five Feet Tall and Blooming!

July Fourth Weekend: Field of Fun

We had a wonderful weekend. More photos will be posted on Heather's facebook.
On Saturday morning, we ventured out to the George Washington Masonic Temple in Alexandria. Jesse and I have wanted to see inside for quite some time. Brenda, our cousin, will be quite disappointed to hear there was no altar inside and no chanting.

Since moving here and driving by the temple, I always thought the stones on the grass property were gravestones. I was surprised to learn they were just markers describing the type of trees planted. Odd if you ask me. This was one of the only types of trees not marked.

Saturday afternoon, we went to the Nationals vs. Mets game. Happy Father's Day to Dad.
Here's a shot of the newest baseball celebrity: Strasburg.
Jesse was very focused on the game.
After picking up Luci from the airport, we drove out to Mount Vernon, George Washington's home estate. Here's Dad and Mom posing by the true Washington Family Ranch! :)

To celebrate the Fourth of July, they had a colonial war reenactment. By the time they'd shot the canon well over ten times and their guns twice more, we were ready for some silence!
This day was hot. Here's Jesse and Mom putting on smiles despite the discomfort of no air-conditioning.
Heather didn't have her camera on Monday when we went to the Arlington National Cemetery. The weather reached over 100 degrees, and it's probably best there are no photos capturing our sweat-soaked clothes. We had a wonderful time despite the heat.

On Tuesday, we decided to revolt against the weatherman and see the Washington Monuments. It was forecasted to be 103, and he wasn't kidding. Here's Jesse at the Jefferson Memorial.

Jesse at the FDR Memorial.
This is the Lincoln Memorial. Notice anything odd? How did I make all the people disappear??? Proof magic can happen with a camera!


Jesse pushing Luci into the Washington Monument.
Thanks Dad and Mom and Luci for traveling all the way out here to celebrate the Fourth of July with us. We had a blast!!!

Preview

This past weekend was a fun one for us. I'll post more photos soon. The following three are photos I took on my phone, so here's a sneak peak at what we did this weekend.

We went to a Nationals vs. Mets baseball game on Saturday. The game was well described by a young five-year-old boy sitting behind us who asked his mom, "Are they professionals?" At times you wouldn't have known it, but the end was exciting, and the Nationals fought hard to get their winning score.

On Monday, the five of us headed to Arlington National Cemetery. It was a sweltering day, well above 100 degrees.

We had the opportunity to watch the Changing of the Guard.