Goodbye 2011 and Welcome 2012

Hello everyone,
It has been some time since I posted and not because I don't want to but this last month has been very busy! My sister-in-law inspired me to share our 2011 times with you on my blog in a short point form way:
April: This month I (Shaeline) got to be involved with a Mission trip called Calbreak. It is a trip done by the YFC and is a blast with youth of highschool aged where we get to hang out and love them like Christ loves us! When we finally got home my husband shared with me that he was ready to begin the journey of adoption.
May: We got to enjoy a Wig family reunion at my Grandma's farm and almost everyone was there to enjoy a weekend of games, visiting and celebrating my Grandma!!! We started researching countries that we would be eligible to adopt from, which was a up and down process. This is also the month we started our long road to finding a house. 
June: We celebrated our 4th year anniversary! I can't believe its been so long, what an amazing last 4 years! This is also the month we started our paperwork for the government of Saskatchewan with adoption stuff. I also signed my permanent contract this month and got tenured in my job! So thankful for this stability!!!
July: We had lots of family reunions and trips and got to enjoy camping in Waterton National Park with some great friends! This is also the month we decided to adopt from South Africa and started our application process!
September: My best friend got married and I had the honor of standing up beside her and enjoying the beautiful day!!! We also finally got accepted into the program and contacted our social worker to get started on our next part of the process, homestudy.
October: We started a very long road of paperwork and home visits for our adoption! This has tested our patience, faith, grieving process and our relationship but it also has been an amazing process all in all. 
November: We met with our social worker for the first time which was fantastic. I (Shaeline) got encouragement that my feelings were normal and okay! It was so good to hear!
December: Christmas! Lots of time with family and friends! AND, after a long road of 7 months and 66 houses we found a house, bought it and moved in all within 18 days! What whirlwind but an amazing blessing!

I look forward to seeing what 2012 will hold. 2011 had its blessings, amazing moments, frustrating times and hardships but it built me up as a person and built me and Josh closer together. We also found a renewed faith in our God and have learned how to depend on him with everything, even if it doesn't make sense.
In this new year I have many resolutions but just to name a few:
- My exercise has been quite sporadic and I hope to make it part of my lifestyle and have it more consistent.
- I hope to try out new recipes and to cook more often at home and for other people!
- Reading--I love to read and my goal is to make it happen more often!
- Last but not least is to get all of our adoption paperwork done by Feburary and then wait!

Do you have any new years resolutions? I hope that 2012 is filled with blessings for each and every one of you!!!! 
Happy New Year (13 minutes late :))
Blessings,
Shaeline

Christmas is in the air

Just a short post...
Snow is on the ground, christmas music is playing, christmas baking will begin soon and in my classroom the winter and christmas centers will be coming out next week. All signs that Christmas is closer than we think! I always look forward to the hustle bustle of this season as it gets me excited for Christmas! 
But...
this is also the time of year that disappears so fast on me that I often miss the reason for celebrating this season. Even though life runs away on me sometimes I need to find time to reflect and remember how blessed I am and that this season is to celebrate my King, my Savior, my Jesus. Without Him I am nothing..
As the Christmas season gets into full swing remember to reflect on why we do the things we do and what this season is about!


Happy Winter! 
be blessed
Shaeline


  

Exciting happenings...

I know that this blog has been a lot about our adoption but mainly because it is a main part of our lives right now. 
To start off there have been lots of exciting things happening with our adoption.
1. We received our letter of acceptance and we were able to start our home study!
2. We had our first home study session with our wonderful social worker!
3. We received our information binder from mission of tears!
4. We were able to start getting our checks done and appointments made.
5. Working on a mound of paper work that there always seems to be something to do! :)
6. Have continued praying for our child wherever he or she is, if he or she is even born yet and our thoughts never stop!


Even though there is a ton of stuff to do before we get to start our family I just have a feeling it will all be worth this hard work! 


On another note we have started looking at houses again. Not officially in any yet but looking online. We had taken a few months off as looking at 64 houses in 3 months with 4 offers that didn't go anywhere seemed to drain us. We had decided to focus our attention on our family. Now that things are moving again we feel that looking into houses again might not be such a bad thing with a changed outlook on what we want for our first house. It is hard to let go things that we have so badly wanted but we have decided that its not what we want, its what is going to work. 


Anyways, I just wanted to give those of you who are following and update as to where our big decisions are right now. 

Pictures of some family and other shoots will be posted under Sorriso Photographs today...take a look and tell me what you think!!!

Blessings to all of you on this crisp Saturday..I think snow is in the air!

Shaeline

Good News--It's Here!

The wait is over, 2 and a half months of waiting and we finally have our first physical piece of our adoption process! We got our ACCEPTANCE LETTER into the program!!!! For a while we had looked into other programs but after much prayer and discussion we have decided to continue with South Africa! 

The last 2 months have been the hardest 2 months that I have ever experienced and I know there is only a much harder process ahead but these last 2 months have made me more patient and stronger for what is to come! (at least thats what I hope!) 

Now that this letter is in our hands we hope that we can start our home study very soon! Lots to do and we want to get it done as fast as we can! We are looking forward to actually working on adoption stuff instead of just waiting as then it feels like the process is moving.  

Anyways, I was so excited that I just couldn't contain myself!! Josh and I are going out to celebrate tonight! 

THANK YOU to everyone who has been praying for us! We sure have felt them and know that they made a difference! It is such an incredible blessing to know so many people are praying and rooting for us! The words Thank You are just not enough! 

But THANK YOU!

Be Blessed!

Shaeline Stromberg

Thankful--

This weekend is always a wonderful weekend of blessings and thankfulness! I had so many feelings this weekend but today I had some time to sit, relax and realize what I have to be thankful for!
 I am so thankful for family. Being with my parents, sister, brother in law and my wonderful nieces and nephews for thanksgiving was so much fun and also celebrating my Grandpa's 91st birthday with much more family was fantastic! 

I am also thankful for friends. My church community is full of many wonderful friends who showed so much care and encouragement! Thank you!! 
Thankful for the basic essentials that I take for granted every day.
This weekend may not have been easy but my husband is so amazing and from far away was able to show his love to me! So thankful to have him in my life!
This list could go on but to end I am so thankful for my faith and my God. He leads my life and leads my choices but I am so thankful for His grace, His mercy, His love and His unending listening. What an amazing God!


It's sometimes easy to forget to say thank you for all the blessings we see but I think it's so important to slow down and to find those blessings and be thankful for them! Even the smallest ones!


Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! Hope you have a wonderful week remembering all your blessings daily!!
Be Blessed!
Shaeline 


A few extra pictures from our wonderful celebration!

My amazing Grandpa!!

What I have been learning....

This morning I had the opportunity to share what God has been teaching me this last year and a half. I am just going to write down what I shared this morning and hope it encourages you in some way or another. I am not much of a writer so I apologize for the poor writing but I do hope that the words speak to you in some way or another!

God has been teaching me so much these last few months. They are things that I have always known but really started affecting my life.

 Ever since I was younger I had always dreamed of having a family. This last year and a half has had many events that that didn’t match my dream when I was younger.  To begin, this past April Josh and I found out some information that again didn't match my dream or our plans. This was hard to begin with until we realized that God had a different plan. We both had talked about adoption in the past and realized it would be in our family at some point but we both thought that it was going to be later in the family. God taught me that his way is the right way and that He knows what he is doing. So we started on the path to find a country that we would adopt from. We prayed, researched and talked a lot. We didn’t know the kind of Journey we were about to embark on.

The verse that walked me through this whole initial part of our beginning was Colossians 1:11.

God started teaching me patience and relying on him for strength, which I have always known but I have now seen this in a different way. These last 5 months I have been through so many emotions, happiness, disappointment, anxiousness and frustration like I have never experienced before. I have never experienced such a rollercoaster. Through this God has been teaching me patience that is true. I always thought I was a patient person until this experience. Waiting, waiting and more waiting in this process needs daily reminders to help me be patient in all areas of my life. Colossians 1:11 spoke to me to really slow down, depend on God for my strength to not give up and to be patient.

Another area that God has been teaching me is learning to find the blessings in each day. I was reminded that blessings are poured on me every day and I need to slow down, take the time and find them. They shouldn’t be hard to find but sometimes through everything else it takes so much effort. God has reminded me consistently that it is important to find them and acknowledge them and even to say it out loud. I have learned that sometimes blessings come in different forms and I don’t realize that they are a blessing in my life. A song by Laura Story talks about this. The chorus speaks exactly to this idea that many things from God may not come in the form we think it should. It says:

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops


What if Your healing comes through tears


What if a thousand sleepless nights 
Are what it takes to know You’re near


What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

God has been teaching me so much but one last thing I would like to take the time to share and I really still don’t understand is listening to him and realizing that he talks to us in so many different ways. Recently with our adoption I have been feeling quite frustrated and anxious. I originally thought that feelings were me just being selfish and self-centered but someone that means a lot to me in my life helped me realize that my feelings were okay and that maybe through this rough time God was saying something to me. I may not completely understand it but I do know that slowing down and pray about it will help me learn to see if God is saying something through these situations. I often make excuses as to why I can’t slow down but after this last month God has taught me that it is so important to slow down and listen. His speaking might be through the happiest times or through the most frustrating times but if I don’t take the time then I won’t know what he is saying.

All these areas are interwoven for me because of what Josh and I have started. The process of adoption requires all 3 of these areas and even though it isn’t easy He is teaching me to start intentionally praying about these areas and to slow down and listen. I want to leave you with this verse and some words from a song that have impacted my life a lot this last year and a half and that I will forever hold on to.

2 Peter 3:9.

It’s called Lift me Up by The Afters.

Waiting for the sunrise

Waiting for the day

Waiting for a sign that I’m where you want me to be.

You know my heart is heavy

And the hurt is deep

But when I feel like giving up

You’re reminding me

That we all fall down sometimes

When I hit the ground.

You lift me up when I am weak

Your arms wrap around me

Your love catches me so I’m letting go.

You lift me up when I can’t see

Your hearts all that I need

Your love carries me so I’m letting go.

Thanks for reading and somewhere in there I hope somehow it resonates with you in an area of your life!

Be blessed and encouraged!

Learning through music--

On Friday I chose to drive myself to school as I had a very stressful week with lots going on. Adoption is such a process and I know what I have been experiencing is only a tiny part of what is to come but by Friday I was done. On the way out to school I heard this song on the radio and just started to cry. God is lifting me up, wrapping his arms around me and catching me all the time. We are still waiting and it hasn't gotten any easier but knowing that God is lifting me up and wrapping his arms around me and I know He won't leave. Here is a verse that has stuck with me through this whole process and I know God has put it on my heart to help me through it to the end. 

For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. 

They will be protected forever. 

Psalms 37:28

AND

God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient.

Colossians 1:11

I hope it means something to you as it has to me!

Blessings,

Shaeline

Learning so much--

Sorry it has been so long since my last blog post. I will get more consistent eventually. This week I have been learning that it is important to look for the small things to be thankful for amongst the times that are hard. 

Josh and I have been waiting to start our home study process now for 5 weeks and it is hard. I feel that this part has been harder than I thought because we can't do anything until we hear from our agency and it has been hard just sitting and doing nothing. This last week has been especially hard as I have been reflecting on what the process may look like for us. I knew it would be a long haul but being in the process now it has hit home and I have realized that this is going to take much more patience and self-reminders to be thankful for all the blessings I have around me.

 I look forward to holding my child, wiping away their tears, giving them big bear hugs, waking up with a smile and knowing I am a mom, even waking up in the night, being there when they are sick. I can NOT wait to have all of this with my own child and I just have to learn that there is no set time line for us and I have to be okay with that! Someday I will get to hold my child and until that day I will continue to pray for them wherever they are, if they are born or still unborn I have been praying for my child since the beginning! It's not easy but it will make a difference!

Sorry for the ramblings but I just wanted to share what has been on my heart and mind a lot this last week! Thanks for reading!

Check out Sorriso Photographs tab...new photos!

Patience...

Tonight at life-groups we read through 2 Peter and Jude. The verse that jumped out at me tonight was:

"The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, 

but is being patient toward you, 

because he does not wish for any to perish 

but for all to come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:9

We received an some information today that will delay our adoption process for a bit. It is so hard and yes I cried but after listening and taking the conversation in today at life-groups I got a good reminder. God's timing is the perfect timing! As hard as it is going to be this is just the beginning of things not going MY way, when I want them to etc. I realized its not about me and no, it's not going to be easy but it is important to remember this as the process continues and the more I can trust in it I believe the simpler it will be and maybe easier for me to handle.

Just like it says in the verse, the Lord always knows what he is doing and when he is going to do it even though I think its taking forever or its not happening when it should be God has it timed out just perfect and I need to rest in this fact. 

I have always wanted a family and I believe that God has given me that desire. God tells us he will give us the desires of our hearts but I have to rest in the fact that it will be in his timing and not when I think it should happen. 

I just wanted to share a bit of light that was shed in my life tonight. It's a good reminder! 

About a month ago I realized that time has flown by and it had already been a year since we started trying to have a family. But what is incredible is that is has only drawn us closer together! I wanted to share a picture that makes me love my husband day after day! :) He is going to make an incredible daddy!!!

 (He is holding our nephew)

And another one just because....

I love him!

Be Blessed!

-Shaeline

Faith....

Faith is a huge part of my life. I was reminded of a verse this morning that tells me that my faith is not only 1 part of me it is in all of me; my actions, my attitude, my thoughts and my plans. 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for 

and assurance about what we do not see. 

Hebrews 11:1

As we begin this process of adoption and starting our family I really need to remember to keep my faith in God and trust in him completely. There will be ups and downs, frustrations and joys and through all of this I need to focus on glorifying God and blessings that we receive each day. 

Faith isn't an easy thing to have. I find it hard to remember day to day to keep my trust in him. I often want to take matters into my own hands and lately I have been challenged with how that has been working. House hunting for example- after 52 houses my plan didn't work out the way I had hoped and I need to have faith in the fact that God's plan is bigger than mine and it will be an amazing plan.

Right now in my life we have lots of big life changing moments that we are in the process of and this is a good time to completely rely on God and know that his hand is in it all. 

Faith.

I hope this can be an encouragement to you as you go through your daily life and know that your plan may not be Gods plan and that is okay, actually its more than okay because Gods plan is always better even when it doesn't seem that way!

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for 

and assurance about what we do not see. 

Hebrews 11:1

Engagement Session

Just a few days ago I had the privilege of taking pictures for my best friend and her fiance!!! I am so excited for them and their future together! Here are some pictures I took from that day and wanted to share them with you! 

Check out more on my facebook page: Sorriso Photographs by Shaeline

Thanks Danae and Cam for letting me take your pictures! 

Blessings--

Yesterday we had the privilege of going to a beautiful wedding in Regina. It was a great day, great weather, beautiful couple and seeing great friends. On the way home it was crazy--unfortunately I don't have any pictures to prove it --but just as we left Regina at 12:30 am we were completely surrounded by lightening! It was amazing, beautiful, scary, intense and nerve wracking but nonetheless my husband pressed on and we made it home! We got home last night around 2:30 am and this morning my amazing husband was at church by 8:45 ready to do sound. I am sure he was exhausted but his amazing quality of loyalty shone through! When I woke up I had the start to a very wonderful day!


9:00- I woke up with a very relaxing start to the day--even got to sit while I ate my breakfast!
10:00- Heading to church with a chai in hand! (The best one I have had in a while!)
10:30- Gathered and worshipping at church. It was an amazing morning with a verse that kept on coming back to me today. Recently we have been having many emotions come through our lives! House hunting (52 houses searched and unsuccessful :)), many big decisions to be made and most recently beginning stages of adoption! We are so very excited for what is ahead of us and this verse I believe is God's message to me for this time in our lives even if it is hard to grasp:

"God will strengthen you with his own great power

 so that you will not give up when troubles come, 

but you will be patient. 

Colossians 1:11

1:00- Came home and enjoyed a great lunch with Josh! 

2:15- Went for a fabulous walk and enjoyed the fresh air with him!

3:00- Finished off the first set of our adoption paperwork! Faxing it in tomorrow!!!

6:00- Picked up my oldest niece and have been enjoying a wonderful evening with her and all day tomorrow!

I have been blessed in so many ways today and I need to take time more often to sit and remember all the blessings I have been given and to think of ways I can be a blessing to others.

My prayer for each of you is that you can find the little blessings in each of your days to come this week!

Be Blessed!!!

Home from holidays!

 I have just been on a week of holidays and it was great! First we drove to Calgary and stayed 1 night. The next day I jumped in with my mother in law and Grandma Stromberg while my husband and his dad and a good friend in our car. The adventures began. My husband started driving towards Golden, B.C. while the car I was in started driving towards Cranbrook, B.C. Josh got to Golden to buy and pick up his new car!!!!!! 1988 BMW that is silver. I don't know the series or anything else but it is pretty sweet.

Doesn't he look happy :)

That has been his face for about a week and a half straight! So happy for him to finally get the car he has been saving for and looking for for almost a year, but dreaming about it longer than that!

Anyways, after he said yes and signed the papers our friend drove it back to Saskatchewan for us while his dad and him jumped back into "MY" car and drove to Cranbrook.

There we met up and started a wonderful family reunion! We had so much fun and it was great to see the cousins on Josh's dads side again! Had a great golf game, great visiting, games and of course laughing! It was a wonderful weekend! 

View from the golf course--I could get used to that. 

A great team for golfing--such great times!

Another amazing view!

My crazy driver! 

And a wonderful family! It was a great weekend to get to know 

everyone a little bit better for me!

On Monday we left Cranbrook and headed to Waterton National Park for a few days of camping! Unfortunately the weather wasn't the greatest but we did get a short hike in and some great relaxing! Of course pizza and ice cream are always part of the plan and they were DELICIOUS! We left on Thursday and came all the way home where Josh went cruising while I stayed home and relaxed! Today we have been busy doing laundry and getting tent and sleeping bags all ready for next time and all that exciting stuff!  I wanted to share a few pictures with you from the reunion and Waterton (my most favorite camping place)! 

4 bears was the count this year!

beautiful trees on our 1 hike that we did--

made it 8 km and then my ankle and knee started to feel it!

A neat picture of the continent where we are adopting from!!

As well, it is in the best coffee place ever!

On our way home--

Last picture near waterton--just as we exited the park over a bridge I asked Josh to pull over to I could take a picture--luckily there were no cars so I got to get out and take this picture!

I hope you all are having a relaxing summer and got to spend some time with your favorite people, at your favorite place or doing some of your favorite things! Its worth it because summer never seems to last as long as it should! 

Check it out! Photo's on Flickr!

DSC_1006, a photo by Shaeline on Flickr.

I have wanted to get my pictures out for people to look at and this is just one more way that more people can share in the pictures I take!!! Enjoy!
Shaeline

The run is done!

Today was the last day for Run143 this year. We had so many people turnout this year and it was such a blast to have some of the same and some new people each day!!! Thanks to everyone who came out! This year I got the honor of running for a family that are going to be amazing parents!
Ian and Heidi--thank you so much for letting me be apart of this small portion of your adoption journey! Your child is so lucky to get you for parents!
Amber and Justin- thank you for being such amazing support vehicle and for making us smile along the road! It really was much needed each time I saw one!
Candra and Riley- thank you for organizing such an amazing event this year! It was fantastic!!!
My husband Josh- thanks for every night when I come home and wallow in my self pity and you have done everything for me! Also thanks for coming out today and supporting me, seeing your face each leg of the run was so encouraging for me!!

Well, this journey gets to continue next summer! Getting ready to gear up for run143 2012!!! Keep it in mind! Also, this year donations are still being accepted! Please consider supporting this amazing cause called adoption! IT is so needed!
--Shaeline

What I have learned!

These last two days have been lots of trial, joy, frustration, excitement and testing my patience. Josh has been working while I have been running. Pretty much the same amount of time but he gets paid and I get to support 143 million orphans! Not only do I get to support the orphans but I get to help support an amazing couple who is adopting, baby homes in South Africa that care for orphaned children and the adoption support center in Saskatoon! I also have been blessed to meet new people and share in this experience with them! That is the joy and excitement!
Aching body, unable to run, sunburns, hurting toes and eating way too much (or so it feels like) is the trial, frustration and testing my patience. Unfortunately or fortunately I don't know which one it is but all of these emotions have happened in the last two days!
I am so excited to be apart of this exciting happening because I support it completely!! If you feel like you can donate and support me the donations are still being brought in!! Go to www.run143.com for more information!!!
My prayer for you is to find a little bit of joy in each day! Thanks for reading!
Shaeline

One day down, Two more to go!

That title sounds so much better than last year which was "One day down, Five more to go." These 3 days have reminded me of so much! How much I am blessed and what I can do to bless others with God's help.

How am I feeling? I am definitely sore, stiff and achey but it is all worth it! Running 1km for every 1 million orphans well today we got to run for 50 million orphans! IT was a great feeling when we crossed the "finish" line and I realized that what we are doing will make a difference. It is making a difference  worldwide it is making a difference to the family we are supporting!

Today I got to have some running time with Heidi, it was so great chatting and getting to know her. It was also very fun to see how amazing Ian did. Then seeing them finish it off together was so great! I am excited to see what tomorrow will hold and how another day of 50km will make a difference in so many lives!

If you feel led please think about supporting me as I am working towards my goal of 5$/km. It is doable and I know that it is going towards an amazing people and organizations! 

Check out the website: www.run143.com for more information and to donate!

God Bless to all of you!

Shaeline

Running Start 2nd year in a row!

Today is the last day before I venture into another adventure in my summer. I am going to be apart of an amazing opportunity this year called RUN143. This is an opportunity to run 143 km for 143 million orphans in the world. We get to raise awareness about adoption and  we actually get to raise support for an amazing couple who is adopting! We also get to support two baby homes in South Africa and the Adoption Support Center in Saskatoon. I am feeling so blessed to be apart of this ministry and opportunity! Last year was close to home because I got to help bring home my nephew! This year it feels close to home for different reasons! I am very excited (and nervous) to be doing this run this year!

The run is quite the distance and I definitely have not trained as much as I should have. This aspect definitely makes me nervous. So many questions: Can I finish it this year? How is my body going to handle this? What is each day going to feel like? There is so many questions and I just have to remember to trust in God and let him guide me and keep me safe throughout these next 3 days!

If you want to support me I am trying to raise 5$ for 1 km. I am running all 143 km so please if you feel led to support me you can do so two ways!
1. Go to www.run143.com and donate online; OR
2. If you want to write a cheque you can send it to the address on the website under Contact.
If you could please let me know if and when you donate so that I can keep track of my goal that would be great! Thanks!

Please think about it and if you are a praying type to keep us all in your prayers these next 3 days!
Thank you in advance for your support and prayers!
Shaeline

Fresh Start

I am back with a new and improved blog! I am excited to start this blog to share our lives with you but also some photography that I continue to learn about daily. I am not the best writer, I am not the best editor but I do feel strongly about sharing what I have to share.

Recently my husband and I celebrated our 4th year of marriage. He not only celebrated with me but he surprised me. Completely surprised me! For about 3 months before June 2 he asked if I had enough personal days to take time off my job to go on a holiday. Immediately I said yes (with a little research to make sure I actually did)! He wouldn't tell me where we were going for the whole 3 months! Impressive I must say! He told me what kind of weather to expect (or at least he tried). This was his attempt: it might be rainy, it might be windy or hot, it could get cold--so to say the least I overpacked by ALOT! But on Wednesday, June 2 at 12:30am at the airport, I found out that he had planned an amazing 3 day trip to MIAMI, FLORIDA! It was such an amazing holiday! It was so good to be away with my husband and just have it be us. No distractions or spur of the moment things coming up. It was just us!
It reminded me of the importance of how when you are married you can't take living together for granted. Of course you see your spouse but you don't really spend time with them. It still needs to be intentional. I forgot that and lost track of how to be dating in a marriage. This trip really reminded me that not only do you need to have fun (which is very important) but you need to make time to talk about what life has been throwing your way. Keep an open communication line at all times. For those of you who are married or even in a dating relationship--always remember to make intentional time for each other, fun and sharing what is happening in your life.

And of course because we went to Florida, I wanted to share some pictures I took while I was down there! Enjoy!

The first 3 are of our amazing view from our patio!

This was our attempt at self-portraits! An amazing anniversary supper evening!

On our last full day, we took a drive down to Key West on the very cool highway. This picture is taken in Key West, Florida!

This was a small town along the highway.

 On our long drive home we stopped to take a picture of the sunset.

Early the next morning, my husband decided to wake up at 6:15 and get some pictures of the sunrise! The second picture is of the sunrise but it is darker because of the ISO sensitivity. The camera didn't let much light in.

Not only did my husband surprise me with a trip, when we got there he surprised me with renting a CONVERTIBLE! It was so much fun!

Thanks for reading and I hope that sharing my thoughts, life, ideas and photo's will bless each of you in some way!
Thanks for reading!
Shaeline

A new beginning!!

Well, I am going to be taking a leave from my blog as writing is not my thing. I love to share my pictures but I am not much of a writer. I am going to start a facebook page in the next week so please keep your eyes peeled for that! If you ever want to get a hold of me for picture taking please feel free to call, message, or leave a comment on this blog. Even if I am not writing here anymore I will still check it for messages! Once my facebook page is up and running I will let everyone know! Thank you very much for your support and look forward to sharing more pictures with you in a different way!

New Techniques

Sorry it has been so long to those who follow! These last three weeks I have attended some photography classes and I have learned SO MUCH! I am very excited about what I have learned and can experience with now--it really does open the door for more photography. Here are just a few pictures that I took when I attended the amazing MARTIN SEXTON concert!!

Christmas this year to follow another night- just started editing! Thanks for reading!

Photography is a passion!

As you can all tell I am not much of a writer instead I prefer to share my pictures as photography is one of my passions, but I wanted to share just a short post with you without any pictures.
Tomorrow night I am taking my first photography class! I am hoping this will lead me to more success with my photography. It is a passion of mine and I love taking the pictures, editing, and seeing the final project! For those I have taken photo's for I really hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy taking them! In 4 weeks I will have completed my first photography class and would love to practice what I have learned! Please let me know if you would like some pictures taken for any sort of reason at all! I believe that I will learn lots and be able to share more pictures with you! I hope that my pictures improve and that I improve as a photographer! Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing with you what I learn!

A New Beginning--

Well Happy New Year everyone! 2011 is a new beginning for many new things. I am being more active with learning about my camera--that is one my of my goals for this year!
 I trust everyone had a wonderful holiday filled with laughter and blessings! I had a great holiday although it never seems long enough! I sure jumped right back into work with a full week of extra curricular too! So today this is going to be a short one but wanted to share some of my favorite shots of people in a variety of situations: weddings, birthdays, baptisms, and just getting together with friends or family! I hope you enjoy them!

This first one is a silly picture of my niece whom I love very much! 

Such a cutie--she was being silly here.