Year in a Color Film: 28 Exposures

The Journey of 2010

I can't believe another year of life has come and gone. In light of new births and sickness it is clear that each moment should be treasured.

This is a photo journey of my year.

Cheers to twenty-ten!

January started the year off right. I went back to CBU for the Spring semester of my Junior year. I had the privilege of continuing to eat dinner with some awesome homeless friends every week (including my dear friend Cosmo, photo below).

In February, I got a new camera from Michael Ring and went a little photo crazy (I have many pictures of many things).

I celebrated the birthdays of two of my most beloved people:

my mom and my uncle.

March brought my 21st birthday (where I partied like a rockstar in the Knotts Berry Farm Hotel with my family and dear friends). This month also marks the beginning of Los Angeles Adventures- aka L.A.dventure- with Kevin and Sara!!!

In April, we gave CBU the fiesta they were hoping for at the student leadership banquet... and L.A.dventure continued (with Luis joining) at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the La Brea Tar Pits :)

Oh yea, and I went a little loco during Finals week

(and started dancing around like happy feet in my apartment)

I watched my roommates (and many other friends) graduate in May

and then had the journey of my life in Uganda for three weeks!

All I really remember from June is being very sick...

but I spent my days with Kiley :)

July:

Kevin turns 22!

Family reunion with dad's side of the fam.

Lauren and Isaac get engaged at the Baby Shower for Elias!

In August, Jenna Fawcett becomes Jenna Rainey

and also the first friend of our group to get hitched.

I have my first "paid gig" for taking pictures at

Brittany Johnson's Baby Shower!

Elias is the star of September, being born on the 12th

(and changing our lives forever).

I also start my SENIOR year of college with some new lovely roommates!

October was full of school and work (two part time jobs at school)

but in the meantime I work diligently on my Postage Stamp collection :)

In November it became very clear to me that I have a very dear new friend in Lauren Spencer.

I become a Bridesmaid (for the first time!)

and a Godmother to Elias in one day.

December has been a busy month with finals and family circumstances.

I am learning just how sufficient and amazing my Lord is.

I also started a business with my roommate J Tracy called

Trademark Pages.

I felt old as I watched my best friend graduate from college.

I am overwhelmed thinking about all that has happened this year... but mostly I just can't believe how fast it went by! Everyone tells me that the years only go faster as you get older and I really felt that this year.

I am thankful to every friend and family member that influenced me and encouraged me this year. Life would not be the same without you.

Can't wait to see what next year holds!

Trademark Pages

Jessica Tracy and I are proud to present the "Grand Opening" of our new business.....

"Trademark Pages"

is our craft company that

produces original one of a kind books on canvas!

Below are some examples of the types of work we do.

If you would like to place an order please email:

trademarkpages@yahoo.com

Prices are generally set at:

-8x10 Canvas $15.00

-11x14 Canvas $20.00

-Picture Frame $5.00

-Journal $5.00

-add up to $10.00 for personalization to any project

Trademark Pages make the PERFECT Christmas gift... with a personal touch!

Customize with your favorite colors.

Jane Austin Books (including Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park,

Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, and more)

Canvases in various shapes and sizes.

Sherlock Holmes for the fellas.

More Jane Austin

More Sherlock Holmes

We also create the perfect touch to any kids room with our

Children's Collection

(Snow White, Peter Pan, Tom Sawyer, Mr. Popper's Penguins,

A Kiss for Little Bear, and more).

Button colors, quotes, and the color painted on the side

can all be personalized!

The perfect gift this Holiday Season is a personalized

canvas from

Trademark Pages

Spread the word!!!

A little Pieceo Christmas!

In the midst of studying for Finals, loads of papers to write and other random school craziness, UP312 still knows how to get its fun on every now and then.

Tonight the roomies and I decorated the apartment for Christmas while watching Elf.

The stockings are all hung...

Yea... Pieceo is our tree-topper. Can't top that.

Our precious little Ginger-Bread Village :)

Meg's lovely Santa House

Jessica's "sweet" Bakery

Brady's little Sweet Shop :)

My tiny toy shop.

Fun times.

The Limp

Today I am reflecting on Genesis 32:22-31... Jacob's wrestle with God.

Jacob walked away from the scene with a limp and a new name.

Those who walk deeply with God know the depth of struggle.

There is only so far in a relationship that you can go without a struggle (in both earthly relationships and our relationship to God). Without a struggle, relationships can only go surface deep. Wrestling with God is an intimate and close moment. In the midst of the battle, you see the depth of how God ticks. God won't let you cut and run. You have to engage and ask yourself "Do I believe?" This question is at the core of our 'wrestle' with God.

The beauty is, he will fight for my trust.

Jacob walked away from the fight with a limp and a new name.

God will take our name and contend it with who He is (Jacob became Israel meaning "He strives with God")

Jacob walk changes. He is now marked by a limp. He is marked by crisis. The limp is a reminder of our ability and God's power.

The night before Christ was crucified, he wrestled with God.

Our limp and the hands of Christ are a reminder that God is 100% able in all circumstances.

Today I am reminded that I am powerless, that I walk with a limp, but I am covered by a God who will fight for my trust and my belief.

Learning not to hide "the limp".

Day 10

I am thankful for all the things that are challenging me to look at my faith with Active and open eyes! It is tiring to be constantly struggling through hard questions but SO worth it because God is victorious still.

Day 9

I am thankful that the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been revealed to me. I am thankful for my God and his unending love and kindness that have led me to repentance. I am thankful that I can live by the same power that rose Christ from the dead. I am just overwhelmed with my God today and just how wonderful He is. I love him so much.

Day 6, 7, 8

So I failed over the weekend at keeping up with my Thankfulness.

Day 6: I am SO incredibly thankful for my school (California Baptist University). I am thankful to have an education that is rooted in Biblical truth. I am thankful for a Christian community. I am thankful for my job in the Office of Spiritual Life. Basically, I am so thankful for these past three and a half years and how God has used CBU to help me grow in my faith.

Day 7: I am thankful for the times when God forces me to slow down and just rest. It has been a hard journey learning how to not be so fast paced and crazed all the time, but the result has been wonderful. God is working on giving me that gentle and quiet spirit that our society pushes us farther and farther away from each day. I am thankful that God knows when I need a break.

Day 8: I am thankful for Lauren Spencer. I am so grateful to be one of her Bridesmaids and be a part of her big day. I am thankful for her friendship and all that she has taught me about being a selfless woman as she takes care of Elias. She has grown so much in the past year and it has been a huge blessing to see God working in her life. I just love her and our time that we get to spend together.

(Please excuse my slacker-ness. It will not happen again. Well, actually I can't make any promises)

"Your Christians are so unlike your Christ"

I had an interesting talk with a friend last night. It was helpful to “talk out” so many things that have been on my mind, and yet, it has only led to more thoughts and contemplations. I am not opposed to thinking but I am certainly getting annoyed with thoughts that endlessly circle through my brain with no end in sight.

The conversation was about Christianity and Christians.

The two don’t seem to coincide as nicely as one would like.

Gandhi probably said it best when he stated, “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

Now, when I claim Christ as my savior I am well aware that I will never be just like Christ. It’s something called Imperfection, and I am a walking billboard for it.

People say Christianity is "just a crutch" for the weak... well, i would have to say that Christianity is an entire body stretcher that I, the weakest of all sinners, must rest upon to find salvation in Christ.

The problem lies in the fact that Christians are the some of the gnarliest hypocrites walking around this little planet. I think the hypocrisy comes from the fact that the church is getting so privatized and we are afraid to be REAL with the world around us. We are well aware that we are FAR from perfect, but we are called to be Holy as Christ was Holy. We are called to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. We are claiming some pretty epic things when we claim the name of Christ and we simply can’t live up to them… in our own power.

This little blogger rant could go on and on and on but I will spare everyone from the journey into the depths of my mind and conclude with this:

I am learning to separate my faith in Christ from my faith in Christians. That might sound strange but I can often find myself blaming my lack of faith in certain areas on Christians instead of the true source of my faith, the scriptures and the life of Christ.

I’d like to hear your thoughts, if you have any, on this topic.

The endless circle continues in my brain as I try to figure out this whole “living by Faith” thing.

Day 5

Today I am especially thankful for Bradyn Brown,

one of my lovely roommates.

She is 20 today so it only seems appropriate to show her a little thanks :)

I am thankful for her sweet spirit that can calm me down whenever I am stressing out

or don't know what to do about a problem.

She has a deep love for her savior Jesus Christ and

it radiates in everything that she says and does.

I had the blessing of traveling with her (and rooming with her) in Uganda

this summer and learning more about God's heart for the Nations.

She didn't judge me as I hallucinated on Malaria medicine

and she was a great encouragement on the days

when we were learning so much in Africa.

I simply love her.

Happy Birthday Brady Bunch.

I am thankful for YOU.

Day 4

Today is the anniversary of Kristallnacht,

"the Night of Broken Glass"...

when the series of attacks against Jews

happened throughout Nazi Germany

(on November 9-10 1938).

On this day I am thankful for those who

stand up for what they believe in.

I am thankful for people who are willing

to get out of their comfort zone to be a voice for the voiceless.

Proverbs 31:8-9

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the cause of the poor and needy."

Day 3

Today I am thankful for those little things that I so often

take for granted.

This includes (but is not limited to):

running water, my bed, food,

education, my car, medicines,

my very own Bible, electricity, warmth,

the freedom to worship God as loudly and publicly as i so desire,

two jobs (very part time and minimum wage- but JOBS nonetheless),

school supplies, books, laptop,

and the grace that covers my sin.

Day 2

I am thankful that I have a God that I can trust despite any circumstances or fear that I might have. I don't have to worry about my inadequacies that out number my strengths. I can fully rely on the same power that rose Christ from the dead.

This gives me great peace

and a thankful heart.

18 days of Thankfulness

Thanksgiving is 18 days away and it is never to early to start working on having a thankful heart. I hope to continue with the thankfulness long after Turkey Day.

Day 1:

I am thankful for family.

I am so glad that we have generations to learn life wisdom from

and share fun stories with.

Project: Domestication Part 2

The Domestication of Kristina Osborne- Part 2

The Red Velvet Cake Balls

Taken from Bakerella.com

The messy and surprisingly fun part :)

I am getting more comfortable with baking.

Looks like Project: Domestication is starting to work!

There is still much to learn!!!