It's not you, it's me

Please refer to me.com/blog.

I can't lie about this. It is you, Blogger. Wordpress is just so much prettier and easier to get along with. We're gonna get married, or maybe I'll just use it for sake of ye olde blogge.

Craig and Emily

Last weekend, I got to take some shots of some friends who got engaged a few months ago. I'm just now getting around to playing with them a bit, thanks to a great Christmas with my family. Here are two I really like.

Finals Week

This week decides my grade in three classes, and whether or not I'm retaking Calculus II next semester. Oh, the gloriousness if I don't have to.

And once the next four days of nightmarish hell is over, I get to spend the weekend at New Life Ranch with some awesome people from the summer. It's gonna be great. Then, three weeks until the next semester starts.

Over the break, I have some plans:
- Edit two weddings worth of photos
- Edit some engagement shots, taken over the weekend at the Ranch
- Move to a shiny new Wordpress blog
- Read a some books and finish reading Jesus for President

Oh, break, you couldn't have come soon enough.

Best Gift Ever

So, Lacy sent me the most awesome gift ever for my birthday, all the way from Uganda. The pictures show the kids she's been working with holding letters she made that spell out "Happy Birthday Kyle!" She also made me a sweet card and got me a key chain that supports and is made by students at a school for disabled kids, which she also works with. YES!



You can see it a little better if it's bigger.

The List, but Not Typical

As long as I can remember, right around now, being a week from my birthday, and Christmas right around the corner, I have had a list. This list would contain the deepest desires of my heart that I would have loved to find in a box, given to me. To be honest, I have a decent mental inventory of that list this year as well, but I'm scrapping it this time.

I'm not telling you this to brag, or make myself seem a little more righteous, or anything like that. But ironically, just saying that probably sounds like I am. I'll take that gamble, because I want to give you a challenge.

This year, I'm asking anyone who might want to give me a gift (And I'm not dropping any hints. I know you, yes you, probably weren't planning on it), go to Blood:Water Mission, Living Water International, or Invisible Children and donate what would alternatively have gone towards a gift for me. And if such a gift-giver really wants to give me something tangible, they can give me the receipt/invoice from said transaction.

So, instead of asking for things you probably don't need to begin with, try convincing those who give you gifts to give to someone who really needs it. I don't think you'll enter the new year missing it, and maybe someone who doesn't have parents, or food, or clean water might just get what they need for Christmas this year.

PS: Inspired by Advent Conspiracy.

First Snow

Winter has officially begun. This means that I'll be crashing on my bike more often (which I did this morning - no more toe clips for awhile) and fixing my car's broken window will be a little more inconvenient. At least I have a car to fix and a bike to crash. The snow is beautiful.

Giving the Thanks

Yes, It's time for you to read yet another Thanksgiving post. But that's okay, because I'd like you to know what I have to be thankful for. I'm sure that I've forgotten to note a lot of things that I should be consciously thankful for, and part of me is ashamed of that, but I'm trying, and I realize that there are things that my selfish heart is forgetting to recognize. Here are some of the things I do remember.

My family - They're so loving and supportive of me, I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't know if I was going to eat that night, or even when I didn't think I could have unnecessary luxuries I happened to want (unless of course my parents knew I'd be better without them, which was usually the case. I'm really thankful for that, too). My parents have always done their best to raise me with the values they live by and that they know will let me grow closer to God, and despite being far from perfect and far from the person God created me to be, I'd say that they did a pretty good job.

My friends - I've always been blessed with friends that wanted the best for me. They've helped mold who I am today, and I'd hate to think of where I'd be without them.

Lacy - I met this amazing girl in the summer, and every day I know her, I'm more and more aware of how amazing she is. She has shown me much about myself that I never knew, and she has helped me grow closer to the God we both wan to serve. I'm so excited to see where our relationship takes us in the future. Not only is she the most awesome person ever, have a great heart for the marginalized of our world, and have exceptional taste in music, movies, art, ect, she's gorgeous, too.

Jesus the Christ - Not only do I (and everyone, for that matter) have a Savior who loves us enough to endure the worst death of all time, have his Father turn his face away from him due to the sin we committed, and destroy death, just so we could have an unbroken relationship with him and each other, I have a Savior who wants us to bring that love to the unloved of this world, which is the only way to experience the exciting and selfless lives we were created to live.