4:30 am wake-up
chatting it up with Felipe while waiting in the cold (for me- you know I'm a lightweight when it comes to anything below 80)
warning fireworks?
a shot of Juarez while I was at it (a bit to the left)...they were watching too.
and most of our watch party- on top of the EL Paso Rescue Mission. Thank you, Blake!
Have a great weekend...love, sara
OH, And, as always, you can click on the photo to see the large version!
I had the pleasure of working with DataXport while we were still in El Paso (actually still editing a few of the photos I took the week we moved), and thought I'd post a bit of the commercial photography I've done for them part time since November (you may have seen some of it if you checked out their website [ www.dataxport.net ] once it was pretty much reworked).
This is mama Beatriz, kinda because she reminds me of my own mother in so many ways, and partially because even if she didn't she's got maternal down. I really enjoyed sharing her office with her when I made office visits. You may remember the photos of her daughters a couple of months back (amazing kids).
This is Emma, my lunch buddy. Lunch isn't the same at all without you. Jorge, Beatriz' husband, is above. He's pretty fab too (but eats lunch Way too late for me).
This I took right after the bar exam (the last day & last section)...or really during it- while everyone else was still writing fantastic essays, I was taking the 45mm perspective for a walk. That's why I thought I failed. I didn't have anything else to write about whatever it was re:Texas law I was supposed to be writing & left half way (not exagerating) through the alloted three hour session (leaving behind the shortest ever essays in bar exam history). Before anyone else. I'm pretty sure the proctors, as I was walking out, gave me an "I'm so sorry you've failed look" for leaving that early. But, I figured, no sense in sitting around (in a windowless room with frantic scribblers) torturing myself- I had my camera with me.
That's not all, but I think 13's a lucky number on which to end. Baby update: still hanging in there- I'll hit 13 weeks on Thursday & the nausea isn't so vicious these days...still a bit of a vegetarian (as in I can eat a little meat before the thought of more repulses me). House update: still homeless & I shouldn't write that since we are blessed enough to have family to live with while the hunt continues and continues. I really am ready to settle & so I try to counter that by counting blessings because we are definitely blessed. So far we've put an offer in on one house (Thursday night) but the seller's agent won't respond to calls. The only other option is really too small, even if it is gorgeous. If this keeps up (as in no suitable home in our price range listed by a Professional agent hits the market), we'll be Chris Farley & the Rogers St. house will be our little coat. The guest room would have to be a sleeper couch in the living room.
Mostly, I'm impatient because the boys & I drive A Lot with all this back & forth to Waxahachie. I feel like that mom who locks the kid(s) in the dark closet for long periods of time. Only I lock them in their booster seats & I'm in there with them & it may or may not be dark. ...and it costs me $10 an hour. That's about all that's going on these days- next post up: wedding photos :)! Hope your respective summers are going well. Love, Sara
You already know that Chris is working his new job in Waxahachie (and loving it), that we're most likely driving out of El Paso tomorrow as soon as the movers have loaded all & I've cleaned all...But you might not know that I'm ten weeks pregnant (at least I'll be that far along tomorrow) -and can't stand meat & could live off mashed potatoes & white gravy. So, for the last two & a half years, whenever a pregnant woman complained about her nausea, I would think to myself that she ought to suck it up- at least she's pregnant. Kharma or just life has put me in my place. I want to love the nausea because it means I'm finally & still pregnant. Oh, but it's hard. I can do that with heat, you know. I hate winter so much, that no matter how hot it is (ok, almost no matter), I won't complain. Not with the nausea. And why is this inch long fetus a vegetarian (+ moving means fast food & fast food is all about the meat)?
I'm also a little more padded than I've ever been at this stage & not taking it well. Half marathon late next spring, anyone?
This afternoon, I got to hear his or her heartbeat again- reassuring after the miscarriages. If he or she does arrive in December (27th ish) as hoped, we'll have waited for her (I'm going with her, but we'll see) for three long years (longer if you count that whole waiting until I was far enough through law school time). We had finally decided that the two boy family was just right & that we'd go all selfish in about twelve years when they were off on their own, & then the big surprise. The biggest surprise was that she's stuck around. Every little this or that had me worried at first & I was extra worried about two weeks ago, but I've settled into a good place. I mean, I know we're not out of the woods, but as parents, we never really are.
Back to that girl v. boy thing. I really thought I wanted a girl to round out this all dude but me family, but when I realized that was an actual possibility, I wondered what I'd been thinking. Really, there's hair brushing involved in girl-rearing. And the clothes: I thought I wanted to buy girl clothes, but after a trip to the mall (not baby shopping), I was kinda left thinking that they all seemed a bit on the gaudy side. These aren't actual problems- I'm just filling you in on how ridiculous I am these days (or maybe all days). The other girl/boy thing is the name (again, I think dreaming has a place even when things aren't certain). There's a boy name to which Chris is attached & a girl name to which I'm attached & so we struck a deal. Boy gets his name & girl gets mine.
That out of the way, I really can't imagine leaving all these people here in El Paso behind. Everyone at work, at the boys' school, our neighbors, the photography community, and Army friends really have me wishing that El Paso was a whole, whole lot closer to DFW. It's hard to believe that in just eleven months we met so many amazing people who really have shaped the me who's leaving (whether professionally or spiritually). Except for Kansas (where we had five years to make life friends), I've never been so impacted by a community. As if I weren't feeling the love enough already, so many people stepped up to help me (multiple times each in some cases) and came around to say goodbye this last week. Thank you all & I am going to miss you more than you might realize. I never thought I'd write this (because I really hate the sand), but I love you El Paso- and that includes all of you here against your will too :). -sara
This post is all about the music. Meet Sweet Baby James (I don't think I'll ever grow out of my James Taylor phase)...yep, I want to put him in my pocket & take him everywhere I go (Willie Nelson's Everywhere I Go- not growing out of that phase either). And, his dad, John, looks like Sting with more hair. Chris called that one.
This shoot taught me something else, too--or confirmed my theory-- that mountain photos and vivid color do not mix. Only muted clothes for mountain shoots from now on. I wanted to try a table & chairs planted in the mountain landscape & None of those photos worked because the table was turquoise--too loud. So, John, all the furniture hauling was for naught.
And, um, if you ever need a date night C & J, the offer has officially been extended. Oh, and Happy Birthday little man! love, sara
Aren't they the prettiest? They're the smartest too. There may have been re-enactments stright out of British comedy shows & Taledega Nights. I will be incredibly proud (not in the haughty sense) if my two turn out half this amazing. Oh, we capped off the shoot with frozen yogurt--I kinda want some now. Have a great week, Sara
Mostly I like this photo because I took it on a cold weekend morning outing with Auden (otherwise, it really isn't all that spectacular- I just miss blogging). I wish I could take him (and the camera) out for a downtown walk tomorrow...only it's nose in the books for me (catching up for those nine days Chris was gone- good to have him back). On that note, back to it! Have a great weekend, Sara
This hotel in Brownwood has been empty for as long as I can remember, and I've loved it for that long too. How amazing would it be to make it perfect again? ...except that it's in Brownwood.
Perfect for the kitchen? Sierra Blanca, TX.
Brownwood, Tx. Looks kind of silly small. Click for a larger version if you like.
My hotel again.
Sierra Blanca. Sometimes, in buildings like these, I'm afraid I'll run into an illegal immigrant taking shelter after just having crossed the desert border...hasn't happened yet, but if it does, I just hope he or she lets me take a photo (and that I don't pee myself).
Another kitchen print? Sierra Blanca, Tx.
Sierra Blanca. If bottles & signs aren't exciting enough for you: there's a border checkpoint right at Sierra Blanca on I-10 & just over a year ago, agents found a little weed on Willie Nelson's bus (I'm sure they were shocked). As Willie says, "Tax it, regulate it and legalize it...And stop the border wars over drugs….Thousands of lives will be saved." Agreed. (p.s. Nellie the dog is really, as Matti sometimes calls her, Willie Nelson Rogness).
Yep, that is a tree growing out of a building and I was standing when I took the photo. Brownwood again.
These (above & below) are both Sierra Blanca. Chris loves that I make him stop on long trips to take photos of oddities. In my defense, I really hate stopping when I'm on a road trip so I have to be super compelled to pull over.
By the way, Congratulations to Diantha- baby Bryce was born Saturday, which means baby photos next post!
