Happy Birthday, ZEAL!

ZEAL is turning one year old in September.

I almost can't believe that it's been a year since the launch of this ministry at Miami Baptist Church. It is the first thing that I have been a part of since the beginning. Something I have dedicated myself to, prayed over, been blessed by...

One year ago we set out to create an environment where young adults could feel at home in. We wanted to be relevant...but most importantly, we wanted God to be glorified. That has been our prayer from the start and it continues to be our prayer as we begin this new year of opportunities.

Over the past year we have tried many different things at ZEAL. Some were a huge success...others, not so much. But we always left room to grow and we sure did learn a lot. We are always in the process of seeking what it is that the Lord is trying to achieve through us and I am honored to be a part of a ministry that seeks to honor Him and serve others.

My hope and prayer is that you may find a "home" where you can fellowship with people who care about you and worship a God who loves you. Be it at ZEAL or some place else.

In any case, we will be celebrating ZEAL's very first birthday on Sunday, September 2nd at 7PM! So I REALLY hope that all of you can make it out and bring a friend...bring two friends...maybe even three! This is going to be a very special service and you don't want to miss one second of it. Trust me! So be on time and be ready to celebrate a very special birthday.

120

Last week my grades were FINALLY posted for the senior lab I took over the summer. It was the last five credits I needed to reach that magic number of 120.
I am extremely pleased to report that I got an A-. Yay! I looked up my SASS report and the beautiful phrase at the top of it says, "All Requirements Identified Below Have Been Met." I was so happy and relieved
As for actually receiving my degree...I have to wait a few more weeks. FIU is slow. I should call and make sure everything is okay. Knowing the way FIU operates they're just waiting to screw me over...
Also, there is no ceremony in the summer time. If I want to walk I have to wait until December. Eh. I'll survive just fine without a graduation ceremony. Who needs it?

:-)

Buzz Buzz

I've been slacking in the updating department...many apologies.
Things have just been insanely busy ever since Alex and I got engaged.
:-)
I'm working everyday and it seems that I have something to do everyday after work. Appointments to keep, errands to run, media rooms to clean up (that was the MOST time consuming)...

Last week I got to take a not so relaxing vacation. I went on the ZEAL summer retreat at Ft. Wilderness. I'm not the camping type...but this wasn't SO bad. We got to play games and have interesting conversations. It was nice to be out in the Disney wilderness with my fellow ZEALots. ;-) The best part was swimming in the shark tank at Typhoon Lagoon! The water was freezing! But it felt good in that heat (that's me up there with Kat and Shany at Typhoon Lagoon). I had fun on the camping trip...even with all the mosquito bites and rope burn (due to some rousing games of tug-o-war).

As for the wedding plans...they are progressing nicely! Alex and I have come up with some GREAT ideas for the ceremony to make it interesting and fun...and truly reflective of our personalities. I promise, it won't be your average boring wedding. I have an appointment with the pastor of the church I want the ceremony at on Monday...and I'm going dress shopping on Tuesday...and I'm still researching reception sites. We shall see. I'm starting to get really excited about this wedding business. And I'm training myself not to become a bridezilla. I remind myself that there's really nothing to worry about. God will work everything out the way He sees fit. It also helps that my sister is also engaged and going through all the wedding planning frenzy. The family doesn't need TWO crazy brides. I'll let her get all stressed out and I'll be the calm and relaxed one. :-)

The Blog We've All Been Waiting For...

It happened.

Alex and I are officially engaged to be married.

So here is the story...maybe I won't have to repeat it fifty million times and I can just direct people to my lovely blog so that they can get the scoop.

My buddy, Ali, is a photographer and had expressed an interest to do some portraits of Alex and me. We headed down to Key Biscayne yesterday and went to different locations to take the photos. We ended up at the Lighthouse (El Farito for all the native Miamians)...however, we encountered a bit of a problem. It was closed. There happened to be a wedding going on. That didn't stop us. We have a rebellious streak. We jumped the fence and commenced with the picture taking. We found a nice spot with the lighthouse in the background, right next to the ocean. As luck would have it, the security lady found us and asked us what we were doing there and how we managed to get in. We muttered some excuses but she said we had to leave. Alex pleaded with the woman to let us take just two more photos. She reluctantly agreed.

This is when I noticed Alex fumbling with something in his pocket...I wondered what he was doing but didn't say anything. I was thinking, "He better stop messing around, we need to take these pictures and get the heck out of here!"
And then he looks at me and says, "Before we get kicked out..." (gets on one knee) "Will you marry me?"

Hugs and kisses were exchanged and I managed to let out an, "okay" as Ali snapped a bunch of pictures all around us.

Then we got kicked out.

Anyone who knows us, knows that this is the perfect Alex and Kristel engagement story. :-)

Photos of the proposal will most likely be posted up on myspace soon! So keep checking back.

Restless

I am so done with summer vacation. I'm ready to be busy again. Lucky for me I start working again tomorrow.
I work at one of those Montessori pre-schools. The girl in the picture is one of the students.
I never liked kids before. I think they sensed that I didn't like them and so they didn't like me either.
However I some how ended up in the pre-school world and I have to admit that I love it. Kids are very interesting. I enjoy talking to them and being silly with them. Unfortunately the kids won't be there when I go to work tomorrow. It's just a teacher work day. The kids start on Monday and I'm excited for the new year.
Mostly I'm excited that I'm going to have something to do all day! I've enjoyed having this time off though. I know that soon I will be very very busy, and the Lord just gave me this summer to relax and be stress-free.
And now we move forward with the craziness of a new school year!...

One Day Vacation

Summer is a weird time. It's different from every other time of the year.
A lot of people Alex and I usually hang out with are out of town...this week especially. And with both of us being off from work we decided that we were going to be "out of town" as well. We're both usually pretty busy (Alex especially), so we thought it would be nice to take a break from it all.
We decided to take a one day vacation on Thursday...many people fail to realize the importance of taking vacations. Even the good Lord himself rested on the seventh day. We get worn out and caught up in all the responsibilities of life. We are constantly working or doing SOMETHING. However, rest is something that the body craves...something that the body needs to stay healthy. Just don't get it confused with laziness.

One of our friends who is out of town lives on a lake. He gave Alex the keys to his place before leaving and said we were welcome any time, so long as we took the trash out. We spent the day swimming, paddle boating, taking pictures, and watching 'Goodfellas' on AMC. It was really a great day. I feel like my summer is complete and when I start working again next week I will be refreshed.

I hope you all have had fantastic summers as well. And don't forget, no matter how crazy things get, just take a day to rest...put your mind at ease...and relax. God said so.

Tons O' Fun

I've been taking photographs pretty much everyday. I try not to go anywhere without my camera...you never know when a photo op will come up.
I've also been scheduling photo shoots with different friends...and I've been having a blast. Doing photo shoots is such a great way to connect with people. You really get to relax and talk and just...be creative. I hope that many more of you will allow me the privilege of taking your photo.

This is my last week of summer vacation...I have to enjoy it for all it's worth. I start work again on August 1st. I'm looking forward to going back. I miss those kids like crazy. I never would have thought that I would actually enjoy working with children...but the little rugrats got to me. This also means I'll be a college graduate in three weeks! The last official day of school is August 8th. You have no idea the excitement that is bubbling inside of me. I'll be celebrating my commencement by going on the ZEAL summer retreat. I'm looking forward to luxury camping...mostly because it's the only type of camping I'm willing to participate in.

Here are a couple photos...comments? You can view more here.

See Ya At The Blog Party...

Heredes is throwing a Blog Party today.
He's giving away a buncha neat prizes...I heard one of 'em was a free photo shoot by an up and coming duo!...
Check out his blog all day today for details.

Don't forget your party hats!

Air-Uh-Des.

Glowing Light Studios!

I took my very first photography class when I was about 14 years old. I loved it...but I dropped it (I was very much a quitter back in the day...I won't even BEGIN to list all the activities I've quit over the years...it's long).
Last year I decided to go ahead and take a B/W photo class at FIU. I had a blast! I loved shooting with my dad's old Olympus and developing my own film and printing my own prints!... It was great.
Since then I have been shooting different things here and there. I really love portraits...but I'll take a photo of anything that inspires me.

So one day I was just sitting around and I said to myself, "Self, you should try and start your own photography business." I booked my first gig (alright...so it was for my sister...it still counts!), bought a sweet new camera, and partnered up with a really hot guy. ;-)

Alex and I have started Glowing Light Studios. It's small...and I'm really not sure of the direction of this whole thing...but it's something fun and creative that we can do together. And hopefully we'll make a little extra cash on the side. I want to take portraits for anyone that might need them (engagement, wedding, graduation, band, etc)...and maybe sell a few prints. Alex's role is 'graphic designer.' He does it all. :-) He's very talented.

We bought a domain (www.glowinglightstudios.com) but have yet to actually build a web site...I'll keep you posted.
In the mean time, you can check us out on myspace. Add us as a friend and help spread the word!

I'm really excited. I don't know what's going to come out of it...but it's all in God's hands. I hope you guys like the photos. I only have a few posted up. I have some more on my deviant account. And Alex has some of his work posted up on his website.

Again, feedback is always welcome! (but be nice)

Silly Grudges

I'll admit it...no one can hold a grudge like I can!
Afterall, I AM a woman.

Oh, I'll forgive you if you do something shady...but chances are my view of you will always be a little skewed. Unless of course you do something that can regain my trust.

Lately I've been realizing how silly all of this really is. How many times have I wronged someone in the past? How many times have I committed atrocious acts that I would NEVER want to be remembered for? People make mistakes all the time...it shouldn't always be held against them...am I right?

Furthermore, that person that you might be holding a grudge against is a person that God loves. A person that God thinks the world of. God commands us to love one another.
What does that really mean? I know it is extremely unlikely that every single person you come across will be your best friend and you'll get along perfectly well. That's just not realistic. People will get on your nerves...make you angry...annoy you. However, we must still love them. I guess that means we should treat each other with dignity and respect.

There's a chapter in "Blue Like Jazz" (by Donald Miller) that talks about this subject. Miller says that there was a guy in his life who he really could not stand. He says that he "withheld love" from this guy. Miller realized that by withholding love from this person he was actually disobeying God...and that's never good.

I realize it is hard to love people that you are not particularly fond of. I realize it is even harder to love people that have hurt you in the past. But I have come to realize that I am no better...and that I am commanded to love...and love unconditionally.

So I just want you to know that I love you. :-) Not in that mushy way...haha...just in that godly way... And if I don't love you...I'm working on it. ;-)

The Police!

What can I say except that, it was amazing!
Oh...wait...there is one more thing...some guy spilled a plateful of ketchup all over me in the middle of Maroon 5's set.
Yup...

It looks much worse in person...

Other than that...it was great! We were so high up that we had to use these:

It was worth it. :-)






"Rooooxanne!"

Blast from the Past

I received a letter in the mail today.
It's always exciting when you receive a REAL letter. Not credit cards bills or junk mail...but a real letter.

There was no return address on the envelope. I stared at the handwriting with my name and address thinking it looked very familiar. And then it hit me...that's MY handwriting! When had I written a letter to myself and mailed it???

I tore open the envelope to reveal its contents...indeed it was a letter I had written myself...and it all came back to me.
In my senior year of high school, my english teacher had all of us write letters to ourselves so that he could mail them to us four years later. I realize this all sounds very cheesy, but this teacher was a very special part of my high school education...and well, this was one of those things that made him special (and cheesy).

I nearly gagged at everything I wrote. Was this me? Did I really think these things? Did I really write these things down?? It's amazing how you think you have everything figured out when you graduate high school...only to find out four years later that you didn't know a single thing...and you still don't. The only constant in my life has been God. He has always been there...even when I was confused about Him or irritated with Him or just plain ignoring Him.

On the back of the letter, my teacher wrote me a little note. All kind and encouraging words...and he expressed a desire to also have a stronger relationship with the Lord. I think that would be really great. :)


high school graduation:

the most fun a girl can have

Let me just say...that I love my new camera.
And I love my friends and family for being so tolerant to a camera constantly in their faces. :-)
I am really excited about getting better at photography and everyone is being very encouraging...which I appreciate a lot.
I even got quite a few responses to the bulletin I posted on myspace asking for models! If you're interesting in getting your picture taken, you know who to call...

Friday night we had a bachelorette party for Cassie. The games were...interesting...and the food was phenomenal! Tati and Mailin did a good job putting everything together. Later that night we had "girls night" (plus Alex) at Lauren's house. We had a rousing game of Catch Phrase (my new FAVORITE game) and Turkey Bowling (that is correct...Turkey Bowling). If you want to know more about that read Lauren's Blog.

Saturday we watched Cassie and Carlos tie the knot. Sweet little ceremony. And then off to California Pizza Kitchen on Miracle Mile. Very good food. I suggest trying it out if you haven't. Alex and I headed up to South Beach after that...which is where we met this interesting character:

I bet you're jealous.

Today Anne Marie graced us with her cooking skills once again... Thanks Anne Marie! Pasta...salad...garlic bread... That girl is just too good to us.

A group of us from church went to downtown again to feed the homeless. My group this time consisted of Alex, Rey, Lauren, and Luis.
Luis, as it turns out, just got off the streets himself two months ago. Listening to him tell us about life being homeless was powerful. I couldn't believe this man's story. It's by the grace of God that he is now off the streets...but it's a daily struggle. He's been through a lot and he's still going through it. Hopefully his story will have an impact on others and give other homeless people some kind of hope to hold on to.

Oh, and if you didn't catch any of the Live Earth concerts, it was pretty sweet! When Bon Jovi hit the stage something inside me just couldn't be contained.

I was obviously a very happy girl.
It's my understanding that they're playing it on MSN. Check it out.

My First Love

When I was younger, I wanted to be a writer. I suppose it's one of those things I inherited from my dad.
I have boxes full of journals filled with all my ramblings. I wrote short stories on pieces of construction paper with my own illustrations. I even wrote a few full-length novels in middle school (which I would NEVER share with anyone now).

In recent years I have not made writing a major priority of mine. I started college and began to focus on psychology. Writing research papers is very different than writing from a creative standpoint. I kind of lost sight of this favorite passtime of mine and spent my time discovering new interests.

I think my dad was somewhat puzzled by the fact that I seemed to have dropped writing so suddenly, because he even spoke to Alex about it. This in turn caused Alex to start encouraging me to write more. So after much prodding from many different sources (yes, including you, Anne Marie), I am finally blogging.

I have had this blogger account since 2005...but never got around to filling it with anything. Besides, I blogged on myspace...so what did I need blogger for??? However, as I mentioned before, I have succumbed to peer pressure. I am a "blogger."

Should we celebrate?