18.2 – Friends

Growing up I had incredible friends. Although I often hung out (and still do) with some of the girls who were older than me, I still look at them as my friends. My mom always reminds me of how fortunate I was to grow up and have not only friends but mentors. I was and still am truly blessed!!

I want the girls in my church to have that friend – someone older they can talk to but most importantly hang out with. So, out I went!

These two girls are fabulous! Both, in different ways, remind me of myself at that age. I love them dearly, I just wish I wasn’t leaving them in September. But, I’m excited to watch them grow and see where God is going to take them!

 

 

 

 

17.2 – The End

A year ago this time, I could not imagine shooting or processing the things that I have. It is really easy to look around at everyone else’s images and feel down on yourself for not being the best. Taking a step back and looking at the big picture, I realized just how far and just how much I have truly learned. There will always be someone better, but I can do the best that I can do.

So here is what has kept me busy for the last 4 months

Self Directed Portrait – Alyssa

High Key Portrait – Lauren

Low Key – Portrait – Ben

Consumer Portrait – Tina

Self Directed Commercial -Blueberries

Architectural Interior -Cedarview Alliance Church

Glassaware

Metal

Photo Illustration

Macro Photography -Australian $2 Coin

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The night I finished my portfolio I had a dream that all of life’s problems could be fixed in photoshop. A break is definitely in order!

16.4 – Snow day

Yesterday was a gorgeous day. It was 5 degrees and warm (if you weren’t in the wind). I just had on a hoodie and my rain coat, no boots – I thought this was the beginning of a gorgeous spring! I heard/read that there was going to be a snow storm for southern Ontario, up to 20cm of snow and wind..blah blah blah. I “thought” it would was going to miss us, besides, yesterday was so nice out.

I got up this morning, looked out the window and nothing was happening, so I headed for school, with my “spring” shoes (ie. no boots whatsoever) and coat on. Now, down in the photography wing, there are little windows, so I was just hearing things second hand, and to be totally honest, I thought people were exaggerating.  I should have listened because there was no exaggerating going on. 

Let’s just refresh as to what I was wearing – basically a spring coat and the farthest thing from boots. I headed out to the bus stop and was blasted with heavy sticky snow and at least 5-6 cm of snow on the ground. I made it to the bus stop and got on the bus to head home. The nice bus driver dropped me off at my stop and I stepped out to a non cleaned, ankle deep, snow covered sidewalk. I look down and with great delight found fresh footprints I could walk in. I was pumped up, no wet feet for Taylor! So, I started my journey to the corner so I could cross the street. Let me remind you, I am only 5.2 and have little legs, therefore, take little steps. The guy who made the footprints must have been 9 feet tall.  I undoubtedly looked like a fawn jumping through a meadow just to stay in his footprints. I gave up. I could not do. I had to take 3 steps for his one step..not ideal. I surrendered to the fact that I was going to have wet feet.

I got to the corner, while waiting for the light to turn, I realized how bad the roads really were. They had not really been plowed, and I was going to have to gracefully make my way across the street, with no grip on my shoes, as people watched me. I didn’t fall, but I definitely had a few close calls. I made it to the other side of the road, and to my delight – more footprints!! Yay me! These ones were much closer, but still not ideal, but I managed. To my dismay, they vanished. Whoever it was did not realize that I needed them to keep going, ideally to my driveway. But, being the trooper that I am, I trekked on, and trek is definitely the appropriate word! The wind was blowing snow, left right and centre and I couldn’t see a thing. One minute I was walking on the sidewalk, the next minute I was stuck cause I walked into a snowbank. I finally make it back to the house, dragging in a bucket worth of snow with me – the bathroom and bedroom floor got an unexpected clean today!

Needless to say, I wont be wearing my flip flops tomorrow, back to boots and winter jack for this for this Arctic survivor. 

15.7 – The Goldfish

School has been consuming a large amount of my time recently and I can honestly say I’m ready for April 12!

This past week, I was trying to be smart and get some school stuff done, well that  backfired on me. I was going to do a shoot with glass. Well, I was trying to be creative and thought “Hey! I could do a fish bowl (glass) and put a fish in it.” I was super excited about it, but once I got the fish into the studio, he just sat at the bottom of the bowl. I poked, tried to scare him up to the top…nothing. I gave up on him, and moved on. Or at least I tried too, but with things not working out with the fish, really put a damper on the rest of my shoot. I got home, put the fish on the table, and he was happy, swimming around, loving life. I looked at him and said, “Why?! Where was this 2 hours ago?!”. Let’s just say I don’t have a fish anymore. Don’t worry! he is still alive, I just have him to the kid that lives with us.

For the 6 hours that I had the fish, he taught me a lot. On the way home from the pet store, he was squirming and flapping around in the bag, unsure of what was going on. Little did he know, I was taking him home to a nice fish bowl and some good food. That fish if often like me. Sometimes I fight things or run away, but in reality it is something that is good for me, God is taking me somewhere even better, something I cannot even imagine! God is so much bigger and stronger than I, and He knows exactly what I need and has the perfect plan for me. I just need to stop resisting and “flapping” around and just trust. Trust that God is going to work everything and know that I have never been safer than I am in His hand.

14.7

If the way the new year was rung in is any indication of what this year is going to be like, then it is going to be a fantastic year.

New Years was more than a celebration this year, it was a reunion, a time of reconnection. I would not change my time out west for anything!

Dustin, Brianna and Morgan, were very gracious hosts, as 20 of us bombarded the little towns of Spruce Grove and Stoney Plain. The week was full of great laughs, delicious meals, lots of games, sledding and my favourite – outdoor skating! Now, of course a trip out to Edmonton would not be complete (at least for me) without a trip to the West Edmonton Mall! It blew my mind! Oh! and of course New Years Eve!!

New Years Eve was definitely one for the books! Although we weren’t sure where we were going to be having our celebration until the night before, maybe even the day of (lack of sleep causes me to forget) it was not only one of the best, but THE BEST! As Neil, our principle from Capernwray, was in town for the festivities, naturally we would have a Bush Dance! So we danced the night away to the Australian Dances. The night did not end there, after we rung in 2013 with prayer and more dancing, we headed back to Morgan’s house to hang out for bit. You could say it was an late night, or an early morning? Either way, I would not have wanted to ring in the new year with anyone else!

Looking back, spending New Years with my Capernwray family, was so fitting. A year ago, I was anxious and excited about the unknown as I was getting ready to head half way around the world. Little did I know that there were going to be over 30 people there that would change me life, for the better. And yet again, I was anxious and excited as I got ready to head out to Alberta. Not sure of how things were going to go, but again, my life was changed.

New Years this year was more than a celebration for me. I was able to reconnect with people that I not only love and care about but share a special bond with. There were some late night chats and some heart to hearts during the visit. When asked how I was doing, I knew that they genuinely cared and wanted to know. I was able to share my heart and know that I would not be judged but that I would be prayed for and encouraged. I was able to take a step back and look at what was really going on in my life and see what needed to be changed.

Although we were not all able to be in Edmonton for New Years, it is my Capernwray community that I miss the most. They have changed and helped shape my life and I’m forever grateful to each one of them. So as I sit here, almost in tears, the Capernwray blues take over yet again. God has truly blessed me beyond words and I thank Him all the time for the beautiful people that He placed in my life.

 

My Capers famjam – I promise to pray for each of you in the coming weeks and months. I love you all so dearly and you have no idea the encouragement that you have been to me. I love you! And I hope too maybe see some of you out in the east this summer? wink wink! x0

13.4

It is coming to that time of year again when you start to think about your New Years resolutions. Whether it is to lose weight, watch more movies or take up a new hobby, we all have them, but how long do they last? If we are honest, they do not last every long. Personally, I’m horrible at keep resolutions, the worst of the worst. I last maybe, maybe a week, if its an easy resolution, two weeks. I’m absolutely going to dread going to the gym come the new year, I might take the first two weeks off!

 

Since I am the worst at keeping resolutions, I’ve decided  I will stick to working on my dreams and aspirations. Here are some of my dreams, life goals:

 

1. My first and in my mind the most important dream – to be a mother. People would always ask me what I wanted to do with my life and I would always reply with the profession I was thinking about at the time. Now, I simply reply a mother. Then why am I in school you ask? My answer, my mother. Well that’s not totally fair but it really is one of the reasons. My mother always told me that I need to have some sort of education to support myself if something ever happened. So, why not take photography, something I absolutely love, can year money doing, and still be a mom working around my kids schedules! My mother is a wise, wise woman.

 

2. This is the dream of every little girl, a wedding, a Christmas wedding to be exact. My mother can attest to my love for weddings. Many a times have I made her sit through Say Yes to the Dress or 4 Weddings. When I was younger I had a sketch book which was filled with wedding dresses, all Taylor originals. Who doesn’t dream of the white flowing gowns, the cake, the music or what it will be like to walk down the aisle to the one you love, the one you are going to spend the rest of your life with. As of right now, I have a book going of my wedding plans, really all I need is a husband and 6-8 months to get everything in order. (it takes 6-8 months for a gown to come in…hence the wait!)

 

3. Pinterest has only made this one worse, but I would love to live in a farmhouse. The house  can be old or new in the style of an old house.  If I can’t have the farmhouse, I would at least like a barn. Now because of allergies I can’t have animals…darn…but this barn is going to bring in some extra cash! My plans for this barn you ask? Simple. Who doesn’t love have their picture taken again a barn door, or the weathered wood along the side of the barn? I know I love it! Also, on PEI, I have noticed that there are not many, if any, barns that are suitable for weddings. So while I use the outside for my photography, I plan to rent the barn our to those beautiful brides who have their heart set on a country wedding. I’m telling you, this could be big!

 

4. I posted a video on my Facebook page the other day of The Piano Guys. I have the link for another below. These guys are phenomenal musicians! I discovered them a few months back and absolutely love them. Someday I am going to see them live…someday.

 

5. Finally, I want to be the best I can be. I want to be the best photographer, mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend that I can be.   I have been blessed to live, usually, on the greatest little island and have had the privileged to know so many great people. God has given me so many gifts and abilities that I don’t want to waste them. I want to be able to use them to serve him and be an encouragement to those around me at the same time.

 

Each day is a new day, a new day to dream and to achieve those dreams.

12.7

It is so cool how God works things out, how He makes sure that you hear what you need to hear at just the right time. Today I was listening to a podcast which talked about value, and later in my devotions I was reading about value and confidence.

Growing up and in school, I had always been told, you are valued in God’s eyes or you are more valuable than you can imagine. I knew it in my head but never in my heart. It is so easy to lose confidence in who we are. When we lose confidence in who we are and who we are in Christ, we often become inactive in who we are  and even within the church.

If you were to take one of the new $100 bills (not the paper ones) and crumple it up, put it through the wash, or step on it, nothing changes. The bill may look wore, but the value remains the same. The same is for us, we may go through things we never wish to go through again, but that does not change our value and worth in God’s eyes. He can still and will still use us. There is a confidence in knowing who created us. God created us important, special, one-of-a-kind, with great value, we are worth more than we think.

In Australia, over 30,000 people go missing every year, 300 of those people are never found. Specialists in Criminology say that they leave a certain percentage for those who grab opportunities for an identity exchange. (ie. a train accident, one would flee the and start a new life as a new person.) Many people are fed up with with, are stuck in an endless circle of “what ifs” or “if only”, they are in need of a change. Although we may not be to that point, why do we often look for ways out, for something better, if only for a moment. Luckily for us, God is not afraid of our what ifs or if only’s. His love for us never fails and will never give up on us.

Everyday is a new day and God is there before we are. We are given a new day to experience His mercy, faithfulness and truth. The truth is you are valued and you are loved by God. We don’t need to feed ourselves lies anymore, we can’t let the world, or hollywood dictate how we view ourselves. For myself, I am a fan of the sappy romance movies. At Christmas, momma and I always watch the sappy girlie Christmas movies, and I’m sad to say it has affected the way I view things. I’m not going to lose my lottery ticket and magically fall in love with the one who stole it and have a happy Christmas or pose as my bosses family in order to give my child a good Christmas only to fall in love with him and live happily ever after. Life just doesn’t happen like that, and we can’t buy into those lies, which only make us question and ask what if.

God will take the despair, the what ifs or if only’s. the hopelessness and teaches us to think differently. He will show us how He views us. A friend once told me to ask God each more what He thinks or how He views me. It is incredible the ways that he shows you how he feels about you and how He views you. It changes how you view yourself, your worth, but also changes your relationship with Christ. So ask Him, and see what He will tell you. He wants to make you think differently. He will make you recognizably different.

He loves you more than you could ever imagine, and values you with great worth.

11.6

I had heard of people that have never been off the island before, and I thought, maybe that would be me. Well, not quite, but I thought I’d get my education, get a job and settle down on the island – it was my home. A year and a half ago, I decided I was going to apply to Capernwray in Australia. I didn’t tell anyone about it for a while, because I was really unsure about it. As the process went on, I knew that is where I was to be whether I was ready or not.  Going to Australia changed my life, not only spiritually and but mentally. It gave me a love for traveling.

I had always loved family trips down to Maine camping or over to Quebec skiing, but having had the opportunity to live in Australia for six months and travel around has caused me to see how much bigger the world really is. If you had told me even 2 years ago, that I would have gone to Australia and be living in Ottawa taking photography I would have said you were crazy! I was going to stay home, get my business degree and do who know what, but God had different plans.

I am embarking on a career I am not totally sure about. I know I want to eventually be a portrait/wedding photographer, but right now all I want to do is travel. Being down in Australia, among 20 other Canadian, I realized how little I’ve seen of Canada. So, I want to see all the provinces of Canada, not just the cities, but all the quaint little towns that make up Canada. I want to travel down in the states, to Peru and Brazil, through the UK and Greece, down through New Zealand and Australia and the Pacific Islands. This just shows a “few” of the places I would someday like to visit.

If you look really carefully, PEI did not make it to the map. There is a whole other world out there to see, I don’t need to stay on the island and not explore the rest of the world.

This past weekend, I went with Hannah and her family down into upstate New York. It was absolutely gorgeous, the fall colours, rolling hills and small towns. It was the definition of beautiful. It got me thinking, that is only a wee little part of the world, there is so much to see! I don’t plan on seeing it all at once, but it is definitely on my bucket list! I have been blessed with parents who have let me travel and see parts of the world that they never have. Someday, I hope they can see it too.

So, all this to say, had I not followed God and gone to Australia, I would have never realized my love for traveling. I may have missed out on seeing some pretty incredible things! Following God is no doubt the right decision, He will bless you beyond what you can image and show you things you never thought possible.

 

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good…” – Genesis 1:31

10.5

Pinterest Gone Wrong..or Right?!

Thursdays are my easy days as I only have one class from 9-11. All this week I have had the urge to bake! So, I decided today was gonna be a good day to bake. I was on Pinterest, looking for something delicious to bake a came across these brownies! The bottom in cookie dough, middle layer of Oreos topped with brownies. How good does that sound, and pretty easy! That is what I thought.

I get the required ingredient and head home excited to bake these delicious (or what I think is delicious) brownies. Now, as a slight pretext to my story, the lady I live with is not much a baker, well she’s not at all. So, I Just hoped she would have the basic things I might need. The recipe told me to line my 8×8 pan with parchment paper. I had no parchment paper, but google told me I could use aluminum foil, I greased it with a bit of butter just to be safe. I get out my cough dough (I cheated and used Pillsbury) and line the bottom of my pan. Next, came the Oreos which fit perfectly. Finally came the brownie mix. I bought a box brownies, because I thought one, it would be easy, and two, you probably won’t taste the box taste (well you for sure won’t now!) So, following the directions, I add the required water and the egg, the came the oil. Now at home, we would use different kinds of oil, not just your typical vegetable oil, so I thought olive oil..why not? Well, I poured it in, and I thought “Wow, this smells funny.” I gave it a little taste test, and sure enough, not your typical chocolaty taste, but I went away with it anyway. The recipe told me to bake them for 30 minutes at 350, well they cooked for at least 45 minutes, I eventually stopped keeping track. The pictures on the website shows a nice smooth top to the brownies, well you could say that mine is rather “lumpy” and has sunk.

Although they are still slightly warm, we dove into them. My initial thoughts – Delicious! I will have to try them tomorrow to see what they taste like once are fully cool, but over all, they are good. The Olive oil doesn’t seem to make a difference, but I did put chocolate icing to help cover that up just in case!

I will have no career in making sweets for a living, but I love making them! There will be more Pinterest sweets to come, hopefully slightly more successful!

Not my pictures, but mine look somewhat similar!

9.1

I was on pintrest tonight and came across this picture/story that grabbed my attention.

The story is as follows:

Washington, DC Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007.

The man with a violin played six Bach pieces fro about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 minutes a middled aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the had and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes: A 3-year old stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent. without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes: the musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No on noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. he played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where seats averaged $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? So we stop and appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians i the world, play some of the finest music every written, with one of the most beautiful instruments every made… How many other things are we missing?

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It really struck me, how many things am I missing in a day? I tend to be a stresser or worrier, especially when it comes to not knowing or not being able to be in control. I am often consumed by my own problems and issues, that I miss the many things that are going on around me. Philippians 4:4 reminds me, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” I am to always rejoice, one because He commands me to, and secondly because what could be more important than rejoicing in Christ?! It follows with verse six that says, “do not be anxious about anything…” I need not be anxious about anything because I can take it all to God.

In the grand scheme of things, my life is like the 1/125 second shutter speed on your camera (or a vapour). It really is not that long, so why do I stress and worry about things, that God has total control over? What am I missing out on by being anxious? God has so much planned for our lives, we just need to keep Him our number on priority, rejoice in Him and He will show us things that we may have otherwise missed.