I have to apologize for the quietness around kreatid's blog/website as of late...it's for two reasons...one, I'm working on consolidating my blog and website into one-easy-to use site...it's good for me and hopefully will be good for you and more user friendly with information more easily accessible.the second reason being because in the past month I have been toSan Diego, Colorado Springs, Breckenridge, Durango, Keystone, Silverton, Ouray + Telluride...and next week I plan on seeing family and vacationing in Chicago and Michigan...so much for a quiet summer, no? ;)needless to say blogging had to get the back-burner on the list of priorities...but you know what?even with all this busy-ness,I'm happy...my husband is happy...and my kids are happy.I think the conclusion to this happiness is because I feel like for the first time in my lifeI'm DOING a part of what I was made to do...let me explain.I feel like over the years, I've had a few roles given to me by Him that were a bit easier to identify:wife...I love being matt's wife. was it always easy to embrace? absolutely not...but I can honestly say that especially these last ten years or so, he is literally the largest part of what makes me me. I love him and I love Him for giving me to him.mom...the one boy and one girl God has given to me are literally my absolute joy in life. I LOVE seeing them grow into how God has designed them to be and having learned from my own mom & dad, I LOVE being the cheerleader of them in their lives. being a mom next to being a wife is the single best blessing I have in life.pastor's wife...I almost hesitate writing that down as a role because I don't view it the way the world might view it. the world likes to tell me that as a pastor's wife I have to be a certain way, wear clothes a certain way, speak a certain way, do life a certain way...but the cool thing about this role for me? I'm not the pastor. I'm the pastor's wife. sounds simple to say...but all my husband has ever asked me to be is to chase being the best wife I can be for him and to strive to love Jesus as best as I can and serve to the best of my ability. that's it. :) my husband knows that I am not ever in this lifetime going to be the best typical housewife, or laundress, or whatever else the world says a pastor's wife is going to be. I'll be adequate...but not the best.  but you know what? that's okay...he loves me the way I am and the cool part is that I'm a work in progress...and he loves me. I'm the wife of a pastor...and I love him.there are other less obvious roles...but the last one is one that I'm even a little nervous to type out loud:I'm a creative business-woman.saying you're creative is easier to claim you're a business-person. I dunno why...but it is. but for whatever reason, God has seen fit to grow kreatid into the business it is today...and you know what? I'm happy. I feel like the quote that I loved so long ago fits when I think about kreatid:

"I believe God created us in His image, and created us with the ability to create things. I find it really motivating that when we photograph/design/film things, we’re doing a small version of what God was doing when He made everything, when he sat back and said “it is good”. God is the best designer and can provide the best inspiration. I like to see kreatid as a way of honoring God and the creativity that He gave me."

and it's true.I feel like I can be bold enough to say, that unless God is driving the creativity in me, it's a selfish-mud-pie exhibition of a talent. BUT when I look through my lens and I see what He has made and try to display it in the best light/way/artistic way I know how...I feel like He is pleased.I'm not sure if that makes sense...but it resonates with me.and for now, I'll continue to chase what He has put in front of me...that's where the business-woman side comes in.I'm getting more and more comfortable realizing (mainly through my husband but also through other business-minded people)that this thing I call kreatid is indeed a business.and to strive to make it a good business is being a good steward of what He has given me.I've gone back to the "ultimate woman" many times and in regards to this "business" He has given me, I love these verses:"...first thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started..."my dad + mom taught me at a young age to not be afraid of hard work...and at times the travel/being "on" in front of strangers/balancing/being a good steward/physical work IS hard.but you know what?at the end of the day, I know that He has given me this work.that my husband is pleased when I do well with what God has given me.and I'm happy...happily spent using the talent He has given me.if you've made it this far in this post, congratulations...that was a lot of thoughts on my part. ;)I have to apologize a little...my thoughts are kinda jumbled as I've been working on a separate postabout these past few weeks and organizing my thoughts on endurance and faithfulnessfrom my four day vacation through the san juan mountains...but for today in thinking about all these roles and what makes me happy,the question my sister has repeatedly asked me is regards to creating/shooting is resounding in my head:

"why not?"

why is this echoing in my head this week?well, I think mainly because of these few life verses:"...make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. don’t be impressed with yourself. don’t compare yourself with others. each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life..."I can get realllly get busy putting my head down and simply doing work.but I'm slowly learning that God didn't design the world or me solely to do work...all of what He designed has purpose and is good and is fit for bringing Him glory...but the more I see of the world,the more I am convinced that He created certain things and people simply because it made Him happy to do so.while on part of our four-day trip across the san juan mountains,we passed the most visually stimulating place I have ever seen in my life...thousands of brilliant yellow sunflowers lit up the landscape that were peppered in the distance with contracting violet wildflowers and even further in the distance were white trunks of aspen tree's with brilliant green leaves reaching out to the cool blue sky and THEN even further than that were the solid grey rock mountains capped in perfect white with a sun hovering and beautifully lighting this unbelievable visual scene of beauty.it got me to thinking that God simply was showing off something of beauty.because. He. could. and answered the question "why not?!"a few years ago, I got the opportunity to answer a little why not? with the Belle session.this October, I'm going to get-to answer it again with the OZ session.I'm excited...for no other reason that just because why not?and the cool thing about this session is that I'm inviting other photographer's who want to ask that question as well...it'll be a fun "why not?" party of like-minded creatives up in the woods photographing beautiful things and people...because, why not? :)(p.s. there are only three more spots...go to the web-site if you'd like to come!)anyways, here's a few test shots of the good witch, Glinda...a.k.a. my good friend lauren who is ridiculously beautiful...one of those people who when God created her, he smiled and said "why NOT make her stunningly beautiful?" :)love you Lauren, thank you for letting me. :)