Tuesday, April 19, 2011

sunshiney days, how I love you.


I hadn't pulled out my camera in several days, due to very troublesome rain, rain, and more rain, which was making me go through withdrawal.


So when God gave us an absolutely stunning Sunday, I grabbed my camera and Hadley after the church meal and got me some serious therapy. 


Hadley is a photographer herself, and so there is a terrible lack of pictures of her beautiful face. This is a crying shame in need of remedy, especially since her hair looked so amazing on Sunday.



Every Sunday on our way to and from church, we go past this amazing driveway lined with flowering trees. At springtime, every week when we go past it, we crane our  necks to see the absolutely amazing beauty of all those trees bursting with blooms, all in a row.


And this Sunday, I got to photograph it, for the first time ever.


I thought I was done with blossom photos for the year, since our trees have morphed from fluffy pink clouds to shiny red-leafed trees. Or as Hadley  puts it, "they aren't cherry trees anymore!"


This, I think, is truly the last of them. 


Meet my sister Bethany. This is the one who never lets me take her picture...and when I do, makes the most colossally disturbing and impossible faces ever.


I told her to find her happy place. "Think about Dietrich Bonhoeffer!" (she loves him majorly).
And then, she did smile. But... yeah. Kinda creepy.



I don't know if I can manage without these for a whole year. sigh.




In an attempt to make me stop taking pictures of her, Bethany commandeered my camera.



Yesterday was Bethany's birthday. She turned twenty. There's a million things I could say about her... I could write a book about her crazy idiosyncrasies,  how our personalities are about as opposite as you can get, her mad writing skills, and her absolute devotion to Jesus Christ.

an example of our opposite personalities: I just wanted to die and go to heaven in those pink trees, and Bethany was happier when she found the one with whom she said she had more in common--the dead, black tree stump.

About our eerie telepathic moments, her explanations of complicated concepts and confusing movie plots. And our late, late, late night talks, when I tell her everything, even when I didn't plan on it.

Maybe I'll write that book someday.


But today. all I want to say is: Happy birthday, beautiful and brilliant sister. My life would stink without you. 



And in the words of Christopher Robin:
"If there ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together...there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

39 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos. And your friends & siblings all seem so happy to be in front of the camera, whichis lucky!

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  2. These are beautiful photos! The one of the blossoms on the ground and the closeup of the blossoms are both breathtakingly lovely shots! Thanks for sharing these with us! I'm also going into camera withdrawals because its been raining, hailing, and even snowing where I live. Nice to know its spring somewhere else. :P

    Blessings,
    ~ Liz

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  3. Lovely pictures, girlfriend!! I saw quite a few of them on FB, already. "B" CRACKS me up!!! :D haha

    *HUGS*

    PS: We need to do a photoshoot SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  4. What lovely photos!! Cherry blossoms are my absolute fav!! Hadley and Bethany are gorgeous!! Horray for sunshiney days!!
    -Jocee <3
    P.S. I agree with Raquel. Photoshoots are awesome, we should totally do one sometime, if we're ever in the same state ;)

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  5. Love, love, love the cherry tree pictures!!! And the pictures of you girls...ya'll are so very pretty!! Your skirt=amazing! And those shoes...omg! Too cute! Love this post!

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  6. Beautiful photos! I really wish we had some of those trees by me...;) and also wish I had an older sister...I do have an older brother but it's not same I think...:D
    have a great day!
    love.sarahlynn

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  7. You have the most beautiful pure heart. Your posts overflow with such love for others, such humble appreciation for the beauty and goodness in others, and in God's creation. You seem like such a dear, good, kind person: like a gentle spring breeze wafting through a cloud of cherry blossoms.

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  8. These are absolutely beautiful photos! Oh how I wish I were in that spot - the trees are wonderful!

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  9. Oh, Hadley, never ever in a million years think you are not beautiful, because frankly my dear.....you are
    : )

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  10. Bethany is pretty awesome, I agree. :)

    Love the blossom bokeh! Annd the pictures of Hadley, who is also awesome. :)

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  11. Bea-u-ti-ful........! LOVE flowering trees like that. :)

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  12. I am so incredibly jealous! You drive through that every Sunday???

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  13. I love your post! Your photos are amazing & I enjoyed reading your post. :)

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  14. "Think about Dietrich Bonhoeffer"? Oh my goodness, that made my day! =)

    Happy Birthday to your sister!

    Those flowers are gorgeous, I just love spring.

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  15. Such gorgeous pictures!!!! I am in love with cherry blossoms and smile every time I see them driving somewhere!

    And what a sweet birthday tribute to your sister. :) I have one of those myself-telepathic, crazy, late-night talks/giggles, total opposite personalities...she and I joke all the time, "If only our walls could talk!" LOL

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  16. Those flowers are breathtaking! You are awesome with the camera! Cute blog!

    Hilary
    theyoungandthenaive.blogspot.com

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  17. Happy Birthday, Bethany!!!!
    The blossoms are beautiful.
    ~MJA

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  18. Happy Birthday Bethany!!

    Those trees are breathtaking!

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  19. GORGEOUS, Lovely, Beautiful Pictures!
    Love all of these.....great job (both of you)!
    Very talented!

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  20. Oh Bethany. I love you and your incredible faces. Seriously, the first one of her is the best thing EVER. Makes me laugh every time.

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  21. These photos are absolutely sickeningly beautiful :)) they brightened up my day :)

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  22. You girls are so lovely :)

    Great post--- and happy birthday Bethany! :D Give the camera that gorgeous smile a little more often! :P

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  23. Your sister is beautiful! And so are these photos! :)

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  24. Wow these pictures are really good!! You do a great job!
    ~Eden

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  25. You have such breathtaking, beautiful, fantastic scenery which were captured with amazing photography! And such lovely ladies too! :)

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  26. STUNNING!!!! What kind of camera do you have?
    btw, LOVE your blog!!!!

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  27. I super love the photos. Cherry blossoms are really pretty, I wish I had one in the backyard.

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  28. your blog is so so so cute, I read the things you love at the side, and I had to follow! :)

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  29. I could melt in those trees... the stump? I could sit on it. I can't say anything more :-)

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  30. You are a great photographer! Hadley and Bethany are so pretty! I totally agree. Those trees are indescribably beautiful.

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