Recently

Not a lot of blogging lately, but for good reasons! 

For one, this wedding,

which ROCKED my socks off -

a beautiful, friendly couple,

the most hilarious bridal party,

and one of the best dances I've ever been to! 

 Then there was this shoot with my friend Alex,

just because she's crazy cute

and I'm trying to get used to shooting outdoors again

(helloooo amazing march weather)

 and last weekend was Northern Light Convention,

full of some much needed friend time,

print competition and

learning from professionals. 

Pretty much, life's been busy,

but good.

Really good =)

Interrupted

"Keep talking," I said

as I put together my camera

"I just like the light,"

So she did,

because for us,

good light is worth

interrupting a conversation  

the Piece that is You

Somedays,

it's ok to just be proud of Yourself,

instead of waiting for others to confirm you're enough.

Trying to make Everyone happy,

is like running in circles...

exhausting and pointless.

Work hard,

try your Best,

but at the end of the day,

be secure in the beautiful, unique piece 

that is You. 

Things They Can't Teach You

No matter how long you're alive, there are some things the world just can't teach you...

Like how to make, "I'm sorry" mean "I hurt for you"

or how to trust God's Timing when you think it's Too Soon.

But most of all,

Especially this,

I wish I could learn

how to holding Breaking Hearts

together in my Bare Hands.

Here.

Dad doesn't approve of my use of the word "necessary",

when it comes to this pretty pair,

but I wasn't going to stop wearing my old ones 

until I had replacements,

and they were getting to be 

"embarrassing," according to Mom.

So now my life has a little more turquoise in it...

which it needed,

Obviously.

I like coming to Sioux Falls

and remembering who I want to be. 

Regrets hurt a little less ,

and Dreams breathe a little easier.

Here, Lonely is simply a word,

instead of a feeling.

Dear Brothers,

I miss the days

when our hearts were too young to crumble

and our minds too new 

to be our enemies. 

love, sister 

Fake it til Now

About a year and a half ago [see here] I wrote about trying to be the kind of person I want to be -
a person who laughed a lot, who leaned towards positive, and made people feel loved.

When I went to school, to work, I locked away insecurities and negativity, for later, for myself
and pulled my smile out of my pocket for others.

It wasn't a lie, just a version of myself that didn't match my insides --
I was going to fake it until I made it, whenever that would be.

Then today, talking to a friend, I realized
somehow that mask I slipped on every morning,
had become a second skin.

Somewhere along the lines, while I pretended to be that girl,
a part of me became that girl,
still an owner of insecurities and anxieties,
but more so a goofy, quirky, hopeful girl.

Who knew--
eventually, you actually do "make it"