Practice

After we got home from Springfield this week I started really practicing editing techniques in Photoshop Elements 9. I actually watched/listened a 2 day Webinar about editing. It was live stream and very cool. When I couldn't take anymore I got up and walked around. I also got to practice while she talked. (I watched on one computer and played/worked on another. :D)

These are some of the edits I came up with. 

One of the most awesome things I learned was how to brighten eyes. Sometimes my eyes in photos are just too dark. I also learned about Actions. 

Actions are presets that someone else has made. All I have to do is load them on my computer and run them on a photo. The Action takes over and adds the layers. I can them go in and tweak them if I want. 

Textures was also covered. Textures are very cool too.

I will keep adding pix as I edit/play them.

Springfield Road Trip

Yesterday, DeWayne, Mom, Jim and I, took a short road trip to Springfield, IL. After viewing the Indiana state capital building, I felt very guilty for not seeing our own LOL! So we took off for the day.

These are a few of the pictures that I took while we were there. 

I was doing some experimenting with my camera all day. I am trying to use the Manual mode to take photos. This allows me to choose the light and the shutter speed myself. Some of it still overwhelms me but I am getting it.

While we were in Springfield, we saw the capital buildings (new and old) and toured the Lincoln museum. The Museum is really wonderful. A lot of information. I could probably do two or three more trips and still not take in all the info.!!!

We Skyped with Evan this morning. She was doing really well. She spoke a little Russian for us. I was glad to see her face. :)

On Evan Leaving...

Today is June the 3rd. It is the day after DeWayne and I dropped Evan in Indianapolis. Today she starts her training before heading off to the Ukraine for the summer.
All day yesterday I reflected on her growing up years (and Dane's too).
When Evan was about 2, Star Church held its first ever Baby Dedication service. Evan was older but she was still considered a baby. I remember the day well because the other children were still babies being held by their mommies and daddies. Evan was big enough to walk and talk. She DID NOT want to be held. She DID NOT want to stand by us. She laid in the floor and threw and fit. :) Just a little stressful for a mom who was trying to have the "perfect" Christian family. It wasn't until years later when I was a MOPS mentor at Little Chapel that I truly understood the words that we said that day. DeWayne and I are her parents but God is her true Father and the way we have pointed her her whole life. She has made so many decisions in her 21 years that have reflected that walk that I am beyond proud.
I did not cry when we dropped her off and prayed with her before we left. (Very unusual for me!) My thought all day was: I gave her back to God when she was two and have tried to be a good steward as her earthly parent since. Have I aways been perfect? Heck NO! That being said, I have placed my trust in God for this summer. He is in control and it's up to me to trust Him. Am I going to miss her? Oh, Yeah! Am I sad that I can't just call her and talk to her anytime I want. You bet! But, God has a greater plan for Evan in the Ukraine.
When Dane was 20, he went to Minnesotta for the summer to work at a church camp. Not that far and still in the US. It might as well have been the Ukraine! He had no cell phone service and only sketchy internet. We did see him for a couple of days that summer which helped. I would call his cell phone just to listen to his voicemail message and hang up. :D He went back to camp the next summer too. Not as hard the second time around but my heart ached for wanting to see and talk to him. I just missed him! I still Just  miss him and he only lives in Elizabethtown. LOL So I am kind of knowing what this summer will look like. :D
My sister, Marsha, who's daughter died when she was three, will sometimes with a heavy heart say: "I just miss her!" I am sure that heaviness will come for me and it will come at the least expected moment. Good thing there is email and Skype and Facebook and Twitter and Blogspot. :D
To keep up with Evan this summer you can check out her blog:
http://evansukrainiansummer.blogspot.com/

Evan & DeWayne at the Indianapolis Museum of Art

no pix today

Tomorrow is the last day of school for me. Tomorrow, DeWayne and I take Evan to Indianapolis to get ready for her trip. In just a few days, my baby is going to fly off to the other side of the world. The Ukraine. She has been called to missions this summer. I am so excited and proud. She is an amazing woman of God.
Saturday, my Jackie girl got married. This makes me happy, proud and sad all at the same time. She was BEAUTIFUL is her dress. The sad part of her getting married is that Evan and her friends are all grown up. :(
I have lost count of what day it is to post a picture. I guess I flunked the daily picture thing LOL!

Day 98 of 350

UGH!!! I have just let this blog slide! Sorry again!
It's Good Friday. We have no school today. We actually got out of school at 11:30 yesterday (the kids did anyway, we had to work until 2). That brings me to those parents/grownups who don't look at the school calendar, don't read any note that comes home from the teacher and who just don't pay any attention to what's going on at their child's school. At 11:30 yesterday I had two tables full of children. No problem, the buses were crazy out of order and the pick up parents had to circle the block. At 11:45, I still had ALOT of children left. Probably 10 or so. By 12:00, I was down to 5 children who's parents our secretary called to remind. At 12:15, when I finally left the last one with her and went to eat my lunch there was only 1 child left. How hard is it to read the calendar and write down ALL important facts on it. How hard is it to read the notes that come home from school. Oh and the biggy, how hard is it to READ the sign in front of our school???? The ones that were left over yesterday were actually children that I really like. They are sweet natured and not alot of trouble. Hope they have a good long weekend and don't get left anywhere because their grownup wasn't paying any attention to them! :D
Good Friday...
Easter...
Wow, with the busyness of school this week and not being on Spring Break, it was hard to just settle down and think about Thursday being the day Jesus carried his cross to Cavalry. Every sin I ever committed was in the stripes that they layed on his back. His burden is my own that he carries still for me (if I let Him). Jesus, you are Amazing!!!! Thank you for trading your life for mine. Thank you for suffering for my sin and forgiving me and interceding for me with the Father. THANK YOU!!!
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Evan is home for the weekend. She only has a few more days left and then she is officially finished with her third year of college. Wow, how time has flown! She will be home the whole month of May before heading to the Ukraine. She's excited about her trip. I am excited for her too. I am just going to miss her. Skype better work over there!!!!
How about a picture:

This is the hail that was outside our backdoor last Friday evening. It really stormed hard for about 15 minutes. Then the sun came out and it was beautiful!!!

This was the beautiful rainbow after the storm. The sky was blue/gray the sun came out and it was doing the "golden time" thing over the top of the woods. It was very pretty. I grabbed my camera and just started shooting out the front door and the back door. (That's what I have been wanting to do!!!)
Guess I better make some muffins and wake DeWayne and Evan up

Day 86 of 350

Happy Anniversary to my sister Marsha and her husband Randy! They got married during my senior year of high school. 1981! Wow! 30 years ago!

This is me, Marsha and Debbie Scott

The little girls were friends of Marsha and Randy's from Olney. I can't remember their names!

I wore that same dress to my senior prom! It was all lace and satin. The head things were pretty and different. I kept mine for a long time in my cedar chest. I think I threw it away the last time I cleaned it out! LOL

It has turned in to feeling like summer. The mid-80's and high humidity. Welcome to southern Illinois!!!

I like cool spring weather better. :D

My mom and dad got home this week from Florida. They are all brown and fit! I am glad they like Florida so much but I am glad they are home too!!!

DeWayne and I went to Evansville Friday evening and spent the night. We explored Newburgh on Saturday morning. It is a very pretty town. I didn't get my camera out because it was trying to rain and then we were away from the car. Oh well, That just means I will have to go back. It's a town that would be better explored with a bunch of ladies. Lots of antiques, little specialty shops, and cafes. DeWayne was a good sport but he would rather have been at Bass Pro I'm sure! :)

Evan's Student Christian Fellowship group had their spring banquet last night. So we stayed in Evansville and ate with her and her group. It was an enjoyable meeting. The kids and adults are a good group and I am glad Evan has a base group to hang out with. She is the president of this group until December. She really likes what she does. 

The countdown is on!!! Less that 50 days until the wedding. A little over that until Evan leaves for the Ukraine. And about the same for days left of my school year. 

Day 78 of 350

Day 78 of 350
Happy Anniversary to DeWayne and LaDonna
This is a picture of us either right before or right our wedding. April 2, 1983.
(I love my boat shoes. I wish I still had them!)
We were babies. Not even 20 years old.

So yesterday, instead of celebrating our anniversary we held Jackie's bridal shower. 

These are the bridesmaids and Jackie.

Evan, Cacy, April, Brea, Sam, Jackie, Erin, Cassidy, and Angela

The only one missing is Beka.

It was a wonderful shower and she got LOTS of wonderful gifts. 

I spent the day in the kitchen, prep and clean up!!!

DeWayne and I are celebrating our anniversary next weekend. He has the whole weekend off. We have to make a plan this week.