Thoughts, Life, Etc...

Christmas in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

2011-12-30T18:17:00.002-05:00

Christmas is hands down one of my favorite times of year. One of the major reasons way is because Pearl and I check out of normal life and hit the road for a week or so to see family. We rotate each year between heading south to Georgia to see my family or North to Michigan to see hers.

This year was a year to go north, so after 2300 miles, 7 nights away, 4 different homes visited and lost of laughter, stories, and good time with family we're home.

Here's a video of the road.

Creative experiment 11.03.11

2011-11-04T10:47:00.002-04:00

I was inspired the other day to photograph something I've never photographed.

Water. Oil. Kinetic energy. And a dance of color and light.

Here's how my experiment turned out.

What Creative experiments have you done lately? How did they turn out?

Snow, Stacy, Shame

2011-10-30T14:48:00.002-04:00

Today I walked from our apartment to Prince Street Café to meet Pearl. As I walked through our city the crisp fall air was life giving and some of the old familiar sites, such as the record store and central market were like old friends saying hello along the walk.

But there were also some new sights for today’s walk.

Like fall leaves encased in snow! Yes, like 4” of snow in October! I guess there’s a first for everything.

The other new sight, and also the source of motivation for this post, was found not in excitement or adventure, but rather in shame and embarrassment.

Here’s the story.

Today was a full morning at church, a great morning, but as I walked to my car my feet moved a little slower and my energy was not at its highest point. I crawled in the car, used the wipers to knock some of the snow off the windshield that had slid from the sun warmed roof, and drove to the apartment. As I pulled into the parking lot, I planned to park the car, grab my computer bag from the back seat, and walk to meet Pearl.

As the car pulled into the spot, I could see in the alley at the end of the parking lot a local man working his wheel chair up the alley. His head hung to the side like someone hung over (literally), his movements were slow yet jerky. He appeared to be homeless or near to it. He had frizzy long blond hair and looked like he needed a bath.

The car pulled to a stop, and so did his movements. I could see him from the corner of my eye. He paused his inclined climb and looked at my car. I felt like he was looking straight into me.

I decided I was tired, I was already dealing with a tough conversation I knew was on the horizon, the weight of the afternoon's school work was on me, I was tired, moody, and just frankly not in the mental place to deal with a homeless man looking for a hand out, a cigarette, or some cash. I just wanted to be left alone.

So I decided to ignore him. To just sit in my car acting like I was busy. I returned text messages, looked at home emails. I noticed he was no longer in the alley but actually rolling towards the car! I hoped he was simply rolling through our parking lot to the main street on the other side. So in my attempt to avoid and ignore him I decided to check my church email, surely there was an email there I could work on as my Sunday afternoon annoyance rolled past.

He rolled to the car.

Stopped.

Waited.

I ran out of emails.

He was a persistent little man.

I decided I would just have to face him, say no to whatever he wanted from me and then be on my way…to do my seminary homework.

I opened the door and forced myself to smile at him and say good afternoon.

His voice made my soul cower in shame. His voice shared he had a head injury of some sort. Whether from life or birth, either way he spoke not as the 40 year old weathered man he appeared to be but as that of a simple child.

A child who heard a car with a whistling sound coming from it.

A child who knew good deeds were done by telling strangers it sounded like their tire had a hole in it.

A child who knew his good news would be worth the sacrifice of his time to patiently wait to tell this hurried driver about his tire.

This man child’s name is Stacy. We shook hands. Talked about the weird sounds our aging car now makes. Then talked football, how his team is doing, if I’m watching the Eagles vs. Dallas game and other football talk.

He then wished me well with my school work and that the team I’m rooting for would win.

I did the same for him.

I turned to walk towards the coffee shop and he rolled back to the alley.

So today, as I walked past unseasonably early snow banks with fall leaves mixed within, I was reminded that God has unseasonable ways of reminding me he loves all, accepts all, and expects me to do the same.

God thank you for the Stacy’s of the world who surprise us with their life, their love, and remind us of your love for us.

half.... glass

2011-10-05T08:36:00.004-04:00

I'm realizing that life has a way of throwing nasty curve balls at us all. But if an experienced hitter is at the plate and sees the signs of the coming pitch soon enough they can adjust their swing and turn a nasty curve into a beautiful hit.

I think I see a nasty curve coming my way. "I think" being the key word. I'm not sure what the pitch may be, I just know something's coming. Something that I'll either adapt to in time to hit or swing at miserably for a strike.

Yesterday we got a phone call...

one of those calls.

A call that deals with the health of loved ones.

Some test are in, some options are starting to be on the table, something is about to happen.

BUT WHAT!

BUT WHEN....

and how the heck are we to adapt to play this game called life?

I general call myself optimist. I generally naively see the glass half full, I generally believe it will all be ok and will all work out. I'm generally confident enough to believe we can adapt in time to read the pitch and to stay in the game... even if our hit isn't a homerun.

But this time I'm nervous, I'm scared, I'm starting to guess what's next and there more questions then confidence.

At this time when my optimism in myself is clouded with uncertainty and I'm paralyzed with doubt, my optimism has to turn from myself, cause I fear I can't do it, I can't read the pitch in time, I can't analyse this game called life cause I'll go crazy trying.

At this time my optimism in myself goes from me to God. I have to look to Jesus and say "I don't have a freakin clue what to do, how to respond, how to pray, how to play, but you do. You know. You've got a clue. So do it, I can't!"

So this morning as the Sun warms the day and my coffee cups gets emptier, my metaphorical "glass" is still half full, it's just not as full of myself, it's being thrown at Jesus and pleadingly begged to be carried (or should I say filled) by him.

Have you had these times? If so, what did you do?

Czech 2011 - BMA, JV, and the travels home

2011-10-03T14:08:00.014-04:00

Pearl and I now find ourselves in our living room still in our sweatpants and lazy shirts. After roughly 26 hours of travel we made it home and are now recouping before jumping back into the normal pace of life.

Over all our time in Czech was wonderful. The relationships and conversations enjoyed with NGO's (non-government organizations) and the local church was priceless. Lubo (the local pastor who's a wonderful leader) said as we were parting that our time of dwelling together was rich and exactly what was needed. He was right. The art of simple sitting around a table together sharing stories, looking into someone's face as they express their dreams, meeting students who are doing extraordinary things and creating new stories through shared experiences was worth the time and travel.

Here are the remaining pictures I feel capture our last days there and our travel home. There's a lot of pictures. Hope you enjoy.

But first here's our awesome team. From left to right, Myself, Pearl, Lubo, Andy and Teri Martin, Brad and Beth Steele, and Katka Vlnova.

BMA (Beskydy Mountain Academy)
In Czech you have to apply for High School, much like we have to apply for collage in the states. Each High School has an area of focus. So your high school might be a art school, mechanical or trade school, business school, or if your BMA a Language school. They specialize in foreign languages, but English is their main focus. Their teachers are a mix of Czech and American. One thing that makes them very special to me is they not only are testing as one of the top language schools in the nation (excellence matters!) but they are a Christian school. Students interact with teachers who follow Jesus and over their 4 years of high school they slowly get to see what it means to have faith. The stories that come from this school are inspiring and make me proud to be friends with Jonny, who is one of their main teachers and core heartbeats of the academy.

This kid had some guts. Most Czech's would never talk to a stranger, much less ask one to do something for them. Jonny introduced me to classes as a photographer from the States documenting for the school. After class this kid walks right up to me and ask for a photograph of him and his girlfriend. Jonny and I was shocked with his guts so I gladly took some pictures.

We were able to join some of the class discussions.

Pearl and I stayed with Jonny and Lisa Lobel for the week. In three words, "We love them"

JV (Josiah Venture)

JV is the organization that originally connected LCBC with the Czech Republic. JV stepped into East Europe over a decade ago and God has used them to shaped the lives of thousands of teenagers across East Europe. We partner with them mainly for English and Sports camps in the summer but their umbrella of ministries include drama, music, leadership development, television productions, and a host of other things. They have introduced the concept of youth ministry to the churches of East Europe, are training a majority of their leaders and are being used to shape the lives of Europe's youth. Their headquarter is in Frydlant. We visited their office, prayed with their staff, and had lunch at their conference center / hotel. We also received a sneak peek of some cabins they are building as mini training centers. They asked if I could take some photos of their new space, so I was able to spend a little extra time in them.

The bench at the table folds open to a regular size bed. Very cool use of space. The cabin can comfortably sleep a team of 12 adults. Soon the property will have 3-5 cabins and a rustic lodge with a conference / training room to host 80-100 adults.

Krakow, Poland

Our fight home left early from Krakow Sunday morning. After some warm and heartfelt goodbyes our team drove to Poland to spend the evening before boarding our plane in the morning. We were able to spend the a few hours walking the streets of Krakow before bed. Every Europain city I've been in has a magical air to it and this one was no exception. We strolled the streets, looked at amazing architecture, watched street performers and simply relaxed from a busy and full week.

Paris, France

Lay overs are bitter-sweet, mostly their just bitter, except when it's 8 hours in Paris they become pretty sweet. We had 7 hours between arriving and departing to spend in the Paris airport. We shared this with Jonny and he mapped out what he felt was the best way to see the "heart beat of Paris" in 4-5 hours. So as soon as the seatbelt light was turned off the 6 of us where working our way to the Blue RER train to get into the city. We dashed like we were our own mini episode of "the Amazing race" through Paris. In less then 6 hours we managed to see Notre Dome, eat Paris' famous ice-cream (famous to Jonny at least, but still amazing), the Louvre, Walk through the gardens of Tuileries and see the 3,300 year old Obelisque do Louxor from Egypt. We crossed the Pont Alexandre iii bridge and made our way to the Eiffel tower, and ended with a quick look at the Arc De Triomphe before a mad dash through the airport and to our flight home.

Czech 2011 - Mountains, missions and More sleep please

2011-09-28T19:04:00.003-04:00

Today was a great day. It started with breakfast at Lubo's house. His wife prepared homemade apple "cakes" (simular to a long version of our apple turnovers) and a traditional Czech breakfast of rolls, meats and cheeses, YUM! We had a great start to the day eating, laughing and sharing more of our lives together. Meeting Lubo's wife and 2 of his 6 kids was a treat.

The day continued with a ride to the top of a local mountain. This included minor hiking to see the pagan statue to the Radhost god. This statue is from a pre-literature time and is said to have stood in contrast to one of the first churches ever to arrive in East Europe. The missionaries of this church later formalized the Slovak language and grammer.

The hike turned into a delightful lunch that a local business man sponsored us to have. He treated us to a traditional Czech meal full of sauerkraut soup (surprisingly delicious), fried cheese, fried potatoes and a spread of other delicious meats.

With full stomachs we lad in a local patch of grass. Prayed about what God has already done in this land, the forgotten heritage that it holds and the need for local church leaders to remind this community of it's lost identity and influence.

The time on the mountain included coke from glass bottles (a favorite from Czech), meeting a pet skunk, and some fun family moments for Jonny and Lisa.

We then traveld to a near town where the Moravian church started, was persecuted and fled to Germany and where it gave birth to one of the largest missionary movements in history until then. This village and small community of believers (300 or so) shaped Lancaster Pa, India, Africa, West Europe and most of the known world.

This was a sweet time of exploring the town, hearing it's history, climbing it's watchtower and eating local desserts (desserts that started after a freak flood defeated an invasion from Genghis Khan's army's in the 1400's).

The evening ended with relationship building time over yet another meal with lots of laughter, challenging, dreaming and excitement about what the future might hold. Jonny and I extended our evening with further talking and the simple joy of being friends and catching up.

It's now close to 1:30 am and bed is screaming for me.

Here's pictures from today's journeys, enjoy!

Czech 2011 - Hrad Hukvaldy (aka "the Castle at Hukvaldy)

2011-09-28T01:18:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was a little straight up Robin hood, except for the stealing from the rich to give to the poor, or fighting with Little John to be granted permission across the river, Kevin Costner already did that, duh.

Lubo, the Czech pastor who has organized our time here in Frydlant Nad Ostravici, is wanting to give us experiences that will help us have a better understanding of this community and the uniqueness that creates this magical little town. Our first stop was to pick up an old friend, Katka Vlnova! Katka is dear to the LCBC story and visiting with her is time well spent.

Pearl and Katka catch up on life as the rest of us bum around the town of Hukvaldy.

Lunch was in the small mountain town of Hukvaldy. This oasis sits nested in rolling hills and hundreds of years of history. After lunch we walked a couple of miles up the mountain (no joking UP) through the town, past it's historical church, and finally to Hrad Hukvaldy (the castle of Hukvaldy).

Thanks to Google maps here is an arial view of the castle.

The hillside getting to the castle is steep. The trees along the way have adapted to the slope by spreading their roots out. The roots were amazing. They spanned 30 feet or so in diameter.

But the walk was well worth the view. The Castle was breathtaking and renovated to such a point that you where were able to start to picture what life was like there, yet all the details were not spelled out to leave room for your imagination.

We took time while exploring to just sit and pray. We sat in these ruins that once marked a thriving society, a society that was greatly shaped by the story of Christ. These lands were once the homes of Christian voices that have shaped history, that have directly shaped the community I now call home, but the story of Christ has been all but erased from here. Out of the 10 Million citizens that call Czech home only 73K clam any Christian roots (that .07%). We took time at these ruins to ask what's next for Czech? What's next for the church of Frydlant?

Once off the mountain we a saw a hot air ballon, random but still exciting.

Pearl and I had dinner with a local family. We talked about softball, photography, kids, church, life in Czech, and about a million other things.

Pearl and I finished the night with great conversations with our dear friends the Lobels. Jonny and I are convinced we were separated at birth somehow.

We had a funny moment when talking babies, Pearl mentioned our baby is about the size of a lime, so Jonny found us a lime.

Czech 2011 - Travels...

2011-09-26T18:06:00.004-04:00

Pearl and I are on the road again.

There's something in our blood that loves to travel and when a last minute opportunity came up for us to go to the Czech Republic with my work to pray and dream about what God is doing Eastern Europe, we flexible our budget and schedule to make it happen. We left DC yesterday and arrived in Frankfurt Germany this morning. An extended layover opened the window for a stretching of our legs beyond the airport and here's a little of what we saw today.

First, my amazing traveling companion and wife!

She and baby (yes we're pregnant!!) are traveling great.

The cityscape of Frankfort is amazing. We through a gorgeous Cathedral and streets that hide amazing craftsmanship in it's details and people.

And of course we "happened" to find a Starbucks.... some habits seem to never leave.
We observed a wedding celebration. The couple had just signed the "paperwork" and was publicly announcing it to all of Frankfort with a robust and cheery dance in the town square.We're traveling this week with Andy and Teri Martin and Brad and Beth Steele. We had a couple of moments of not knowing where we were going, but we explored, had fun, ate a bratwurst from a street cart in Germany, an "americana" from Starbucks, danced in a Turkish wedding celebration, and still made our connecting flight on time.

Best layover ever!

still testing

2011-09-18T23:09:00.000-04:00

Test 3

test post 2...

2011-09-18T23:07:00.002-04:00

Still trying for a big picture post.

Test post...

2011-09-18T22:59:00.001-04:00

testing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattandpearl/4623299048/in/set-72157624098012176/

Tears...

2011-08-17T09:21:00.002-04:00

I find myself sitting at square one coffee today. Square one is a place that many thoughts have been captured at for me. It’s a place for reflection, for a good cup of coffee that seems to invite me into myself and the thoughts I often allow life to rush me past.

This year has been a year of rushing. Finishing grad school, starting a new student ministry at our church’s city campus, going to Vietnam and Cambodia for class, Haiti with students, summer camps, conferences, papers to write, books to read, and all the daily grind to maintain. It’s been a busy year, but an amazing year, a year that has brought me to life in a new way.

I recently found myself walking out of the Willow Creek Leadership Summit with big tears forming behind my eyes, tears that would later drip off my cheek and cause my nose to gush that embarrassing goo that comes with a good deep cry.

These tears where coming from a reminder of who loves me most, who desires the most for my life, who believes in me the most. I was reminded in the closing days of last week that God, holy God, deeply loves me, cares for me, believes in me.

I was also reminded of just how much he does this for you, for them, for the students who make up our student ministry, the parents who are trying to figure out how to guide and instruct them, for the punks who mask their own pain by inflicting it upon them.

Yes, last week was filled with tears at the thought of how much God loves me, of how much God loves you.

These tears have water the budding renewal of old passions, passions to teach, to lead, to put the love of God on display in such a way that others discover the goodness, restoration, and hope of Jesus.

Yes, tears are not always bad, in fact they may be what is needed for our hearts to come alive.

Home for Christmas

2010-12-25T20:17:00.002-05:00

It's great being home for Christmas!

Pearl and I turned our 12 hour drive to Georgia to be with family into 1500 photos, then made each photo about .002 seconds, and finished it off with some good music.

Enjoy!

And MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I'll be home for Christmas from Matt Parks on Vimeo.

dark beauty

2010-12-14T22:11:00.006-05:00

It was midnight, it was cold, the snow was well over my knees and the wind singing in my ears had started to turn my head into a freezer box. It was not a hopeful sunrise, or a refreshing sunset, it was not the warm energy of midday, no it was night, cold, windy, lonely.

Yet I stood, I waited, I looked past the dark, the discomfort and in the midst of this moment beauty emerged.

The peace of a frozen lake and the warmth of a glowing home, the old hardness of a factory in front of the joyful youth of a ski hill, the white of snow in contrast to the dark of the sky.

Yes in the midst of this cold, windy, lonely night beauty was found.

And such is life.

May we be willing to embrace our nights, to stand just a little longer in the discomforts, and may our eyes look past the gray and dark and into the beauty that slowly comes into focus.

some thoughts

2010-12-11T13:55:00.008-05:00

It's been one amazing of a year!

Here's a recap.

- A year ago we were merging our photography studio into Jeremy Hess' studio. The game plan was to do full-time photography, full-time grad school, and volunteer significantly at LCBC.

- In February LCBC invited me to come back on staff in a part-time support role instead of just volunteering. I originally started doing photography because I wanted to be able to be the owner of my time at a greater level so that I could be as involved as I desired with the church, I was really excited to join the team again!

- We booked lots and lots of weddings for 2010

- LCBC offered me a full-time role of overseeing the launch of the Lancaster City campus' Student ministry.

- Pearl and I talked and prayed a lot about this. Wrestled with lots of questions. We felt good about approaching Jeremy about me leaving the studio and going back to LCBC.

- Jeremy and I talked and prayed... we wrestled through more questions, we finally felt good about me moving back to the church and leaving the studio.

- I went full time with LCBC, I cried when I when back, I was so very happy to be back!

- We photographed all our booked weddings (for a total of 24 in 2010)

- Pearl and I still did full-time grad school

- We cut all extras out of our life when wedding season started, including blogging and other fun stuff.

- We launched Student ministry at the city campus, remodeled an old nasty office space into a sweet room, gathered amazing leaders, and started a wild adventure with some amazing students.

- We were really, really, really, busy! Like very unhealthy let's just fight for our sanity and marriage busy.

- We finished all the weddings, which were all wonderful and so much fun.

- We made it through our classes, with even ok grades in most.

- We're finally slowing down for the holidays (release deep sigh of relief here).

- I am loving being back at LCBC and with the student ministry team!

- We're looking forward to finishing our MDiv degrees this coming summer.

- We're looking forward to photographing only a few weddings and not totally stressing ourselves out in 2011 (we've already booked 4 and are hoping to do around 8)

- We're looking forward to seeing the Lancaster City campus turn 1 year old and to hear more stories of God changing lives and healing hearts.

- We had a really fun Student ministry team party last night

- I updated my blog and remembered how much I loved writing and processing here.

- I made a video of last night's party.

- I posted the video

- I'm now going to make myself lunch.

Enjoy!

Student Min Christmas Party 2010 from Matt Parks on Vimeo.

Marty McFly verse the Tower of Babel

2010-08-09T08:52:00.002-04:00

I would normally feel like I need to apologize for not posting in so long. To feel shame in the fact that my poor little ol blog has sat unnoticed by me for so many long days. But no, I will not apologize. I will simply say my life has been full of the things I love as of late and with those loves filling my days I had to choose to let lesser loves pass by. So yes, this blog is a lesser love, yet still a love, just not as much a love as my wife, my friends, my rest and my sleep.

So apologize for loving the more important things in life, I will not.

But I will say the thoughts that fill my mind this morning. I’m doing the “100 day reading challenge” from the “you version” Bible app on my phone and today I was reading Genesis 11 - The story of the tower of Babel. For most of my life I read this story from a negative lens. The lens that God was insecure at what man could do when they came together, insecure that they might worship their own towers rather then him, insecure that they would just simply be too unified and forget him. So in his insecurity he gets ticked off and made them all start speaking different languages and then kicks them all around the world.

Yeah, that’s my insecure god lens interpretation.

But today I different question came up.

What if this was actually God seeing the lack of creativity in man, the lack of cultural expression, if as he saw the people coming together to unify and build this tower he also saw all the cultural beauty that now marks our planet disappearing. Kind of like how Marty McFly’s family in “back to the future” slowly disappeared as events in the passed were changing.

So was the Tower of Babel about God not wanting man to work together and build a tower or about him protecting the beautiful creativity we now have around our planet?

Thoughts?

2010-05-19T21:59:00.002-04:00

Pearl's baby sister, Grace, married a great guy this past weekend, Tim. We had an absolute blast spending the week with the family getting ready for the wedding, Pearl being one of the bridesmaids, me photographing, getting to know Hope's new boyfriend (Hope is Pearl's other sister and we approve of her dating Caleb), and then getting to play my uncle role to some great nieces and nephews, so glad Lani and the kids were able to be a part of things. Tim and I also tromped around an old cemetery from the turn of the century (like 110 years ago, it was kind of creepy).

Grace and Tim were married on top of Mount Brockway overlooking the mighty Lake Superior.

It was a great week, and one highlight of many was that Pearl and I celebrated our fifth anniversary together, 5 DELIGHTFUL amazing years!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Ashley and Curtis are MARRIED!

2010-03-26T15:57:00.005-04:00

Ashley and Curtis are two extremely sweet people. Pearl and I had a blast capturing their special day last week, and were thrilled at what a cool day it was.

Here are a couple of things about their day that we loved:

- the weather was simply amazing! It was one of the nicest spring days of the year so far.

- Curtis had a way to make us and everyone else laugh. He has a spunk and humor to him that make smiles creep on your face without you even noticing.

- They had the coolest, funniest, wildest dancing kids you could ask to be at your wedding. Seriously these guys could go on the road as party entertainment.

- Gram (aka Curtis’s Grandma) was the best senior dancer I’ve ever seen. She really knows how to “get down with her bad self” and one can see where Curtis gets his spunk from.

- Ashley’s eyes are amazing! She’s a gorgeous girl, who simply looked fabulous. Plus she was super sweet all day.

- And there are about another hundred things I could write but I’ll stop it there and let these pictures speak for themselves.

Ashley and Curtis, thank you again for inviting Pearl and I to celebrate with you on your special day. You guys are a special couple and I wish you the best in your new marriage.

Sincerely,

Matt

Love is in the air...

2010-03-26T15:44:00.009-04:00

Walking around Lancaster City with a landscape architect and school teacher makes for some amazing conversation. Chris could share on the style of the streets, the shape of courtyards, and how the history of Rome can be seen throughout our city. At the same time, Kelly enlightened me on the use of imagery and pictures to help students who are born with speaking disabilities learn how to connect words with objects. I felt like my IQ increased just by being around them! Well, these two intellectual ones are also in love and we are looking forward to their “Black Friday” wedding this coming fall. Here are a couple my favorite images from our stroll around the city, and I look forward to sharing some more pictures of them come November. Chris and Kelly, thanks for waking up early to hang out last week and may the rest of your wedding plans go amazing! Looking forwarding to seeing you in a couple of short months.

Sincerely, Matt

27 silly moments in the spirit of turning 27 today

2010-03-18T22:18:00.006-04:00

I’m turning 27 today, so I guess I should start acting like an adult now, but on second thought I think I'll keep putting that off for a couple of more years.

So to celebrate refusing to grow up, here’s 27 of my more youthful, silly, stupid moments. Some from back in the day, others from yesterday.

1 – Sleeping in a hotel parking lots because I refused to pay for a room

2- Peeing in my room’s air vent because walking across the hall way was just too far to go to the bathroom.

3- Throwing all my sisters rings in the swimming pool because she made me mad and I couldn’t express my feelings in words.

4- Mooning… a lot of people, in a lot of different places, why? Because who doesn’t want to see my butt?

5 – Putting a baseball through my dad’s store window because to me it was a hockey puck (the ball that is, not the window) and the cane I was using as a hockey stick gave me just a little too much “lift”

6 – Putting battery operated Christmas lights in my 74 Volkswagen beetle because I love Christmas so much I wanted to celebrate it even more.

7 – Having the cops called on me for cutting doughnuts in the church parking lot, in my Gold beetle, all because I wanted to show my friends how powerful my 4 cylinder was. (ps. I drove home before the cops arrived and my friends totally lied and said they didn’t know who drove a gold beetle, They were the best Church friends a guy could ask for.)

8 – going on a moped ride with a group of complete strangers through the backwoods of Thailand to a refuge camp. Why? Because the main guy was our cook at the village we were staying in and I thought he was a good guy.

9 – Jumping off a 50 foot cliff somewhere in Jamaica, Because I couldn’t be called a chicken.

10 – Lingering in the cafeteria in college for an awkwardly long time, because I was hoping Pearl would come to dinner and I would “happen” to still be there.

11 – Having to get our small pick up truck pulled out of a muddy cornfield by a farmer and his tractor because Pearl and I thought we could “make it through”

12 – Sitting on the middle of a frozen lake in a pop up tent, with the world’s largest ice drill, a thermos of coffee, tiny fishing pole, and a frozen butt, because my wife wanted to show me what living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was like.

13 – Almost shooting my parents with a loaded crossbow, because I thought they were burglars and I had to protect my sister from what she thought was “a big hairy man at our door” (she never said if she was referring to mom or dad, I think she’ll take that secret to the grave)

14 – I wrecked (leaving a good bent) on Mom, Dad, and Grandpa’s cars, because I was convinced I really knew how to drive by the time I was 14

15 – I placed a 4 by 3 foot cross made from tree limbs at the end of our country driveway that looked like a bad tombstone, because Hank, the stray dog I befriended a week before, had needed a respectable grave marker.

16 – The refrigerator in the house I grew up in now has a BB size dent because I felt like seeing what my BB gun would do to it.

17 - I once took a friends camera into a public bathroom to “surprise her with pictures of a bruise on my upper inner thigh” when a stranger walked in on me, He didn’t stay around long enough to realize what I was and wasn’t taking a picture of. I was hoping it might be able to help me out.

18 – I once dumped an entire cage full of gerbil poop into our bathtub, which clogged the drain, cause I thought that would be the fastest way to clean the tank.

19 – I once bicycled across town during a Tornado watch and hail, cause I could have sworn those warnings weren’t really going to happen.

20 – I once flipped an entire rack of “clothes” at Victoria secrets cause I thought that was the best place to hide while shopping with my mom and sister.

21 – During a family trip to a local park, I ditched my family to hang out with an African American Church group having a picnic, cause they had better food and I had never talked with a Black man before, but I forgot to tell my parents where I was going, they seemed really excited when they finally found me.

22 – I once rubber banded our sinks water sprayer on, then asked mom for a cup of water…. Only to watch her get sprayed. I laughed really hard, but mom somehow missed that joke.

23 – Speaking of torturing my mom, I once loudly proclaimed in the middle of a department store that the smell we all were noticing was because of her, which wasn’t true, but she was still red in the face, truth be told someone had broken a bottle of “deer pee”

24 – My best friend and I drug down the road a $400 weed eater across town, cause we each thought the other had tied it.

25 – When I dad opened his drug store I told all my friends mom’s I hoped their families got very sick, I just wanted them to see my Dad’s new place.

26 – speaking of Dad and the store, we once were checking in on one our elderly clients to find that she had fallen and was needing assistance, I offered to go get a rope out of the car, tie it to her ceiling fan, and Hoist her up. Dad said that was a creative idea, but maybe not the best, the client didn’t appreciate me referring to her as needing a rope and a “hoisting” to pick up.

27 – I recently played a children’s balloon popping game online until 4 am knowing I had a full days work and graduate classes the next day, cause I was convinced I should be able to bet it.

I’ve had a fun life, have a great life and I’m so thankful for the amazing people who are a part of it.

Cheese, lots & lots of cheese

2010-02-22T10:51:00.002-05:00

So last Monday I, was asked to so something I’ve never done before. I was invited by S. Clyde Weaver to their newest store on Lititz Pike (next to the CVS and the Golden triangle) to photograph the largest wheel of cheese I have ever lad my eyes on. They had given me a heads up that they would have a cheese display set up so they could have a staff photo taken around for some up coming marketing they are doing. For whatever reason all I could picture in my head was a dinky little plastic tray with tiny little blocks of yellow, white and speckled cheese neatly nestled on it. Well, all I’ve got to say is they totally blew my expectations out of the water, they had every kind of cheese known to man on hand, as well as some of the best looking meat cuts I’ve lad my eyes one, and did I mention I’m a huge fan of cheese and they had lots of cheese. But the piece that won my heart was the 200 pound massive block that held centered stage in arrangement. It was beautiful I say, simple beautiful.

After I mastered my appetite we got to work and created some fun images of their staff and leadership, as well as some glorious looking cheese.

I give them two thumbs up, and look forward to moving some of these cheeses from a photograph to my fridge.

Happy Monday!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Rings, warehouses, & parking garages

2010-02-22T10:49:00.002-05:00

Hey Guys and Gals, Matt here. I love meeting brides and grooms, I love hearing their stories and finding out what makes them uniquely them. I love hearing how they met, how they feel in love, and how the big question was popped… the art of sharing our lives with each other is a beautiful thing.

I meet Shawn and Lisa a couple of weeks ago here in our studio. He is a web developer, she is a nurse. They fell in love and this summer they will celebrate their love and become Mr. and Mrs. Groupe.

Here’s a couple of images from our short time together. We walked around an old warehouse downtown, then to a couple of their favorite places in the city.

We then wrapped it all up with a nice delightful chai from a local coffee house and some fun conversations about life.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Babies, Engagements, and friends... gotta love all three.

2010-02-15T15:33:00.010-05:00

I love my friends, and I guess that’s a good thing if they want to stay friends for long. One thing I love doing is taking pictures of my friends; to celebrate their life with them not only in friendship but with my camera. This past week I had two friends ask me to help capture the unique seasons of life they are now in.

The first was the Atkinson’s. Paul and Whitney are two amazing people who have literally traveled the world over trying to make it a better place. They enter a room with great stories as well as great hearts. They will shortly move from being a family of 2 to a family of 3, and they wanted to remember the excitement and joy of this special moment in life.

James and Kalyn are two friends who live in the city. They have culture and style that I’m secretly envious of, and talents that make most of the world turn their head to notice (James is an unbelievable musician). Well, Kalyn succeeded in what many others tried to do and stole this musician’s heart and this summer will make him her husband. They are both great people and it was simply a blast capturing their engagement photos and we look forward to photographing their wedding this summer.

PS - in case you're wondering about the Jeremy Hess Photographers logo, this is my first blog under the new studio. So just in case you missed the announcement Pearl St Photography merged with Jeremy at the first of the year, and it's been a wonderful experience so far.

Celebrate love party!

2010-02-14T20:13:00.003-05:00

So Pearl and I decided this year to host a "celebrate love party". Valentines is one of the days of the years where couples often run away to snuggle together and leave the rest of the world behind. Pearl and I have a very special relationship, a relationship that is celebrated and cherished not just on February 14th, but everyday (or at least we hope everyday) of the year, so Pearl said let's not only celebrate our love, but the love for those we value most. So at the last minute (a day or so in advance) text messages went out and invitations to join us at house for wine, cheese, and the celebration of our friendships. So we celebrated today with those we loved most, and for those who couldn't make it, we understand and still love them. Here's a few pictures of the day.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Blizzard 2010

2010-02-07T09:44:00.008-05:00

As most of you know, I love snow. But what most of you might not know is that Pearl and I a couple of years ago started a list of things to do before we die, and yes we started this before the movie "the bucket list" became so popular.

Our list includes: visiting all 50 states, sleeping on all 7 continents (well, maybe not Antarctica, but who knows, we'll just have to wait and see), seeing Victoria falls in Tanzania, adopting a child, roadtrip across the country, summit one of the ten highest mountains in the US, humanitarian aid in Africa, run a marathon, get coffee at the orginal Starbucks, the list continues... as you can tell some of the goals are pretty big, some are simple silly things, like coffee from the orginal startbucks, but hey there things we for what ever reason what to do and celebrate along our journey of life.

Well, one of my life goals as of yesterday was checked off. I had always wanted to live through an 18"+ snow storm. Why 18", that number just seemed big, especially for someone from the south.

I was pleasantly pleased when my tape measure read 18-20" depending on where I was in the yard.

So here's a couple of pictures from the day, and just so everyone knows the picture of Jeff in the snow was where he jumped off our porch into a blanket of white stuff below (only bad part was it didn't catch him as well as he'd hoped, but thankfully the concrete under him wasn't damaged, or should I say he wasn't damaged)

So I now raise my cup of morning joe to all you readers out there, here's a toast to having goals and dreams for our lives, some goals that will hopefully make this world better, some goals that just make this life fun.

to goals... to dreams....

one last thing, a quick question "What's some of your goals and dreams?"

Please do tell!

Jeff and his attempt to stage dive off our porch

Official report is 19"

But my yard read 20" in places

This guy was entertaining his friend while he shoveled, he sounded great, and made the whole block feel alive, but if I was his friend I might have like the sound of his shovel moving snow, but as his neighbor, keep playing that sweet sound.

the roads were empty, so these kids where cutting doughnuts from one end to the other

can we say "reserved parking"

Didn't know these folks, but they seemed to be having fun

The snow brought the whole street out.

I like this guy, can't remember his name, but we helped each other get our cars out

our neighborhood has cute kids, one day Pearl and I will add a couple of more cute ones to it

Home sweet home

While on a plane from Orlando to Baltimore...

2010-01-31T09:26:00.003-05:00

The cabin lights are glowing a warm ambiance throughout our crowded seating area. There is a roar from the engines and a peppering of whizzing air rushing from the air vents among the rows. We gently rock through the clouds as a world hustles below.

There is a father and son next to me. This dad appears to be a good dad, I’ve seen him patiently read every description of “new and amazing” items from the “airmall” sales catalog located behind our seat. I’ve witnessed him pour apple juice, open pretzels, and after tiny eyes finally tired tuck his son in his arms and let him sleep. He now reads with one hand as the other securely holds his little boy in his slumber. I picture him as a good dad.

I’ve been thinking a lot more about having kids lately. My best friend’s daughter is now over a year old, the friends we just visited in Florida have an adorable little boy, and I only imagine the joy and stress on the day Pearl and I have our own little clan to love on.

I wonder what kind of dad I’ll be. I wonder what good lessons I’ll teach them, and at the same time how badly I’ll screw them up. I wonder if they’ll look back on me as a loving caring gracious father, or a dad who was impossible to gauge, never knowing if I was happy go lucky or if I was in a serious life’s happening mood.

I hope they have a dad that reflects God in a good way, I hope they have a dad they love to tell stories with, a dad they want their friends to meet, a dad they feel like they can tell anything to and not fear death.

Pearl and I’ve found ourselves lately asking our “parent friends” if they could have their kids fall in love with anything what would it be.

Most say God, Jesus, faith.

They then add, sports, arts, learning, and some then go on to say exactly what sports and arts; basketball, soccer, painting, piano, etc etc

The more I think about this, I think I want my kids to get faith, God and what religion is all about, but then beyond that to simply love people. To see people not as obstacles or challenges, but as hearts and souls and hurts and stories and beauty and little reflections of God with nuggets of love, truth and something beautiful inside walking around on two legs. And that they work to call the good out of man, to reveal the good, beauty, truth and image of God that’s resting and covered up in everyone.

But that’s easier to say that now while I’m not changing a diaper at 3 am, or listening to the 4^th straight hour of crying, or having to figure out how to parent through puberty.

So to all those who are still reading this blog and have kids how would you answer that? What do you want your kids to fall in love with?

But don’t stop there… Tell me what it’s like to be a parent, to love someone so small and depend, tell me what mistakes to avoid and what habits to start.

Give me your advice.

But, just so you don’t start thinking anything funny Pearl and I are not planning on starting our family anytime soon. We’re hoping to finish grad school, face whatever adjustments come next and then start, but God could be chuckling up in heaven listening to me declare our plans.

Ps. I’m posting this the morning after flying in from Florida. Here’s what we landed in. It was 83 degrees in Florida and 12 this morning in Lancaster. SICK! At least the snow was only in Baltimore and the roads home were good.

Baggage claims, evil eyes, and a gracious touch

2010-01-30T18:27:00.003-05:00

It’s the Saturday afternoon of a wonderfully delightful week. A week that was full of lingering days by a hotel pool, frequent coffee shop runs, nice dinners, and two wonderful nights spent with dear old friends at their homes catching up on the last five years of life. It’s truly been a great week.

Like one long wonderful date with my wife, my wife that I love so very much.

But we’re both tired, ready for some form of normal life, and the reality of returning to work tomorrow and that in just a couple of short hours a plane will move us from a soul warming ocean breeze of 83 degrees to a bone chilling 18 has us both in a… well, what’s the best word… ahhhh, well we’re both edgy. Yeah, edgy is a good word.

We’re still having fun together, loving simply being on an adventure together, yet as I just saw I’m able to go from “hey-life’s-good-and-I-love-you-so-much” to “I-just-gave-you-mean-set-of-eyes-that-communicate-I’m-one-hateful-son-of-a-gun” in about .23 seconds.

It happened like this, we’re checking bags, she wanted it one way, I wanted it another. I didn’t back down, she didn’t back down. I wanted to be in control, she wanted to be in control and poof a perfect storm happened that turned this simple and silly act of checking bags into world war III. Now, if you’re not married you’re probably asking “what’s his problem, it’s just checking bags, just let her do it her way” and if you’re married you’re reading this and nodding your head saying “heck yeah, I totally know that moment, but mine was over the milk, or the dog, or who would put the instant biscuits in the fridge.”

I love my wife, I really really do, but as we approach our fifth anniversary I’m reminded that marriage is a daily commitment, a commitment that is lived out at the baggage counter, the dog bowl, next to the sink full of dirty dishes. A commitment that I took and that I vowed to forever die to myself, to put my wife first, to be willing to see the best for us over myself, and to seek love over control and self.

So God, thank you for the baggage counter moments that remind us of the commitment of marriage. Thank you that my wife has the gentlest touch that so graciously reminds me I’m not living and loving as I desire to, as she deserves, or that you created me for. Thank you that marriage is a wild adventure of two worlds crashing into one. And thank you that it is Pearl and I against life and not against each other.

May grace win, may love shine through, and may we each have baggage claim moments that remind us to live beyond the ruts of our existence.

Pearl, I love you and thank you for your graciousness. Well, it’ s now almost time to board. Let’s grab something to eat and then fly north to our frozen home in Pa.

sitting at a Starbucks in Orlando, oops... now a Starbucks in Palm Beach

2010-01-29T15:09:00.007-05:00

So it’s officially a Wednesday. Don’t know why I thought I’d start by saying that but that’s what came to mind, it’s Wednesday, and I’m still trying to make sense of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Make sense of them in a good kind of way, not in a I can’t remember cause I did something stupid kind of way. (well, it’s now Friday and I’m still working on writing this thing, ha ha, thus why I’m now at a starbucks in Palm Beach)

This weekend was Avalanche, which for those of you who are not a part of LCBC, Avalanche is the winter retreat for 7^th and 8^th graders. So this past Friday Pearl and I drove about 2 hours to meet up with about 135 caffeinated students and adults ready to eat, play, climb, sing, and reflect the weekend away.

I was asked to come and be the speaker for these students, which is an invitation that I take as a high honor. I remember when I was in middle school and our small youth group drove to the “massive church in Atlanta” for a student thing and after the band played music that I actually like and then a guy stood up and told stories that made me laugh and in the mix of it talked about God in a way that made sense I have always wanted to be that guy. Not particularly the one on stage, my pride is much too dangerous for me to pursue that, but the one who tells stories and in the mix of a conversation filled with humor, emotion, and “dirty ol real life” mix in God and who he is, what’s he’s doing in this world and how he interescts our lives in such a way to not make us “freaks of society” but that makes life make sense. That reveals how God is all around us and not as far away as we might often feel.

So this weekend, I had the great honor to be that Guy. This was not my first time being with these students, nor speaking in this manner, but by my nerves on Friday afternoon I don’t know if you could have told other wise. I think the weight and responsibility of doing what I was doing just sat on my chest like a big old elephant.

This weekend we walked through the Lord's prayer, we tried to capture the heart of what Jesus was saying to his rag tag band of followers and what it might look like for today. We explored the significance of a Jewish prayer shawl and the beautiful symbolism and ritual woven into it.

This weekend we said the Lord’s Prayer, many times, but we used the language not of a first century Rabbi but of a 21^st century Middle schooler who is trying to figure out how to follow in the ways of these teachings and this mysterious and divine man named Jesus.

Jesus said:

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. Give us our food for today, and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

So We said:

Our God is close like a good father, even when it doesn’t feel like it

Our God is fixing this world, and invites us to join Him in making it right

Our God has given us just enough for today,

Our God loves forgiveness, so I should as well

Our God protects us, and He uses me to protect my friends

It was truly a great weekend. It was humbling to see young hearts wrestle through the pain they have already experienced at the hands of pathetic earthly dads. To try and push aside the tidal waves of lies and marketing that shout how they’re not enough in so many ridiculous ways, but ways that have a knack for scaring one’s being for the rest of their life. To see them begin to grasp that every relationship in life has to be built around grace and forgiveness, and that if not, every relationship will only be messed up and full of pain, forgiveness is a must, no exceptions. And finally to see tiny arms link up to form safe little circles where words were spoken that remind their neighbors of how they are enough, how their God is close and never abandons, of how God invites them into something bigger then ipods, video games, and teenage crushes, of how they can accept forgiveness and in so doing give forgiveness, and how they want to be a voice that reminds them of these truths weeks and months from now when it’s so easy to have forgot how Jesus had taught us to pray.

It was a great great moment for me. I cried when it was all done, the big tears that mark your shirt and make your nose run, but they were good tears. Tears that come form a place of joy, of humility that God invites me, a messed up kid from Georgia with so much junk of my own, to be a part of what he’s doing in the lives of these students, and a place of hope at seeing what these students are capable of, of how they will change this world they are inheriting.

So to finish this really long post, I’ll offer a different perspective on the weekend. Here’s a link to one of the student’s response to the weekend.

And here’s a some of my favorite images from the weekend. They are by Ben Bennett (one of the amazing adults who gave up their weekend to love others), Cheyne Thomas (a 8^th grader who’s quickly making herself known as a gifted little photographer), and myself, but just a heads up, the really good ones, they took.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

hello old friend...

2010-01-19T20:51:00.003-05:00

As you can tell the blog has been a little neglected these last few weeks. Janurary is a surprisingly busy month for us. We’ve had exciting developments at Pearl St. Photography, we’ve actually merged our studio with Jeremy Hess Photographers. This means wonderful things for everyone. Clients will gain the access to the amazing equipment and staff that Jeremy has invested in as a part of his studio, Jeremy will hopefully be better for having Pearl and I on his team, and my personal skills will be refined and tuned under the investment of one of the best wedding photographers in the Central Pa area. We’re super excited about this. Jeremy and I did a quick into video yesterday at the studio to introduce Pearl and I. Here’s the link. Also here’s his blog and website.

But that’s not all that has made January a busy month. Pearl and I started our next round of Grad school classes. We’re both working on a Masters of Divinity degree at Biblical Seminary. It’s an amazing degree that I feel like is pushing us to really wrestle with what faith looks like in today’s culture as well as what we really believe. It’s a stressful delight that highlights our week. This class marks the half way point, only another year and a half. Seriously this is one of the best programs I’ve ever heard of if you’re interested in exploring faith and leadership in a postmodern 21^st century context.

But even that’s not all that’s keeping us busy. As some of you know Pearl and I once worked at LCBC and at the start of January I returned to their staff to help in an interium part time position they needed filled. The winter months are my slower months and with LCBC having a need and me being able to step back in it has been a delight to do so. Being back at the church really does stir something in my soul. I love being a part of the creative teams and wrestling through how you influcnce middle schoolers towards a better way of life, a life that is rooted in more then ipods, Hannah Montana, and some weird vampire movie series.

This weekend I have the extreme honor of teaching at Avalanche, which is LCBC’s Middle school winter retreat. This is truly a highlight of my year and although everyone leaves physically exhausted, their heart leaves to a delightful happy beat.

So as you think of it, please pray for this up coming weekend. As we take about 150 seventh and eighth graders plus some adventureous adults away to discover a little emore about ourselves and a God that intensely loves us.

This morning I was reflecting on the first session.

On how we’re telling kids that “our God is close”

It’s a comforting saying, yet a hard saying. A saying that the Bible says is true yet that our world often says is not.

I think of Haiti, I see God beling close yet at the same time far. I think my ears may start to bleed from the gears turning before this weekend’s up.

Road trip to the Upper Peninsula

2009-12-24T16:16:00.004-05:00

Here's a video from our trip up to see Pearl's family.

Christmas Road trip from Matt Parks on Vimeo.

Best of Weddings – oh my goodness….

2009-12-22T16:28:00.001-05:00

The “best of weddings” bridal show was held this year at the Lancaster Convention center downtown. This is where as the name describes the best in weddings come out to showcase their creative abilities, and showcase they did. The displays where mind blowing and truly showed some of the incredible talent that resides with in Lancaster County.

Pearl and I were asked to stand with one of our new friends, Jeremy Hess, at his photography booth just to help field questions and mingle on his behalf with the brides and families coming through. He really had to twist our arms but after about .45 seconds of thinking about it we said we would. When I arrived Jeremy tossed me a camera and asked if I wanted to document some of the room, I thought this time for about .42 seconds and skipped away to see what I could see.

Here’s a couple images of what I saw. I was really impressed with the venders and would gladly recommend any of them. So if you’re ever in need of production company, linens, cake extraordinaire, invitation able to work magic with anything paper lady, or a great photographer I have a couple of names for you.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The world's greatest nephew.

2009-12-22T16:16:00.003-05:00

This was written while Pearl and I drove to through Virginia on our way to surprise my mom for Christmas, a couple of weekend's ago.

So this blog has been a long time coming. For example I took this pictures back in October and I’m just now putting my thoughts towards it. The reason for the delay… I just didn’t know what to say, believe it or not I, Me, Matt Parks, was at a lost for words.

Well, to be honest I’m still at a lost for words so here it goes.

The pictures below are of my little nephew Gabe. He’s a great kid, full of energy, respectful and sweetness, yet just enough rowdy, roughness and one could say just plain ol’ Boy to be lots and lots of fun. Pearl and I simply love the kid.

The thing with Gabe is that he’s growing but not at a normal pace. Not slow enough to cause worry, yet not fast enough to call normal. He also bruises really easily, I would say I got that from Pearl, but since he’s my nephew from my sister, that’s just not possible and even though I’m from the south I’m not from that part of the south.

Another thing is that he’s “tummy”, which I’ve learned is baby language for gut, was always sticking out, like he’s got a little beer gut, but once again I’m from the south but we don’t nurse on bud, at least not most of us, and why am I saying us, I’ll never nurse unless God has a really crazy trick up his sleeve.

Last thing, Gabe’s liver and Spleen were always a little large. Once again, each thing by themselves the doctors where able to explain away, it was just when all were together that caused some questions to start being asked.

Those questions led to a year that turned at least 2 of my brother-in-laws 3 gray hairs their snowly color, and caused my sister to shed more then a couple of hand fulls of stress-anxiety induced tears.

After a year of testing, year of probing, year of worrying and coming up with some of the funniest stories ever told of a 3 year old in a hospital gown Gabe was finally diagnosed with Gaucher disease.

Gaucher disease is a disorder where your body is missing the enzyme necessary to break down the fatty substances in one’s blood. The fat then builds up over time in an organ, that organ fails and as of 10 years ago they would have simply removed that organ, scratched their head in bewilderment, then a couple of years later removed the next organ, and this would continue until they removed your very last organ for burial. Great process… NOT.

But we live in an amazing time in history, a time where we have enough freedoms and knowledge and all the other glorious things that make the world good for scientist to have enough time to stop making bombs and test hamsters. Chinese hamsters in fact, and in this testing of Chinese hamsters they discovered that their ovaries carry the missing enzyme to correct Gaucher disease.

So now, my nephew instead of building up fat in his organs till it kills him around the age of 30 he can go to Atlanta every two weeks for a 3 hour infusion of this missing enzyme and live, live a normal life and be a normal kid.

So the pictures below tell of our journey. Of leaving early in the morning, forgetting shoes, fighting traffic, arriving at the center, Gabe starting the infusion, us walking around, putting together puzzles, and watching movies while he’s attached to his little backpack-enzyme-infusing-life-giving machine full of Chinese Hamster Ovaries magic.

We finished this treatment with a nice round of Indian food and then watched Gabe’s little eyes finally give out during his car ride home. I’m amazed at our bodies and how wildly they are created, finely tuned and put together. I’m disgusted that the brokenness of the world extends past the selfishness and hate of grown ups and some how finds it’s way into little boy’s body’s, yet I’m humbled that God loves us so much to not leave us in the middle of this broken mess called humanity but gives us creativity, intellect, and insight to be able to correct some of the wrongs we see around us.

Here’s the pics, hope you enjoy.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Snow, Snow, Snow...

2009-12-05T19:26:00.006-05:00

I love the snow!

Seriously, I do. Being from Georgia snow was an invitation for all of life as we knew it to stop, heck even the slightest possibility of snow was a cause for all the local grocery stores to sell out of milk, bread and eggs and the real reason to celebrate, for us to skip school! What makes me laugh is that the people mainly buying these things hadn't eaten them in years, plus what are they making? french toast? Is that a tradition I'm unaware of?

Well, for whatever reason whenever it snows now I revert back to being 12; pubescent squeaky voice and all and find myself jumping up and down wanting to go play in it.

My toys have changed a little over the years. So now instead of grabbing anything I might be able to slide on, lunch tray, cardboard box, whatever, I find myself picking up my camera and heading out (and trying really really hard not to slide on them!)

So here's a couple of pictures of tonight's tromping. After being out for ten or so minutes, tired of trying to hold an umbrella and shoot, and the fact my fingers where in too much pain to press shutter button, I had to head back in.

enjoy!

And if you happen to find yourself with some snow this season, let your bad self cut loose and have some fun!

Merry Christmas! Only 20 days to Christmas!!

Advent... pause

2009-12-01T09:47:00.002-05:00

The Advent season is upon us. This is a tradition that for thousands of years has rhythmically called the Church to step out of the rush of life and to pause, to reflect, to remember and savor what makes it’s Faith tradition so rich. The liturgical calendar calls upon two season of slowed reflection, Advent and Lent.

Pearl and I have decided to observe Advent this season. You will find at the center of our table a collection of 5 candles and you hopefully will also find us each morning sitting down in front of them, Pearl with her random bowl of cereal and me with my yogurt. We are trying to spend these opening minutes of our day reflecting, reading passages from the Bible, and basically trying to sync our lives, desires, fears, worries, passions, etc to the teachings of Jesus. During Advent there are traditional passages the Church has reflected upon, passages that highlight certain themes leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

A friend recently gave Pearl and I a book that has collected these passages and then provided a little commentary on how they apply to this season of reflection.

A sentence from today’s reading stuck a cord with me:

“the Greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something… To see is poetry, prophecy, and religion, all in one… Seeing is a difficult art, as is hearing.”

As I walk through this season, remembering and reflecting on the cornerstone tradition of my Faith, I hope I can see clearly. To not see what I want to see or what I’m prejudice to see, but to see the truth around me, the love around me, the joy and warmth around me. I recently had a professor ask us if we will force what we see to “fit” what we already thought, or if we would allow what we think to be shaped by what we see.

This season… I want to see the holidays a new. To not just see an empty passing of yearly rituals, but to see the beauty and wonder of this amazing time of year. May I continue to pause each morning and allow my thoughts, desires, fears, and worries to bend to the way of love, joy, peace, and hope.

A little Decorating and dinner with Friends

2009-12-01T09:35:00.002-05:00

This past Sunday held a tradition that Pearl and I love! The tradition of decorating the house, putting up the tree, and busting out the Christmas CD’s. This year friends joined us in the festivities. I now find myself cozily sitting next to our tree enjoying it’s delightful presence. I simply love having Christmas lights up, there’s something about those tiny white lights welcoming you to the living room. Welcoming you to slow down… to be with those you love, to tell stories of old, and to make some new ones as well.

I love it!

Ps – I asked Pearl to marry me at a Starbucks down in Georgia. After she said yes we purchased that years’ “Starbucks’ Christmas ornament” and have each year purchased another. So when you see the picture of us kissing putting up a red coffee cup ornament, that’s way. It’s silly, but deeply meaningful for us, and just so you know, we now have 6 cups hanging on our tree!

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Tree Lighting 2009

2009-12-01T09:31:00.004-05:00

Friday night Josiah and Abigail Conrad joined Pearl and I for the lighting of the downtown Lancaster Christmas tree. It felt like winter was upon us for a couple of hours. The cold air whipped around the square, we packed tight into the crowd for coverage, sang Christmas tunes, listen to tubas do they’re tubaing, as well as hand bell choirs ring their chimes, Santa made a brief appearance, and a massive tree was lite. The thing we laughed about the most was how the tree was turned “on” all night and then turned “off” to light it up, I think someone mislabeled the switch. We loved it! The night ended with some ice cream, hot cider, and a movie. Simply delightful!

Thanksgiving… what a day.

2009-12-01T09:29:00.003-05:00

Pearl and I had a delightful Thanksgiving celebrating with an old friend, Jason Mitchell. When we arrived at Jason’s house I asked what his Thanksgiving traditions were, to which he simple replied, “we only have one, to be untraditional.” He held true to his word and cooked one mean rack of pork, so no turkey this year. He also cooked cranberry carrots and green peas with goat cheese, sounds weird but they were great! Pearl and I then added the mash potatoes and of course the staple of my Thanksgiving meal, sweet potato soufflé.

It was really a great day.

Jen (Jason’s wife) was in Georgia visiting her sister who had just delivered her first child, but she surprised Jason by leaving at 4am and drove straight from south Georgia, took one bathroom / gas brake (yes only ONE!) and walked in the door around 3. It was crazy cute seeing Jason’s eyes jump at the delightful sight of his wife’s voice. Plus Silas and Siena (they’re two little kids) could not be more happy to see mama.

The rest of the day was filled with great conversation and of course board games and lots oh dessert.

blessings...

2009-11-16T22:04:00.002-05:00

God is truly good. Yeah I know that sounds cheesy and like I should be standing in some sports stadium with a hack job poster around my neck with my shirt off, shaking my belly like a bowl full of jelly (just wanted to say that, jelly belly, belly jelly, I’m now smiling like a silly kid, ha ha). But truth be told, even when life is really tough and things just seem to be landing on you like a ton of bricks, The goodness of God is still lingering around, like breadcrumbs that fell on the floor that you never seem to be able to sweep up.

I’ve not had any bricks thrown at me this week, to which I say “thank you” but I have had moments to just pause and be reminded of just how good this life can be.

I could list the usual items of health, family, friends, etc. But for me I saw God’s goodness today in a couple of difference ways, I saw it in:
- a delightful cup of coffee with friends
- a phone conversation that instilled hope
- accidently deleting a file only to be reminded I had a back up made (3 times)
- enjoyed a delightful senior portrait session with a student I once worked with in student ministry
- sitting on the couch with my amazing wife eating spaghetti and just letting our elbows touch as we do whatever we’re both doing on our computers
- a run that reminded me I’m alive
- and listening to my coonhound snore next to me… yeah she loves us so much she’s wanting to sleep next to us one the couch.

Yeah, God is good. I hope I now can only continue to see the breadcrumbs of this goodness sprinkled all around.

Here are a couple of my favorite pics from today’s portrait session.

now... how did they meet again?

2009-11-11T18:04:00.001-05:00

So what do you get when you cross a Canadian girl with a Lancaster boy, add in some form of social media networking, then sprinkle in some crazy driving, and a dash of adventure? Well, if you’re Robin Williams you might be able to manage some funny joke out of that mixture but for simple ol’ Matt, I say you get one pretty cool couple with one crazy story of how they meet.

I still can’t decide what I love more about their story, the fact that she drove from Canada just for him or that he somehow talked her into riding as he co-pilot to “help deliver” pizza’s as a way to spend more time with her, or if that they eloped to a local park to get married. Either way, I think they’re a pretty cool couple.

Here’s a couple of pictures from an anniversary shoot we did together.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

what a family...

2009-11-11T16:50:00.002-05:00

We’ve all been around kids that make you ask if you are really sure you want to have kids of your own… don’t worry you’re not the only one with a little chuckle on your face and a kid in your mind. But hopefully we’ve also all meet kids who make you day dream about the day that you have your own. Every now and then I’ll come in contact with a family that simple is a delight to be with, where I totally lose track of the time and just soak in the seconds as the roll on.

Well, a couple of weeks ago I had such an experience. The Johnson family was truly a delight to photograph. The parents getting parenting, and set boundaries for their boys yet still allowed the boys to fully be boys, I hope I can do that one day. And because of these killer parents, the boys, well… they where just a blast.

Scott is an up and coming artist. We talked about the different forms he expresses himself through, and just between us I think he could be a slamming photographer. He had loads of great ideas for angles, and locations and props, he was like Niagria falls but instead of water he gushed out ideas. Super fun.

Marc (yes with a “c”) was their younger son, and I think he and I would have had some amazing stick swords fights and monstrous army missions if we were kids together. His mom asked if we could capture the “million faces of Marc”, to which Marc gladly made a million, yes literally a million, I counted, faces at me. It was awesome.

Here are a couple of my favorites pictures, form one of my new favorite families.

ps – I blogged a little about how the Johnson's pictures made my heart happy a couple of days ago. Here's the link

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a family I respect.

2009-11-11T16:09:00.000-05:00

Pj and Megan were one of the first friends Pearl and I made when we moved to PA. Megan is a quiet gentle spirit that makes you feel like the world is a little better when you’re near her, no wonder she makes a great nurse. And PJ… well… he confuses me. I know PJ as a fun loving, thoughtful, reflective thinker who deeply loves others and his faith, yet I know his job is one that requires him to be level of tough and force that I just have trouble picturing him being. So, I guess I write that to say I deeply respect the man for being able to enter into tough environments with truly terrible situations and yet come home to his friends and family and be describe by adjectives that would never fit where he had just left. He has learned the fine art of leaving work at work and knowing how to pick up love and gentleness when he’s around family and friends. The two of them also demonstrate what commitment, giving, and serving others look like in a way that I only hope to be able to. They both have full time jobs, an amazing little girl, yet they both volunteer for what could be considered a full to part time role leading LCBC Harrisburg’s youth program. Simply an amazing family.

Well Emma, their adorable little girl was due for some pictures. They asked me to capture her first year and here’s the first of 3 sessions we have planned. She’s a great girl in a great family. Hope you enjoy the pics.

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BFF 4 Life.

2009-11-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

What is a best friend??? You know your BFF. I once heard that for a healthy team, staff, relationship to from it needs proximity and play.

Well, to those two ingredients I can say Joel Smith and I excelled. We became friends in third grade during summer church came. We HAD to room together and I was simply ticked about that. Well, that week of having to share a bed, disgusting!, Launched a friendship that is closer then most of the worlds siblings, twins included, and if we were honest most of the world’s married couple.

We became friends in third grade, fumbled through middle school together, laughed through high school, lived all 8 semesters of college in the same 10x10 cement room, stood at the front of the line in each others wedding and along the way created some of the craziest, off the wall, side stitching stories the world has ever heard.

Joel is no longer a friend, he’s truly family.

During our last trip to Georgia Pearl and I were able to carve out some time to stop by Joel’s. Joel, Gwen, Pearl and I found ourselves talking, laughing, and slapping out knees as deep belly laughs erupted well into the night at when the clock was rolling past 3am we forced ourselves to stop talking and find some sleep.

We ended our time with a visit to some greasy spoon breakfast joint in Raleigh NC, which was amazing, and with a couple of pics. Here’s a few of my favorite.

So to Joel, Gwen and RK… love you guys!

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Horror, good stories, and an amazing family

2009-11-11T15:24:00.000-05:00

I love storytellers, to be around someone who can just hold you on their every word and to create mini movies in your mind with the use of their adjectives and speech patterns. Yeah, I find myself longing to sit next to them… especially when there’s a new horror movie out, cause you see I may love a good story, but I hate horror movies. Nope, just can’t take em. If I was forced to watch one you’d find me in the fetal position sucking thumb about 3 second after the opening credits start.

So with that said let me introduce you to the famous Tim Moser. Not only is he famous for being a lighting Genius, as in designing the stage lights for some of the best concerts you’ll ever see, he’s also one of the biggest horror film fanatics I know who just so happens to actually be an amazing storyteller.

Tim and I meet through LCBC and I found myself captive to his stories while in the process of changing stage designs and lighting gels. But Tim is not a one man show, he also has an amazing wife, Katie, and 3 of the coolest little boys I’ve every meet. Countless stories come to mind of wild and weird moments Tim has retold of his boys. The five of them just collectively make one cool family.

Well, Katie contacted us about doing a family picture, but she wanted it to be around an experience, so to the pumpkin patch we went. We picked pumpkins, chased little boys, smelled cows and captured some fun memories along the way. Here is a few of my favorites. Hope you enjoy.

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a child's world...

2009-11-11T15:09:00.001-05:00

We were to meet a few weeks earlier but as humor has it our beautiful park excursion turned into one wet-cold-windy fall day, it was simply nasty out. So we pushed our plans back. But this day, the sun was just right, the clouds amazing, and two extremely fun and energy filled kids were ready to rock and roll. So to Lititz Spring park we went with dreams of mini adventures in mind hoping to be played out on giant wooden trains, huge swings, and really odd looking rock things. As well as the secret hope of capturing some amazing moments in the midst of the play. Alisa invited us to join her family, capture some of the fun of childhood, and to simply enjoy some of the amazing fall leaves together. It was a blast being a kid again, playing, running, jumping, and living for just a moment without the worry and stress of being an adult. Oh to be a kid again. So, here’s a couple of my favorite moments and hopefully as you scroll through you’ll rediscover a little of your childhood in their smiles and full abandonment to play. Enjoy.

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a great lunch... an embarrassing lunch

2009-11-10T14:39:00.004-05:00

So, I just had one of those lunches today that you walk a way from feeling like it could have some major impacts on your life. The kind of lunch you find yourself changing outfits a couple of times before cause you want everything to go just right. Well, today’s lunch was with a local photographer that I have admired for years, a photographer who really shapes much of the wedding market in Lancaster and Central PA, and well, to be honest his studio has an impact on the entire Northeast. Through some crazy events we met, he offered lunch, and I gladly offered to pay. It was great… I’m excited about the possibility of the things I’m dreaming about coming true. We'll just have to wait and see... ohhh the drama.

But here’s the embarrassing part. He went to check out my blog, which I was not expecting cause I thought we’d look at my laptop if he even wanted to see pictures, and what I realized as he was scrolling through the pages is that I haven’t updated in weeks. I’m currently looking at seven, yes 7, blog entries needing to be written.

So in good embarrassment fashion, I’m going to get my blogs up to date. Starting NOW.

or after I get back form running an errand for my wife, and going to class in philly, and... well I'll hopefully catch up tomorrow, yeah, I'll do it tomorrow.

so until then, here's a couple of teaser pics of things to come.

a really cool workshop and a really long shot.

2009-11-07T00:09:00.004-05:00

So think of your hero.

Ok, I'm not talking about your dad or grandmother... although both of those really could be your hero (and secretly they'd be mine as well, and of course my amazing Mom would fall in there too), but what I'm talking about are those people who are in the same profession as you, and you find yourself watching what they're doing. Observing them, copying them, learning from them... secretly wanting to be them. Well, one photographer I look up to and love looking at her work and style and put a lot of weight on what she says and does is Jasmine Star, so if I ever wanted to be a west coast chick with a small dog, it'd be her...Ok, that may have been a little too much.

Anyway. Jasmine is doing a killer hands on workshop in New Zealand, yeah that's right New Zealand, and she's offering to give a way a seat. All you had to do was take a self portrait with a "star" in the picture, get it? Jasmine Star, a star in the picture... oh well never mind.

So here's my entry for a trip to New Zealand. I'll admit it's not the worlds most creative picture, but for having only an hour window to snap a self portrait, which was harder then I had planned on, it was what I was able to do. Pearl said I looked a little holocaustish... I think that means she liked the picture?

So one last crazy idea just to throw it out there, you know for kicks and giggles, if I don't win this thing... I guess I could let one you get it for me for Christmas, you know it's "only' a little trip to New Zealand, I hear plan tickets fit nicely in stockings, elbow elbow wink wink.

ps - I think I was only suppose to submit one image for the contest, so Jasmine I guess I'd use the top one, but if you like one of the other ones better feel free to use that one instead. Seriously, I'm ok with you doing that.

A happy heart…

2009-11-05T16:10:00.002-05:00

So I find myself editing like a mad man today. I’m learning what the priceless words of “Time management” mean and can give you first hand examples of what it doesn’t mean. Basically I scheduled more shoots then I was able to turn around in my target edit time and I literally found myself looking at close to 15,000 photos needing to be narrowed down, color corrected, fine tuned, fixed, and to have zits and the like removed. So for 7 hours or so today I’ve edited, deleted, and edited some more.

But here’s the strange thing.

I’ve found myself strangely smiling. Not stocker looking at your family photos strangely smiling, but a true from the heart, no from my soul, smile. A joy or happiness that seems to seep out as I look at beautiful pictures of families being beautiful together. Of what love looks like, of what acceptance looks like, of what it means to have a safe place and caring home, and shoulder to cry on, for little boys to be fully boys and turn every stick around them into a sword, and then for “little boys” to grow up into dads who then play with their kids. To see what a family was meant to be.

So to the family who are loving and living as family’s should, live on. And may the love you live continue to ooze over to those around you, and may Pearl and I know that love, show that love, and wrap our family (no we’re not pregnant, but someday, hopefully not soon, but someday) in that some love.

I-85...

2009-10-30T09:34:00.004-04:00

During a recent trip to Georgia to visit family I found myself in the passenger seat of my dad's jeep rolling down I-85. We were taking my Nephew to his bi-weekly enzyme treatment for Gaucher Disease (pronounced Go-shaa). If you've never heard of it don't feel bad only around 10,000 people in the world have been diagnosed with it, so it's not extremely common to hear about. Anyway, back to the jeep, I-85 and me in the passenger seat. I found myself during this particular trip holding my camera (surprise surprise me with a camera) as I was working on compiling some images to help retell Gabe's journey with Gaucher. Well, as I was editing the pictures from that morning I discovered these pics that had been snapped along the way and thought I'd share them. There's something about them that makes me like em. Something about the heaven's colliding with the rough oddity of man. Or the simplicity of curves, or the contrast of the colors, or something. Needless to say, I like the pics, and I hope you do as well

one sweet trip...

2009-10-29T15:21:00.001-04:00

Pearl and I are just in from one of the sweetest trips to Georgia I think I’ve ever had. My family has started the tradition of taking a collection of photos from our little mini vacations together and creating a little coffee table book of our time. As we wrapped up the creation of the book together I was asked to write the section of text that would open up the book. I felt like this pretty well captures my view of this trip.

“a Celebration... of a year of life... of time together... of long hugs... of evening walks... of deep laughs... and of a family who is defined by it’s love…

Celebration was the reason for these delightful days of time well spent together. We gathered together to publicly celebrate Garrett’s first birthday, but truth be told it was also a celebration of our family. Of being able to see each other for another time, to laugh at each other’s funny moments, to share the stories that tell the collection of our days, and to see the joy glisten in each others eyes as time is simply being well spent together.

These are the images that filled our days, but many other images now rest in the recesses our memories and excitement builds as we now turn from this celebration of being together to the next.”

Here are a couple of the images that marked the highlights of our time.

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one man's junk is... well... let's be honest, another man's junk

2009-10-29T15:18:00.002-04:00

Was unpacking clothes from our recent trip to Georgia. It seems like I always have a couple of extra items to put up when I return from being with my family… well specifically my mom. Her love language is gifts and she loves the gift of clothing the most. So whenever the opportunity arises for her to buy a new shirt, pair of pants, or even just underwear and socks she get’s all excited and starts pulling out her credit card. Once again I’m not saying this is a good or bad thing, it’s just my mom’s thing. I hate spending money on clothes, so I think it’s a good thing for me.

Well, I’ve been trying to limit how many unnecessary clothes I keep in my closet, to limit the excessive unused clothing that will ultimately rot from simply sitting and try to pass these unwanted articles to a needy soul that might just actually use them.

So upon the unpacking of this trips new bounty I decided a fall closet cleaning was in order.

I started with the dress pants and shirts, then quickly moved to the shorts, then shirts and pants, then over to the sock stash, and finally found myself sitting in the middle of a pile of shoes asking which ones would make the cut and which ones… well would be quickly finding a new home.

I easily tossed a couple of ratty pairs out, then a pair I never really liked to begin with, but then I picked one pair and thought

“wow I haven’t warn these in years, they still have a lot of life in them, practically new… maybe I should keep em.”

At this moment a wave of embarrassment landed on me as I realized the stupidity of my comment. See, the holey ratty pairs where tossed into the “good will” pile with out a second thought, but when a pair that I haven’t warn in literally over a year but still looked new came into question I paused, and thought about hording the good ones to myself. Give away the junk but keep the nice.

We’ve all said “one man’s junk is another’s treasure” well I think we use that line of thinking to pass off our junk that really is just another man’s junk.

I long for the day when I naturally think about not just giving away my junk, but graciously and excitedly give the things that still have value and are worth using. To not simply pass my junk off to someone else and feel like I’ve done a good deed, but to pass along things of value and usefulness, that may be “excess or unusable” to me, but actually treasures to someone else.

On a side note – I’ve not decided to never buy another hanger, if clothes come in… well then clothes need to go out. May be knowing I’ll have to give up something will keep me from buying unneeded items, and when new items are blessed my way, I can bless good items to someone else.

Country table Commercial and a great steak

2009-10-16T13:58:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to be a part of a pretty cool project. A local restaurant was putting together a television commercial that was part video, part still images; and I was asked to take the photos for the project. If I was honest I would say my favorite part was not taking the photos, or even seeing the final video, although I was very pleased with both, but in helping to solve a major problem. See, the steak we had worked with it couldn’t be served to customers and it would have simply been wrong to throw it away… so I did a real noble thing and offered to eat it so it wouldn’t go to waste. Mom would have been proud of me for not allow food to go to waste, someone had to do, and I’m just glad I was able to help out.

Last thing. I was asked to clarify that the coupons that are being talked about in the video are $50 coupons being sold for $30… I’m not a math major but I think that’s a pretty good deal.

a trash walk...

2009-10-13T14:27:00.004-04:00

The other day I went for a walk around my neighborhood. You know type of walk where you really have no destination or purpose in mind other then simply enjoying the bright leaves and breathing the crisp fall air as deeply as you can. I don't do this enough, it's good for my soul. I've come to the realization that I'm very "plugged in" to technology, the internet, facebook, twitter, etc. and I don't especially like that, so these walks are becoming a high priority for me.

Well, on this walk I noticed a cigarette butt, and then a chips bag, and then a bottle, and then somehow I found myself laying on the sidewalk taking pictures of these random pieces of trash. Yes, you would have passed a grown adult male laying on sidewalk with camera in hand intensely focusing on a piece of trash, and I'm sure some folks driving by wanted to take my picture at this awkward sight.

Well, above is a little collection of what I saw and as I look at it makes me to wonder what if I started picking up instead of just walking by... who knows, it might in a small way to change my block, my city, our world.

So next time you pass an adult male laying on the side walk with a camera in hand intensely focusing on a piece of trash, look to see if he also has a small trash bag with him, if so it might just be me.

till next time...

2009-10-12T14:01:00.002-04:00

Sabbath…

My wife and I both hold deeply to our faith. We have both been through some muddy experiences with it but at the end of the day we both choose to believe and to believe deeply, and to allow this believing to drastically shape how our life is played out. A central theme to our faith is this idea of Sabbath, a day set aside to rest, to reflect and to remember what life is really all about. In a way, to allow our lives to be synced to something outside of the madness and chaos of everyday life.

We need Sabbath.

Our lives are full. Running a business, both being in fulltime grad school, valuing our marriage and time together, as well as keeping the important relationships alive… we still want to love and be loved by our friends and family, so not letting them slip by the roadside.

Yesterday we had Sabbath.

We slept till our bodies couldn’t sleep anymore, yes we skipped church, but we skipped so our souls could live, I think God understands. We then cooked waffles together, yes together, flirting with the flour and sharing bits of delicious syrup covered goodness. We then walked hand in hand, puppy on leash, till we couldn’t walk anymore. We stopped at one of the best ice cream shots in town.

We then sat, ate ice cream, and talked… together.

It was nice…. Really really nice.

We then walked home.

We each rested… Pearl curling up with a book; I taking to more walking but this time with a camera.

As I walked I shot random pictures around my house… my little world.

As I shot I started noticing the amazing flowers, the autumn leaves, the coolness in the wind… I remembered the world is a beautiful place.

I remembered to look around, to pause, and to not miss the world around me.

a prodigal & a suitcase...

2009-10-06T08:54:00.002-04:00

This is one of those blogs that I’m simply thrilled to post.

A little over 4 years ago Pearl and I moved to Lancaster PA to be on staff with one of the best churches I have ever been exposed to. The church (LCBC) does things with amazing excellence; creating gatherings and environments that those who avoid religion as if it were the swine flu feel welcomed and comfortable, as well as those who grew up in the church and simply feel like there’s nothing new to be experienced. This community of believers reshaped and gave life to my struggling beliefs when I needed it the most. I have an amazing respect and trust for the leadership, which is saying a lot when you’re as cynical towards the church as I have been.

The other day I was asked who has influenced me the most in the past 5 years and with little thought I knew that it was Jason Mitchell, the guy simply gets faith, doubt, struggles, and the nasty journey of figuring out how an ancient faith becomes real today. I simply have some crazy respect and admiration for the man.

Well, last Monday he invited me to spearhead a last minute project for his team. They saw a video online of the prodigal story, loved it, but wanted it retold with one of their students. We collected our thoughts, dreamed a little, reshaped it, and as a team came up with what you see below. It was a blast to work along side his team, Shannon (the amazing 7^th grader in the pictures) was a blast to photograph, and knowing that roughly 600 middle schoolers heard about what real love and forgiveness is makes my heart feel a little warm and fuzzy.

Hope you enjoy…

a prodigal & a suitcase from Matt Parks on Vimeo.

Converse & Chinese food

2009-10-02T15:09:00.005-04:00

Here’s another image from the shoot earlier in the week. It’s just sitting on me; like some Chinese food you ate way too much of way too late, but in a good kind of way. You know what I mean, that feeling in the center of your chest that keeps you up at night pondering. Well instead of pondering what it was I just ate (hoping it was chicken)… I’ve been wrestling to pin point what it is in this picture that feels like it connects with where I’m at in life right now.

Is it the movement?

The uncertainty?

The journey?

The excitement of going?

The rawness or realness?

Or just the fact that seconds after snapping the shot those pearly converse were covered in mud, and my cons are covered in mud as well… may be I should just clean them?

Deep…

thoughts?

what a week...

2009-10-01T14:11:00.005-04:00

What a week so far. Monday was my last day working at the Lodge, inc of Pa. Tuesday I started on a creative project for LCBC, wrote out my to-do list, accidently deleted my calendar, then found a way to retrieve my deleted calendar, scary!

Wednesday I answered what felt like 400 emails, meet with an amazing videographer, Brain Shaub, about possibly partnering with each other, then saw a concept design for our new website from the talented Nate Hamilton and shot a portrait session for the creative project, and ended the day by meeting a bride to talk about possibly shooting her wedding.

Then was up this morning (Thursday) at 4:20 am (yes I did say AM) to have breakfast with a friend, stole a quick nap from 6-7, and then off to starbucks for a book discussion (not really work related but was still really good), then to LCBC to edit photos, and film a video using them.

I’m now waiting on lightroom to export the photos, then it’s off to the printer, then the “studio” (aka, the table with a rug on it next to a huge window) to film.

Well looks like the export is now finished let’s go print some pictures.

Here’s a couple of my favorite from last night.

Jumping with cactus

2009-09-21T22:45:00.001-04:00

This post has been days in the making, words and statements trying to meld together to create thoughts and paragraphs that somehow in their collective form express a whirl wind of thoughts and emotions.

I see the world in mini little images that dance behind my eyes, images that convey a moment, an emotion, a story.

I love telling these stories, capturing the stories I see happening around me, and following the example of God and creating or in my case exposing the beauty in the world around us. Days that are full of stories are days that my heart races, my lips fight to not smile, and my step has an extra skip to it.

The image now dancing behind my eyes is that of a wonderfully sunny fall day. The air is crisp enough to make your skin feel alive, yet warm enough to make you want to bath in it’s embrace. The sun reflects off the grass blades to show their magnificent shades of green and the fireflies still linger in the air to stir delight and wonder in your mind.

Now in the center of this magical experience is placed a trampoline. A trampoline with its net stretched to that perfect tightness.

As you slip your shoes off you feel the cool dampness of the grass in between your toes. You awkwardly roll on to the net, smelling the hint of aluminum from frame and as you tumble into the center of the net press your nose tight against the messed bottom breathing deep and looking thorough what seems to be a million tiny little holes, imagining this must be how a bee sees the world.

Your tumble moves you to your bottom, then your knees, and then into a bounce, a rhythmic rocking up and down. Momentum builds and your knees start to leave the netting a little, you rock harder, the momentum grows, and your knees now start to clear the net by a few inches. Now by a foot. You hold out your arms finding your balance, while at the same time throwing them into the rhythm, discovering on one bounce that you now have enough space the drop your feet down, your feet touch the net, and launch you even further into the air. You feel the air creeping up as you hurl your flailing body towards the ground only to be rewarded with the rush of the exploding launch up into the cool night air.

The tiny dots of fireflies now blur pass your racing eyes as car lights to a camera lens. You jump, you enjoy, life has an excitement, a movement, a momentum, a bounce.

Yet as you jump you remember, the higher you go the closer your feet come to the ground. The higher you go the more you enjoy, yet the closer to the unknown danger beneath you approach. Just what is underneath this meshy net you now explode out of?

You ask “could there possibly be a cactus, under the trampoline?” You don’t know, but you do know the higher you jump the greater the risk of meeting this said feared plant and it’s friendly pointed handshakes grows.

The jumping is so much fun, it fills your lungs and gives life to the soul, yet with each new bounce grows the fear of what’s unknown, what you might find in your new found movement.

This is my current image.

In March Pearl and I started a little momentum with this crazy idea called “pearl street photography”. The momentum has grown, and continued and now we find ourselves moving from our knees to our feet, moving from this being a part time side business to now my main focus, my main income.

It’s life giving, yet the fear of what’s underneath, what could be coming, what is in the unknown is life stealing.

We don’t get off the trampoline because we fear a miss placed cactus, yet many of us never jump towards what fills our daydreams and causes our mind to race because of what we fear in the unknown.

Well, as of next Tuesday September 29th, I will be officially fully self employed, or unemployed (call it what you like).

And the excitement of this is overwhelming. To be able to create, tell stories, invest my days and life where I long to, to find the rhythms and bounce I desire to call life. Yet the fears are real, the unknowns are not misplaced cactuses under a kids trampoline, and these fears fight for my attention as much as the dreams.

Yet I must not give into them. I must heed their warnings, their possibilities yet not live in the wake of their fear and threat. I must keep jumping, I must enjoy the crisp air, I must not loose the wonder of fireflies and night skies.

Cause in this jumping not only does my life come to life, but my faith wakes up and ask what it’s made of, my faith finds a movement of it’s own, and it leaves it’s fingerprints on all it touches.

So may we all be willing to jump with cactuses, or cacti, or whatever else it is we might fear.

To jump or not to jump, that is the question, and as for me and my house we have chosen to jump.

Andrew & Alison

2009-09-09T19:02:00.002-04:00

What started out as a wrestler and a thrower meeting in college, continued in a relationship, and culminated in love was sealed and celebrated in marriage.

You celebrated with friends and family in a setting dear to your hearts, and enjoyed red velvet fern cake, cigars, and dancing. Most of all you began the next part of your journey together, making promises of love to one another forever.

May your journey together be filled with adventure, love, and laughter. May you cherish one another, and fight through challenges together. May each day be fuller, and each night sweeter.

We were so privileged to share your special day with you--thank you for inviting us into your happily ever after!

P.S. Friends & family of Alison & Andy, let us know what you think of the pictures! For every one of you who comment on this blog, they'll receive $5 of free prints to remember their day by, so comment away and spread the word!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Pictures, pictures, pictures - I love pictures!

2009-09-02T19:55:00.002-04:00

Have I said lately I love taking pictures. Really, I do! There's something about walking around with a friend, wither you just meet and are now instant friends (just add coffee and a camera and poof instant friends) or a life-long-pinky-swearing-hug-given-tough-truth-thick-and-thin-bad-days-great days-know-you're-honest-thoughts-about-them-and-life friend, you all know what I'm talking about and you've got that persons picture in your head right now.

Well, I love walking with a friend and Camera and then like Christmas sitting down at my computer to see what is now stored for a life time to be shared, laughed at, and cherished.

So like all little kids, here's my favorite Christmas gifts from two recent senior portraits I hope you enjoy.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Today I feel old... Why? Because it has already been 2 years since I boarded a plane headed to the Czech Republic with a diverse yet amazing group of high school students... the youngest of which was a shy curly haired kid named Dakota, who I keep wanting to call Montana. Well Dakota still has curly hair but he's no longer a kid. We met a few weeks ago at Prince Street Cafe in Lancaster city (great cafe!) to capture his senior pictures. We walked around the city and then took a ride in his monster truck to a local farm where he "turned country" and switched out his converse shoes for work boots. Dakota is one of the most humble, sincere and trustworthy young men I have ever encountered. In fact he is so trustworthy that when I was boarding a plane to come home from Czech he was boarding a train to travel with another student for a couple of weeks by themselves. Here's a few of my personal favorites, I feel like they capture Dakota and the gentle great guy he is.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The sky grew dark as the afternoon approached and as the clocked ticked time for Abbey, Joy, Pearl and I to start what was hoped to be a delightful senior portrait session the sky opened up and literally buckets of rain, hail, and thunder flooded from the sky. Well, let's just say the clouds finally broke and a warm sun kissed the horizon and beautiful pictures of one of the sweetest High School seniors I know filled my camera. The four of us had loads of fun trumping around the City, train station, and one amazing old bridge. So here's a few of our favorites pictures, hope you enjoy

pictures on a Tuesday...

2009-08-18T20:38:00.003-04:00

I'm in my happy place.

If you were a fly on my wall you would find me tucked in the corner of my couch, legs out stretched on the "chase" with my wife's feet close enough to touch my hip if she tried as she's stretched down the couch reading / talking on the phone, etc. You'd also find our puppy sleeping in the chair across the room (oh wait she's now up playing with her toy).

Yep, this is truly a happy place for me.

So from this happy place I'm posting some pictures from the last couple of weeks. My blogging habits have been disrupted as of late so post have been few and far between. Hopefully I'll find my rhythm again and get to posting more often.

Hope you guys enjoy these pictures, I'd love you hear any feedback you might have to share.

blessings,

Matt

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The Sheaffer family is one of those families you fall in love with the second you meet them. The kind you secretly hope will invite you over for Thanksgiving cause you just KNOW they have a lot of fun together (elbow elbow wink wink). Jen and Jason both work at LCBC (a local non-profit) investing their lives in the lives of literally thousands of kids, and the kids that they invest the most in are three adorable little girls and one awesome little man. This foursome ran Pearl and I all over the yard, up trees, on trampolines, in barns and into their "secret club house."

taking their pictures was Simply too much fun!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Heather and Tyler have one of those relationships you hope your kids one day have. The smile the sneaks on their face at the site of the other or the lingering look that you know causes their heart to race tell you that what's in their heart really is the real thing. We spent the morning at a beautiful historic site capturing their love among the buildings, flowers and stream. They've honored me by inviting me to capture their special day next year, which I'm truly excited to be a part of. I'll make sure I share the pictures here.

Nate + Ann = one adorable little girl

2009-07-17T21:20:00.002-04:00

The Hamiltons. They met through mutual friends just before she hopped on a plane to spend a year teaching in Africa, but this didn’t stop them from falling in love long-distance. When she returned, they knew this was it. A ring soon followed, and a new season in their lives began.

As much as they love kids, it wasn’t a surprise that it wasn’t long before another happy announcement was spread—their love would now be shared with a sweet little girl, Corinne Anaya.

On a quiet summer evening, they opened their home for us to capture the love of their family for them to look back on for years to come. Here are a few of our favorite memories from the day.

Nate, Ann, and Corrine, thanks for inviting us into your beautiful family!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

A wonderful 4th of July!

2009-07-06T00:21:00.003-04:00

So, it's officially no longer the 4th of July weekend, the clock has rolled past midnight and it's technically the first day of the week, the day we go back to work, the day we have to hear an alarm clock, the day... well you get the picture. Pretty much the holiday weekend is over and that means life goes back to how we know it.

So, as we go back to the nitty gritty swing of life, here's a couple of pictures from my weekend, which might I add, was simply wonderful.

Pearl and I...

... rested - which was VERY needed

... went to church - it was like red bull, but for the soul

... patched a hole in our roof - house projects can make you feel good; like they're finally done type of feel good, who knew we could "tar" a roof.

... school work; we're about 48 hours from the deadline to finish our last course before a two month break, Every time I think of that break I ask myself "just how much does not doing this paper actually hurt my final grade?"

... time with Zuri, our dog; who gets totally freaked out over fireworks (she's now laying on top of my feet, under the desk "hiding" from the loud bangs outside

... time with some dear friends; we actually had dinner at a friends house, lunch with another, and then time at the park with yet another group tonight, my friend tank is finally getting near full again!

... and last but not least wonderful, and I mean WONDERFUL (as long as your not Zuri) FIREWORKS! Pearl loves firework, I love Pearl AND fireworks, so seeing them at Long's Park tonight was a great treat!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

That's just about my weekend. I hope yours was amazing, and enjoy Monday!

Peace,

Matt

2009-06-27T19:14:00.005-04:00

This blog comes after a month of craziness! As you can tell from the lack of posting.

The last month has being flooded with graduate school work,photo shoots, family vacation, job transitions, and weddings, weddings, and more weddings. (in fact I played just about every roll a guy could with in a four week span; I went from groomsmen, to photographer, to attendee, to officiator, Yes I officiated a wedding, crazy I know!)

This past month has been filled with highs and lows which seemed to bring with them a full range of emotional responses. I have found myself laughing, crying, stressed, joyful, peaceful, freaked out, and million other things but God is faithful as always and seems to level me out to a peaceful stride (although I feel like I can only write that cause I’m currently in that stride)

I have been meaning to blog, cause along the way the camera has seem some truly beautiful things. I came across a way to make a slideshow (so I didn’t have to upload 101 photos, gross!).

So, in this slideshow you’ll see pictures from:

- a wedding (Abbey and Brad – one super cool couple. Abbey works to provide homes for the underprivileged and Brad and his dad work to make houses for family to call home)

- an engagement session (Tiffany and Shawn – once again another really cool couple, Tiffany is my favorite Barista at Starbucks! Her and Shawn have a heart to live lives that reflect the way we were meant to live and they do that very very well),

- family vacation to the Otter banks (my family is simply beautiful people, and you’ll also notice some pictures from a wild horse reserve we went to. I though we were going to die on that trip and so did my grandpa!),

- a trip to a carnival (Pearl and I had high hopes, but it was pretty lame, but we still had a blast. I wanted to kiss her on merry go round, but it was like a $100, so we just kissed in front of it),

- a bike race near our house (the pro winner was a kid from Georgia, I had some serious home state pride for him, but was so excited I forgot to shut the car door, it was left open for 3 hours down town)

- And some Senior portraits (Ethan is not only an amazing potter, his heart and willingness to serve others is humbling to be around)

So there’s my last month. Enjoy the pictures.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

the day after....

2009-05-15T19:13:00.007-04:00

Yesterday marked one of the greatest decisions and moments of my life. It was four years ago yesterday that Pearl and I committed our lives to each other till death do us part, for better or worse, and a list of other conditions that basically means SHE SAID YES!

It’s been an absolutely wonderful four years… four years! That’s a college degree! I have a bachelor of Pearl.

So to celebrate our special day, we had special events.

It all started with flowers (note to all guys, start all things with flowers!)

That led to a cup of Pearl’s favorite drink

(Starbucks whole milk, no water Chai)

Which only naturally could be accompanied by breakfast in bed.

(Bacon... yet another one of Pearls' favorite things in life)

(biscuits... mmm)

Here’s the spread… All this prepped by 7:00am and hot to greet her as she woke up.

It was a great morning… Pearl really appreciated the cheesy eggs, Chai, etc but mostly she just loved being the center of my attention and knowing that I was trying to love her… even if my cooking was not so great.

Shortly after, Pearl scooted out to work and I went to the gym, talked with my crazy funny old neighbor Barney for a little while,

(that’s not sweet tea he’s drinking… he tricked me one time in to taking a big gulp, only to receive a big surprise)

we talked a lot about photography, our new business was going and then places he had photographed. He showed me some really nice work he had done, surprisingly nice work.

After I wrapped up our conversation, I was finally was greeted by my lovely bride in the afternoon to start our evening date.

We went to Strawberry Hill Restaurant, which I will now be telling everyone to give a try. It was a wonderful time. The food was amazing and my company was breath taking.

She looked so fine… so I had to take a picture.

but she thought I looked fine too, so she had to take a picture

Here’s the rest of what our evening looked like. A wonderful meal, then a great time at the movies (we give StarTrek 2 thumbs up).

Pictures on a tuesday - once again

2009-05-12T20:56:00.004-04:00

Here's a couple of shots from walking around today.

enjoy...

coffee, coonhound, couch...

2009-05-11T09:28:00.003-04:00

So this morning I find myself sitting on the couch, legs out stretched and comfortable, a perfectly brewed pot of French pressed coffee inviting my senses to do a little dance, our coonhound curled up next to me in a deep sleep and the sounds of a favorite CD filling the airwaves.

As I enjoy such a blissful moment I find myself reading a letter written by a man named Luke, to other man named Theophilus, about a third man named Jesus (did you catch all that?).

I’ve been rereading the writings about Jesus and his teachings from a renewed set of eyes these past few weeks. This brings old stories into a wonderfully new light.

This morning I read Luke’s account of a section of teaching called “the Beatitudes”

Basically this is a section of teaching where Jesus says you’re blessed if you’re poor, hungry, weeping, excluded, etc. and giving a “woe” if you’re rich, full, laughing, and loved by others. So I’ll be honest, I’ve never really gotten this teaching. I’m sure there’s really smart people who have some really great explanations of these passages, and if I really wanted to impress you I could probably conjure up a couple of ideas of my own. But I’ll save myself the embarrassment and your boredom and pose the question that’s running around in my mind this morning.

Here it is… “Are the Beatitude teachings really about blessings and curses or perspective? “

In essence “when this life is lived in light of God’s kingdom, this life’s the dumps”

Almost a sense of when you know what’s coming, what was originally designed for us to experience, you’d feel like this life is like being hungry all the time, being poor and never needing, or like you’re constantly weeping.

Does that make sense?

But I’ll say again, I don’t know and these are only questions, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

But for now, my legs are a sleep and need to be woke up, the coffee is calling me to the bathroom, the coonhound has found an itch and is scratching/kicking me, and I’m tired of this CD and ready to change it.

I guess a lot of life is perspective driven… and for me, if this life is THIS GOOD, I can’t wait to see how much better it’s going to get!

It’s Half full and about to heap over

questions of faith

2009-04-28T08:14:00.009-04:00

The other night I ran into a girl from the church I worked at last year. It was good seeing her again and we did the social verbal dance of asking about life and parents and the such. I noticed a little hesitation in one of her replies about school and when questioned a little she revealed a deep chasm of questions, doubts, fears, and mess she is trying to process through.

In a nutshell she was done with religion. She was burned, hated what her parents, church, and friends where trying to sale as faith and even at one point she referred to her parents faith as a "toxic pool of religion" (strong words, yet made me laugh a little).

I had a strange reaction to her thoughts and rejection of faith.

I wasn't scared for her, although I might should be.

I wasn't afraid she'd never return to what I believe to be correct, although I hope she does

I was simple proud of her.

Proud that she was willing to really wrestle with her faith. That she just wasn't opening her mouth and saying "give me the Blue Religious cool-aid and I'll drink"

She's really trying to figure out what she believes, why she believes it and then ultimately spend the rest of her life backing up these beliefs.

This is risky business... this is hard business for Christian families and faith leaders.

She may never believe like I believe again... her beliefs may be similar or drastically different.

But I think I'm ok with that.

I'm asking what is better, a person to say they believe what I do, yet never really own it? believe it? commit to living it?

Or someone truly believing something, yet something that I do not believe in?

I of course think my beliefs are right, thus why I believe them... just as you believe what you believe because you believe it is right.

So all that to say...

my dear college friend,

May you continue to wrestle with faith, hope and love.

May you find people who will give you space to reflect and question, yet also find truth and love.

May you come out of this season owning what you believe, and believing in how you live.

I hope you will believe like I do, but if you don't may I, and those like me, give you space to believe next to me.

And if I was honest I'd confess I need to question what I believe more, pausing more to really chew on what I'm reading, acting out of, and declaring I believe in. Even this morning as I read sections of the book of Mark I found myself needing to pause and ponder, to ask many questions, questions I still can't answer. But for what ever reason I choose to still believe, to have faith, and to say that this ancient text has authority, truth, and life.

Faith is a tricky business. and giving someone else's kid permission to question it is easier to do when it's not my kid wrestling... so may I remember these words when my kids do wrestle many many years from now, and may my house be a safe place to have honest questions and true searching. And may I demonstrate a humble faith that never stops chewing on what it means to love God and to walk in according to his Story.

Our trip to the Upper Peninsula... a review with lots of pictures

2009-04-27T22:25:00.030-04:00

This was written on Monday, April 20th as Pearl and I drove south through Michigan. I'm now just getting around to posting it... sorry it's so long, I've included extra pictures to hopefully break it up.

enjoy... Matt

So Pearl and I have been on the road the past couple of days. We started last Thursday and traveled out to P-burg after work. We spent the evening/morning connecting with Pearl’s youngest sis (Grace). Crashing in her dorm room and then ventured out of the city early the next morning.

Our travels then turned us north, through Toledo towards Flint and then on to the mighty Mackinac Bridge. We crossed this massive 4+ mile bridge and finally arrived in one of the world’s best kept secret the “Upper Peninsula” (it’s a creative name, I know). But our movement was not yet done, we had another 5 hours to cross the UP and into it’s northern most tip, the Keweenaw Peninsula.

The Keweenaw greeted us with it’s spectacular beauty… a brilliant moon and star kissed sky reflecting off it’s crystal waters and snow caped beaches.

(this is my favorite nature picture from the whole trip)

After 20 hours of driving we arrived to Pearl’s former home and found warm arms awaiting an embrace and then a welcoming bed calling us to rest.

Our time with Pearl’s family was short but sweet. Friday was spent tromping around the Keweenaw, catching up on stories from the year, hearing the latest news on life and then dreaming a little about the future.

The upper Keweenaw is truly an amazing place, it’s trees feel massive and wise, it’s crisp waters pure and strong, it’s inhabitants tough and weathered yet creative and full of a unique culture and way of life. This place has a mystic draw, like an invitation into a boyhood adventure.

(this is the area's "snow meter", look at how much snow they get! CRAZY!)

Saturday started off at “Victoria’s kitchen.” A hole in the wall café that captured my wife’s taste buds and heart many years ago. After a lingering breakfast our feet strolled the streets of Houghton.

Houghton is a place of hippies. In the sixties when hippies escaped north to Canada, some must have become confused and ended up in here instead, only to fall in love with this place and never leave. The age of Houghton can be seen in the architecture and streets. Buildings with detail that cannot be found today, shops with character that invites you look at the walls as much as the goods, and once again a weird invitation that calls you to linger in it’s coffee shops and pubs.

Sunday was a day of rest. Church, food, rest. Conversations on the coach, movies to be enjoyed, and the art of simply being to be enjoyed.

Leslie (Pearl’s mom) made some killer Chicken Curry, which overcame my self control and tempted me to eat enough for 3 growing men.

This rumbling in my gut reminded me of my need for my daily run. I knew the temperature was not the warm 65 degree’s of Friday so I put on an extra layer. I stepped out not to an evening sunset but to a winter snow storm. Pearl laughed and said welcome to spring in the UP, 60’s one day and snow the next.

My run was amazing, the snow fell quietly around me, my pace felt surprisingly easy and the distance from home quickly grew. Then harsh reality set in when I decided to turn around to head back home. Unknowingly I had been running with my back to the wind, a really really hard wind. The snow was no longer quietly falling around me but now whipping into my face, sticking to my hoodie and melting on every stitch of clothing own my body. My joy run was now a race back to the house, where I arrived very wet, cold, but yet still refreshed and alive, laughing with Pearl about the stupidity of wearing a gray hoodie in a gray snow storm.

That ended Sunday

This morning, yes it’s now Monday, brought packing and good byes, but it also brought 2 inches of snow (they would end the day with 8, yes 8" of snow in mid April!). Our good byes turned into one last trip to Pearl’s favorite coffeehouse, and then the inevitably pulling out and heading home.

Our travels today head us toward Leilani (Pearl’s oldest sister) and her 4 kids in Detroit. It also has taken us through 3 hours of slushy mess, which we gladly followed the snow plow through, and now leaves us winding our way along the Upper Peninsula’s southern coast looking once again for the mighty Mackinac Bridge.

I gave the car a "snow-hawk"

(it's cheesy but it made me laugh, cell phone picture)

(another shot from our cell phone, follow that snow plow baby, follow that plow!)

To be uploaded and expanded as the day allows....

So that day has now turned into about a week and I've finally decided to finish this blog rather then finish my homework, I'm really working my priorities I tell ya!

That day when we crossed the "mighty Mackinac Bridge" we were not greeted by its strength and mighty presence but by the stark reality of how harsh life in the Upper Peninsula can be. The winds coming across the lakes where high enough to warrant a police escort (my first police escort across a bridge!). The authorities feared that if someone drove just fast enough, and the wind hit them just right, they could find themselves in an involuntary free fall into one very very cold lake. I yet again gladly followed someone else’s lead.

We arrived in Detroit later that day to the wonderful welcome of nieces and nephews, which lead to made up games involving warn out basketballs and swing rides and eventually a little "mini photo shoot" were they where instructed to act like movie stars (the best I could get was for them to jump off tables for me… still fun and cute but nothing serious).

I really do love these kids, they make me feel like a valued part of the family and also a walking human jungle gym. I am greeted by a mix of hugs and vicious jumping acts, so I try to give long-rib crushing hugs back as much as I can. We closed out Monday night by wrapping the boys up in their blankets like human burritos and promising that if they went to sleep on time then I'd show them pictures of Auschwitz (yes, one is now in a WWII phase).

Tuesday started with the much intisipated and promised Auschwitz pictures and then the final hugs and goodbyes.

Pearl and I traveled to a near by Starbucks to wrap up and post school work. This then lead to reconnecting with a good friend, who just so happened to be working in Detroit, which lead to a 2.5 hour lunch and much to my frustration a stupid parking ticket because we lost track of the time and meter.

The remaining trip home was smooth sailing. A little rain, a lot of sun, and finally a coonhound who eagerly welcomed us home…

…. and is now exhausted and out cold in our living room chair as I type this.