tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10644786781643690452012-01-27T00:29:25.897-05:00kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.comBlogger3611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-58705777475681044772011-12-18T15:24:00.003-05:002011-12-18T15:40:19.940-05:00

Read Part 1 Read Part 2 Read Part 3 Read Part 4 And then one day, He was back. It wasn't all glory and trumpets and flashes of light. It was one of those mornings where I was awake well before I wanted to be. Unable to slip back to sleep, I rubbed my eyes and rolled out of bed, wandering into the living room. I had just finished reading through the book of Luke and decided maybe this would be a

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-39258491488470445252011-12-09T16:05:00.001-05:002011-12-14T19:57:25.982-05:00

Read Part 1 Read Part 2 Read Part 3 For all the true good confession and the other sacraments brought me, there was still one big problem: I was still covered in darkness where my relationship with God was concerned. He still felt remarkably absent. When I imagined Him with me, I saw Him sitting in a corner curled in on himself like a comma, holding his elbows, looking down. Present, but not

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-42434663497876243332011-12-05T11:42:00.001-05:002011-12-05T14:32:00.334-05:00

Read Part 1 Read Part 2 Bitter. Hard and bitter and resentful and hurt. Anger. Fury. Resentment and bitterness and hardness. Bitter bitter bitter, hard. Self-righteous. Selfish. Hard bitter bitter bitter anger and fury.Violent. Hateful. Hate hate hate resentful bitterness. This grief and its cousin, my spiritual darkness, were incredibly good at one thing: bringing up in me every remotely dark

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-36056063356216669362011-11-28T09:05:00.005-05:002011-11-28T09:20:58.882-05:00

Read Part 1 I know it feels like He's gone. You feel alone, abandoned, ignored. You feel like you inhabit the blind spot that goes unchecked: that He doesn't see you and doesn't care to see you. You feel punished. But that's not what's real. It feels like He's gone, but He actually is here. I know you want to fall apart in the safety and boundary of His arms. I know that it feels like you are

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-50269904006035763822011-11-22T08:05:00.051-05:002011-11-22T08:05:00.211-05:00

Depending on when you asked me over the course of the year between Ewan's death and the first anniversary of it, I might have felt everything or nothing as I realized that important anniversary was approaching. It's hardly surprising that losing my son and nearing the first anniversary of the night he died in my arms would give rise to a wide range of emotions, each of them bubbling up from the

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-19944375263097634262011-11-19T08:12:00.000-05:002011-11-19T08:13:58.560-05:00

Welcome!! (And welcome back!!) Seeing as today is the 5 year anniversary for this blog, I thought it the perfect time to relaunch. I hope you'll take some time to look around and get familiar with the new surroundings. You will notice that not only does this space has a new look, but it has a new and clarified focus as well. Because we're kicking off the blog again with a new look and feel and

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-39750242227672830542011-11-10T19:21:00.000-05:002011-11-15T23:05:48.569-05:00

It's been several months, I know. I know how it looks, but I haven't forgotten about this space. I've been thinking about how best to use it -- or (sad to say) if to use it. The majority of my writing life is and has been happening at Team-Ewan.com. It needs an overhaul, to be sure. But I think this space is here to stay. There's a lot I want to change. So in a few days, I'll be taking this

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-88201624687417278942011-07-27T12:15:00.000-04:002011-07-27T12:18:15.138-04:00

I'm home now. In (gulp) Florida. And it's so unfamiliar. One of the canals of the Winter Park scenic boat tour The word home evokes a variety of emotional responses responses for me. I think of warmth and familiarity, a place where I am accepted and known. But I don't feel any of these things here. At least not yet. There are two or three people in the whole state who really know me, and

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-64090568666787657812011-06-16T10:31:00.000-04:002011-06-29T08:39:55.462-04:00

... is in.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-73335552046390437032011-06-09T16:23:00.000-04:002011-06-09T16:23:09.411-04:00

I was browsing through pictures on my Flickr photostream today and came across this one from this past summer. It's my brother, his wife Annie, my sister, and a very pregnant me goofing off in the park and quite clearly, amusing ourselves. And it just made me happy.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-33090082943950745922011-05-06T14:15:00.000-04:002011-05-06T14:15:14.992-04:00

If you haven't already heard, I have some good news I want to share with you.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-90737186253056562012011-04-22T11:39:00.000-04:002011-04-22T11:42:04.834-04:00

Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, Reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the LORD. To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, Because his life is not like other men's, and

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-75334994782731317182011-04-20T16:38:00.000-04:002011-04-21T09:46:42.188-04:00

[Takes a deep breath as she comes up for air.] Well, hello there. If you remember that this blog exists, color me impressed! Once a blogging addict, this (along with a number of other things) have fallen to the wayside and gotten dusty as my husband and I prepare for yet another major transition in our lives. After nearly two years of searching, James finally got a job offer! Did I mention it

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-63752656307572225092011-03-15T14:24:00.000-04:002011-03-15T14:24:58.170-04:00

I've been away from this space for awhile, devoting most of my blogging time these days to Team Ewan. Being back at work means there's less time during the day in which I can let my fingers wander around on the keyboard, fumbling through thoughts and words that will translate somehow into English. Ash Wednesday Lent is officially upon us, and that means I've been setting aside the time to

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-537755927990450062011-01-12T02:13:00.000-05:002011-01-12T02:13:51.692-05:00

The night before: tears, muscles that were too weak to work, bones that softened to a jelly, sobs that sucked the air out of my lungs. I needed help standing up again. The morning after a night like this, I look like I've been in a fight. Puffy eyes, dark circles, lines that age me. Underneath all that, I'm still in there somewhere.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-68344075299718704892010-12-16T20:51:00.000-05:002010-12-16T20:53:52.904-05:00

Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays in Lent. Those are the days designated for the sorrowful mysteries in the rosary. Lately, I've been praying through them every day, not because I don't like the mysteries that are luminous, glorious, or joyful -- but because right now, I find in them the deepest sense of Emmanuel: God with us. Every day, when the angel of the Lord leaves his people their

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-13608580049679701412010-11-25T11:10:00.000-05:002010-11-25T11:11:47.920-05:00

It is no great secret that I am not what one might call "a snow person". I don't like cold weather in general, and the snow (as pretty as it is) tends to make a mess of things, especially traffic. Cars slide down hills, slip on ice, collide into each other, and make insurance premiums rise. I've experienced first-hand multiple times the reality that cars do not ice skate well. But seeing as I

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-46660485639995749502010-11-09T23:55:00.000-05:002010-11-10T00:06:15.370-05:00

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  Romans 12:15 I can't tell you how much it means to me to experience the love of God through our friends -- to be on the receiving end of another's sacrifice: of time, of traveling, of sleeping on the couch. And it is all so James and I wouldn't have to be alone as we settle into a life that is decidedly and mournfully Ewan-less.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-60786641289278746642010-10-19T12:11:00.000-04:002010-10-19T12:11:20.414-04:00

And poor C. quotes me, "Do not mourn like those that have no hope." It astonishes me, the way we are invited to apply to ourselves words so obviously addressed to our betters. What St. Paul says can comfort only those who love God better than the dead, and the dead better than themselves. If a mother is mourning not for what she has lost but for what her dead child has lost, it is a comfort to

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-82354622929594780162010-10-11T19:53:00.000-04:002010-10-11T19:59:09.188-04:00

Ewan Eliezer Petermann was laid to rest on Saturday, October 9, 2010 -- just three weeks from the date he was born. To say all of this is difficult to take in is an understatement. This picture of our priest incensing Ewan's casket reminded me of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus. The priest, like Jesus, believes in the resurrection of the body. He, like Jesus, knows this is not the end of the story

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-44887455332330978662010-10-05T10:30:00.000-04:002010-10-05T10:30:37.267-04:00

Ewan is gone. The sweet baby we so love and waited for, the one we fought for is in the arms of Jesus even now. There are no words to say how much my heart hurts. It went with him, I believe. Read more here.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-70049698238092424122010-09-24T16:05:00.000-04:002010-09-24T16:05:23.868-04:00

Please see Team-Ewan.com for more. And please pray for Ewan Eliezer whose first and middle names mean this: "God's grace", and "God is my help." Amen, and amen.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-25813578462597565932010-09-23T06:36:00.000-04:002010-09-23T06:36:54.555-04:00

You've probably already noticed that given the nature of what's going on in our family, I'm blogging fairly exclusively at Team-Ewan.com right now, so if you want the latest on what's happening with us, please check there.. But I thought I'd post a few recent pictures here ... We've got some big tests being performed later today at about 1:00 pm. This test will determine a lot about what the

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-81379292316847632012010-09-20T13:27:00.000-04:002010-09-20T13:28:11.683-04:00

I wrote all about our birth story at Team-Ewan.com. Be aware it does include some nitty gritty details (nothing too graphic or strange about childbirth, or anything that would make you queasy, I hope), but it's there for your reading pleasure. Honesty, we saw God in the details so much in this -- it could easily have been scary, or much worse -- but we were so covered and so watched over.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-24062892570258958812010-09-20T01:33:00.000-04:002010-09-20T01:34:06.202-04:00

This pregnancy was a journey into the unplanned and unexpected. Why did I think that Ewan's birth would be any different? I know you know we are exhausted and I promise that after I hit publish, I'm pumping, sitzing, and going to bed. One day (hopefully soon), I will write out the birth story for you. It's one I don't want to forget, and it's one where the details throw into sharp relief just how

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-13785779132663936222010-09-16T00:01:00.000-04:002010-09-16T00:01:29.968-04:00

But I get turned around And I mistake some happiness for blessing ... --from "Faith My Eyes" by Caedmon's Call Stress has been on the rise here for me lately (more about that here), and it's been manifesting itself in my body. As we get closer to meeting Ewan and finding out how this whole grand story will play out, I find myself living in anywhere but the present. I find myself wondering

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-60952476274464752922010-09-09T10:14:00.000-04:002010-09-10T10:28:12.458-04:00

I know I write about this a lot. This is how I process through it, really. And I’m processing it again. But here it is: I really don’t know what faith looks like in this place. It’s a sad reality that when I discuss our situation (and I’m sorry if you’ve heard about “our situation” from me a hundred times, but here’s the rundown: expecting a baby with a severe heart defect that will require

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-25040456435905461012010-09-02T00:31:00.000-04:002010-09-02T00:31:34.147-04:00

We had our final fetal echo yesterday. In it, we learned that nothing had really changed, meaning: no miracles, but it isn't any worse. Words can be plenty descriptive, but some of us are visual learners. So I wanted to show you some diagrams of the heart. The first one, a normal and healthy heart. The second is Ewan's heart (or as close as our doctors can see right now). Ventricular-Septal

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-53882386019804350672010-08-25T00:54:00.000-04:002010-08-25T09:22:40.542-04:00

I don't know whether I receive more unsolicited pregnancy comments than the average child-bearing woman, but I seem to get plenty. This should cover all the bases for those curious strangers out there ... 34 weeks pregnant by kirsten michelle We are having a boy and are naming him Ewan (pronounced like the words "you win" strung together). My due date is October 5. Yes, the belly is "for

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-81526437098567380062010-08-20T14:41:00.000-04:002010-08-20T14:41:10.209-04:00

This picture of my brother and sister and I was taken this past weekend on my sister's birthday. I love how our arms are around each other and we're facing a gorgeous sunset on a perfect day. We were pretty normal siblings growing up, not always getting along, but once we grew up a little, we became tighter than tight. People would ask my parents what they did, for the secret sauce of how they

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-89139305243853968802010-08-17T10:47:00.000-04:002010-08-17T11:03:54.288-04:00

Celebrating 33 weeks over here ... ... and some good news!! (Ewan got his picture taken too!! ...)

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-69460994780409361042010-08-11T23:07:00.000-04:002010-08-11T23:07:33.430-04:00

I know that many readers here already know Jill, the fierce Mama Bear and feisty redhead expecting Baby Joshua. But I also know there are friends and family who read this blog who may not be familiar with their story. Our introduction happened in kind of a convoluted way, though I suppose with our general immersion in a variety of social media, such connections might not be all that unusual.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-22912802186147215912010-08-08T00:20:00.000-04:002010-08-10T22:05:59.360-04:00

 Anatomical heart drawing by Leonardo da VinciTextures used by Skeletal MessCollage by kirsten michelle For Ewan, of course. View the original on Flickr

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-72942058664315760502010-08-05T11:55:00.000-04:002010-08-06T14:04:41.399-04:00

watch over me by kirsten michelle (2010) There aren't many words to my prayers these days. I find myself sending wordless thoughts and images, requests, petitions for which I cannot find the language, confident that the meaning of these things will not be lost in translation -- that they are better communicated as they are. No words. Just the pulses and surges of heart and soul. So many

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-12249880484539971212010-08-01T17:17:00.000-04:002011-11-13T19:03:39.718-05:00

into the storm ahead by kirsten michelle (2010) One thing that many Christians I know have done a lot of (and I can say this because I am one, because I have heard this a lot, and because I have been so ingenious as to do it myself -- repeatedly) is take real life historical accounts from Scripture out of context and turn them into something entirely metaphorical. The flesh and blood people

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-41544980980999971012010-07-28T15:09:00.000-04:002010-07-28T15:10:04.031-04:00

Another fun thing about Kansas, besides seeing the places where things in our story happened? Having fun in places he knows well, making new memories that involve laughter and road signs. Yes, I said road signs. Neither of us can remember whether this photo was my idea or his, and I guess at this point it doesn't really matter. We laughed hard while we were making it, marvelling at the odd

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-22293980049720458392010-07-27T15:01:00.000-04:002010-07-28T14:30:27.088-04:00

This isn't any ordinary dirt road in Kansas. the road by kirsten michelle (2010) This road leads to a place that changed both of our lives forever -- even though I wasn't present when it happened. I know there are some new readers here who don't know the love story of Kirsten and James. A fuller version lives here, but here's the condensed version: James and I knew each other in college (

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-26497743890319681622010-07-26T10:57:00.000-04:002010-07-26T14:03:17.682-04:00

I almost missed this one. We were going back through the shots of the birthday party after I had already pronounced myself finished processing them (it's just a reality that when you take nearly 500 pictures of an event, you have to be choosy as to which ones are given the special treatment). And I saw this one. I was drawn to the energy and the much-younger version of myself I saw in it.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-33083789187801414832010-07-23T10:39:00.000-04:002010-07-23T19:04:15.129-04:00

One of the places we visited was the Brit Spaugh Zoo in Great Bend, about half an hour away from where we were staying in Holyrood. Most of us have been to the zoo at some point in our lives, I presume, but one of the many things that makes this one special (aside from being a place that we enjoyed while we were in Kansas) is that it is totally FREE. Can you believe that? The zoo admission

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-61141225750082793272010-07-22T08:24:00.001-04:002010-07-22T11:18:39.775-04:00

One of the things we did on our last night in Kansas (besides watching a completely awesome lightning display) was go out to the family farm. Now, c'mon people ... you know me. And you know James a bit. We totally did a photoshoot at the farm. Here are a few of our favorites ... Psst! This last one made it into Flickr Explore ... wahoo!(If that doesn't mean anything to you, I explain it here.)

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-81956401052912090032010-07-20T14:39:00.000-04:002010-07-20T14:39:29.420-04:00

There are so many things I have to say about Kansas. I could bellyache for a little bit about being pregnant in all that heat and humidity (which I knew to expect, and which is why the good people who live there have air conditioning), but that's really not what I'm going to remember. I will remember love and family hugs and seeing where he said he would do anything for me. I remember seeing his

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-56484836147360952602010-07-17T11:31:00.000-04:002010-07-17T12:19:58.451-04:00

It's the pregnant lady here again with another rant about people's comments about my size. For the record, I feel fantastic. I still love (and I don't use that word lightly) the way I look. I love the way this belly feels. But I'm learning now that it is a well-established fact that there are those people out there who see a pregnant belly and check their brain cells at the door. I'd like to

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-36659354264139595592010-07-08T09:35:00.000-04:002010-07-08T09:37:33.662-04:00

Starting tomorrow, the hubby and I are going to be out of town. Our ride to the airport is picking us up at 3:25 am. Even a habitual early riser like me is groaning about that hour!! As to our destination, it is neither exotic, nor tropical, nor where all the babymooners are heading this summer season. We're going to Kansas!! That's right, we're visiting family. James' family lives there and

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-31477846629920656432010-07-06T00:12:00.000-04:002010-07-06T00:13:13.405-04:00

The belly continues to grow. I heard again today: Oh honey, any day now? You should have seen this guy's face when I told him I had 13 more weeks. The belly was feeling pretty solid today, and there was a part of me that felt like "accidentally" whacking him with it. If you read this post, you know how I feel about statements like that. I mean, you know how we pregnant women are with our altered

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-82072041240430384192010-07-02T16:31:00.000-04:002010-07-02T16:53:19.430-04:00

There are a lot of things wrong with the world. On a much smaller level, there are many things about our life right now that I would change, had I the power to do it. James would have a job -- preferably one that brought in a decent income and didn't drive him nuts (ooh, and that has good benefits). The price of oil would be up and the wells in which we're invested would be top producers. My

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-155759725794348102010-07-01T09:55:00.001-04:002010-07-01T18:20:52.925-04:00

For more information, or to participate yourself, check out this post at the Send Love to Cohen blog. Wishing much, much love to the Marshall family. Our hearts and our prayers are with you. May the good Lord carry you and keep you, may He bind up your hearts and dry every tear. May peace and love surround you. May you know you do not walk alone.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-13877185474735041292010-06-29T22:06:00.000-04:002010-06-30T09:38:38.128-04:00

Since we moved and acquired an additional 320 square feet of space, I've been wanting to set up a space in our home that in my mind, I could only describe as sacred. What I was thinking of was basically an altar: a place to sit quietly, to reflect, to pray. While I know that God is everywhere and that we are never confined by time or space in terms of speaking with Him, I felt an increasing need

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-59752901875574801822010-06-26T10:00:00.000-04:002010-06-26T10:25:36.703-04:00

Some of you have been visiting me here for awhile, and many of you are a bit newer. Even if the former description suits you better, there are a few things you probably don't know about me: random, weird, totally idiosyncratic things that will now be available for the world to see. That's right. This is Kirsten: Unplugged. This picture has nothing to do with this post. Just a pic from our

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-44958371666805478792010-06-24T15:23:00.000-04:002010-06-24T16:10:21.689-04:00

25 weeks pregnant & feeling fabulous22 June 2010 I had little idea when I became pregnant just how much having an obviously pregnant belly (to many people, I'm discovering) translates to implicit permission to touch the belly (which I was prepared for, and really don't mind) and to offer uncensored commentary on the size of the belly (which I was not prepared for, and am really starting to mind).

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-83342353815077406702010-06-22T09:35:00.000-04:002010-06-22T11:15:46.426-04:00

This is where (as far as I can see) the rubber meets the road: trusting God when in the face of unspeakable hurt and suffering. These, on the road of trust, are the speed bumps, the detours, and the road blocks. These are the things that make us wonder if we should turn ourselves around and go back to where we came from. When the doctor calls and it is cancer. When the job is lost. When the

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-67872200947829851692010-06-16T20:11:00.000-04:002010-06-16T20:11:44.557-04:00

Gratitude. At first blush, I didn't understand what the relationship between trust and gratitude could be. But that's precisely what Manning talks about in the second chapter of Ruthless Trust. I don't want to spoil the book for those of you who haven't read it and want to, but so much of this is too good not to share! Manning explains, " ... the person with an abiding spirit of gratitude is the

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-70056945834863080412010-06-15T10:42:00.000-04:002010-06-15T17:40:53.871-04:00

I'm reading the Brennan Manning classic again: Ruthless Trust. This book was my companion during a particularly extended time of difficulty in my life a few years ago. Thumbing through its pages again, I can see the underlines, the brackets, the stars in the margins, and the copious notes filling what was once white space. It is quite nearly a journal of that time. I am filling it again, having

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-61360473556767709172010-06-10T22:46:00.000-04:002010-06-11T09:28:40.356-04:00

Time flies  Somehow it seems much longer than three weeks ago that we found out about Ewan's heart. In many ways, it seems that we've traveled a million miles in the space of those weeks, and have cycled through more emotions than I knew existed. But when I look at the calendar, it is in fact three weeks and a day since the initial diagnosis, and just over a week since having it confirmed by a

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-89642548349519296362010-06-07T20:50:00.000-04:002010-06-07T20:57:13.148-04:00

The past several days have been the oddest mixed bag of hope and of joy, of grief and near despair. We've felt positive and assured, and then we've felt like nothing could possibly lift our spirits. It's a wicked seesaw to be on. I've desperately wanted to feel normal and to maintain my excitement that we're having this beautiful child, and yet ...And yet.A steady stream of good days and good

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-72370176411137940962010-06-02T23:21:00.000-04:002010-06-03T16:15:08.805-04:00

I wonder if I'll regret writing this with all this hanging around me, the ink still fresh and wet on this news, the unfolding reality giving rise to an exponentially increasing number of questions, as well as new and complex feelings. My emotional landscape is changing constantly and dramatically, ranging from sharp peaks to deep valleys with a few muddied level places in between. At a time like

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-58349114575912991352010-05-28T10:19:00.000-04:002010-06-03T16:13:58.289-04:00

If you can't tell by the splashes of blue here now, James and I learned least week that we're having a baby boy. We were delighted to see the pictures of him dancing, waving, kicking, and moving all over the ultrasound. The technician had a hard time getting pictures at times, he was moving so much!!We already had a name picked out: Ewan Eliezer. Our child has a name. Ewan is the Scottish/Gaelic

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-31137379109275073382010-05-14T14:15:00.000-04:002010-05-14T15:52:58.457-04:00

And that makes me very, very happy!!photo by kirsten.michelle

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-45014678731947600452010-05-03T09:30:00.000-04:002010-05-03T12:27:56.351-04:00

Good morning, my friends! I've been working on the next post in my Becoming Catholic series, but this Little Bean (who is decidedly bigger than a bean right now, but until we know if it's a girl baby or boy baby baking in there, the name is Little Bean) is still running the show. I'm mostly feeling better (more energy, less nausea -- yeah!!), but still have the occasional bouts of sickness which

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-48170698774566545622010-04-23T14:30:00.000-04:002010-04-24T08:21:06.215-04:00

Disclaimer: When it comes to matters of faith (and matters of Catholicism in particular), emotions run high. It is a topic on which many have strong bents, preferences, and biases and regarding which particular views are held strongly. In many circles, there is much in the way of fear, misinformation, and outright antagonism when the topic of Catholicism is broached. I do not claim to speak in

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-56027858388146945512010-04-19T23:36:00.000-04:002010-04-22T12:04:09.669-04:00

Disclaimer: When it comes to matters of faith (and matters of Catholicism in particular), emotions run high. It is a topic on which many have strong bents, preferences, and biases and regarding which particular views are held strongly. In many circles, there is much in the way of fear, misinformation, and outright antagonism when the topic of Catholicism is broached. I do not claim to speak in

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-74601110704902855402010-04-13T10:23:00.000-04:002010-04-14T14:43:35.744-04:00

Disclaimer: When it comes to matters of faith (and matters of Catholicism in particular), emotions run high. It is a topic on which many have strong bents, preferences, and biases and regarding which particular views are held strongly. In many circles, there is much in the way of fear, misinformation, and outright antagonism when the topic of Catholicism is broached. I do not claim to speak in

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-37454669605965376672010-04-03T13:09:00.000-04:002010-04-15T16:17:10.178-04:00

Disclaimer: When it comes to matters of faith (and matters of Catholicism in particular), emotions run high. It is a topic on which many have strong bents, preferences, and biases and regarding which particular views are held strongly. In many circles, there is much in the way of fear, misinformation, and outright antagonism when the topic of Catholicism is broached. I do not claim to speak in

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-192660834934686692010-04-02T08:32:00.000-04:002010-04-03T15:31:07.991-04:00

I will resume with my "Becoming Catholic" series shortly (the next post just needs a few hyperlinks and then is ready to go). But since it is Good Friday, I thought it best to reflect on some of the words our Lord spoke before going to the cross.Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-7332882772719682572010-03-26T18:33:00.000-04:002010-04-15T16:16:53.508-04:00

Disclaimer: When it comes to matters of faith (and matters of Catholicism in particular), emotions run high. It is a topic on which many have strong bents, preferences, and biases and regarding which particular views are held strongly. In many circles, there is much in the way of fear, misinformation, and outright antagonism when the topic of Catholicism is broached. I do not claim to speak in

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-46516576396939256732010-03-26T15:04:00.000-04:002010-03-26T16:47:23.708-04:00

So for those of you who get the RSS feed for this, or get notification on Bloglines, I am sorry. As far as writing goes, my latest post really was ready to go. But then Blogger decided to mess with me. It became possessed, took some serious control of the formatting of my post, and published it in a font so tiny that you would need a microscope to read it. Well, most of the font was too tiny.

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-60303830740792539442010-03-23T14:18:00.000-04:002010-04-15T16:16:35.285-04:00

Disclaimer: When it comes to matters of faith (and matters of Catholicism in particular), emotions run high. It is a topic on which many have strong bents, preferences, and biases and regarding which particular views are held strongly. In many circles, there is much in the way of fear, misinformation, and outright antagonism when the topic of Catholicism is broached. I do not claim to speak

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-91321258351966754382010-03-21T17:07:00.000-04:002010-04-05T20:00:35.807-04:00

I've not yet discussed it explicitly here, but I've left a hint or two along the way. It's something I've been meaning to write about for awhile and seeing as the journey will reach a kind of culmination in the coming weeks, I find it fitting to write about it here now.As the Part 1 portion of the title of this post suggests, this is something I will be writing about over a series of posts,

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-37871977324873084092010-03-18T13:03:00.000-04:002010-03-18T13:04:19.145-04:00

Dear Little Bean,There is no doubt in my mind or in anyone else's that you are moving and shaking and swimming and growing. Mama has felt very, very sick over the last week or so. You should know that no matter how many times I throw up and how much I don't like it, it doesn't make me any less glad that you're here. You're a gift and a miracle, and I never want you to forget it, no matter how

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-28128792353659513712010-03-12T14:07:00.000-05:002010-03-13T23:35:03.065-05:00

Everyone knows that with pregnancy comes a surge of hormones so incredible, they practically swallow you whole. These hormones are wonderful and magical things, protecting the baby in the earliest stages of pregnancy, helping him/her grow. They also have the added effect for some women, such as myself, of making them very sick, and often very, very emotional.One additional side effect is what one

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-6410174041119728262010-03-09T14:37:00.000-05:002010-03-09T14:39:13.131-05:00

One of the sponsors from my RCIA group gave the group of us catechumens and candidates (those converts who are already baptized) a Lenten devotional book as a gift. I admit, I've omitted reading this more days than I've engaged with it, but I have found a lot of treasure there.The following poem by Rita A. Simmonds, graces the inside cover. This one gets me in the gut.SacrificeIt was just

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-71194917579273660272010-03-04T13:27:00.000-05:002010-03-04T13:35:44.103-05:00

You might have noticed that I've been pretty quiet around here lately. I used to have something to say most days of the week, and now I seem to be in the blogging equivalent of hibernation. I know lives go on and all that, but I do miss the interaction that occurs here. I'm thankful for those of you who stop by, and leave a comment to let you know you're thinking of me. Those are much appreciated

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-24938880359410017822010-02-26T15:16:00.000-05:002010-02-26T15:57:35.141-05:00

I'm certain that the fact that my once loose-fitting "I'm feeling so skinny" pants are now the snug "I'm glad I can still zip them up" pants couldn't have a thing to do with the fact that I've been padding the bottom line of the Kettle Brand Chips company lately. It couldn't possibly, could it? I mean, I know I'm pregnant and all, but ...Could it?!Yeah, that's what I thought. I was really hoping

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-3793599751153089052010-02-22T09:43:00.000-05:002010-02-22T20:51:40.025-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about Eve lately. I'm not one who goes around saying, Darn that Eve! (or something stronger) knowing that if it hadn't been her who succumbed to temptation, it would have been someone else. Had I been in that garden, it could just as easily have been me. But I have been thinking a lot about her and her curse:I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-55435065581534813622010-02-16T10:37:00.000-05:002010-02-16T12:23:46.034-05:00

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-82258555848962014232010-02-13T12:59:00.000-05:002010-02-13T13:01:29.556-05:00

... more than your hands can hold.Happy Valentine's Day!!

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-90206242453803035362010-02-09T14:42:00.000-05:002010-02-09T15:02:14.092-05:00

Today is the six week mark. I'm walking through experiences millions of women have experienced over the course of thousands of years. I know I have nothing new to add to the conversation, but now it is personal and so of course, I have some thoughts which may amount to a sum total of little to no value. If you're curious, feel free to read on.Random Thought #1I thought I got a lot of unsolicited

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-62448793038663006292010-02-05T10:01:00.000-05:002010-02-05T10:11:08.171-05:00

That's probably the piece of advice I've gotten most lately:Rest. Get all the rest you can right now.I've always had a hard time slowing down. I've always been one to push through the tired, to get my list of tasks completed. To greater or lesser degrees, I've always thought that I was valuable to the same degree to which I could get things done, cross them off my list, and prove myself. A

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-20820863852083184272010-02-01T09:45:00.000-05:002010-02-01T10:29:22.742-05:00

... comes a positive pregnancy test.130/365: positive pregnancy test31 january 2010canon 40dAnswers to the most popular questions thus far:1. Our little bean is due to arrive on the scene about October 5 or so.2. We do intend to find out the gender ahead of time. James is squarely on Team Pink and has requested that his little girl have curly hair.3. I'm feeling OK and have the typical symptoms

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-8016945832191581542010-01-29T14:35:00.000-05:002010-01-29T14:36:20.238-05:00

Nothing terribly exciting or profound is contained in this post ... I just felt like putting my arm up and waving a big HIYA!! to the blogging world.I'm very tired and headachey (but happy) today and looking forward to seeing my sis, who is coming down this weekend just to hang out and to help us out with some organizational issues in the 701 square feet of space that is our apartment. She really

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-40124518573473165192010-01-27T11:30:00.000-05:002010-01-27T12:16:33.047-05:00

I'm not hiding from you, I promise. Well, OK maybe just a little. Will it help if I distract you with pretty things?Butterflies hand-painted on a delicate Japanese fan, perhaps?A bright pink polka-dotted ribbon?No then?Well, I will say this:I've entered into a deep mystery, I've been given a gift.And I'm here hiding, thanking God quietly,taking to Him my fears and freakouts,wondering, pondering,

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-63588269568434263832010-01-21T10:08:00.000-05:002010-01-21T10:28:40.842-05:00

I fell asleep in the car last night at about 6:00 or so. We were driving home from my second chiropractic appointment of the week (this afternoon will be my third) and suddenly, I was no longer able to keep my eyes open. I was barely conscious of my mouth hanging open slightly, and my head bobbing from side to side as James drove us home.I'm exhausted.119/365: no comment20 january 2010taken with

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-50006900856175684172010-01-18T14:59:00.000-05:002010-01-18T14:59:59.929-05:00

This poem/prayer has grown out of a personal confession that has been evolving over the last several days. My heart has been heavy with many cares and frustrations which seemed to have clogged the communication lines between earth and Heaven, at least for me. For some time, it's been difficult for me to pray at all. And now in the wake of what has transpired in Haiti (in which unanticipated

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-10520122934957634282010-01-16T17:59:00.000-05:002010-01-16T18:31:59.089-05:00

I'm 32 today!! Who knew getting older could be such a party?Mom and Dad drove down for the day to help James and I celebrate my birthday. I was doing a special 365 for the occasion (complete with party dress, pink fizzy drink in a martini glass, party hats, faux gems, and party blowers) and we thought: Hey ... why couldn't we all get in on the photographic action?So we did. What a blast!! This

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-71377726269905283412010-01-15T11:06:00.000-05:002010-01-15T11:06:51.225-05:00

One of the purposes of our recent trip to Southern California was to do some maternity shots for Sarah and Dave. It was my first maternity photoshoot, and it was to celebrate the impending arrival of their first baby, who has since arrived on the scene!! Many firsts were celebrated in the few days we were there.So even though wee little Mirren Clarys (BTW, don't you just love that name?) is now

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-44730098010190705372010-01-14T14:33:00.000-05:002010-01-14T15:57:47.259-05:00

Thank you all so much for your wonderful ideas in response to my previous post!! I want to use each and every one -- the ideas you've given have inspired ideas beyond themselves and I want to incorporate the fresh perspectives you gave me. Truth be told, I'm sure that I will.So without further ado, but with a little drumroll action if you please ...Everyone's names were written on a notecard and

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-76882189777689836002010-01-13T10:03:00.000-05:002010-01-13T10:03:36.437-05:00

Landed @ Sea-Tac Airport12 January 2010Taken with camera phoneGreetings, blogging friends!!James and I arrived home to a wet and windy Seattle yesterday afternoon. I thank you for all your great ideas and suggestions for my self-portrait project and look forward to picking a winner this afternoon.It's back to the grind for me today, but I look forward to sharing more with you about our time in

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-72197942418920146122010-01-07T12:16:00.000-05:002010-01-07T12:41:45.808-05:00

I recently mentioned that sometimes I'm fortunate enough to have a good idea of what I want to accomplish in my daily self-portrait project. But on other days, I come up completely short and start wondering how I might make that day's reflected-in-the-mirror shot of any interest. There are some incredibly creative self-portrait shots out there, and I'm only on Day 105. Translation: I have 260

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-31820076612027155462010-01-06T14:25:00.000-05:002010-01-06T15:00:57.827-05:00

One of the many benefits of participating in the 365-day Self Portrait Project on Flickr is that in addition to having a picture of myself every day for a year, it is an invitation to self-discovery. I'm not just talking about self-discovery from an artistic aspect, though that certainly is a part of it. It's a challenge to take pictures of yourself repeatedly in a way that will keep people

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-66002970313847339472010-01-03T22:20:00.000-05:002010-01-04T17:36:50.749-05:00

You and I all know very well that any tale of our Christmas-time would be incomplete without pictures. Here are a few snapshots of our first Christmas together, and those we spent it with.Before we left for Bellingham, we received a special gift from a special friend. The lovely Christianne sent us this beautiful book with the words she penned just for our wedding day (incidentally, the only time

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-22069775331873120352009-12-31T15:03:00.000-05:002010-01-01T00:59:33.291-05:00

Help me, Rhonda.I do believe my head has detached and is floating somewhere in the thick layer of clouds covering the greater Seattle area.If you've been reading here this week, you know this has been an epic week for me in regards to photography. Something I've been less explicit about is just how much I've been wishing and praying for some clarity about the role of photography in my life. There

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-19004605563885092272009-12-30T11:53:00.000-05:002009-12-30T16:09:07.225-05:00

Every weekday, I wake up at 4:15 to take my temperature and pop a thyroid pill. Generally, I'll snooze a few minutes and push myself out of bed and lumber toward the bathroom. Flicking on the light, I reach for my toothbrush and nine times out of ten, will lament the frizziness of my hair.I boil the water for my coffee in the red tea kettle we received as a wedding gift (which, sadly, doesn't

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-75875087082003855952009-12-29T14:40:00.000-05:002009-12-29T16:55:17.535-05:00

in my heart, i want spider's webs{view on black}{Went on a freezing cold walk the day after Christmas and amongst many other things, was struck by this delicate branch threaded with a spider's web and accented by wee water droplets. I could have stood and contemplated this scene for hours. And hours and hours. It kind of seemed crazy at the time. Even then, I didn't understand why I was so

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-19041722228040592382009-12-28T12:23:00.000-05:002009-12-28T22:20:44.324-05:00

One of my photos made it to Flickr's Explore page!!For those of you scratching your heads and saying, huh?, Flickr Explore is a page of the top 500 interesting photos uploaded to Flickr on a given day. 500 may seem like a huge number, but keep in mind that the number of photos uploaded by Flickr users across the globe numbers an average of 3 million on a daily basis. So to be in the top 500 is

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-9448661570456760702009-12-24T13:13:00.000-05:002009-12-24T14:46:57.918-05:00

Hope and I have a tenuous relationship at best. By definition, it means believing in the good the future holds, in having expectation of good even when the present may come up short in the category of things we call good. And here is one I cannot escape: hope sometimes seems like a denial of the realities of the present.Hope means believing there is light when all around you is dark, and when the

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-27667429783010602752009-12-22T23:49:00.000-05:002009-12-22T23:53:20.388-05:00

ReubenCanon 40DHelp-Portrait 12.20.2009Seattle, WAWhile most of our subjects for the Help Portrait event on 12.20.09 specifically requested their portraits not be shared, Reuben gave his express permission.And I'm so glad he did.One of the few subjects who was unreluctant and natural in front of the camera, it was my honor to take his portrait and to share it with you here. I continue to be

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-9604746307483749402009-12-22T10:20:00.000-05:002009-12-22T10:55:34.923-05:00

Me doing my Help-Portrait thangThe Aloha Inn, Seattle20 December 2009Photo Credit: orionleeThat describes my experience on Sunday at the Help-Portrait event at which I volunteered at The Aloha Inn in Seattle, a transitional housing facility for individuals seeking to make their way out of homelessness. I was totally on board when I heard about Help-Portrait, which I saw as a chance to meld my

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-28027455222923408882009-12-20T02:13:00.000-05:002009-12-20T02:16:17.825-05:00

When getting ready to leave for a Christmas party last night, I suggested to James that I had an accessory that would make me stand out from the crowd and feel extraordinarily special.What do you think -- is this too much??photo by kirsten.michelle

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-89315805319124251552009-12-16T22:16:00.000-05:002009-12-16T22:22:44.318-05:00

It is Advent now: a season of waiting. I imagine Mary, stroking her heavy pregnant belly, wondering exactly what and who it was she would be welcoming. I wonder if the days seemed longer and heavier and darker as the day drew ever nearer. I imagine that there were times it seemed the day would never come. I imagine that she felt the stretch and ache of it all.As I peruse blogs these days, I find

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-11643807250104557692009-12-15T19:08:00.000-05:002009-12-15T19:29:06.502-05:00

You finally break out the PaintShop Pro X2 software that has been sitting on your countertop for over a week, install in on your computer, and start figuring out how to use it. And then you get addicted to it and get almost none of the rest that you need. I've been pouring through my photostream on Flickr and wondering how I could improve upon some of my collection. The photos below are evidence

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1064478678164369045.post-49246995050625239922009-12-10T20:10:00.000-05:002009-12-29T13:36:43.059-05:00

I don't know what it is about Christmas that makes me so excited about all things glittery and shiny. Perhaps the cold freezes the parts of my brain that normally suppress such ecstatic outbursts in response to the sight of anything glittery and brightly colored. But I have to admit, I became positively giddy when decorating the tree with all manner of vibrantly colored, shiny, glittery ornaments

kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09789771023962578029noreply@blogger.com9