Wednesday, December 30, 2009

T minus 2 Days

So. I leave for Cambodia Friday night. Since I often get asked the same questions over and over, I thought I'd share my answers here on my blog for those of you following my mission.

Q: Are you ready?
A: Actually, yes. As of tonight I am pretty well packed. I want to spend the next two days just hanging out and doing nothing.

Q: Where will you be staying?
A:  I don't really know.  They said a Guesthouse.  I am not sure what that involves.  Will I be like an actual guest in someone's house?  Like a foreign exchange student?  Awesome!  I have always wanted to be one! 

Q.  Is Dr. Bowers paying for your trip?
A.  Haha...I WISH!!  No...I am paying for it myself.  And with the same amount of money I could be buying a Canon 5D Mk II nicely equiped with a big fat lens, which trust me, I really, really, REALLY want...but I want to serve a mission more. 

Q.  What is the time difference?
A.  It is 15 hours ahead.

Q.  How long is the flight?
A.  20 hrs on the way there, 26 on the way back (more stops...grr...)

Q.  What will the weather be like?
A.  Hot. We'll be missing the monsoon season, so that's good!  Mid 90s in the day, mid 70s at night. 

Q.  Will you get to travel while you are there?
A.  Not much.  The only day we get off is the last day before going home.  I am hoping to see the temples.

Q.  Are you scared?
A.  To death.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Ok, It's Not Actually PERSONALIZED

Ok, Courtney, and the rest of you curious ones...No, my license plate is not actually personalized. Just numbers and letters. Really- I'd never go that far.

But I did see one once that I thought was extremely clever:

PBFOOT

Get it?

Get it??

It means lead foot. For those of you not quite up to my level of nerdiness, on the Periodic Table of Elements, lead is Pb. I remember this because I made up this little trick...Pencil Broken. See? You break a pencil and see the lead inside. 

Does the fun ever end?

Maybe someday I will share how I remember gold is Au, silver is Ag, antimony is Sb, mercury is Hg, and sodium is Na.  Until then just wait on the edge of your seat.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Snoqualmie Falls

Here are two pics from our little family day today up at Snoqualmie Falls.


Saturday, December 26, 2009

Share the Road

So anyway.

Several weeks ago I recieved a notice in the mail telling me I was due for my 5-year license plate renewal. I'm not really a personalized license plate kind of gal, but as I glanced through the forms I honed in on this catchy bicycle one. Why not? I thought. I'm a roadie.

Do I think it's message to SHARE THE ROAD will really deter those jerks who try to drive as close as they possibly can to me while I am on my bike? I doubt it, but heck, it's worth a try.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

My Teeth Will Be Clean While I Shovel Hot Coals

I get a lot of mixed reactions from my patients when I tell them I am going to serve a dentistry mission in Cambodia. Most people, of course, are very supportive, excited for me, want to see my blog, can't wait to hear all about it, tell me it will change my life, bring me blessings, etc. Some people aren't as supportive, saying things like "I don't know why ANYONE would ever want to do that!" Yes, one lady said just that. Whatever. It doesn't bother me.

Today though, was a different story.

I have this regular patient. He's an older guy. He always brings a various religious book with him and keeps it in his lap while I clean his teeth. At some point during every appointment I have with this patient, he brings up God and wants to know if I have a relationship with Him.

A word about religion: I wasn't raised under any organized religion. The only time I attended church was when I was invited to go with my friends. I know this will feel like a punch in the stomach to many close to me, but I don't attend church now and I doubt I ever will. I am not even baptized. Oddly enough, I feel close to God and always have. But I have been judged for this. I have been told, strait to my face, that this is not enough. That my relationship with God just isn't up to par. That I need to do more.

Really, what I believe matters most is that you have a personal relationship with God, and however you choose to manifest that relationship is fine by me (as long as you don't go and join the Taliban).

So I am cleaning this guy's teeth, and I tell him about my mission. He asks me if my team is going to be spreading the word of God while we are there in the orphanages. I sort of kinda gently say no, that MTI is a Christian based organization, but the purpose of our mission is dentistry.

This is what he said to me, looking me in the eye, in an accusing tone:

"So you'll be sending these kids to Hell with clean teeth?"

*BLINK*

*BLINK BLINK*

Whaaahappen?

I was completely caught of guard. He continues to lecture me:

"It just amazes me that people will travel all over the world and not spread the word of Jesus Christ. You know if people never hear of the gospel, when they die, they will go to Hell. You have a responsibility to these children."

Honestly...This guy's intentions were pure, but his in-my-face delivery just really rubbed me wrong.

I changed the subject.

Toward the end of the appointment, the conversation turned to his many years working as an RN. I thought that surely he has served a mission at some point in his career, considering how passionately he judged how I will and will not be serving mine. So I asked him if he'd ever gone on one. "...Uh, no..." he said, gazing off into the distance. "I'd like to...but...I've never really gotten around to it."

Monday, December 21, 2009

TUCHINBRUSH

Not long ago I was looking through Bella's list to Santa (deciphering her kindergarten handwriting -all caps- and spelling) and I'm all, Bella what's TUCHINBRUSH? And she's like, you know mom, so I don't have to do this anymore. And she does this motion with her hands like she is putting toothpaste on her toothbrush. And then I was like Oh yeah! Touch-n-Brush!



So I have a very strong hunch that Santa Claus will be bringing Bella a TUCHINBRUSH for Christmas. And soon that girl will have neat, clean, precisely measured out portions of toothpaste perfectly applied to her toothbrush. The rest of us will continue to struggle the old fashioned way, just like the guy on the infomercial...fumbling about, all uncoordinated, hands and counter top all covered with blobs of toothpaste while awkwardly attempting just get some of it onto the bristles.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Am I Back in Yakima?

What's wrong with this picture??



As I waited in line for coffee this morning (tall nonfat Latte, extra foam...it's all about the foam) this is what the temp gauge read.

Yikes it's cold.

The word 'teen' should never be used when describing the weather. Thirteen. Degrees. That's just wrong.

...Actually, I kinda like it ;) It's supposed to snow tomorrow! Yay!

My Sister

I did a photo shoot over the weekend of my sister's family and before I was ready to start I snapped a few test shots of her while I got my camera settings just right.

I saw this one and I was like...What a hot mama my sister is!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Hey Tooth Fairy!

A short time ago we discovered Bella's tooth was loose (letter O). I had no idea how long it takes for a tooth to actually fall out from the time it starts feeling a little wiggly. She's never lost a tooth before, and hello it's been like YEARS since I've lost one...I was worried that she would loose it while I was gone to Cambodia, and it goes without saying that as a mother and a dental hygienist the thought of not being there to witness my daughter loose her first tooth would just make me curl up and die.

Good thing I get to live another day.

Last night I told Bella, "Tomorrow lets take take a "before" picture, then will pull that tooth out." That tooth was so loose she could push it over completely horizontally with her tongue.

Here's Bella Before:


Then I tried to talk her into taking out her own tooth. (I have had patients who have tried that but it usually involves Jack Daniels and is often unsuccessful.)


Little guy was too slippery so I reached in with some guaze and plucked it out!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

I Got to Meet My Team Yesterday!

A while back, I chatted with a doctor who had gone to Peru, while in his residency, to serve a mission repairing cleft palates with Operation Smile. There's one thing that I clearly remember him saying. "On your mission, you will get to work along side of the most inspiring, highly motivated people who will remain your friends for life."

Yesterday I went to work and saw my one and only patient for the day. Then I went and saw my MD for an H1N1 vaccine, then I hit the road and headed down to Portland. We had an official Cambodia mission team meeting at Medical Teams International HQ.

I got there early and sat in my car for a little while. I was nervous to meet my team. I was! What if they didn't like me? What if there was no chemistry in the group? What if none of us clicked? What if they were competitive, or cliquey, or standoffish? We'll be spending 14 days in close proximity under extreme conditions. We'll be working together, eating 3 meals a day together, staying in the same place together, hanging out together. What if we didn't get along?

My team consists of our team leader, who is a practicing dentist in Portland but is from Cambodia. His daughter Brittany is coming along as well. Then there are two retired dentists and their wives (one of the wives is the other RDH besides myself). These two couples are friends with each other. Then there's me, and lastly, two guys who are in a committed relationship. One of the guys has done this mission five times before, while it is his partner's first time.

The moment I met these people all of my worries were gone in an instant. They were so warm, friendly, and welcoming. We all got along like lifelong friends. When we all left to go home there was lots of hugging and "See you soon!" and "See you at the airport!"

As I drove away in my car I was so happy. It just feels right. This is the mission I am suppose to be on with the people I am suppose work with. It's meant to be. I feel it in my bones.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Elfie's Return

Today is December 1st and that means Elfie's in the house! Let me refresh your memory about Elfie.

We started this cute little Christmas tradition with our kids a few years ago. Elfie is this tiny little elf (whom Bella named, appropriately) who shows up at our house each year on December 1st. Elfie is on special assignment for Santa Claus. His one and only duty is to watch Bella and Rowan throughout the day. Then after they are fast asleep, he flies back to the North Pole and reports to Santa whether have been good or bad. Elfie returns back to the house before the kids awake, and each morning he takes a new perch to spy from. When the kids get up, we make a game of who can find Elfie first. There is also one very special thing about him, we tell them. They cannot touch Elfie, or it takes away his magic.

Here are a few places we've found Elfie in the past carrying out his reconnaissance mission:










Friday, November 27, 2009

Date Night

Went out on a hot date this evening with my sweet husband.

Mmm...sushi.


My sexy date.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Starry Night Cake



While the rest of America got up this morning and started in on their turkeys, I made a birthday cake.

I have wanted to make a Starry Night cake (you know, Van Gogh) for a long time now but haven't had an excuse. Then the other day when my sister told me we'd be celebrating TJ's (my bro-in-law) birthday on Thanksgiving, since we'd all be together. I instantly volunteered to make his cake, of course. Now I had a chance to put my idea into motion.

I got up early and got busy. Dale snapped this picture of me while I decorated...I am still in my pajamas.


And here is the finished product. I decided to be nice and take a shower and put myself together.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Today's Project: Christmas Cards



I'll be finished with this by today and will happily cross this off my list!

New Moon



I went to see New Moon last night with my nurse-friend Erin Lea, and two of her nurse friends.

I had a hard time finding the right words as we left the theater. I was let down.

There was a different director than Twilight, which gave this movie a different feel. I liked Catherine Hardwick's approach to the first movie much better. This one was like too...high budget. Too many special effects. Too Hollywood.

The story was good. The acting was good. The passion was there.....But it didn't feel very Pacific Northwest. Like really- what was up with those forest scenes? I mean hheeelllllloooooooo...... the Olympic Rain Forest is not made up of cedar trees. And the ground is not dusty! Even in the dead of summer. It just didn't look or feel like Forks. Twilight was on a much smaller budget, but ultimately that's what gave it it's charm.

It seemed like the new director tried too hard to make it great and it doing so, took away the essence of the story.

Ok. I am being harsh. I'll get off my soapbox.

I loved the Volterra scenes and when I read the book, that is strangely just how I pictured it in my mind, so that part was well done and really nailed it.

So will I see it again? ...Probably :)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Ways to Help a Friend Through Loss

A few weeks ago I received an email from one of my very great friends asking for advice. Since then I have thought many times about how my reply to her would be good to post on my blog, because someone else may find the information useful, too. I have put it off for a while now, as sitting down to write this forces me to face memories and emotions that I usually stifle and keep hidden away.

Here is the email:

Hi Jess!

Loved the picture of you, Dale & the kids on your blog. I thought it captured all of your characteristics so well. :)

A very good friend of mine from work lost "the love of her life" yesterday to an unexpected heart attack. It's very sad! She's been married a few times, has grown children with their own children, etc. She has been with this guy for the last twelve years, she is in her late forties & they planned on getting married in the next couple of years. They were so in love -- she smiled every time she talked about him. She is DEVASTATED!! You might have heard of him before. He's the guy that owns Dick's Brewery down in Grand Mound/Rochester. You might have heard of the beer Dick's Danger.

Anyway -- I was hoping you could tell me what you appreciated the most from your friends at the time you lost your father. I'm trying to be a better friend to everyone. In past hardship situations (especially yours), I realize that I could have done things differently to show my friends how much they mean to me, how much I care, and that I'm there for them. So, with that being said -- I'm hoping to really help Lori out in every way that I can. Any ideas you have about what you appreciated the most or wished someone would have done for you -- I'm all ears! And...I apologize if I let you down a few years ago when you lost your father. Take care!

Stacy



Before I write about what I shared with Stacy, let me back up a few years.

I attended my 10 year high school reunion the evening of August 13th, 2005. I remember sitting there and a few tables over I saw my good friend Dennis Bohanon. I don't think I had seen Dennis even once in the 10 years that had passed, but he was one of my favorite high school friends. I had heard through the grapevine that he had lost his dad to cancer just two weeks before. As I sat there and watched him, wondered how in the world he could be holding it together. He had to have been in so much pain. I cared for my friend, but I didn't go up to him and tell him I was sorry for his loss, or even acknowledge it in any way. No way. I didn't know what to say. What if I would have made him cry? What if he was barely hanging on and that sent him over the edge? How awkward would that have been? I'd never lost anyone. I didn't know that level of pain. How could I relate? What could I have possibly said? I don't think I even told him hi.

That same evening, while I attended my reunion, my own dad died suddenly to a heart attack at age 52.

Do you remember the episode of Grey's Anatomy from a few years back when Dr. O'Malley looses his dad? He and Dr. Yang have the following conversation:

CRISTINA: "There's a club. The Dead Dads Club. And you can't be in it until you're in it. You can try to understand, you can sympathize. But until you feel that loss... My dad died when I was nine. George, I'm really sorry you had to join the club."

GEORGE: "I... I don't know how to exist in a world where my dad doesn't."

CRISTINA: "Yeah, that never really changes."

It really is hard to relate to someone during their time of grief if you've never been there yourself. Just like how I felt with Dennis, it's your natural instinct is to stay away. You feel like you shouldn't bring it up. Don't make them hurt. Act like nothing's wrong. Don't call or stop by, because they are probably really sad and need their space.

The best advice I have for someone who wants to show that they care but don't really know "how", you first of all have to fight your instincts. Be there for them. Acknowledge them. Don't hide away like I did. Even if you don't know what to say, just try. Or really, you don't have to say anything at all. Just be there. Your friend won't think What do you know about what I am going through...you've never been there. Trust me. They will appreciate your effort and won't forget it. Keep them company. Offer to go out for a walk. Share your favorite story about the person.

When you write a sympathy card, really sit down and think about what to write. Try to avoid My thoughts and prayers are with you. Even if that is the only thing you can think of, maybe say I have been thinking about you and I pray that God helps you find peace in the tough days ahead.

I received many flower arrangements from friends, but one person sent a house plant. I still have it, over four years later. I love it, and it is beautiful. My sister's boss gave her a Japanese Maple for her to plant in her yard. While flowers are always a kind and thoughtful gesture, think about giving something that can be appreciated for years to come.

Consider attending the service. Even if you didn't know the person who passed, but you still want to support your friend. I remember how touched I was at which friends of mine attended. Childhood friends whom I hadn't seen in years, and friends who never even knew my dad but wanted to be there for me.

For me, there were a few periods in time what were really difficult. There's aways a huge wave of support in the days following the loss, and then you have the service. After that, the flowers wilt, the cards trickle to a slow then stop, you go back to work, back to life. I felt that month two was especially hard. Your grief and pain is still so raw. This is a time you should let your friend know you are still thinking about them. Remember that their first year without the one they love and miss is especially hard and to acknowledge that during holidays and anniversaries.

Well hopefully my advice to Stacy was helpful and someone out there learned from it too.

Oh, I did get in touch with Dennis after that via email and I found sharing similar experiences to be very helpful. We are fellow members of the Dead Dads Club. Haven't seen him in years, but still consider him a good friend.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Don't You Hate Dreams Like That?

I hate being late. I hate feeling unprepared. It's a tossup which I hate more.

I leave for Cambodia the evening of Jan 1st, and as my patient reminded me today, "That's not that far away, unlike Cambodia." Pretty witty, for a 12-year-old, I thought. I just nodded and laughed and said, "Well put."

It always seems like a race against the clock between Thanksgiving and Christmas without a mission to prepare for, and to battle the constant anxiety I have been experiencing lately I have become freakishly organized and on top of things. My Christmas cards arrived this evening from Shutterfly, and soon they will be stuffed, stamped, addressed and placed in a perfectly neat little stack with a post-it note on top reminding me to mail them December 7th. I have my shopping lists ready. I have plans all ready for my new Christmas decorations. I have the date we are cutting down the tree already written on the calendar.

This gives me a little bit of relief. On the surface.

But deep down, I still feel like I am unprepared and out of time. The dream I had last night makes this obvious. In my dream I was walking down a hallway of a hotel. Suddenly this woman appears and she's really upset with me and yells "Your plane is leaving in 7 minutes!! Why haven't you packed yet?!" And so I go into this hotel room to pack but in every drawer I open all I find is Bella's baby clothes. The only thing I find to pack is a pair of ugly flip-flops from 7th grade.

If anyone has any stress-relieving tips for me, I'm all ears.

The Torch Has Been Passed

Remember this post? If not, I'll remind you. Someone in my office is always expecting. It's weird but true. When one baby is born, within a few nanoseconds, someone else becomes pregnant.

So I am sure lately you have been thinking, Now that Dr. Bowers and his wife had their baby, who is pregnant now?

Haley announced today that she is pregnant. Baby #3! And by my calculations...she must have conceived right around the day the Bowers baby was born. And thus the cycle continues...

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Halloween Pictures

Ok...I am about two weeks late on posting these pictures. My friend Melissa had an 80's Halloween party, but only a few of us fun souls actually dressed the part. Here are a few:

My bangs had fallen (I've lost my touch!!)


Got the bangs teased back up and reinforced with extra hair spray.


That's Melissa's sister and my co-worker between us, Shelley.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Don't Look Now, But There's a Butterfly on Your Back

Dale, the kids and I spent the weekend up in Seattle with our friends Chris and Jennifer (because you're never too old for sleepovers, I always say). Chris and Dale spent the greater part of Sunday at the Seahawks game, while Jenn and I entertained the five kids by taking them to the Pacific Science Center.

There's this butterfly exhibit, where you are in a big green house of sorts with, like, thousands of butterflies fluttering about.

My kids were instantly scared.

A word about my kids: They're scared of everything. Especially Rowan. There's the usual...bugs, spiders, ants...then there's the innocent...puppies, kittens, butterflies.

Throughout the exhibit there was lots of handholding and constant reassurance.
"Look at how beautiful they are!" We'd say with exaggerated amazement. "They won't hurt you! They want to be your friend!! They're really nice!" and so on.

When Rowan bent over to look at the Koi fish in the pond, this friendly butterfly landed on his back. Of course I whip out the camera. And then like that- it came and went and Rowan never even knew. It's a good thing, too, because he would have FA-REAKED and everyone else in the exhibit would have blown eardrums from what Dale and I refer to as The Whistle Scream.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Thank You Kansas Rachel!

When we came home from our weekend getaway at Debbie's cabin, there was a package in the mailbox from my friend Kansas Rachel. What could this be? I thought. Look what she made for me!! Hand warmers! I call them hand cozies. She did this simply because she is a kind and generous person.

I love them. They're a little bit Eddie Bauer...a little bit Madonna...they're my favorite color...and who doesn't love cable knit?

Shaggy No More

Lately Little Ro Ro has been looking like a hairy monster, so I told Dale to buzz him. I shot a few pics while he did so...and I think this one is so cute. Look at his little face!



BTW...Congratulations to my 300th post! Who knew I had so much to talk about?

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

I Own the World's Two Most Expensive Bandaids



Ok. So. I just got home from the travel clinic at Thurston County Public Health and see my new band aid? I have a matching one on the other side, too. Now I am immune to Typhoid and Hepatitis A (the former is required, the latter is recommended) but I wish I was immune to "Shot Sticker Shock" because I almost died writing out a $270 check for two little pokes. Also, that doesn't count the Malaria pills I will get at the pharmacy @ $6/day for 3 weeks (I won't be drinking my daily latte there so it will almost even out) and the beefy antibiotics the travel nurse HIGHLY recommended to ward off Traveler's Diarrhea. Because nobody wants that.

I think I will call my insurance company to see if they will help me out here.

And since I brought up coffee...I can't help but wonder...will I have coffee there? Because I recoil and hiss at the sight of daylight without it, and nobody wants to see that.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

10 Thoughts on Cambodia

It's a for sure thing now...I am going to Cambodia. When I first posted about my mission, I knew very little about the trip besides that I was part of the team and we were going for two weeks in January. I now have more information and a few thoughts to share. In my mind, I struggled with how to write this post and make it cohesive and flow, so I gave up all together. I have decided to write this "list style", and name it 10 Thoughts on Cambodia. Here it is:

1. I leave Jan 1st and return Jan 15th. What a way to start the year.

2. We fly into Phnom Penh, the capital. It is pronounced P'nom Pen. On my favorite show, The Amazing Race, one of the teams didn't know how to pronounce Phnom Penh, so they just called it Sean Penn. I am really excited to fly into Sean Penn, Cambodia. We will then do some training there, then head to the Banteay Meanchey Province. I will fly out of the second largest city, Siem Reap.



3. I have to go get my "Traveling to a Third World and Hope to Not Catch a Funky Jungle Bug" shots tomorrow. I expected to have to get a whole gamut of shots. I don't. Just Typhoid and anti-Malaria pills.

4. We will be working out of the Ou Ambel Church Orphan Home where we will be serving the dental needs of 3-4 orphanages. On the site it says (don't read this part, mom) Malaria, landmines, childbirth complications, along with poor health care contribute to the large orphan population in this area. An average of two people per day become casualties of landmines in Cambodia, and this is one of the most heavily mined regions in the country.

5. I received the list of my teammates in the mail. By matching last names and/or addresses, I concluded that the 8 other people are actually 4 couples. Uh! was my first thought. I'll be the odd man out! I won't have a travel buddy! Then I decided I am just going to put my big girl britches on and go make friends.

6. The night I got the list of my teammates' names, I had a dream. It must have really bothered me that I won't have a travel buddy, because in my dream, I did have one. And it was (naturally) James Taylor. But not present-day James Taylor, but James Taylor from the 70's. Long hair and guitar and all.

7. I have been thinking about what I can bring for the kids. It had to be small and easy to pack. I have decided on stickers and ribbons (for the girls' hair).

8. I counted the days on the calendar and much to my delight I discovered that my "monthly friend" won't be along for the trip. Yes!! Because who knows what the conditions will be where we are staying, and that is a burden even when conditions are good, and considering we'll be there for two weeks, I had a 50/50 chance- Wait a second. Am I really talking about my menstrual cycle on my blog? Boundaries, Jess...boundaries.

9. I am planning on buying a laptop so I can blog and post pictures at the end of each day, but...

10. I am dying to know, but I can't manage to find the nerve to ask the mission coordinator if I will have Internet access. It's like Hey, I realize these kids are orphans, and there is poverty, disease, and landmines in an area who's not-too-distant history consisted of genocide and the loss of 50% of the population, but will I be able to get online? Really, I am afraid it will make me sound so selfish and high maintenance.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Halloween, Ackley Style


Rowan, Roaming Gnome
Rowan just returned home for Halloween from Nepal. He was trekking the Himalayas. Before that he was mastering the art of Southeast Asian cooking in Phuket, Thailand. Stop by to see him soon. He will be heading off to Lake Como, Italy, where he will learn to water ski. In the off season Rowan will be traveling to his cabin in Northern Alaska to write his twelfth novel. At the age of 72, He enjoys life with five grown children and eleven grandchildren.



Bella, Spanish Princess
Bella, like Rowan, is also just home for the holiday. She flew in last night from Barcelona, where she entertains locals and tourists alike as a Flamenco dancer. For years she resented the dancing lessons her mother forced her into as a small child, but now she is grateful because she makes a fabulous living at it. She wins every ballroom competition she enters (much to the resentment of the other dancers, really). In the off season, she vacations in Ibiza, where she stays out late then sleeps in. She has many boyfriends, but nobody serious. Her parents often wonder when she will settle down.



Dale, Mountain Climber
Dale recently met his lifelong goal of summiting Mt. Everest. But on the descent, he was caught up in a unpredicted blizzard and separated from his team. His friends cannot find him, and have no other choice but to leave him for dead. Frostbitten and disoriented, he eventually finds his way back to base camp. Dale's wife arranges a helicopter rescue. It is a risky mission at that altitude, but in the end, successful. It costs her a fortune, but it's worth every penny. His wife loves him very much.



Jessie, Rock Star Groupie
In 1988, Jessie attended every single concert of Def Leppard's World Tour, following the group from city to city. To this day, she still leads a pretty rough life. Because of her past substance abuse, her mind is clouded. She doesn't notice styles have changed, and she still likes to tease her hair up to the sky and wear her makeup heavy. She struggles with holding down a job and remaining sober.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Weekend at Debbie's Cabin

This past weekend we stayed at my friend Debbie's cabin near White Pass like we do every fall. It's tradition. We go, be lazy, eat junk, do nothing, relax, and occasionally glance out the window to see elk walk by. It's pretty fun. We also take our family picture for our Christmas card.

Here is the cabin (I took this photo last year):


We got to the cabin late Friday after heading out from work. We got settled in and everyone went to bed except for me. I stayed up until 2:30am reading my latest book in front of the fire. So cozy!

Saturday Dale taught Bella how to play Uno. They entertained themselves for hours.




Rowan was SUPER grouchy Saturday. He's always a monster, but it was extra bad. In between bouts of rotten behavior, he'd sack out on the couch. I should have clued in by this point...moodiness, sleepiness, rosy cheeks, that only leads to one thing with my kids...A FEVER!


Saturday night Rowan became really sick with his high fever and that really bad cough kids get where the sound like a seal barking. They cry, cough, cry, cough, oh I feel so bad for them.

Rowan and I spent much of the next day like this. One good thing that comes from being sick is all the extra cuddle time I get!


I loaded Rowan up on Tylenol before taking our family pics so he could tolerate it for a while (like 5 minutes). I think I have decided on one. Whatcha all think of this one?

Monday, October 26, 2009

It's a Boy!



My boss and his wife welcomed baby #8 this afternoon, and this completes the family with 4 girls and 4 boys. Congratulations, Bowers family! Can't wait to meet him!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Oh, My Cooperative Children

Bella and Rowan HATE having their pictures taken. We were at my friend, Debbie's cabin this weekend and I took some family pics for the annual Christmas card. My kids acted as though it was the purest form of torture.

I went through them...having a hard time deciding which one we'll use. Although this is not this one, I found it pretty funny.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

'Tis the Season for Drunkin Birds

The first few weeks Dale and I lived here in our current home, we would often hear this really loud Whack! sound. There's really no way to describe this horrible sound besides whack. But when you hear it, it is definitely startling. And loud.

One day we figured out the sound came from birds hitting our living room window. We've never actually seen it, though, because it always happens so fast.

See, our house is kind of oddly shaped. It's long and narrow. In our living room, the north side of the room has a wall of windows, and the south side also has a wall of windows. So, if you are standing in our front yard, you look through the windows into our living room, but then you see through the other windows to the opposite side of our house. It's weird. But birds get confused by this, I guess.

In the fall, it gets really bad. Birds hit the windows almost daily. The reason why is because of this tree in our yard:

We found out from our gardener friend that the birds eat the berries, which are rotting and fermenting. The birds get drunk. Then they are confused and disoriented and fly right into the windows.

I am blogging about this because it JUST happened. I was sitting here at the computer, heard the loud WHACK! (but this time it sounded like the bird hit with enough force to break the window). I ran out there and saw a cloud of little feathers in the sky and saw this on the window:


Then I looked down to see the poor little fellow on the ground down below. ( Please do not call PETA on me for expoiting dead birdies on my blog for the purposes of entertaining my blog readers).

It's really sad!

Meg and Kail's Wedding | Clarksburg, MD

Recently I flew to the Baltimore area to shoot the wedding of Meg and Kail (pronounced Ky-EE). The wedding was held in a beautiful, little white chapel in Clarksburg, MD, which is just north of Washington DC.

But just who are these people? Let me explain...follow closely. I hope I get all of the details right. I am very close friends with Courtney and Jared, who are siblings. Years ago, when they were both still in MD and Jared was in high school, he dated a girl named Meg. One day, Courtney went to Meg's house and met eyes with Meg's older brother, Mike, and it was love at first sight. Through time, Jared and Meg went their separate ways, while Courtney and Mike remained an item. Years go by. Jared moves to Texas, meets a wonderful girl, and gets married. We are all very happy for him. Courtney and Mike are engaged. They come out to Seattle in June of this year and I shoot their engagement photos. The next day, Courtney, myself, and Mike and Meg's other sibling, Liz (who coincidentally lives in Seattle -lost yet?) run a half marathon together. Courtney and Mike fly home to Maryland. They show their engagement photos to Meg (who is, at this point, engaged to a wonderful man named Kail) and she loves them. "Do you think she will come out here to photograph my wedding?", she asks Courtney. Courtney asks me. I say yes.

Meg picked me up Friday morning at the airport after my Thursday night red eye. I was pretty tired, but it was no biggie. We spent all day Friday together and I helped her with errands and loose ends. After a few hours, I felt like we'd known each other for years! We had a great time together.

We attended the rehearsal dinner that night, and by the time Courtney and I got back to the hotel...it was midnight. Not a big deal, except that the next day's wedding was going to be held the next morning at 9:30...which meant that we had to be ready to go and leaving for the venue by 7:30...Boy was I tired!

I do have a point, though. Shooting a wedding while exhausted, for me, is a good thing. I cannot be nervous and tired at the same time. Also, I tend to be more creative when I am really tired. I think it's because I just "go with it" and don't over analyze much.

I also had the privilege to shoot with another up-and-coming photographer named Brad. Brad is a law student living in Chicago (his school is right on Michigan Avenue. How cool is that??) I am excited to see the images he captured of the day. Check him out at Bybrad.blogspot.com

One more thing~ I finally figured out how to make templates in photoshop (Amy will be so proud!) Please forgive me for going a little overboard here.

I'll shut up now and share a few of my very favorites of the big day.








With the wedding being held in the morning, breakfast was served at the reception.


I love this one.




I could have watched these two dance all day long. I loved how her dress flowed.




This was the flower girl's idea. How cute!!


A little story about these next two pics: Meg wanted an image of the two of them walking away, where she is just walking and he is clicking his heels together in the air (you know, leprechaun-style). We tried this over and over and when I flipped through the images on my LCD screen, I started laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. Kail's friend's came and looked over my shoulder and were all "Dude! It looks like you are being hit by an invisible truck!"




Meg and Kail, Thank you for choosing me to capture your day. I wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

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Age 32. Mom, wife, smart aleck.