Life in Photos

Feeling small and far away (August Photo Challenge: Day 3)

It was too much, yesterday, this sense of being so far away. I went out with Aveline, out to air-conditioned shops and pushed her around in her stroller while I looked at pretty things. And everywhere I walked, I saw friends shopping and laughing together. And I walked around, alone.

I felt small and very far away from home.

Later that night, I cried. I try not to, I really do. But sometimes, when everyone you know is either 46 hours to the west or 25 hours to the north, you just can’t help feeling a little sad.

Friendship - August Photo Challenge - the August Break - Day 3 - empty wooden chair with white cushion in corner near window with white curtains

Image: Day Three (Friendship) of the August Photo Challenge.

Life in Photos

Staying Cool in the Heat (August Photo Challenge: Day 2)

Aveline knows there’s no better way to beat the heat than with a midday siesta. While the noon sun burns hot, wilting the leaves and muting the birds’ song, she snoozes away in her bright little diaper.

Her days are spent mostly shirtless, at least while we’re indoors. When we go out,she wears a cotton hat and a sundress, and sometimes a pair of shoes from her adorable collection of mary janes.

Once papa gets home, she’ll beg him for a sip of ice water. He can’t ever resist, and lets her wet lips slobber all over the rim of his glass. I love the tiny slurping sound she makes as she gulps down little mouthfuls of water.

It doesn’t cool down at night, here. When it’s dark, the wispy hair around her ears will still be damp from sweat, and she’ll fall asleep again sprawled out atop her blankets.

Aveline in orange FuzziBunz diaper, sleeping in green IKEA Somnat crib - Staying Cool - August Photo Challenge - Day 2 - The August Break

Image: Day Two (Staying Cool) of the August Photo Challenge.

Life in Photos, Poetry & Words

God led us to this oasis (August Photo Challenge: Day 1)

It’s AUGUST. I don’t know how something like that could have happened. Funny, the chatter today about Fall being just around the corner. It sure doesn’t feel that way here. The crickets’ dusk song hasn’t slowed; one chirp blends into the next with scarcely any time at all elapsed in between. The humid air is thick and unforgiving, holding up so much water it’s a wonder the clouds don’t come crashing down around our feet. My toenails are brightly painted orange – neon, not autumnal; more like sherbet than like maple leaves. The inside of the car is scorching, and the seats burn our summer legs as we climb in.

This is not the crunchy and dry California summer. This is not the verdant green, sweatshirt-clad Midwest summer. But this is our summer. Our summer, and we are peaceful. God led us to this oasis, this palm-tree laden land where our table is filled with food, where the pool is clean and refreshing and ours to enjoy, where the row of windows in the living room look out over roads and into the sky, and not into other windows.

Sometimes, it’s hard to see that this is an oasis. Our families are thousands of miles away. I do not have friends here to laugh with, friends to share a summer afternoon with. I get lost trying to find simple places like the post office. The street signs are all unfamiliar. It is hard, sometimes. Hard to be so far away from what used to be home.

But mostly, somehow, I am peaceful.

God saw what was going on with Israel. God understood. (Exodus 2:25 MSG)

Self portrait - leather couch, sheepskin, sitting on floor - Photo a Day - August Photo Challenge

Image: Day One (Self Portrait) of the August Photo Challenge.

Life in Photos

Guacamole, anyone?

I keep looking at this avocado we bought at the Farmer’s Market yesterday. I can’t help it. It’s the biggest avocado I’ve ever seen in my life! Maybe this is old hat to Floridians, but in all my trips to good ol’ Denios in California, I’ve never encountered an avocado of such Biblical proportions. I felt a little like Caleb and Joshua, coming back from Canaan with those ginormous grapes.

I can already taste it with a little bit of tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, lime & sea salt. YUM.

Gina and Aveline with Florida avocado

Florida avocado size compared to hand

Life in Photos

A Photo a Day in August – Monthly Photo Challenge

[UPDATE: Many of you have found this page through Googling “photo a day August” — my guess is you’re likely either looking for Fat Mum Slim’s Photo a Day August 2013 or Susannah Conway’s August Break 2013. :)]

So, who’s going to join me in taking a photograph each day during the month of August? I had so much fun earlier this summer during the June Photo Challenge — although I disappeared to visit my family part-way through the month and didn’t complete the list. This time, I want to stick to it, rain or shine. (We get a lot of both here in Florida).

The Monthly Photo Challenge’s facebook page will be the central hub for August’s event, so be sure to hop on over to get in on the action, or check out the list of topics here. And, if you’ll be sharing your photos on Twitter, use the hashtag #augustphoto.

Close up photo of baby girl sleeping on blue and white stars crib sheet - cute chubby baby cheeks and cherub lips

Life in Photos, Little Style

My Friday Afternoon Wish List

My Friday afternoon wish list? It isn’t lengthy or elaborate. It contains precisely one item, which, if you replaced Aveline with me and replaced the crib with my bed, it would look exactly like this:

Six month old baby Aveline sleeping peacefully in crib, holding baby blanket, wearing Trumpette socks

Six month old baby Aveline sleeping peacefully in crib, holding baby blanket

Baby's arm holding baby blanket

Six month old baby Aveline sleeping peacefully in crib, holding baby blanket, wearing Trumpette socks

Baby sleeping in crib wearing Bummi cloth diaper cover and Trumpette socks

Of course, I didn’t sleep while Aveline napped. Oh, nooo. I ran around the house with cleaning supplies, scrubbing faucets and sinks instead.

Sigh.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Life in Photos, Little Style

Your Summer Photo Favorites!

When I put out the call for your favorite summer photos, fellow Floridian Drea of Ohdeardrea sent me these absolutely gorgeous shots. (They were actually taken in winter, but shhhh…don’t tell. It’ll be our secret.)

Ohdeardrea - Summer Photo Favorite - Marlowe and Drea at Beach

Ohdeardrea - Summer Photo Favorite - Marlowe on beach

Now how absurdly cute are Emma and Spencer? Their dad, Aaron Klein, is always tweeting the adorable things these two say. I especially love what Aaron writes about orphan care and adoption.

Aaron Klein - Favorite Summer Photo - http://www.aaronklein.com/

And finally, my coffee-drinking pal Dina sent me this shot of her fiancé, saying, “My sweet man can sleep anywhere, as well as multitask; slumber whilst petting the pooch.” She doesn’t have a blog, but she is planning a wedding and curating her (stunning!) wedding inspiration over on Pinterest.
Dina Kader - Favorite Summer Photo