My Year in Review | Photos and Words

January

counsins / brothers / winter cooking / basketball watching

February

babysitting / valentines / sledding with friends / hair feather/ watching friends in sports / brother signing

March

awkward cousin photoshoots / National Lutheran Schools Week / best friend / volleyball team at Dairy Queen / teachers making pancakes for us / roller blading / State wrestling championship (1st place!)

April

confirmation / track meets / best friend / last school band concert / last school volleyball game

May

track meet / baseball games / Festival of Nations / annual lock-in / prom / last choir concert / 8th grade field trip / volunteering at Camp

June

Zach's graduation / my graduation / my mom's graduation / salutatorian speech / first Twins game at the new field / goodbye parties for friends

July

campfires / fish / lake / wedding / first phone / 4th of July / fireworks / brothers / trips

August

state fair working / county fair ribbon-winning / flower picture-taking / bird watching / babysitting

September

birthdays / adventure seeking / cousin time at the lake / dog-loving / portfolio building / football games / 1st day of school / first pepfest / Girls of Grace concert

October

volleyball / cousin's confirmation / brother's playoff game / adventures with the cousins / early Christmas / Fields of Faith / half marathon watching

November

Grand Marais / youth group trip / Gooseberry Falls / Thanksgiving / Student Council lock-in / my birthday

December

snow fall picture / band gift exchange / church youth directors / my old school's Christmas concert / best friend / siblings / winter pepfest / new mascot / aunts / extended family / cousin with our friend's baby

Just Another Day Fishing

 Multiple times during the summer, my family and I would travel up north a few hours and spend the weekend with my grandparents. Ever since we were young, we'd go "fishing with Grandpa."

 After my grandpa had two strokes and a heart surgery in this past year, we often wonder how much longer they will keep their lake home. They only live there half the year, so it isn't used year-round in the first place. We are praying that God will guide them to make the right decision.

Fishing isn't my most favorite thing to do in the world, but I do enjoy it every so often. That feeling you get when you catch a "keeper" just makes your day. In a way, we are like God's keepers. He is keeping us and using us to make a difference in the world. We can't just sit there on the dock and do nothing, we must move and make a difference to survive by hopping in the water. So will you go out today and make a difference?

Before and After Edit

/\Before

/\After

Yes, I know my arrows stink...

/\Cloned objects/Edits

 I recently learned how to clone by the lovely Miss Emily Sacra and I was so happy and proud of how I edited the photo above. All of those distracting wires, boat covers, and houses were definitely catching my attention and they needed to be removed. Yes, maybe my cloning looks bad, but for the first time, I think I did a pretty good job! :)