Picture Dawn

The Best Curler-Upper I Know

2011-09-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

Ah, Max, our sweet cat. I love how symmetrically his feet are tucked underneath him.

I'm really not obsessed with Max, although I see how it would seem that way. Being home so much in the past several months, he always seemed like he was posing for me and I just couldn't help to capture him on camera. He's so adorable and a natural model! I love that he doesn't hate my giant cyclops of an eye following him around the house, continuously staring at him intently. He used to be more of a scaredy cat with my camera in the room than he is now. Now he's a pro model cat, and a handsome, regal one at that! I thought I would post some of my favorite pictures of him resting from the past while. It was nice to have him around with me while I was at home resting, too. I'm back at work now and he gets to continue being a lounging kitty.

Fat, happy cat! He took up the entire ottoman!

I'm equally pleased and jealous of how comfortable he always snuggles in some place.

He makes me want to stretch. I'm glad he takes time for a bit of exercise during a lazy day.

I don't think he could be more adorable and loving!

Like mine, his nose is often chilled, but he manages to find a way to warm it up.

Purrrrrrrr,
Dawn

Thirty-Two, Meet Thirty-Three

2011-09-23T06:23:00.000-07:00

Thirty-two has been my most event-filled year thus far, but I'm actually happy for all that happened during that voyage around the sun despite the scares and unknowns and twists and turns that occurred in my very own real-life drama. Deep down, I think I craved an adventure and boy, did I get one! Amongst the things that helped me get through the year: four surgeries (which fixed my rotten headaches); tons of well-wishes, love, and support from family, friends, co-workers, doctors, nurses, and therapists; countless films; Sudoku; a bit of reading; bouquets of flowers, special gifts, home-made meals, and lovely trinkets; dozens of pictures of our cat, Max, while I hung out at home; and the prayer-turned-reality of healing and feeling better. It's so easy to take health for granted. Now I see it as something to be aware of and treasure immensely. I'm happy to report that I do feel oh-so-much-better and I hope anyone reading this feels good, too. Life's short and needs... deserves... to be enjoyed. Hear, hear!?

I'm about to start my thirty-third journey around the sun and cheers to seeing what's in store there.

Blessings,
Dawn

Max, like Kurt

2011-09-18T17:10:00.001-07:00

Max, our cat.

He's handsome and sweet...a lot like Kurtis. They're both there for me. Comfy. Relaxed. Charming. Goofy. And they both have see-through ears when the sun shines through them.

Not me though,
Dawn

Mums and a Snail

2010-10-10T22:50:00.001-07:00

My mother-in-law, June, gave me some lovely mums for my birthday. Tonight I got around to transplanting them in a slightly bigger pot and look what we found! A snail! Did he stay in that pot all the way from somewhere more moist like California?

Kurtis named him (or her) Hermie.

Hermie left an oozy slime trail on Kurt's hand while Kurtis discussed pool plans (as in billiards) with his brother Kelly. Hermie looks interested.

Nah, maybe he's more interested in the leaves.

It was quite a treat to find a snail in our pot of mums! As June said, "Mums from your mum." Ha ha! Thanks, Mum!

Slimed,
Dawn

Mama's 60th!

2010-10-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

My mama's 60th birthday came and went last March and I never documented it here. I wish to do so now.

Thanks again to all family and friends who contributed to a lovely set of 60 notes for my mama to open, one a day for 60 days! We had such a fun celebration, too! These are among my favorite photos of the party:

First, arranging the colorful candles...

And watching them glow...

Then singing that birthday song...

And seeing her proud face after she blew them all out!

My mama is so dear to me. I love her very much and I am lucky to call her my mama and friend.

Blessed,
Dawn

Annual Bloom Night 2010

2010-07-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

The Queen of the Night has returned for her annual appearance. I make it to Tohono Chul Park at 11PM Friday, June 16th in search of her majesty--the source of the refreshing, sweet aroma cast over the desert night. There's an hour left to find and capture her on camera before the park will close and I'll need to leave the flowers to the moths. She'll disappear by morning for for another year, so there's an important job to do. Like a member of the flower paparazzi, with my camera, flashlight, tripod, and cell phone in hand, I follow the softly lit trails, which like a red carpet will lead me to the celebrities of the evening, cicadas buzzing a celebratory song along the way.

The night blooming cereus (peniocereus greggii) seem more scarce to me tonight than usual. As I eagerly search, keeping a fast pace, I realize I haven't seen many and the ones I have seen are surrounded by other excited night-bloom enthusiasts. I check my phone for the time--11:15. I best hustle. As I continue my expedition, I come across a cereus who hasn't bloomed yet. Most of them bloom on the same night, but there are some early and late bloomers.

Stuffed inside, dozens of petals and a pouch of pollen dust wait to arrive to the mid-summer night's party.

I move along the trail, backtracking a few times before finally spotting a solitary bloom. I spend some time with her to ensure I get what I'm after. My cell phone acts as a nice lighting effect.

The giant sphinx moth is the only pollinator who can pollinate this flower because it has such a long proboscis. The overwhelming pollen lures them over, but their shyness may prevent them from swooping before the cameras. They're brilliant at avoiding the flower paparazzi! I'm sure they're lingering overhead, waiting for the human spectators to leave. I pause to take a deep breath, inhaling the glorious aroma. If a moth's mouth waters, every moth in the park has to be drooling. The moths have the perfect tool to drink their annual dessert--a fancy bendy straw to sip the delicious, sweet nectar from deep inside the elaborately pretty cup.

This flower depends on the patient moths. They feed each other. What an amazing relationship.

It's a quarter to midnight now and I think I have enough time for a few more shots before I'm forced to vacate the park.

The flower's stamen wave and call to the moths this one night of the year. As if in Wonderland, they call out, "Drink me."

They seem to show off with beautiful crowns and skirts. Most of the year they're rather plain looking, so I say, flaunt it, girls!

This is my favorite summer treat. Thanks, God.

Grateful,
Dawn

My Grandpa: New Here

2010-07-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

Here's my grandpa; my dad's dad, Roy. He's new here--to Arizona, that is. At 89 years of age, he just made the move from a neighboring state and it seems to be a most excellent choice. He seems so happy here even though he made the big move to the desert in the sizzling heat of summer. The desert and my grandpa's desert family are so very glad to have him!

Happy,
Dawn

Patriotic Boys

2010-07-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

Nathan and Justin were all decked out for the 4th of July, so photographs just had to happen!

This pictures is an attempt to replicate one I took of Nathan two years ago. Click here to see that photo.

I think these brothers are going to be great friends. It almost looks like they're giving each other knuckles!

Proudly,
Aunt Dawn

Liam's Hamburger

2010-07-06T19:22:00.001-07:00

Independence Day is usually accompanied with a delicious feast of hamburgers, various salads, and scrumptious sweets, and this year my adorable nephew, Liam, got to enjoy this 4th of July perk, too! He was so eager at the very thought of a juicy burger that he began doing an antsy march and chanting, "hamburger, hamburger, hamburger" in his cute, unmistakable toddler accent. When, finally, the burger floated before his dark-chocolate eyes, his bite was ambitious and border-line ravenous.

But the actual bite was but a small sample--almost of crumb-sized proportions--of the burger's top bun! This is a classic case of the eyes being bigger than the stomach...I mean, the mouth.

Swept up to his highchair and presented with a whole plate-full of Liam-sized broken-up burger-bites, he happily devoured his feast. I ardently applaud his optimistic efforts!

Almost independently,
Dawn

Joy to the 4th!

2010-07-05T22:20:00.001-07:00

From our lawn chair seats in a park, a low set of fireworks illuminated the star-spangled sky for us this 4th of July.

The empty middle seat is evidence that Nathan was there with us but he simply cannot sit still for a twenty-second shutter. So instead Nathan is a vague blur throughout the photo and while light sprouts from the sky, bouts of laughter sprout from us.

Joy x Joy x Joy x Joy,
Dawn

Bunny Wishes

2010-06-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

I was on the phone with my mama while she was babysitting Nathan and Justin. In the middle of our conversation, Nathan urgently ran to his Gee-gee with a very important request. I heard: mumble, jumble “bunny.” My mom broke away to say to Nathan, “What’s that, honey?” Again, I heard: garble, farble “bunny.” Trying to clarify his words, my mom asked Nathan, “You want a bunny?” As though he were simply agreeing to her brilliant suggestion, he very clearly replied, “Okay.”

Good luck with that, Mama!

Love,
Dawn

Stripey

2010-05-20T00:14:00.000-07:00

We have a cat with a striped tail who has a particular fondness for our stripey chair. The chair was a cheap find from a thrift store because of a little stain and a few dangling threads, but its classic shape and green and yellow stripes drew me to it despite its flaws. I worried that the armlessness of the chair wouldn't yield comfort to a sitter, but Max has found great comfort on it and that makes me glad.

Stripe-ily,
Dawn

Web Designer

2010-04-10T09:51:00.001-07:00

Based off the title, you may have been expecting to see a slouched figure at a computer, sporting, perhaps, a gel-enhanced head of spiky hair and a screen-printed tee, but no. Instead I present to you a web designer of a different sort--a web designer in its most original meaning. The one I'm about to show you, though, does have some spikes of her own, indeed.

This is a type of orb spider--a spined micrathena. Her remarkably symmetrical web and her strong work ethic entranced me and pulled me over like gravity. I, too, could be trapped in her web if I'm not careful.

Back in August of 2007 while we hiked in a state park in Illinois, we came across this busy spider. I snapped away, completely enthralled with her beautiful work and her ability to make something so much larger than herself so intricately and so perfect. Captivated and almost as busy as she, I noticed that there was something unproportionally large on her back. Was she carrying her wrapped up prey while she wove her web? What could it be? I've assumed all along that she was hauling something with her, or perhaps a parasite was using her as a life source.

Whatever was on her back, it didn't seem to be slowing her down, but it certainly did weigh her down.

As we rediscovered these pictures, we realized that the bulbous black "attachment" was really a part of the spider and in no way was a parasite or any sort of hoarding behavior of her food. It was the spider's HUGE, spiny abdomen.

This discovery, nearly three years later, led to a flurry of research! If you're curious, you can read more about this type of spider on a less sticky web:

Click here and scroll down to "Orb Weaver Spiders (Araneidae)".
Click here for one other interesting site which shows other spiders of the type also photographed in the wilderness of Illinois.
Finally, this site has loads of facts about this type of spider.

That's just a small taste of what's out there. The pictures on the sites above are incredible! I'll have to invest in a macro lens some day that would allow me to get a bit closer to these intriguing small critters...if I can!

I read that the she-spider will keep the frame of her home/nest/trap/artwork from day-to-day but ingest the inner silky threads every night to sustain her and then she'll rebuild the central orb each morning. Every day with a fresh new web, she'll wait for prey to entangle themselves in her sticky trap. Comfortingly, I read that this type of spider rarely bites humans and if it does bite, it would be similar to getting a bee sting. That's good to know, but I'm sure those intimidating spines probably aid in the arachnid's survival a little bit, don't you think?

I've never seen a spider like this in Arizona. What a treat it is to remember the woodland creature building her multi-functional home in such a nonchalant manner. She seemed so at ease, I imagine her humming as she weaves, carelessly glancing up at me with a few of her eight eyes every now and then. She apparently paid no attention to me as I hunkered close to her creation--as close as I could possibly get with my lens before I couldn't focus any more. She never retreated, never crouched in a threatening pose. I'm used to shier spiders that dash or cave into themselves when they realize I'm near (if I dare). Had I realized those were large spines on her hiney, though, I would have probably felt a little less bold. But it's a strange affect that spiders have on me--especially talented weaving ones. I gravitate to them and want to document their artistry, but unfortunately, I also am very susceptible to the heebiejeebies. However, I think I got more squirmy looking at these pictures close up on my computer screen just now compared to how I felt as I stood beside her in a damp, dark wood. I was amazed there in the forest as I orbited her web and examined it from all angles. I was witnessing a marvel; a little bit of magic.

Entrapped,
Dawn

Loveseat

2010-03-28T22:54:00.000-07:00

In December we picked out a new couch for our living room, but because we choose a custom material that is so tightly woven, our cat's claws, theoretically, shouldn't be able to pierce through it (fingers-crossed!), it was going to take six to eight weeks before it would be ready to adorn our small living room. So, here's our sitting arrangement as it has been for the last several weeks:

But this weekend we were able to pick up our new loveseat (which appropriately is red).

And here it is from the front...almost heart-shaped, don't you think?

And I do love sitting in it!

Happy Sitting,
Dawn

Max's Scratches

2010-03-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

We are getting a new couch soon and knowing Max's affinity to stretch his toes on the sturdy structure of a big piece of furniture, we have been trying to train our cat to use other sources to satisfy his clawing urges. We've been giving him treats whenever he scratches on acceptable posts and we have a squirt bottle ready to fire should he choose something not appropriate. The only problem is that we don't have much right now that's not okay to claw on, so he hasn't gotten many doses of streaming water attacking him, and whenever he does claw something he shouldn't, he just flops over in a furry heap before we can negatively reinforce that bad-cat behavior.

In the picture above, Max is relaxing on the edge of his very own emery board, given to him by my mom. (Thanks, Mama!) It's specifically designed to help keep those sharp claws in a little duller shape. We also have a special pair of little kitty-claw scissors to trim those pointy daggers--and that's always a fun process we're still trying to master! No matter how much Max enjoys a good grooming session though, I wouldn't have thought he would be so happy to have an emery board or that he would even use it! He doesn't know the emery board's true purpose, you see. He thinks the texture is just awesome and that it has the amazing, magical ability to produce cat nip! He and the emery board are now quite good friends.

,,,,
Dawn

Hair Raising

2010-03-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

This is what happened after Nathan went rolling and bouncing off the walls, couches, and carpet.

I patted and smoothed down the static-infused hair and then...

...this is what happened right after that.

Luckily,
Auntie Dawn

Justin's Slumber Shoot

2010-03-20T22:02:00.000-07:00

During one of Justin's many naps, his mama dressed him in some adorable stripes and we positioned him carefully so I could photograph my newest nephew in all his pliable, cuddly cuteness.

Happily, he treated us with a smile! I like to think he smiled because of me, but I know better. However, I most definitely smiled because of him.

Justin's profile is much like his brother's was two years ago...just adorable.

Justin's lips look like a kiss. Or could he possibly have been dreaming of lemonade?

I can't help but nudge in as close as I possibly can to his darling features until I can no longer keep focus. He's just so sweet. Sleep, little boy. Don't mind me.

Will his hurricane-like, swirly cowlick remain? I'll keep checking.

And then he awoke. Hello there, baby! Maybe he heard my one hundredth-or-so shutter click.

Click, click!
Auntie Dawn

Justin's Birth Day

2010-02-19T22:09:00.000-08:00

Here he is--Gayle and Mike's highly anticipated second baby boy, Justin Donald James Warren, born Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 5:46 AM. I'm so grateful I got to be present at his birth! Thanks, Gayle and Mike, and congratulations!

After a rough night of contractions, Gayle pushed out a healthy, beautiful baby boy with a hearty set of lungs.

All hands were on deck as I hovered near by to capture his first few moments of breathing in air through those lungs. He arrived at a whopping 9 pounds, 1 ounce and he measured up to a length of 20 inches long. I love his scrunched up face.

He and Nathan both have their daddy's mouth!

To see Nathan's "birth day" pictures to compare, click here: http://picturedawn.blogspot.com/2008/03/nathan-michael-martin-warren.html

Pretty similar, eh? But the more you hang around them, the more different they seem! It's pretty remarkable!

And this new little guy has his daddy's eyes and nose, too! I think he just might be an exact replica.

My sister seemed to be in heaven once she had her baby in her arms at long last. They bonded beautifully.

His little profile is pretty adorable, I think.

Here's my mama, affectionately known as, "Gee-Gee", (that's a "g" as in "green" and rhymes with "key") with her new grandson. She's so happy and proud!

And here's "Poppy" with his grandson! Oh, the potential in this boy! They'll be riding tractors together very soon, I'm sure!

He's so precious. I can't wait to get to know him better. Right now, I feel like I don't know much; only that I love him. One thing is for sure, he will feel the love from many.

Look at those dark eyes. What a handsome fellow.

That morning, I enjoyed a hot cocoa with sprinkles, in Justin's honor, of course. Happy Birthday, Justin!

Love Always,

Auntie Dawn

Drawn

2010-02-13T16:34:00.000-08:00

Kurt's been an artist for as long as I've known him, but he's never drawn me before. He's always said it's harder to draw girls, and that he doesn't want to offend girls with his artistic depiction of them. I guess after nine-and-a-half years of being in a relationship together, we've come to a pivotal point where it's safe to draw me. Well, I love this sidewalk chalk drawing of us! Thanks, Kurtis!

drawn to him, too,
Dawn

The Joys of "Cold-Cold"

2010-01-31T11:30:00.000-08:00

The moment we stepped inside of Cold Stone Creamery last November, Nathan was audibly giddy. "Cold-cold!" he cried, darting up to the display glass. His eyes were large with amazement at the colorful assortment of flavors, twinkling and shining like a treasure trove, sitting there waiting for him, quite brilliantly at Nathan's eye-level, and he giggled as he pressed his face against the glass. His daddy followed him, wiping up the drool left in Nathan's wake.

It was a riot! We chuckled at Nathan's charming antics. He was only illustrating the emotions we all feel for ice cream--the anticipation of the creamy, cold, exploding flavors livening up our spirits--only we've learned to control those outbursts and we don't show our true exuberance so readily. But I truly was just as happy to have my pumpkin flavored ice cream with graham cracker mushed up inside with whipped cream on top. Although, I wouldn't have enjoyed my cup of pumpkin goodness nearly as much if it weren't for my nephew.

Thanks, pumpkin!
Dawn

Keri and Matt

2010-01-25T20:32:00.001-08:00

Keri and Matt are in love.

Keri and Matt are engaged.

Keri and Matt are stunning.

Keri and Matt are happy.

Keri and Matt like to share.

Keri and Matt are colorful.

Keri and Matt are a good match.

Keri and Matt are funny.

Keri and Matt are lovely.

Keri and Matt, congratulations.

Love,

Dawn

Nathan's View of the Moon

2009-12-31T20:12:00.000-08:00

"Moon, mama, moon," Nathan announced from his car seat tonight.

"Do you see the moon?" Gayle retorted.

"Uh-huh. It's on."

I'd never thought of it that way before! I have much appreciation for his lunar observation. Now, where is that pull-chain?

Happy New Year,

Dawn

Gayle's Boys

2009-12-30T22:50:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went to my sister's house to photograph her in the third trimester of her second pregnancy. This is the last time she will be pregnant (or that's the plan anyway). It's a special time that will be gone all too soon. I hope she's savoring and tucking away the sensations of being pregnant somewhere safe in her memory forever. I can only imagine that feeling of having a babe inside and I'm sure my imaginings are not even close to the real experience.

This first (unedited) picture makes me laugh because it more accurately depicts the entire photo experience--Nathan running around begging for juice and not looking at the camera; our tight little photo set-up, clothespins and all; trying to keep Nathan happy--but it's for those same reasons that I love it so.

My sister's boys were squirmy tonight; Justin making waves from inside Gayle's belly which sent the balancing blocks that spelled his name every which way but still, and Nathan charging from room to room with a monotone, yet bouncy, "uuuuhhhhhhhh!" escaping his sweet face.

While Gayle propped herself on the floor for a few pictures, Nathan asked, "Mama, you fall?" Gayle assured him that she was fine and so he played with blocks, building a fine leaning tower. Then he asked again, "You alright, Mama? You cry?"

It's pretty amazing to watch this boy grow and learn. His vocabulary and clarity are improving exponentially. Soon we'll get to see him be a big brother. He knows where his little brother is, which is just crazy to witness. "Kiss your brother!" and he kisses Gayle's belly!

Gayle and her two boys.

(I suppose this won't be the last time Nathan will sit on his brother!)

With great love and respect,

Dawn

Back-blogged

2009-12-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe it has been over two months since my last blog and I have missed this space! I’ve been so busy with my end-of-the-year holiday to-do list, just like so many of us, and so my little cyberspace nook has had to suffer a bit. But here are a list of occurrences that I wish I could have shared in more detail from the past sixty-plus days. I still may try to sneak in a few more details of the below, but in case I can't, here's what I've been up to lately:

Megan and Soccer
Jacob
4th Anniversary
The Dish
Grampa's Visit
Halloween
Making Kringlas
Sarah is 16
Projects with Lauren
Maternity Pictures/ The Warren Family
Dizzy Spells
Nathan's Happy Meal
Kelly, Jen, & Liam's Family Picture
Thanksgiving
“Breaking” - A String of Dilemmas (Computer Breakdown, Jeep Breakdown, Neighbor Break-in)
Polar Express Train Ride
Cuaron Family
Keri & Matt’s Engagement Photos
Kosinski 2010
Santa Claus x 3
Our Christmas Card
A Slow-paced Christmas
Avatar Movie

Just to name a few,
Dawn

On the Ranch

2009-10-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

On the day of our semi-annual family yard sale, I was incredibly distracted by the antics of Nathan and his "Poppy" so I strayed from the various odds and ends among the tables and racks strewn about in the front yard and followed the ranch boys to the backyard.

Nathan has added "mule" (mee-yule) and "tractor" (tra-tor) to his vocabulary, words that come from the mouth of very few 19-month olds. But given his experiences and interests, one can easily see how that happened.

First, a ride on the dolly. I loved those rides when I was little!

Then the intrigue with the Belle, the mule.

And the harness chains for Belle were like a swing for Nathan.

Then, for his favorite: the John Deere tractor.

Already shifting gears.

(He started out in one of his sister's yard sale shirts because he had creme on his arm where a cactus got him, but once we saw all the picture opportunities, we quickly changed him into the most appropriate John Deere green shirt!)

Grandfather and grandson maneuvered circles on the John Deere around the yard.

As I snapped away, Gayle says to me, "This is making him so happy, and by 'him,' I mean both of them."

My dad said with twinkly eyes, "This is what dreams are made of."

Yee-haw,

Dawn

It's Another Boy!

2009-10-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Inside Gayle's womb grows a baby boy with a steady heartbeat. We all wait eagerly to meet this new being who has already captured the hearts of those who call him son, brother, grandson, nephew, and blessing. But there's no pressure with these roles, little one. Just be.

With much love,
Auntie Dawn

Liam at One

2009-09-29T20:10:00.000-07:00

And all at once, my little brown-eyed nephew was one year.

But once, he was only one day.

His first birthday party was wonderful.

There was cake,

presents,

friends,

family,

and it wouldn't be like Liam without a good wondering walk.

Happy Birthday, amazing little wonder! I love you!

In Wonderment,

Auntie Dawn

Behind the Fence

2009-09-21T20:33:00.000-07:00

Birds gather ornamentally at the tippy top of a bare-limbed tree. Perfectly spaced gaps separate them on their high perch as they sing and chatter loudly at twilight, interrupting each other with both important and frivolous mentionings of the day.

Ignoring the chain link fence below, they suddenly rise together as one entity and swoop through the swirly sky, proving the fence can not confine them like some sort of giant birdcage. I marvel at their cohesiveness and wonder if all that chirping was an orchestrated plan to fly in a great synchronized circle from tree top to invigorating rush and back again, or if their stunt was just a game of follow the leader.

They are free to explore the sky above, but they seem to respect the imaginary boundary line of the fence hugging their tree... all but one, that is. One daring bird brakes away from the flock and crosses that boundary line, maybe to bravely see what I'm all about.

He quickly finds his way back, however, and all the birdies continue their multiple conversations, now oblivious to me on the other side of the boundary line.

They seem to take comfort in numbers and familiarity back behind the fence again. They're within safe boundaries even though they have great capacity for more and the necessary tools to fly away. Even though they're free, they confine themselves to the lure of the tree's best qualities, behind the fence.

It's nice to have a safe, familiar, comforting branch of my own lined with people who are there to push with encouragement or pull with open arms for whenever I beat my wings and venture beyond the comfort of my fence.

From Behind a Fence,

Dawn

Sunny

2009-09-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

A dose of sunflowers is a good frown remedy. I happened upon the happiest of flowers as it danced in the sunlight. It waved me over to capture its joy and it easily made me grin. If the corners of your mouth need a lift, may a sunflower find you.

Smiling,

Dawn

A House of a Different Color

2009-09-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

We have a new house! Well, no, not really. It just looks like a new house because we've had it painted.

Before:

After:

The new an improved little house is beaming, and so are we.

Dwelling,
Dawn

Fireworks & Frogs from Left Field

2009-07-04T23:56:00.001-07:00

Our evening of the fourth started out with a hot hike from our wayward parking spot to the gates of Hi Corbett Field to see a Toro's baseball game. How American of us to partake of one of our country's great past times.

Well, apparently, it was a grand idea of thousands of other proud Americans! The park was stuffed and our plans of hot dogs and fireworks bursting over the field were about to change. It was just too much--too crowded, too tight, too much.

So we turned around and hiked back to our car and our new plans were impromptu. First we headed to El Guero Canelos where we enjoyed some authentic Mexican-style, taco-stand cuisine. I got my hot dog after all: a Sonoran style version complete with a bacon-wrapped hot dog, pinto beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, mayonnaise, mustard and grilled onions. Muy bueno!

Then, we were headed home when Gayle, Mike and the kids told us they were at a nearby, tucked-away park to watch the fireworks just west of the freeway, so we did a u-turn to watch the sky with them. "We're in left field," they told us. We swam through the humidity and flying ants to reach them on their beach towels and lawn chairs, little "ohs" and "uh ohs," laughs and worries coming from Nathan as he narrated the evening's display as only he can.

For as crowded and popular as the main road by our neighborhood was with firework watchers on hoods of cars and in the beds of trucks, the park was like a private little haven! We were fixated on the crowd-pleasing bursts of light.

Nathan has just begun to say my name and Kurt's name and it is just the most wonderful thing ever. I'm "Awn" and Kurtis is "Urt." He would say our names as he flip-flopped from lap to lap.

After the light show, we applauded and packed up. On the hike back to the car (for the second time that night), everyone stopped in their tracks when Gayle, Megan and Sarah all three squealed, "Frog!"

I whipped out the camera again. Gayle said, "I hate bugs." And she slapped her leg.

The evening began outside of the gates of left field with dreams of hot dogs and fireworks and what do you know? The evening concluded with tummies nice and full with hot dogs, and in the very grass of left field itself as we watched fireworks in the dark with family, among the frogs.

Happy Independence Day,

Dawn

The Queen of the Night

2009-06-17T22:21:00.001-07:00

Once a year at the end of May in the magical desert, angelic white flowers called night blooming ceriuses open their delicate, skinny petals for a single night only and the aroma wafting through the air is delicious, strong and sweet. The blossoms do not match their home; in fact, they are pretty much the opposite. For all other days and nights of the year, the spindly cactus looks like a drab dead stick, but really, this unlikely host has the patient, determined hope for an annual, beginning-of-summertime gift--the Queen of the Night herself.

Speckled all throughout the land, the queens are nocturnal and open beneath the moon and stars. The plant collects and stores its energy all year long for this one spectacular night.

The queen is a white that is so pure and bright, she practically glows in dark. Between her beckoning fragrance and and this whiteness, shy giant sphinx months are, no doubt, giddy in anticipation of the sweet drink that awaits them. I read that the nectar inside this flower is twice as concentrated as Coca Cola Classic! But the hawk moths won't come out until the equally giddy spectators go home and when the temperature is just right. Then they'll drink the nectar with their long, tongue-like proboscis and the sticky, yellow pollen will coat their entire body.

Tohono Chul Park hosts a bloom night every year where people can come observe these marvels. Click on the link to read more. It says they may have a second bloom night in late June or early July!

Here, at this gem of a park, the cereus cacti are easy to spot since they are surrounded by chicken wire and the pathways are lit by bagged luminarias. Everyone is a photographer trying to capture the event in all its splendor. People crowd around the flowers with umbrellas, flashes and tripods. Being shy myself, I wonder, camera in hand but not shooting, just watching others and listening to docents educate onlookers. I linger and I wait for the pack to clear out. It says on the park's website that they had 1300 visitors on bloom night this year!

As I meander the trail, the air feels like lake water can feel--the odd mix of both warm and cold currents. It's a perfect evening...except for the crowd. I long to be alone with the blossoms and moths, but sharing the event is the price we pay to even get the chance to witness these amazing specimens on their big night. How lucky I'd be to happen to come across a Queen of the Night in the desert at the exact right time without a mob of people. And honestly, if that ever did happen, I'd want to share it anyway. What a contradiction!

My mother-in-law, June, gave us a baby cereus. Right after I put it in my backyard, something ate it! But it has grown back since then and hopefully in the next five years we'll have our own private showing of a night blooming cereus. Maybe I'll even get to see a moth come by for a drink.

Finally, after 11 PM, I have a bit more space and the occasional alone time with the flowers to admire them and click my shutter on a tripod for 15 to 30 second intervals by the kind blue light of my cell phone. I wish I could hide in the trees like the moths and wait for utter privacy. But I do what I can until I'm pressed to leave. It's close to midnight. Something scurries through the shrubs along the trail, crickets chirp, and cicadas buzz.

The time has come for the moths to take over a now empty park and prepare for the flowers to come back again next year. What a glorious purpose. Thanks, moths. Thanks, dear queens of the night.

Until next year,
Dawn

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Spirit

2009-06-10T23:50:00.001-07:00

Tonight I saw this commercial on TV and it brought tears to my eyes. There's nothing like a little encouragement to make the spirit soar. This situation could have gone so many different ways and this was definitely the best scenario.

Enjoy!
Dawn

Giraffes Galore

2009-05-29T18:44:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun time with the delightful, gentle giraffes at Reid Park Zoo one afternoon.

(If you click on the collages below, they will become larger.)

Their strong yet tame, long gray tongues played tug-of-war with bits of vegetables from our hands and they were tolerant with our teasing. I like to think that giraffes have a good sense of humor. We just wanted to see how far that tongue would reach for a delectable snack. But, still, we would not want to cross their line of friendliness and anger even the sweetest of giants. They are still wild at heart.

I love this awkward, exotic animal; one that is related to our familiar cow, but yet (neck included) doesn't that seem a bit far reached?

Such a joyful experience with them at the local zoo also brings me a little sadness because of their captivity, and all I can hope is that they don't mind their Sonoran-desert-climate-zoo home too much. Thinking of all the space there is out there for them to roam and graze in their native Africa, makes me long for their freedom. But I suppose there are more threats to them in the wild though, too. A friend of my dad's, Lesley, an animal handler at the zoo, was so kind to allow us a longer linger with the tall, spotted giraffes.

Thanks for the gander, you magnificent creatures.

a guilty and hopeful spectator,
Dawn

Nathan's First Haircut

2009-04-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

Nathan’s first haircut was classic! I tagged along to Mike’s barber shop with Gayle and Mike one afternoon after we realized my sweet nephew was beginning to look like he had a mullet! That had to be taken care of!

Nathan sat cautiously in a booster seat, wrapped in a cape and with a brush in hand to keep him occupied while the barber skillfully and quickly snipped, snipped with her scissors and Gayle and I snapped, snapped with our cameras.

You’d think we were the paparazzi and Nathan were world-renowned! It’s just so fun to capture these firsts!

Nathan looked so worried, as if he knew something was happening to him, but he was a trooper and with his daddy by his side, he had a boost of courage.

He was transforming before our eyes from a baby into a little boy and while I know Gayle and Mike were happy, I could sense a nervousness in them both as they watched their baby’s blond locks flutter to the floor. Every now and then I’d see Gayle’s lower lip fold over, but yet her eyes were smiling. I know she was flooded with the emotions of joy, pride and a little sadness at the thought of how quickly her baby boy is growing. But he’ll always be her baby.

He truly portrayed the model client—so patient and still. His good demeanor was rewarded with a lollipop—his first taste of sugar!

Yes, I do believe he liked it very much.

What a handsome boy! I love the old-fashioned wave atop his head... something that will never happen again!

Admiringly,
Auntie Dawn

Inside of the FedEx Package

2009-04-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

A little over a month ago I was eagerly awaiting a FedEx package because it contained the birthday gift for my one year old nephew, Nathan. Here's the link to that original post: http://picturedawn.blogspot.com/2009/03/fedex-tracking-epitome-of-anticipation.html

Well, the package did arrive on time but life got so busy and I am only now getting around to sharing the contents of the delivery. It's a book! And boy does Nathan love books! He will choose a board book off of the shelf and take it to his mama, then situate himself in front of her and wait for her to begin. He can even turn the pages in the right direction! That's incredible, because honestly, when I was a teacher, I had some first graders who didn't yet know the direction to read a book. (But they learned!)

This book is all about Nathan and includes some photos of him throughout his first year of life. He seems to enjoy it and I'm so glad! Babies like to look at other babies and what baby isn't curious about himself?!

Nathan baby

Nathan mama and Nathan dad

Nathan happy
Nathan mad

Nathan hand
Nathan toes

Nathan eyes and Nathan nose
Nathan ears

Nathan teeth, Nathan mouth
and Nathan hairs

Nathan plays
Nathan laughs

Nathan explores

Nathan baths

Nathan green
Nathan blue

Nathan eats
Nathan poos

Nathan bubbles
Nathan peeks

Nathan reads
Nathan sleeps

Nathan and his family

the end and looking forward to year two,

Auntie Dawn

Kimmy & Ryan Engagement Pictures

2009-04-17T22:49:00.001-07:00

Kimmy is my sister-in-law and she's just adorable! I knew God was saving up someone just as wonderful as she is especially for her. And I love being right!

They found each other again, and by "again" I mean that they knew each other as children in elementary school and a couple years ago, they met again and the sparks flew. Tomorrow is their wedding day, so I thought it was about time to post some of their engagement photos!

Since Ryan is a fire fighter, we had access to the fire house in Mesa where there is a beautiful 1950s fire engine and so we had to take advantage of it for some of their engagement pictures.

Congratulations, Kimmy and Ryan! Thanks for letting me capture the two of you together! I had a great time.

Happily ever after wishes,

Dawn

A Most Beloved Poem... Found

2009-04-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! This entry is long over-due and is the conversation between a stranger and me last December. Theresa is from Alberta, Candada and I'm from Tucson, Arizona. We've never met, nor had we ever heard of each other before. But we found we actually had more in common than we ever could have imagined two people a country apart could share. It was a poem that connected us-- a little-known, old prayer we both loved as children because of our mothers.

The Poem: (Read it on Theres'a blog, with her story, too.)

A Child's Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Will you please lean down and listen while I pray;
I like to feel you really near, and not so far away.
Because you love all children, and I know that this is true
Through every hour of day and night please keep me close to you.

For you were once a little child and so will understand
If I should sometimes feel afraid, please let me hold your hand.
When I am naughty and unkind or disobedient, please
Help me to say I'm sorry and say it on my knees.

I've got so much to thank you for and now, before I end,
Please Jesus let me always feel
You are my Greatest Friend.

Gladys Ross

My Response to Theresa's Blog Entry

Dec. 10, 2008:

Dear Theresa Dawn,

Where do I begin? I think the day you wrote this blog, "for some reason," as you say, was for me and my family. Thank you, thank you, thank you for following your heart and recording the sweet words to "A Child's Prayer" on your blog. I'm in disbelief that I've finally found it, thanks to you and a New York Public Library librarian!

When I was 6 years old, I attended a Vacation Bible School and on the last day we got to bring in a show-and-tell. I brought a cardboard wall-hanging that was my mom's (similar to the description that you gave - I wonder if it's the same!) but it hung in my bedroom as a child and I loved it so. I remember my mom frequently taking it off the wall and my sister and I would curl up with her and read it together aloud. It's so amazing that we both loved it as children!

But on this last day of VBS, I got to go over to a friend's house from the church and I must have been distracted with anxiousness. Once we were in the car, but still in the church parking lot, I remembered that I forgot my mom's precious poem, and I asked, but my friend's mom seemed put-out and I was embarrassed, so I didn't push it (and have always regretted not). I remember worrying about it instead of having a carefree playtime with my friend. A couple days later, I told my mom when she was upset with me about something else. "Mama," I said, "while you're already mad at me, I should tell you that I lost your prayer picture."

We rushed to the church and found, ironically, it had been taken.

A couple years later, my sister and I were recording ourselves singing Christmas songs on a cassette tape. I ran to answer the phone and meanwhile, my sister dramatically recited to a tune of her own, "Dear Jesus will you please lie down and listen while I pray. I like to feel you close and near and not so far away." ("Lean down" makes so much more sense now that I know the true way!) Then she ran down the hallway, and the audio tape picked her up saying, "Good-bye! I don't know the rest." This charming memory was the clue we had to go on.

Every year or so within the past decade, I'd decide to hunt for this poem on-line, but I have had no luck at all. Probably because the lines I remembered from what my sister had recited weren't exact - it's like the telephone game, I guess!

Late last night, about midnight, I decided to play around and look again. Theresa, I do not know why or how - or maybe I do - no, I believe it was God. He led me to the New York Public Library website. I guess I felt like I needed a more powerful database that Yahoo or Google and surly they would have one, right? I found a link to chat with a 24/7 librarian. Hey, maybe someone else is up and willing to help me research, and it's free. So I gave it a shot and began a late night chat with a librarian in New York City.

The librarian didn't have any luck after I provided him all the clues to my mystery, but he asked if someone could get back to me later. I agreed but didn't expect much.

Today, I unexpectedly received a response that read, "Hello Dawn Durfey, An Internet search on Google using the words *Jesus"listen while I pray" "not so far away" * yielded a Website with a poem that seems to be the one you are describing: Harvester of Late Summer Light Blog. Child's Prayer.http://latesummerlight.blogspot.com/2008/10/childs-prayer.html The poem is by Gladys Ross."

Now, why couldn't I have found that?! :c) It doesn't matter! What really matters is that I finally have this beautiful poem to give back to my mother after all this time. I was shaking with disbelief and crying with elation! Could it really be true that there is another soul who has heard of this poem? It is you and your mom! I'm so grateful and just had to express my story and gratitude to you. I know my mother will cry happy tears on Christmas morning, if I can wait that long to tell her. I am so excited! Finding your blog has made my year! You have put the lights on my Christmas tree, so to speak! I feel like I have been given a tremendous gift and cannot belief how it took 24 years for this tale to come full circle. Thank you, thank you! I hope that you have a beautiful Christmas season and that your heart is as happy on Christmas as mine is right now. Blessings to you!

Gratefully yours,
Dawn Durfey

Theresa's Response to My Response:

Dec. 11, 2008

Dear Dawn,

What an incredible story! How amazingly wonderful that your search has finally ended. It stuns me that someone else knew that poem and had a fondness for it as a child when the poem originally came from our mothers! I love the similarities and how our lives can be intertwined when we do not even know each other. That poem seemed magical to me when I was child and I spent hours memorizing it. I wonder if my daughter will do the same one day?

I am glad you found my blog. The world is a smaller place than we sometimes think it is (I live in Alberta, Canada).

You are so very welcome. Be sure to thank Jesus too... :) The Bible says over and over that God is good God and will give us the desires of our heart if we seek Him and ask. I like to take this literally. I would like to email you a scan of the original poem if you would like it. You can email me at bigbite@telus.net if you would like it.

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. I love mini miracles - especially at Christmas!

Theresa

In Conclusion:

Not only have I found this beloved poem, but I've also found a kindred spirit in Theresa. I so enjoy her and the stories on her blog. Thank you, Theresa!

Blessings,
Dawn

Caller 9

2009-04-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

This is How the Story Went:

I drag myself out of bed last Friday morning wishing someone would sing me a late morning lullaby so I could go back to the comfort of my pillows, but look to the clock on the wall—it’s after 7:30 already. Only a half hour before I have to leave! First thing’s first—turn on the radio. There, that’s better. I slather my toothbrush with toothpaste and just as the electric toothbrush takes off, Blake of Blake and Jennie in the morning from 92.9 The Mountain says without introduction, “Let’s give those Brandi Carlile tickets away now. Caller 9.”

Kurt’s shower and the radio compete for attention with me as I screech with an unprepared hurriedness. Usually, I have two phones in hand and have the number dialed and ready for when Blake says those magic words. But not this time! I'm foaming at the mouth with toothpaste as I quickly stagger through the house to find a phone. The office phone is good and charged, so I dial what I think is the number: 880-9292... If it’s busy I’ll know it’s the right number. I listen intently, fearful I may wake someone if I dial incorrectly. It was busy! Whew! Normally, I’d think it were a tragedy. Okay, redial. Wait, it's ringing! What? That's weird. Hallelujah!

I quickly spit my minty-fresh glop of gel into the guest bathroom sink and on the other end of the phone, the familiar Blake voice says, “Hi! Who’s this?” I answer rather loudly, “This is Dawn!” trying to disguise my just-woke-up-and-haven't-used-my-voice-yet voice as one that's been up for hours.

Here’s how our conversation went, although I wish I had been a bit more clever in our dialogue, but what can I say? I was too excited for cleverness!

“How are you?” Blake asks me. (If he only knew!)

“Good! How are you?”

“Happy Friday!” he says.

“Happy Friday!” I repeat, anxious to hear what possible good news could be in store for me.

“Would you like to go see Brandi Carlile in concert on June 3rd?"

"Oh my gosh! I would love to!" There was a pause, so I continue, "I’m shaking, I’m so excited!” The DJs carry on about tickets being for sale and I say, “Thank you!” in disblief, feeling very grateful that I followed my inclination to try to call despite the unlikely possibility of actually winning.

Ah, my 30 seconds of fame! Turns out my sister, my friend, Tamara, and my cousin, Jillian, heard me on the radio!

Have you ever won tickets? I happily can say that now I have, and it was very exciting! Have You Ever is the title of one of my favorite Brandi Carlile songs. Take a listen!

Hopefully her new album will be out at her concert in June! I'm really looking foward to that. If you want to read my last post about her and see the nifty T-shirt I bought at the last show I went to, click here.

(The picture at the start of this post is one I took from her concert in April of 2007 at the Rilalto Theater.)

It Blew Me Away,

Dawn

Liam: 6 Months and Darling

2009-03-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

Sweet baby Liam has all the coloring and features of his mother, aside from one eyebrow that unconsciously raises in an arch just like his dad's! He is already six months old and proving to us that he can sit up...with just a little assistance. All he needs is the occasional net of hands by his side when he inevitably and fearlessly teeters over.

He's beautiful. Look at him!

I had such fun photographing Liam hanging out at their quaint home in Red Rock, AZ. I love all the color in their clothing and around their house along with the flood of natural light pouring through the windows.

Here’s Liam with the adorable handmade VW toy lovingly made by his dad for a Christmas gift. What a treasure!

So cute at the feet of his mama and daddy.

We went to the park and Liam was infatuated with the lovely bright green grass, and so much so that I could not get his attention on the camera for any amount of time! But this is still a sweet shot.

And this was his first time eating rice cereal! He really likes it and Jen tells me he is a pea fanatic!

Loving my sweet nephew with the infectious smile,
Auntie Dawn

FedEx Tracking: The Epitome of Anticipation

2009-03-05T19:40:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night I stayed up late working on a birthday gift for Nathan online—less than a week away from Nathan’s 1st birthday party! I know; close, right? Yikes! When it came to making the final purchase, I thought it may not make it in time on the regular delivery schedule, so I ordered the two-day shipping service for an extra cost, and it will be so worth it if the package arrives before the party! I thought it’s sure to arrive by Sunday. Let’s see: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday—no problem! But after I made the purchase, I read the fine print that says Saturday delivery is not available for two-day shipping, and I also realized that I made the assumption that it would only take one day to prepare my order. Oh, no!

But I actually think it’s going to make it in time; I do! I’ve been a bit addicted to checking out the FedEx tracking of my package, which is an incredible service by the way, and currently it is on schedule! Here’s how it stands right now:

From Maryland and now in Tennessee and who knows where to next, but by tomorrow afternoon, it’s set to be at my front door in Arizona! Crazy! The journey of a package is exciting. I hope this package enjoys his final destination in the hands of Nathan!

With much anticipation,
Dawn

P.S. I can’t say what it is inside of the package in case my sister reads this before Sunday. But I’ll share the secret later...

Nathan Turning One

2009-03-04T21:23:00.000-08:00

About one year ago... and today...

My sweet baby nephew Nathan has turned one year old today. Unbelievable. It's amazing how much he has changed! To read about his birth, click here.

He's grown so much and is impressing me every day with his charms, smarts, and abilities!

His favorite phrase is, "What's that?" but it comes out more like, "Dat?" in a high pitched serious question tone, his pointer finger out reached. "What's this? Well, it's a camera, sweet Nathan!"

He can point out facial features on people, but it's so cute when you ask, "Nathan, where's your nose?" and he points to his ears! But he gets Grandpa's nose right every time!

He's the fastest crawler in the West and has a toosh and knees of bubble wrap! Now he is starting his walking legs, which are more like wobbly skier legs, with the help of someone's hands above his ears or with the aid of his Nathan-sized toy train.

Tonight we sang "Happy Birthday" to him over macaroni and cheese with sausages, and he decided it's not his favorite meal after all and opted for mashed up sweet potatoes instead. But as we sang in jolly chorus, he first looked confused and then he had a little sheepish smile as he realized that it was all for him, and as we reached the final line of the celebratory song, that smile became a full-on grin. Then we all clapped for him and he clapped back, so we clapped for him again and then he realized he had the power and all of us wrapped around his chubby little finger! When he clapped, we clapped. He giggled and it was just adorable-- there's no other word for it!

He's so lovable and such a joy. I'm so proud to be his Auntie and I love to watch him grow!

Happy Birthday,

Auntie Dawn

Pizzas of My Heart

2009-02-13T21:49:00.001-08:00

"This is Dawn," I answered the phone at my desk at work.

"Sweetie, there's a delivery at the front desk for you."

"Hi, Kurt. Right now? What do you mean?"

"You'll have to sign for it and leave a tip."

Buzz! I gasped! "Helene's calling me. I gotta go!" Oh, yeah, tomorrow is Valentine's Day! What did he do?

I hurried to the front desk where Helene and a Magpies Pizza delivery man waited for me with a large fresh tomato and zucchini pizza. Mmmm... Deep inhale. Lunch! I opened the box and the food was a work of art -- a heart-shaped cheesy wonder!

In my exuberance to eat and share the glorious declaration of my husband's love, sprinkled with garlic and herbs, pieces of the lovingly shaped pizza quickly disappeared, leaving the vague outline of a heart in the cardboard box. That's when it occurred to me to take a picture of my broken pizza with my cell phone camera. While my pizza was torn apart, contrastly, my heart most certainly swelled.

Loving him to "pizzas,"

Dawn

Nathan's Games

2009-02-10T20:40:00.000-08:00

Here's my nephew, Nathan, at almost eleven months old (I can't believe it!). Look at all those teeth! I see both his mother and father in that darling face of his. Can't you just hear the laughter? His Grandma was spoon feeding him his dinner while I was disruptively playing peek-a-boo from behind her and around her hoping to catch the joy from our little game with my camera. He gave me more than joy... he always does!

Here are some things that must give Nathan joy because they are his three most frequently used words: "ball," "dog," and "bubble."

Nathan impressed us all with another little game one day. We were all sitting around the table at Cracker Barrel and Gayle asks her little boy, "Nathan, where's Grandpa?" and Nathan looks around the table and stops his eyes on none other than his Grandpa. We all clap and he smiles at the positive attention. "Nathan," his mama continues, "Where's Sarah?" Nathan shifts his gaze to the other end of the table and looks directly at his sister. The table erupts with hoorays and claps again.

Will he know me I began to wonder as Gayle keeps quizzing her son. "Nathan, where's Daddy?" Nathan finds his daddy's familiar face at the table. Cheers! "Nathan, where's Auntie Dawn?" My heart skips a beat. Does he see me enough to really recognize me? Nathan began to move and those darling blue eyes met with mine! What a feeling. Now he's just showing off!

Made You Smile,

Dawn (& Nathan)

The Olsens

2009-01-18T23:42:00.000-08:00

November was certainly a busy shutter-snappy month for me! I'll eventually post a few pictures from each of them. But first, here are the Olsens - what a beautiful family!

Malia and I were friends in the second grade (1986-87) and then my family moved to another part of town when I was eight which put me in a different school district, so naturally and sadly, we lost touch.

Then in 2004, we were both first year teachers and reunited at a class that new teachers had to attend. That was such a good day and we've kept in touch ever since.

We went to Omni Tucson National to take family pictures, which was the local for Malia and Jeff's wedding.

Kendall is a scene stopper!

Adorable! She looks so much like her mother.

I loved her playful spirit.

At one point she got a little sad, and she looked so much like a Precious Moments girl, that I had to take advantage of those tears.

But she bounced back!

Taylor's serious, pensive expression. What is she thinking about?

I love her hair swirl!

Her parents could made her laugh. So cute!

Crawly girl.

Malia and Jeff, thanks for the fun!

Snap, snap,

Dawn

October 2008 - Our 3rd Anniversary

2009-01-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit behind in some blogging, but I had to back up to include our 3rd anniversary from October. Kurt and I traveled to Rocky Point in our 1993 Jeep Cherokee complete with music, books, magazines, buckets, beach chairs, and the hope of a wonderful anniversary getaway in Mexico with each other.

Once we arrived, we realized that our oil was leaking and leaking fast, so we shopped at the market in Puerto Penasco and bought duct tape. We were both relieved at the quick fix, not really knowing how long it would suffice.

We were headed back to our rented condo with a few other groceries, and as we cruised passed the dark beach, Kurt's adventuresome-side burst out with this: "Let's see what this thing [the Jeep] can do on the sand." He put her in 4-wheel drive and we frolicked on the beach beneath the moon with little worried sounds hiccuping out of me in sporadic spurts. I almost couldn't wait to get back to the condo because of all the stress of car problems far from home in Mexico on our "vacation," but we carried on, bumping over the dunes... well, until we stopped bumping.

"Sweetie," he began. "I think we're stuck."

"What?!" I couldn't believe it. "Kurrrrt?!"

The wheels spun. Now I believed it - we weren't going anywhere. Only deeper.

We got out to examine our situation. I couldn't stop shaking my head in disbelief, but Kurt stayed very optimistic and ran for help calling out over his shoulder, "It's an adventure, Sweetie!"

Meanwhile, I got out the video camera to document the current predicament in night-mode.

A nice man came back with Kurtis to help us push the car, and shortly thereafter one of his friends did, too. We all dug around the tires, out of breath and prayerful, for we were too close to the ocean for comfort and our poor Jeep was already in trouble and now we've gone and gotten her stuck. All of the possible what-ifs plagued my brain. Thank goodness Kurt was a glass half-full.

Loads of sand and pulses of adrenaline later, the embarrassment of feeling like a foolish American tourist flooded over us because the inevitable question came. In broken English, one of the men asked what, no doubt, they both were wondering from the start, "Why you drive on beach?" A scrunched face and a guilty "I know," acknowledgement was our reply. (Never again in our only working vehicle, that's for sure!)

After letting some air out of the tires and driving down closer to the sea (ironically) there was some firmer sand. We made headway and finally, up and off the shore Kurt drove with three running pushers no longer able to keep up. A loud, "Hooray!" came from Kurtis from inside the Jeep, his cheer audible from the sticking-place.

Profuse thanks and even hugs to our local heroes were dispersed with genuine gratitude. High tide was on the way. Whew! Close call!

The next day, we walked to the beach.

Had a picnic.

Played in the waves.

Built a sandcastle.

And watched it wash away.

It's so nice how everything can wash away so cleanly there. (That includes half of our tire tracks from the previous night. Ahem.)

We also read, napped, and went absolutely nowhere. The day escaped and we enjoyed our peaceful day on the beach.

Unfortunately, we couldn't ignore all of our troubles forever by the sea. Some troubles remained the same and the duct tape wasn't holding up.

So, the next day, Kurt drove solo into town equipped with his college Spanish textbook and he happened upon the garage that he was hoping to find. Kurt and the mechanic managed to communicate and miraculously, they had the exact part for our vehicle's make and year!

God washed away that trouble - and I was worried!

So, needless to say, we did make it home, and we did it without burning up our motor for lack of oil because of that very crucial part that cost us $650 pesos.

And we made it home with tortillas... but only a few.

What a memorable 3rd anniversary!

Relieved and Happy,

Dawn

Santa by the Sonoran Express

2008-12-19T21:44:00.001-08:00

He arrived by train yesterday afternoon aboard the Sonoran Express #2349 at the Union Pacific yard office in Tucson, Arizona at precisely 5:00 in the afternoon.

He greeted old and young with that magical way about him. "Merry Christmas!" His eyes twinkled with genuine delight.

He gave packages and listened intently to yearnings and wishes of all sorts. "I want a Wii." "I want my brother to stop teasing me." "I would like to have a nice day with my family on Christmas."

"Always be happy," he urged. A familiar line to me.

Some brought him letters.

Some stared intently at his jolly face.

He hugged each child and said, "Leave me a note and I'll come see you!"

Before leaving his lap, I made sure they each smiled for a picture... or at least looked my way!

Some tried to imitate him. (I don't think the little guy's beard is real!)

Ho, ho, ho!

Dawn

Kelly Skovholt & Vera Bradley

2008-12-04T22:31:00.000-08:00

Now I understand my sister's purse fetish. I've never been as proud of a purse as I am with my new Vera Bradley bag given to me by my long-time, dear friend, Kelly Jane (Lawhead) Skovholt. I totally feel flirty at thirty with this darling bag on my shoulder. I'm so careful with it and refuse to put any used Kleenex or crumpled straw wrappers in it as I would with my other purses. I strive to keep it organized, which is a huge help, actually! I am enjoying my adorable purse very, very much.

Here's Kelly and her husband, Jonathan! See, Kelly's sporting her Vera Bradley purse, naturally doused with hints of purple (her favorite color). When Kurt and I went to D.C. to visit, it was so cute how she and her friends all had Vera Bradley purses. I love that I now fit in with that east coast trend! Thank you, Kelly, for your thoughtful gift! I love it!

Kelly and I met in the 4th grade. Our teacher, Mrs. Moore, coupled us together to make up an assignment that we both missed. We sat behind a bookshelf and became fast friends as we giggled and bonded in our little private book-fort while the rest of the class worked on something else, and I imagine they were envious of the fun we were obviously having. I think it was the perfect way to meet this friend of mine.

Kelly has always been a book-lover. She inspired me to read many books I might not have otherwise read such as The Little House in the Big Woods series. She also devoured The Baby Sitters Club books, Nancy Drew mysteries, and the Sweet Valley High saga. Now, we are both members of separate book clubs in separate cities, but we still share about our story adventures.

We used to glamourously dress up and create dance routines to old country songs together and I have to say that our best performances were to "Honky Tonk Man" and "1814," both by Johnny Horton. (I know what you're thinking, "Who's that?" Google him. He's great; really.) You'd have to bribe us pretty well to do an encore presentation, but I remember a particularly hilarious move to the line, "Gulf of Mexico!"

In fifth grade, Kelly and I volunteered for something three days a week during our lunch recess: library aid, office aid, and Kindergarten aid. When we weren't helping out, we were busy building our club: PTS, which stands for Pre-Teen Sensations. You can't say that we weren't creative and busy girls! We also loved Crayola markers and made lined paper rainbows by coloring each line a different saturated color. Kelly inspired me to try band and Girl Scouts, but I didn't last in either; Kelly was a lifer in both! We each played piano and she and I were on the same softball team for a time, too.

Throughout middle school and high school, Kelly and I gravitated to a different set of core friends, but we somehow always remained close. Even in college, we did our own thing, but we thankfully managed to keep in touch.

During and after college, we would get together every few months and we rediscovered our friendship and our uncanny ability to pick up where we left off, always finding lots of reasons to laugh and a never-ending line of conversation, despite the many miles that had previously separated us. I'm so blessed to have Kelly in my life!

She introduced me to afternoon tea at Tohono Chul Tea Room and I fell in love with this old English tradition!

Kelly sweetly asked me to be one of her bridesmaids in her wedding this past April of 2008, which was such a gift. I feel even closer to her now and am grateful for the experience to get to know her, her husband, her friends, and her family on a deeper level. She and her family are such hospitable people and they treat others with such openness and warmth - like part of their own family. They are all easy to love. Kelly has such a wonderful positive, cheerful, optimistic spirit, and she's found a wonderful husband in Jonathan. Kurt and I are so happy to call them lifelong and special friends.

My purse reminds me constantly of her and this gives me reason to grin.

Friends Forever,

Dawn

Thankful for... tart kitty feet among other things

2008-11-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

"Kurt, I'm going to set the lemon meringue pie we're taking to your mom's house over here, on the blue table, and there's a paper towel over it," I informed him as I busily multi-tasked this Thanksgiving morning. I was worried that he might not see it and accidentally bump it or something.

"Okay," he replied. Check. It's off my mental to-do list. I have effectively communicated the status of the pie to my husband.

I took a shower and was brushing my teeth, etc. while our cat, Max, kept meowing at me and I couldn't do anything to make him stop. He had plenty of food and water, he has been well admired. I just couldn't figure it out.
A few minutes later, Kurt had figured it out. I hear him say, "Oh, sweetie..." in a long, drawn-out, oops-sort-of tone. Uh oh. I rush out to the living room - to the place where the pie waited to leave. The paper towel no longer hovered weightlessly over the pie. Instead, it was hard pressed, so to speak. There was a puncture in the pie with the once-dry paper towel leading the way to the bottom of the pie pan, lemon juice seeping its way up the paper's fibers. We realized the "hole" was exactly the size of our Max's paw pressing through the pie. It was merely a hurdle in his cruise over the furniture.

Kurt was in stitches he was laughing so hard. First I laughed, then I cried, and then I laughed again.

We can't really blame Max - he's used to walking over piles of papers, and he just didn't recognize this new obstacle as food for a human feast. The thought of him innocently stepping into something mushy when he expected a firm surface and then probably darting across the house (unnoticed by us) in shock is pretty funny. We think his meowing was perhaps an apology or the distinct disapproval and disdain of lemon after licking his paw to remove the tart dessert from in between his spread-out paw. How do cats pucker anyway?

Despite the little dent in part of my contribution to the meal, I am thankful for my cat. I am thankful for lemon meringue. I am thankful for my husband's laugh and sense of humor to help me see the joy in the little inconvenience.

There are so many things to be thankful for: the time spent with my mama visiting while making 16 pies, the gathering and fellowship of family, sharing and enjoying two Thanksgiving dinners in one day, old traditions and making changes to accommodate the times, my sister's goofy side which always makes me giddy, Nathan's first taste of stuffing and turkey and his many expressions, Ender hugging my leg and his little divided plate of Thanksgiving food, holding "short and sweet" baby Liam, recipe cards, "cutting in butter," the familiar bowl for candied yams, gluten-free options for Jen, pumpkin pie, cherry pie, chocolate chip pecan pie, hugs and kisses, being both a niece and an aunt, Gayle and I dressing the same without the "text," the beauty of feast preparation, aprons, utensils, music in the background, laughter, dish soap, coffee with pie, realizing how blessed I am, impromptu charades with my papa to guess a movie title, rain in the desert, the crisp, clean mountains after a hard rain, cool breezes floating through the warm kitchen from outside, multi-colored funky potholders, reminders of goodness, a full tummy, a full heart, and Love.

Gratefully,

Dawn

Butterfly Bowl

2008-10-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

My cousin Julena keeps the most delightful garden. I view her patch of earth as her special escape, her time-catcher, her constant project, her love, and her art. Seeing how her lush Eden has grown and what unique container she has found to house her newest plants cheers my spirit. I love how she'll offer me tea with a freshly snipped sprig of mint, or steamy soup with herbs from her own backyard.

For my birthday, she and her family, Jillian, Tim, and Joshua gave me smartly chosen, specific pieces of her garden clustered nicely in one glazed red pot; what she affectionately called my butterfly bowl.

Inspired by this gift, I watered it and watched it and willed it to grow. I will not kill my plants, I will not kill my plants. I can do this! The parsley and lavender seemed to thrive, but the once flourishing sweet alyssum (pictured below), seemed to be dying. I kept at it. It'll come back; it's okay.

Then one morning before work, I rushed out to water my small garden in my backyard, and I saw the reason that my sweet alyssum was disappearing. A plethora of little green caterpillars wriggled and munched all over the dwindling sweet alyssum. Previously so small, I wasn't even able to see them. I could only see the evidence that they existed because they were eating up my plant! I wasn't very productive that day at work because I was so distracted and eager to go back to my caterpillars!

Gradually, the number of caterpillars lessened because some were eaten by birds and wasps, and others couldn't survive since the butterfly bowl didn't have enough sweet alyssum for them all to share. These particular caterpillars weren't interested in any other plant in the bowl which there was plenty of - those picky eaters!

I bought more sweet alyssum for them. I planted it (quite poorly) in a different pot and placed it strategically right next to the butterfly bowl, but they didn't crawl over.

The chunkiest of all the caterpillars began to climb the tall, leafy plant in the center of the butterfly bowl. This critter innately knew it was time for a change. Half way up the stalk, she slowed down and found a spot to rest. Of all of those busy, hungry caterpillars, only one made it to this point. This little survivor shed her skin one final time to build her cocoon.

I unfortunately missed the exit of the single butterfly from the bowl, but I'm sure it was lovely. Thank you, family, for this beautiful gift!

This picture isn't the butterfly that matches this cocoon, but I had to include a photo of one!

"Happiness is a butterfly which, when pursued is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."

~Nathaniel Hawthorne

My sweet alyssum and me are sitting quietly.

Happy,

Dawn

Being in Oregon

2008-10-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

Grants Pass, Oregon
October 9-12, 2008

My "Gramma" and "Grampa" Dockery live in a lovely home nestled in a wood by a river in southern Oregon. Their living space is on the second story of this dark-wooded home.

When Gayle and I were little, all of our cousins went to Oregon and had a special get-away with our grandparents all to themselves, but we never went... until now. Gayle, Nathan and I took at trip to visit our Gramma and Grampa Dockery, Nathan's great-grandparents.

What an adventure we had - missing two of four flights, we spent a lot of time in the San Francisco airport! But I won't dwell on that mess - maybe in another blog.

It was Nathan's first airplane trip, and he was a great plane passenger! But, based off first-hand experience, that was only because he wasn't strapped in. No, on the airplane, his mother and I held him, played with him, fed him, rocked him, and entertained him. I have to say that he really doesn't like to be strapped in and that was evident with the screaming - blood-curdling screaming - in the car on the way to and from the Phoenix airport. But that aside, he was a most excellent little traveler, and aside from some of the traveling, our trip was awesome. We did always get to where we were headed safely, so we can't really complain about that either.

Our grandparents are travelers themselves – more frequent ones that Gayle or me – and they have spent a lot of time within the last 30 years traveling across the country in their fifth wheel to visit their friends and family, which happily, allowed us to see them more than we would have otherwise. But usually when they come to see us in Tucson, especially as Gayle and I have gotten older, we would get so busy and often consumed with work, school, family, and activities that we didn't really get to just really be with our grandparents.

At their home though, there weren't any distractions and we were able to just be. Being in Oregon was so nice. Every waking moment was with them. It was wonderful, and a pleasure to give my Gramma that dream come true, especially since we toted along her sweet great-grand baby!

Molly, my grandparents' puppy, the great tissue-stealer, all of four pounds of her, loved Nathan to pieces! She could not taste him enough! They were quite the pair.

During our stay, we made our traditional Mickey Mouse pancakes, took a scenic drive, had a picnic in the park near my Gramma's favorite autumn tree, played cards, went to Abby's – a favorite pizza joint, visited with our Great Aunt Norma and third cousin, Linda, watched 3 Christmas movies since my Gramma is the ultimate Christmas movie fan (The Holiday, The Christmas Card, and One Special Night), ate ice cream with Oreos, went for a hike, and caught up on Gramma's scrapbook. I had fun taking some pictures of the nature in the forest around their house, seeing deer, wild turkeys, and the fall colors just beginning. The colors are probably showing their true autumn glory about now rather than the days we were there. We were two weeks too early!

On our last evening there, after our movie marathon, I went to the guest room but Nathan and Gayle were already curled up together in slumber right in the center of the bed, so I bunked on the couch in the living room that last night there. Thankfully, it’s easy for me to sleep anywhere. And actually, it was one of the best things that happened because the next morning around 5:00am, Gramma came out to sit in her chair so she wouldn’t miss us when we woke up. I heard her but didn't want to say anything until she sat down so she wouldn't fall as she made her way through the room in the dark. Suddenly, I felt her feeling my head and shoulder for something. "Hi, Gramma," I said just as she swiped the blanket off me in the dark. We got a good laugh about that and then we visited for the last few hours we had together. Gayle heard us chatting and joined us while her baby still slept. Through the large picture windows, we could tell the sun was slowly creeping up because we could see the outline of tall pine trees and they felt like a canopy as they hugged the house. There was the most magical feeling of being high in a tree house.

Of course our time together scooted by too fast, but it was a special, memorable trip and I'm happy that we made it up to Oregon on our own to show our grandparents how important they are to us. I hope they know.

Thankful,
Dawn

Surprise!

2008-09-24T01:06:00.001-07:00

So, here we are just pulling up to my parents' house for what I thought was going to be a small, simple, quiet birthday dinner, but I was mistaken - very mistaken! It was anything but small, simple, or quiet. In fact, it was a fantastically large group of my dear family and friends decked out in dandy 1950's attire, with cool bee-boppin' hits jamming in the background. "Surprise!" they shout! Embarrassed, I feel... but very happy and grateful, too.

What a perfect way to start my new decade. You can't go wrong with hamburgers and hot dogs grillin', tater tots and french fries accompanying, 7-layer Jello, peach cobbler, and root beer floats topping off a full belly, friends conversing, ping-pong balls ping-ponging, and faces grinning.

Thank you all for caring for me and for festively adorning poodle skirts, jeans and white tee-shirts, Converse sneakers, plaid, and leather jackets, red lipstick, taped glasses, cigarette packs rolled up in sleeves, handkerchiefs and folded down socks, with and without ruffles. And a special thanks to Gayle and Mama for making me such a lovely and personable stars-and-moon skirt. I love it and you for your creation!

(I'm sorry that I don't have pictures of everyone and that there are so many of me!)

June and Gene, my parents-in-law

My Aunt Debbie and Uncle Larry

Jillian and Julena, my cousins

Friends, Donovan and Erin

Sister-in-law, Kathy

Sister-in-law, Kimmie

Friends/co-workers, Abby, Stephanie, and Sabrina

More friends/co-workers, Michele and Shannon

Friends, Lauren and Aaron

Friends, Scott and Tamara

Friends/co-worker, Matt and Megan

Friends/co-worker, Tim, Joey, and Diane, (missing baby Ellie)

Friends, Judy and David

My brother-in-law's parents, Glenda and Butch

Friends, Jack and Karen

Brother-in-law and nephew, Mike and Nathan

Papa and Mama

Gayle, my sweet sister

And surprised I was!

Many, many thanks,

Dawn

10,954th dawn

2008-09-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

On the way to the hospital on the day I was born, my parents stopped to take a picture of my first dawn. Then they named me.

As the anniversary of my 30th year approaches, I decided I wanted to give my parents a picture of another sunrise, my 10,954th dawn.

So, on Saturday morning, I woke uncharacteristically before the sun and rushed to a picturesque location in Rancho Vistoso. Ironically, despite my name, I'm quite the sleeper and rarely up with the morning birds, so I'm unfamiliar with the precise moment that the sun creates those magnificent pinks I've heard so much about and have seldom seen.

As I made my way through the maze of roads from here to there watching the East intently, the sky lightened to a matted blue-gray and the birds chirped their morning songs. I didn't think I was going to make it to a pretty spot before the sun peeked over the mountains! I had such adrenaline rushing through me in my urgency to beat the sun and it felt like I was arriving to a show just before they close the doors and stop admitting spectators. But I found my seat just in time, before the show began. I even had time to look around to scope out just the right vantage point.

When the changes in light began, I was enamored and I wondered why I don't get up to enjoy more of these free displays - a daily gift I take for granted because I'm more owl-like and tend to stay up late (as I'm doing now to put my blog to bed) and I usually prefer to sleep in as long as possible, long past the morning's first light. That habit may have to change.

It turns out that the magic moment is literally right before the sun graces the horizon, or in our case, the top of the Catalina Mountains. It was amazing how quickly the dawn-event transpired. The sky remained quite dull and then suddenly, pink, yellow, and orange hues highlighted the clouds and the blue of the atmosphere intensified briefly to a deep saturation.

I laid crookedly on rocks embedded in the ground, shooting up at the sky. I don't think I look at the sky enough, and I always feel better when I do.

The sun's rays and beams seemed delicate at first, twinkling (like stars do) before fully rising above the mountain peaks, and they dazzled me as they back-lit little buds and flowers, normally so seemingly insignificant, they now seemed the most beautiful thing.

Welcome, new light. Hello, new day. I ask myself, "What are you going to do with it, Dawn?"

A whirl of images from memories flickered through my mind like a flipbook - a book that spans the past 10,954 earth rotations. That's a lot of spinning and quite a dance through space. I'm finding that the questions and struggles that plague many new 30 year olds, including me, are: "Have I really used each day to its full capacity up until now?" "Where did the last decade go?" and "Is this where I thought I'd be by now?"

It's not that I'm unhappy; that's not it, not in the least. I'm a very happy individual. I love my God, my husband, my family, my home, my cat. I have so much to hope for still, to dream about, learn about, and to share, but there is a slight mourning for a decade that's gone. Should of, would of, could of - too late for regrets; move on, right? This feeling is a lesson, I guess - if you don't want to mourn time gone by, then don't wait; do it today. See as many dawns as you can.

Thousands more await me,

Dawn

Her Right Foot

2008-09-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering why I have a picture of my mama's foot and what's that little white dot at the top of her second toe?

She will be embarrassed that I'm posting pictures of her "Halloween" foot, but this is definitley worth documenting! She has - I mean, had - all sorts of foot problems - a bonion, a hammertoe, a heal spur, neuroma, and plantar fasciitis. Two of the maladies have been fixed and hopefully will make all of the other issues less severe.

That white "dot" is the top of a pin going down the center of that second toe! Yi-yi-yi! {said with a shiver!} The doctor actually broke her second toe that had the hammertoe and the pin is there to try to straighten it out. But it wasn't just one toe that was broken; it was two! The doctor also had to cut open the inside of her foot, break that big toe too, install hardware for a new and improved joint, and go in a scrape the "knuckle" of her big toe for the bonion. Ooch!

Today, after three weeks with the pin and crutches, they took that pin out and Mama is sporting a lovely, blue, stylish, velcro boot and she can actually put her weight on her foot again (sort of)! She's been told that she has good bones and I think that she definitely has been a good patient and a good sport about the whole endevor!

with "soles,"

Dawn

Ender, Another Adorable Nephew of Mine

2008-09-15T21:53:00.001-07:00

Ender is my sister-in-law Keri's little boy. He is one year and nine months old and such a cutie-pie! I wrote about Ender on his first birthday back in January. You can see that post by clicking here.

The above photo is the only "posed" picture we got. After the first five minutes, Ender became very much independent and a tour guide of his backyard, wanting to show and play with everything. I had to be super-obnoxious to get him to give me the quickest of glances. I got a lot of exercise chasing him around, and sadly, I was sore the next day! I definitely need to do that more often! It was fun playing with Ender!

He is very, very "Durfey" and has a lot of Keri's features. I love his grin!

Ender hums while he runs. He can't run without humming. And that's a fact. It was adorable.

Oh, okay, so this picture looks posed, too, but if it weren't for the alluring strawberries holding him in place with their juicy tastiness, he would have been up and running (and humming).

Keri and her Ender boy. Motherhood and childhood... how lovely.

Snap, snap,

Dawn

Liam's Lips + Gravity =

2008-09-14T21:21:00.000-07:00

(Tilt your head to the right for the full effect.)

Liam fell asleep on his mathematician-dad's chest.

X+O=Love,

Dawn

Liam's First Photo Shoot

2008-09-09T22:26:00.001-07:00

Liam Patrick Durfey

2008-09-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

Little Liam has come at last, and the twenty-six-and-a-half-hour-long-labor began, appropriately, on Labor Day, which was his due date! It was a Labor Day extravaganza! But just over one Earth rotation later, his actual birthdate came: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 4:27pm.

I was blessed to join my sister-in-law Jen, her husband Kelly (Kurtis' twin brother), Pam (Jen's mom), and Alison (friend and doula) during the laborious journey for Liam's arrival. What an honor and awesome experience.

I've witnessed two births within 6 months and have gained two nephews. What an exciting year!

I saw a bumber sticker on a car the other day that said, "Midwives help people out." Ha ha! Shelley, the nurse, was fabulous! And Alison, the friend and doula was incredible! They helped more than just Liam out. He was the priority, of course, but everyone benefited from their kindness, support, patience, skill, and love.

Jen was stead-fast and strong. She had amazing focus during contractions. We were very proud of her... Kelly was especially proud of his wife and son as you can see by the expression on his face. It was an emotional day for them both. Right away, it became evident that they will be remarkable parents.

Liam came with a sweet little cry and was imediately placed on Jen's chest. They both seemed to find great comfort in the other.

He weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces and was 21 inches long.

This wee one came out looking a lot like his mama complete with a cowlick, and lovely, dark almond eyes, but we're sure some Kelly characteristics will surface as he grows.

Jen's mom, who will be refered to as Nana, was such fun to be around. She couldn't stop tearfully smiling at her first grandbaby. Congratulations, family.

Precious Liam. You are loved indeed.

With a smile,
Autie Dawn

The 60 Year Old Kid

2008-08-26T22:53:00.000-07:00

As of July 30th, 2008, my papa has officially experienced 6 decades of life!

As you can see, my dad has lots of hobbies (and the corresponding toys)! He loves his family and is really good at showing and telling us that. He lives for the moment and always advises us to just be happy.

At his birthday party, Gayle and I prepared a presentation with things our daddy can do, a slide show of photos of him through the years, and 60 Martin Ernest “Woody” Widero quotes. Here are some:

#6 When Daddy thought I should pitch a change-up during a softball game, he’d tell the whole field: “You can afford it.”

#7 When Daddy wants ice cream, he often says: “Your mama said she wants ice cream.”

#14 Learning to drive stick, we often heard that: “The clutch disengages the motor.”

#28 About VWs: “There ain’t an inch to one of these things that I haven’t touched.”

#36 About his movie collection, “The only difference between me and Blockbuster is that I only have one.”

#39 How Daddy describes his job: “I just blow the whistle.”

#44 If someone irritates him, you might hear him say: “I’ll pinch his head off.”

#55 About finding a job you love, “You’re gonna spend 8 hours somewhere.”

#60 His favorite toast: “Here’s to family.”

Fortunately,

Dawn

Quotes from The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

2008-08-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

We just finished reading The Thirteenth Tale for our book club and it was a great read! I came away with many favorite bits from the intriguing mystery.

"People disappear when they die. Their voice, their laughter, the warmth of their breath. Their flesh. Eventually their bones. All living memory of them ceases. This is both dreadful and natural. Yet for some there is an exception to this annihilation. For in the books they write they continue to exist. We can rediscover them. Their humor, their tone of voice, their moods. Through the written word they can anger you or make you happy. They can comfort you. They can perplex you. They can alter you. All this, even though they are dead. Like flies in amber, like corpses frozen in ice, that which according to the laws of nature should pass away is, by the miracle off ink on paper, preserved. It is a kind of magic." ~page 17

"I was distracted: my thumb and right index finger were sending me a message: Not many pages left." ~page 27

"I remembered the Thirteen Tales that took possession of me with its first words and held me captive all night. I wanted to be held hostage again." ~page 31

"Other people call it the imagination. I think of it as a compost heap. Every so often I take an idea, plant it in the compost, and wait. It feeds on that black stuff that used to be a life, takes its energy for its own. It germinates. Takes root. Produces shoots. And so and and so forth, until one fine day I have a story or a novel." ~page 46

"I have closed my study door on the world and shut myself away with people of my imagination. For nearly sixty years I have eavesdropped with impunity on the lives of people who do not exist. I have peeped shamelessly into hearts and bathroom closets. I have leaned over shoulders to follow the movements of quills as they write love letters, wills and confessions. I have watched as lovers love, murderers murder and children play their make-believe. Prisons and brothels have opened their doors to me; galleons and camel trains have transported me across sea and sand; centuries and continents have fallen away at my bidding. I have spied upon the misdeeds of the mighty and witnessed the nobility of the meek. I have bent so low over sleepers in their beds that they might have felt my breath on their faces. I have seen their dreams." ~page 113

"His voice had the unmistakable lightness of someone telling something extremely important. A story so cherished it had to be dressed in casualness to disguise its significance in case the listener turned out to be unsympathetic." ~page 220

"Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with items and themes -characters even- caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you." ~page 290

"Like all humans; I do not remember my birth. By the time we wake up to ourselves, we are little children, and our advent is something that happened an eternity ago, at the beginning of time, we live like latecomers at the theater; we must catch up as best we can, divining the beginning from the shape of later events." ~page 357

"'I know,' he said. 'I know.' He didn't know, of course. Not really. And yet that was what he said, and I was soothed to hear it. For I knew what he meant. We all have our sorrows, and although the exact delineaments, weight and dimensions of grief are different for everyone, the color of grief is common to us all. 'I know,' he said, because he was human, and therefore, in a way, he did." ~page 388-389

Plus, the last sentence was awesome, which I won't share with you here. It won't mean as much until after you've read the story in its entirety. Read it!

Engrossed,
Dawn

A Gallery for Erin

2008-08-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

My friend, co-elephant-photo-opportunist, and fellow-photographer, Erin Kah (pronounced Kay) Durband of E-Kah-D Photography has a portfolio of some of her work displayed at a cute downtown café in La Placita called Chris’ Café.

I’m so proud of her! If you’d like to see more of Erin’s amazing grunge, trash-the-dress-style photographs you can view her website at http://www.ekahd.com/ and her blog at http://ekahd.wordpress.com/.

She one of my most inspiring friends.

Inspired,
Dawn

Peanut Butter Waffles

2008-08-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

My mom invented peanut butter waffles when I was in middle school and lately, there has been a resurrection of them at my house, which probably isn’t good for my waist, but I adore them and it’s total comfort food!

Here’s the recipe:

Insert two L’eggo My Eggo Buttermilk or Home-style frozen waffles into the toaster until golden brown.
Lather each waffle with a layer of creamy or crunchy peanut butter.
Sandwich the waffles together and cut in bite size pieces.
Drizzle maple syrup over the top.
Pour a glass of chilled milk.
Try to savor every bite because it goes away oh-so-fast.
Contemplate making more.

It’s completely delicious, but Kurtis doesn’t believe me and won’t try it! If you try it, do let me know what you think!

Yum,
Dawn

Dear Little Monkey

2008-08-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

Dear little monkey,

I loved you before you were born,
but these little things have made me love you even more!

Your soft, bubbly arms,
your giggling charms,
the drool on your chin,
your gummy grin,
a nose like your mama,
your feet pajamas,
the spitting image of your dad,
the song Sarah sings when you get mad,
how Megan cuddles you,
your bright eyes of blue,
your amazing coordination,
and eager observations,
the way you play,
the faces you make,
your strength,
your length,
those thick, chunky thighs,

and your large hand size.

How I love you, you family of monkeys.

oo-ooo, ahh-ahh, eee-eee,
Dawn

A Room in Waiting

2008-08-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

Jen is in nesting mode, which is only natural for it being only about 2 and a half weeks before the baby's due date, and what a nest she and Kelly are preparing for little Liam!

Liam's nursery is decked out in a brilliant bright blue and the theme of Where the Wild Things Are is everywhere you look with pictures from the book framed on the wall, hand-drawn paintings of the book's characters from one of Jen's childhood friends, and wild animals eagerly waiting their new roommate on the freshly painted chifferobe.

A crib is on order to complete the room, and a corner bookshelf is in the works by Liam's handy carpenter-skilled Daddy! What a wildly lucky baby Liam is!

"Let the Wild Rumpus Start,"

Dawn

A Great-Grandpa for the First Time

2008-08-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here he is - Roy Clarence Widero, my dad's dad, my grandpa, or "Mr. Widero," as my late Grandma Bernie often called her ornery husband.

We all drove up to Tehachapi, California the weekend of July 20th to reunite with my Grandpa at his house atop one of the grassy, foggy hills of this windy region of California. My dad's three sisters and their families met us there, too, which was so fun! It has been about a decade since I saw my cousins Danny and Kristin, so it was about time! We all had a great time catching up, playing pool, eating food, introducing Nathan, and remembering old stories.

I love how Grandpa "dressed up" in his vintage 70s shirt!

Grandpa read two of his clever, original poems to us - the ones he was able to find amongst other random papers in his unorganized desk drawer, so creased and aged that rips and tears are exhaustively fighting the urge. I just adore his poetic wit about the irritating wait in a super market line and about the embarrassment and awkwardness that is a bedpan. I'm planning to collect as many poems and drawings penned by my talented Grandpa that I can get my hands on for a family heirloom. It's a project in the works that I'm very excited about.

Here's my Grandpa with his four kids. From left to right: Aunt Lisa, Papa (Martin), Grandpa, Aunt Cheryl, and Aunt Jody.

Are you wondering what's making them laugh so hard? It certainly isn't me!

Nathan giggles when his daddy makes him run mid-air with a wiggle of the tush, causing all who see this silly sight to laugh heartily out loud!

Four proud generations.

But the biggest highlight of the trip for me was definitely the connection that a few of us were privileged to witness between Nathan and his Great-Grandpa Widero upon their first meeting and how much genuine interest they had in one another. Turn up the volume and watch below. But don't listen too closely or you might hear my stifled, awe-inspired tears behind the camera.

And a great grandpa he is, too.

Glad I Was There,
Dawn

A Baby Shower for Liam

2008-08-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Jen's Tucson baby shower where we had so much fun showering her with baby-cute and baby-practical gifts!

It was awesome that Jen's mom, Pam, and Jen's Aunt Kathy traveled all the way from Santa Clara, CA to join the festivities. In-town guests included our mother-in-law, June, our sisters-in-law, Kathy, Kimmie, Keri with Ender, my mom and sister with Nathan, my two cousins, Julena and Jillian, our book club pal, Alison, and Jen's friend, Amie with her little girl. It was the perfect amount of people for my teeny house!

The theme was children's literature, so everyone brought a children's book to add to "Liam’s Library!" Then I challenged the group by having them name the title of nursery rhymes after only hearing a line or two! I completely lowered their self-esteem with that one!

Then I made them get sentimental and creative by writing an age appropriate letter to Liam after drawing a number out of a bowl ranging from ages 1 to 18! I got age 6 and that was a fun letter to write. He may be able to read it himself by then!

June made her famous ice cream dessert cake, which is hard to decorate, so we decided to make a diaper cake to match the theme of Liam's bedroom - "Where the Wild Things Are," to complement the yummy dessert.

I also invited a surprise guest to the shower- one of Kurtis’ clients, Libby, who is a baby sign language teacher for Sign With Baby Tucson. She and her 4-year-old daughter were awesome teachers and they inspired the group to learn to communicate with babies before they’re ready to speak with their voices. Libby had us make finger-print-people for each member of our family and then we learned the signs for family members. Here are Kimmie and Keri inking Ender's little fingers!

I know that Jen already intends to do this with Liam, and my sister and I, and all the grandmother’s (my mom, Pam, and June) are very excited too! I have some practicing to do in order to keep up with these babies! Gayle's already started with 5 month old Nathan. It's exciting to wait for him to sign back!

Here's Libby showing the signs for Gayle's (HUGE) family!

June made Liam an adorable home made sock monkey out of 25 year old socks! This is just too special, and I’m glad I knew that it was homemade because I don’t think she would have told anybody! She would have let us all believe that this keepsake was purchased at a store instead of toiled over with love and care and the special stitches only a grandmother can give.

Then, Pam gave Jen and Kelly a Beatles baby tee and a Pink Floyd baby tee representing two of their favorite bands. And it just so happen that Kelly was wearing the exact same adult-sized tee! How perfect!

It was a pretty wonderful day. Plus, I got my house clean because of it!

Sparkle and Shine,
Dawn

Little I Love Yous

2008-08-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Last night, Kurtis and I were cutting, folding, and stapling a "leave behind," as he calls it, for the hopefully-I'll-start-one-day-if-I-have-the-courage-photography-company, Widero Photography, which includes my sister, too! We're both Widero girls! Kurtis designed the awesome logo for me a few years ago for a Valentine's Day gift. He's very supportive and encouraging. That's just one of the many ways that Kurtis shows me that he loves me.

Here's another:

He cut that out with an exacto knife while we were supposed to be cutting! What a slacker! Just kidding!

He's so sweetly good at leaving little I love yous around for me to find; both tangible and simple, random acts of love. I couldn't ask for more.

Love to him,
Dawn

Sentimental Nut

2008-07-30T22:25:00.001-07:00

Ahh, school supplies... they're everywhere you go right now since August is right around the corner. Kids and parents are searching for those perfect backpacks and the accessories to fill those backpacks. Remember the days when you would go searching for a cheap paper box that expressed "you" to proudly sit on your desk to hold your crayons, glue, pencils, and scissors? I think they're plastic now. Well, in 1989, my 5th grade year, this was my box.

I've kept it for 19 years to house markers and such over the years, but the lid doesn't open easily anymore, and it is no longer a necessary tool for me in my adulthood, but I'm a sentimental nut that can't get rid of it! Here's why:

Can you read the message? My sister must have dug up the crayons and art supplies that filled this box to write this secret note at the bottom beneath the waxy crayon residue and torn crayon wrappers. I found the note years ago, but it always makes me smile so I couldn't get rid of it. I love the fact that Gayle created a secret for me to discover. Imagine the giddiness she might have had just waiting for me to ffind what she did!

We used to do stuff like that all the time. Once we created a code of symbols to correlate to the alphabet and then we'd write incripted notes for each other to decipher. We'd also have secret knocks between our bedroom walls to let each other know that a message was waiting. And somewhere in Gayle's house, there's a letter in an envelope that we wrote about 20 years ago in which we instructed ourselves not to open until sometime in the next decade! I'm anxious to see what wackiness we sealed away. I love having a sister to be imaginative with!

Tonight I went through random stuff in our office, and when I came across this box, I've decided that it's time to let it go, but I had to at least take pictures of it! I'm a little sad just thinking of sitting in the trash can because it's such a symbol of my school days, and reminiscent of laying on my tummy on scratchy carpet along side my sister as we color, the box between us. The Velveteen Rabbit come to mind. The box doesn't have feelings, the box doesn't have feelings.

I'm learning to purge. Bear with me. Is there school for that?

happy learning,
Dawn

P.S. Never mind, I think I can find a new purpose for it. It's not in the garbage anymore. You sentimental nut.

The Night We Shot at Elephants

2008-07-11T00:23:00.001-07:00

It's a sticky, humid Sunday night in downtown Tucson and the streets are flooded with people holding sticky little hands, cotton candy remnants, bags of peanuts, and Ringling Brothers Circus memorabilia as they exit the Tucson Convention Center doors and make way to their cars. Waves of vehicles inch their way along the roads while my long-time friend, Erin, and I try to find a place to park in the madness. The two of us arrive while masses leave. But soon the streets become vacant and we sit on the steps of the police department building, (where my sister Gayle works, actually) testing exposures on our cameras. We sit and wait; we wait for the elephants.

The parking lot lights begin to switch off, one by one, and the city landscape is dark. Random doses of color flicker here and there. An already challenging photo situation is just about to get more interesting.

Lightning sprawls across the sky as a protester approaches us and tells us of her worry; of the abuse the magnificent beasts could endure during their careers as circus elephants.

We hear the rain before we feet it. It rudely interrupts our conversation and we run for cover, anticipation rising within us of when they would come our way and if the rain would continue.

The "bloop, bloop!" of sirens signal that police cars are maneuvering their way to block any traffic and to make way for the parade of the elephants. No trumpet (or trunk) blows to announce their arrival, but we spot the gray leader of the single-file line, his trunk swaying side to side. Rain pelts the streets, reflecting a mysterious orange light, and we take as many pictures as we can without too many raindrops hitting us under the building's overhang, but the elephants quickly pass us. Erin shouts, "How bad do we want to get these pictures?" as we teeter on the edge of dry pavement and wet. "I want the elephants!" So we run on slippery asphalt and sidewalks, our cameras under our shirts!

We rush to keep up with the kindergarten-like elephants as they march north on Church Avenue. Each one grips a tail with a trunk like a security blanket as though they can't keep going without each other's comfort and they walk as though they're in a hurry -perhaps from the elephant paparazzi. We can't seem to get in front of them; they're quicker than we imagined they'd be!

The make a right on Pennington Street, ignoring stop signs and red lights as we snap away. A man has to snap at me a few times, too. "Miss, please stay on the other side of the rope!" I apologize frequently for wandering on the wrong side, but you see, I'm walking as I look through my view finder and the people holding the ropes are in my way!

More people join the frenzy of photographing the beautiful animals as we arrive at the train station. The Dumbo song plays in my head, "Pink elephants on parade! What'll I do? What'll I do? What an unusual view!"

The rain has let up quite a bit, but it's still dark and because of the slow shutter speed I'm using, it's difficult to get non-blurry images.

Once before the circus train, the elephants seem to remember (because an elephant never forgets) what to do and automatically and meticulously line up before the train cars, their rear-ends facing the onlookers. Then it becomes clear what the haste in elephant pace was all about! They must know a long, jolting journey on the train looms before them and they know there is no better time to... relieve themselves before getting aboard.

I continue shooting at them from behind bars through my cyclops lens as an old tattooed man directs each one into a train car which boasts, "The Greatest Show on Earth."

Is what's so magical to me, really monotonous and repetitive, same-old action to the elephants? Do they long for the plains of Africa, or the forests of Asia, or the enclosure of a zoo cage even, or do they enjoy their performing art? Who scouts them and how are they chosen? Many hunt them; me included, as I prey on them for a special elephant image. I shot at them over one-hundred times.

Despite that guilt-ridden, pity-filled question, this night will forever remain memorable and surreal; definitely, for me, one of the "greatest shows" and special secrets of the public streets in Downtown Tucson.

Thank you, Erin and Donovan, for sharing.

Happy Independence Day

2008-07-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

A year ago today, Kurtis and I went with Gayle to the El Conquistador Resort to watch the spectacular 4th of July firework display since Mike, an Oro Valley K-9 police officier, was working the event, but little did I know at the time that it was a very special day for another reason.

It was the day that Gayle and Mike found out that they were pregnant! They had been trying for over 2 years! They did a really good job of keeping the secret on that exciting day, which I can only imagine was very hard to do! (Don't they look happy and sneaky with their secret?) Gayle told me that she came close to telling me, but she really wanted to tell our parents first. So, I found out a few days later when she gave me a children's book with a special inscription inside letting me know that I'd be an auntie! I look forward to the day when I'll get to read it with him.

Nathan is 4 months old today! I love being an auntie!

Tonight we went to my Aunt Donna and Uncle Mike's house and we watched those same fireworks at El Conquistador from a bit farther away this year, but it was still fun and festive! Here are my cousins, Joshua and Jillian, with some of the Catalina Mountains in view along with a burst of fireworks.

In case you're wondering what the rest of Joshua's shirt says, "I put ketchup on my ketchup." What a perfect shirt for Joshua and for a barbecuing Independence Day with family.

Proudly,
Dawn

Right-O

2008-07-03T23:54:00.000-07:00

Scene: It's 6:15 PM and we just arrive home from work. Kurtis flops on the bed and I'm in the bathroom.

Kurtis: "As soon as we get the economic stimulus check, we're going to put it all in the savings account, right?"

Dawn: "Right-o... left-toe. Ha ha!"

Kurtis: "Weird-toe."

Dawn: (laughs because he plays along) "I love you, Kurt."

Kurtis: "I love you toe!"

Get it!? Hee hee! "Toe!" "Too!" He cracks me up! He's just right for me.

cornballishly,

Dawn

Waiting for September

2008-06-30T23:26:00.001-07:00

Liam is due on September 1st, but there is debate! Will he be born on August 30th instead -- the birthday of his daddy and uncle Kurtis... and my friend, Kelley, too? Very wonderful people have been born on that day. I think there' s plenty of room for him on my calendar there. Of course, September is wonderful month, too!

That is my first bear posing with beautiful Jen, dreaming of her baby.

Baby belly blocks!

Dawn

Expressing...

2008-06-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

*mirth*

*curiosity*

*gas*

*termi-"nater" attitude*

*happiness*

my-face-hurts-from-smiling,

Dawn

"With Brandi Carlile"

2008-06-21T23:41:00.001-07:00

Wednesday night Kurtis and I had a night on the town! We ate at Blue Willow-- a fun, eclectic, local restaurant on Campbell Avenue-- and then we went to the "Indigo Girls with Brandi Carlile" concert at the Rialto Theatre.

Brandi Carlile's band began the show and they were incredible! A man in the crowd shouted at one point, "You should be headlining, Sweetheart!" and we so agreed! It should have been, "Brandi Carlile with the Indigo Girls," but due to the experience difference, that could have been an awkward conversation. We were there purely for Brandi's music, and not so much for the Indigo Girls because we don't really know their work. They have nice voices, but they just don't have the same effect on us! Kurtis and I swayed to the beat of Brandi Carlile's music in the center of a conglomerate of other fans listening together at the foot of the stage for a quick 45 minutes.

She sang some of our favorites tunes: "The Story," "Have You Ever," (which was recently played to wake up the astronauts at the space station!), and spectacular covers to "Hallelujah," and to Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison." We also got a sneak peak to a couple of new songs that will be on her next album - can't wait! She has such soul, unique tonality, and amazing crescendos and decrescendos. There's not one song that I've heard that I haven't liked, and that's rare to say that about any artist, I think.

Here's what's on the front of the shirt that I bought at the concert. I think it's very cute and I especially love that it's not obviously from a concert; it's subtle.

I wore it to a barbecue at an Australian family's house, and Mr. Plant said in his charming Aussie accent, "That's a penny farthing on your shirt," which I had to ask him to repeat twice, but came to learn that's a term for the sort of bike it is-- a penny for the large wheel and a farthing for the small wheel!

Anyway, during the concert, I came to the realization that Miss Carlile is not afraid of her gift and I found it inspiring that she has the gumption to follow the advice of one of my favorite quotes:

"Whatever your talent, use it in every way possible... Spend it lavishly like a millionaire intent on going broke." ~Brenden Francis

I think the t-shirt design illustrates how a person's heart leads the way on the ride through life. The heart is the big wheel and it's crucial to keep it moving. Spend those pennies and farthings. Go for broke. Be lavish. Make the most of your ride. You'll see more when peddling. Share those talents. Offer them to the world. After all, your heart is what drives you. You know when your heart beats its fastest.

heartful,

Dawn

The George Wedding, 2 Months Later

2008-06-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

It's done. Two months, a bridesmaid in a dear friend's wedding, a trip to Rocky Point, my sister's birthday, lots of Photoshop, and a Father's Day later, I've delivered the photos to Megan and Matt George from their wedding that took place on April 12th, 2008. Whew! What a relief! I took about 2,000 photos and delivered about 800, which I hope they will "love and cherish" forever and ever.

I work with Megan at Madden Media and, ironically, Matt and I both grew up on Hickory Drive but we barely know each other from our youth. He was one year behind me, in Gayle's class. Gayle was my second photographer at the event that warm April day and I'm eternally grateful for her artistic services and the window of time that her son Nathan allowed her to be away. (She's nursing, you see.) She... I mean, I, was given 3 gracious hours which consisted of the last bit of time to get dressed and ready for the wedding, family portraits, and the ceremony. I don't think it's possible to shoot an entire ceremony solo and get everything because that part of the festivities seems to go by the fastest! Gayle got some amazing shots that add considerably to the collection. I love my sister! Thank you, Gayle! It's funny how things work out and how people are linked and reconnected.

What a loving and hilarious duo the new Mr. and Mrs. George are! Congrats to the happy couple, and I'm so glad I was able to be there to capture their story.

Cheers,

Dawn

Koskinski Kids

2008-06-11T22:51:00.001-07:00

I've been photographing this family for about 10 years, unbelievably! They are my most loyal, non-related photo subjects, but they sure feel like family. They're beautiful kids, and I got some delicious chocolate from Cindy, their mother. Cute kids, laughter, pictures, and chocolate - ah, bliss!

Blissfully,

Dawn

Meet Red, our Adenium

2008-06-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Our African Adenium plant, aptly named Red for its tousle of crimson blossoms, which we adopted 2 years ago at the annual, world-renown Tucson Gem and Mineral Show (of all places), is blooming so beautifully right now, that I had to take this opportunity to photograph and share his splendor!

Here he is next to Basil, our other plant (yep, we only have 2 right now that are alive). Basil requires a bit more care though, and he had to be moved up onto the chair because the rabbits must have enjoyed his bounty. Red only needs to be watered 3 times a week in the summer, and only once a month in the winter. He's perfect for Kurtis' and my busy schedules and brown thumbs because he is a succulent tree and loves the heat. He's native to South Africa's Persian Peninsula.

Kurtis and I do have ambitious plans to grow green thumbs though! I hope to have a lovely backyard sanctuary in the future like my mom and cousin, Julena do! Our neighbor is a potter and came over to look at Red to get an idea for a custom pot for him. I'm so excited to see what she comes up with because he needs a bigger room.

Happy Summer,

Dawn

Rail in the Desert

2008-05-26T16:15:00.001-07:00

My dad is planning on selling his rail, so we took it out on Powerline Road to get some photos, but we also got some thrills! Wooweeeee! He drives so fast over the bumps, hills, and dips!

Enjoy the ride,
Dawn

Indiana Jones and Mars

2008-05-25T23:29:00.001-07:00

Today will always stick out in my head for two reasons:

One, today my papa went to the movie theater! He hasn't been to one in so long because, while he loves movies, he prefers to watch them in the comfort of his own living room in his recliner, with his feet up and with his surround sound. I've been hyped up about the fourth Indian Jones movie for weeks now and he said that he and my mama would go with Kurtis and me to see it. We originally thought we'd see it at an Imax theater, but it turns out that it wasn't playing at one. Oops! But my parents still said they go see it with us. Woohoo! Tower Theaters seems to have the most comfortable seats, so that's where we decided to go.

The film was great fun - exciting, fast-paced and full of humor, wit, and adventure! It was in the tradition of the original three films, too, which was awesome! The most unexpected feature was that it had to do with aliens - yep, that's what I said: aliens. (I guess that's not surprising when you consider who the director is!)

The other reason today was for the books is because today the University of Arizona and NASA's spacecraft, named Phoenix, landed safely on Mars! Kurtis and I went down to the U of A to see the excitement and find out all we could. The photo above is one that the Phoenix took of the landscape after it took pictures of itself to ensure it's still correctly put together, and we were at the U of A when they were first shown. Everybody clapped and cheered! We feel like we were there for a bit of history. Click the above links to read stories about the event.

It was interesting to have my head in a University all day and interweaved through my two experiences was the unlikely link of the idea that there's life outside of Earth.

Indiana Jones teaches for a university and he studies the past through archeology, and then he discovers ancient relics leading him to aliens. One of the quotes from the movie that was great was when Indiana and Mutt fell off a motorcycle in the university's library and as he gets back on after a student asks him a question he says, "If you want to be a good archaeologist, you should get out of the library!"

Then, the U of A's Phoenix robot lands (far away from a library) on our closest planetary neighbor to dig up samples of top soil and hopefully ice in the north pole of Mars, which is believed to be not 10 cm below the red surface. The scientists at NASA and at the U of A are trying to find out if there are tiny micronisms in the ice - samples of life. I sort of hope they don't find anything, but at the same time I wish the Phoenix mission well. It's just that I like Earth; I have no desire to personally go to Mars.

One very young audience member asked the NASA scientist innocently, "Why are you looking for life on Mars?" What a good question! The scientist was very kind. His answer was, "Because we're lonely and curious." Everyone giggled at his answer because it was so simple and how could us earthlings ever be lonely?

It's amazing to think that some of us earthlings created a devise to fly through outer space to Mars in order to test another planet's attributes. Could that be called an invasion? If there was intelligent life there, would that be okay? I don't think that we would be okay with another planet's devise coming to test our ice or soil. Or at least Hollywood tells us so through movies. We would instantly see it as a threat. But we don't see our "invasion" as a threat to anyone else. We seem to see it as an opportunity to learn, which is true, but it's almost as if we assume it's there for the taking. And even more interesting is that the Phoenix only has about 90 days of sunlight before it will not get any more solar power and it will be left there, and as the NASA scientist told us, it will freeze and quietly go to sleep. But that seems a bit like littering to me. Little traces of earth left on Mars. Something for an archaeologist in another time to go dig up and make sense of.

from earth,

Dawn

A New Needle

2008-05-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

This morning I got up early to go find SOMETHING to photograph because it was just so irresistibly enticing outside. I found myself at Quail Run Elementary School because there was a saguaro there that was all abloom with the lovely, white, trumpet-like flowers and, like a cactus wren, I was attracted. But what I have to share is the peculiar new needle in the ribs of this saguaro.

That's right- it's a sharp, pointy, number 2 pencil growing out of the side of the cactus! Makes sense, I suppose, to find this at a school.

Wondering if a finger was pricked,

Dawn

Jen & Kelly: 6 months pregnant

2008-05-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

Here is Jen, my sister-in-law, who is married to my husband's twin, Kelly. Besides being my sister-in-law, she is also a friend with whom I meet once a week over a Starbucks drink and a visit. Many of our visits have been consumed with talk of babies. You see, this is one of Jen's great dreams, and it has come to fruition! Jen and Kelly are anxiously expecting their first baby, a son to be named Liam Patrick Durfey on September 1st! What a great Irish name! I couldn't be more happy for them and I'm excited for the day when another sweet nephew enters the world.

Love,

Dawn

Braids!

2008-05-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

We were in Puerto Penasco over Cinco de Mayo weekend for a triathlon that my brother-in-law, Karl, was racing. He did great and won first in his age group! Woohoo!!!

But before any of that, his wife and my friend, Tracy, was determined that WE would have braids.

*look at those hands fly!*

So, she asked a woman sitting out side of the Mexican restaurant that we ate at "downtown" if she braided and when she replied, "manana," Tracy wouldn't take no for an answer. She asked again and the woman ended up sending for her daughter to help, and soon we were sitting in a chair on the cobbled street with a tray of colorful beads in our laps handing the beads and bands to the two women behind us who braid at lightning speed!

I felt a bit Jamaican by the end of the hair-do, but it was the perfect uncharacteristic thing to do and it kept all those wispy henries out of the way during our weekend stay in Mexico! Don't worry - we didn't get burnt scalps either because Tracy and I finger-painted each other's little braid pathways with dabs of sunscreen. I am glad Tracy talked me in to it; I am.

I actually wore it one day to work (gasp, I know!), despite extreme embarrassment, but the shocked reactions were worth it! Plus, they make the coolest clinking noise when you twist your head back and forth. I definitely recommend it.

My mother-in-law, June, helped me to take all of the little bands out that Monday night and my hair was huge and crimped. Hello, 1989! I don't think I'll share that photo here, but would I do it again? Yeah, mon.

Diggin' it,

Dawn

Previously Seen Here

2008-04-02T22:16:00.001-07:00

Last April I was driving home and was completely awed by the view of a sliver of the silver moon hanging low in the night sky with Venus at her side in between the gaps of several tall saguaros on the road near my house. I huddled on the side of the road with my camera on its tripod, taking pictures for seconds at a time as cars drove by, their headlights giving the perfect extra glow to the scene. I was giddy with delight at the landscape before me!

Then in July, our monsoon season, the same area was graced with the presence of a full rainbow, so again I took the opportunity to capture the beauty of this special area of desert, practically in my own backyard!

I decided to go explore this area again recently, and was devastated to find that this beautiful patch of natural desert vegetation had been plowed, graded, and cleared with exception of the protected saguaros. Those towering giants now overlook a plain of freshly tractored dirt, still soft from the dragging. They used to be surrounded by other plants particular to our Sonoran desert, but now they seem isolated with nothing in front of or behind them. I imagine that their arms turn down, and placed on their "hips," they gossip about the travesty. Tire tracks have replaced my shoe prints and the tracks of desert creatures who once called it home.

I cried for this magical place I've developed a sort of friendship with and immediately called my mama, a lover of the desert, knowing that she would understand. I expected her to be oober-sympathetic with me, and while she was sorry for me, she also said that my property was once covered in desert landscape, too. This comment surprised me, but she is a Senior Zoning Inspector for the Town of Oro Valley and she deals with this sort of complaint over and over again from Oro Valley citizens who call her, much like I did, frustrated over the development of a new area, and the loss of something natural and beautiful. My mama was right. I, too, am guilty of enjoying my home situated in a subdivision, the result of the very act that distraught me: de-desertation.

Our population is growing, and developers need to make room for people moving in - I get it, and it has never bothered me before. But now the awe-inspiring scenes I witnessed right there will never be seen the way I saw it again, except for digitally (thankfully). Those plants, shrubs, smaller cacti, and trees will never grow quite the same there, and now an apartment complex will sit on that corner and people will move in and perhaps never know what used to reside on that plot of land, land I didn't figure anyone even owned, naively.

I feel gypped. There wasn't even a warning! But what would I have done? The Lorax comes to mind. Where is he when you need him? However, people like my mama salvage our desert vegetation and ensure that our native plants are represented in new developments. I'm thankful for that. Thank you, Mama!

It's crazy to think about all of the paved roads that divide the landscape, and what now CAN'T grow or live there because WE have so many places to go to and be at. I do appreciate our roads, parking lots, homes, architecture, schools, museums, and businesses, I do. But it is interesting to think about what once was there and can be no more. And a little sad.

Thankful for the sights I saw there,

Dawn

Dr. Suess' Horton Hears a Who

2008-03-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

This movie is incredibly delightful! One clue to that fact is the way my husband cracked up during the film... you know, the hearty genuine laugh - the kind that brings tears to his eyes, and even if I didn't find the feature equally hilarious, I would have been giggling anyway at the sheer delight he was experiencing! But it just so happens that this film did tickle my funny bone, too. (Click on the title of this post to go to the website.)

Horton is a sweet-hearted elephant who believes in caring for a Who called Mayor who inhibits the teeny-tiny speck sitting delicately on a clover. Mayor learns of Horton and even though he can't see the large elephant, larger than his entire world, has a true belief in him. These two characters have absolute, unwavering faith.

When you think about it, Earth is really just a speck floating through the starry universe. There's a great and loving God who cares for you and me, a couple of "Whos" on a speck in the massiveness that is His universe.

"For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of his unfailing love." — Psalm 33: 4-5

"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful, one hundred percent!" — Horton

Amazed,

Dawn

While He Was Sleeping

2008-03-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

Napping

Adorably

Through

Hugs

And

sNapshots

The blue jamies were Mike's and they won't fit Nathan for very much longer! In Mike's babybook there is a picture of him wearing those very same jamies (yes, with feet!) and Nathan looks very much like his daddy's baby-self. I still see Gayle's features on his cheekbones and nose though!

happy snapping,
Dawn

A Bath and Jamies with Feet

2008-03-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

I always hear people say how they love the way babies smell. Well, until I smelled darling Nathan boy after his first bath, I didn't have a strong memory of a baby scent. I could not take a deep enough breath! He smelled so yummy-clean; a cleanliness that I've never smelled on an adult human!

His first bath was at Gayle's kitchen sink under the supervision of Gramma Dockery, a labor and delivery nurse from the World War II era. She bathed all of her grandbabies in their infancy, Gayle and I included, and she was tickeled to have been a part of her first great grandbaby's first bath, too. Mama would have loved to be there, but sadly, she was at home busy fighting the terribly yucky cold that Kurt and I both endured. Get well soon, Mama!

Then Gayle dressed her baby in comfy feet-jamies from Grandma Dee Dee (Mama) which are covered in little mice, a signature favorite of Grandma. The other interesting thing about these jamies is that they are sized 0 to 3 months, and can you believe that this little 4-day-old filled these jamies out?! That boy - he's a monkey!

I wish we adults could smell like a clean baby and get away with wearing jamies with feet, but then I just don't think it would have quite the same effect.

Smiling,

Dawn

Nathan Michael Martin Warren

2008-03-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

He came into the world very pink with a deep cry and a pointy head (see in photo above). But can you blame him? Big heads run in the family! My sister, Gayle, gave birth to a 9lb. 6oz., 21 and 3/4 inch long baby boy on Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 at 8:58pm. So, due to his size, a pointy head was inevitable! He's rounded out since the day of his birth though.

I was very honored and fortunate to get to be in the delivery room, and I was armed complete with camcorder and camera, and sadly, a mask since I had a sniffling cold.

It's a strange sensation for there to suddenly be one more person in the room without anyone coming through the door, even though I knew that was the purpose of being in the room in the first place.

Mama was also in the room, near Gayle's head, helping to support her back every time Gayle tucked her chin down and did a giant crunchie to push. Gayle's husband, Mike, was there by her side giving her updates on how much of Nathan was showing. "I can see his eyebrows!" There were 5 nurses I think, one designated as the "baby catcher," and a doctor. Daddy was behind the curtain like the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, but he kept fairly quiet except for the occasional proud, soft, deep chuckle as he anticipated the arrival of his grandson. Kurtis and Beth were in the hallway trying to witness as much as possible from behind a door.

Gayle's contractions lasted over 24 hours, but she pushed on March 4th for less than an hour. I'm very proud of her... we all are. She and Mike are very proud parents. Proudness is all around.

Finally I get to see that Nathan has the nose of his mama and the lips and chin of his daddy. A more beautiful meld of two people I cannot imagine. What a blessing he is.

A happily doting aunt,

Dawn

Done Yet?

2008-02-27T21:01:00.000-08:00

My how they've grown! Nathan has quite a pouch there in his mama! Believe it or not, Gayle doesn't have any stretch marks yet! This was about a week ago, and the due date is March 4th - less than a week away! In fact, Gayle has had some contractions already, which is crazy! Her stomach gets really hard for a few minutes and then relaxes again. Her body seems to know what to do. Amazing! More info to come!

In anticipation,
Dawn

Proyecto Compassion

2008-02-27T20:07:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, Kurtis, Alan, and I traveled 40 miles south of the border to visit a Mexican orphanage, Casa de Elizabeth. I feel privileged that I got to go and photograph some of the children who live there for the newsletter and website that Proyecto Compasion (Project Compassion) delivers to keep readers and contributors informed on the happenings at the orphanage.

This place is a home for, at the time, 98 children of many ages. The 98 children share quarters, food, chores, clothes, toys, and attention; a skill they make look easy, but sharing should not be underestimated. Can you imagine?

These little children don't really have a lot of choice in their circumstances, but they do have a choice on their attitude and I am quite impressed with the good naturedness, hospitality, and joy that they displayed to perfect strangers who came and visited, some with very sparse Spanish-speaking abilities.

After arriving, I shock myself because I begin to meld all of the kids together and to think of them as one collective mass as though they are each the same. But I quickly snap out of that ridiculous notion because, in truth, just because I can’t communicate readily, doesn’t mean that each and every one of these children isn’t special with individual qualities and a unique, one-of-a-kind personality. How dare I? He knows them each by name. “Como se llama?” need not be asked by Him. Each child is unlike any other person on the entire planet. Remarkable. I began to wonder what each of these kids dreams of and hopes for, prays for. What does she want to be when she grows up? Does he have great aspirations? I wish I could ask them... in their language.

For now, the language I have in common with them, besides the few basic phrases that we exchange in either Spanish or English, is the language of love and the message of a smile. They smile back. Their smiles speak loudly, that's for sure. I’ll try to crack the code. Some smiles innocently show contentment. Some smiles beg for excitement. Some smiles say shyly, "Don't take my picture." Other smiles cheese it up for the camera. Some smiles shout, "Watch what I can do!" Some smiles ask, "What did you bring me?" Some smiles are suspicious. Some smiles say, "Ooh, someone new." Some smiles show a hint of recognition. Some smiles are purely for the soccer ball or the bicycle with the metal wheels. Even that bike without rubber tires warrants a smile. Some smiles yearn to show off their home. Some smiles await lunch. Some smiles tease each other. Some smiles are modest after a violin concert in the office. Some smiles barely show at all. Some smiles take up half of a face.

I hope that my smiles speak the volumes that their smiles do. I hope my smiles adequately say, "Wow," "You're special," "You beautiful creature of God," "That's awesome," "Good picture!" "Thanks for sharing," "I admire your spunk," and "Keep up the good work," which unfortunately all sound like stickers one would get on a homework assignment. While I know that many of those kiddos would take a sticker with gusto (even in English), that doesn’t seem good enough! There’s so much more I want to ask and say, so much they each deserve to hear, which I believe they do all receive – share - on a daily basis in their home at Casa de Elizabeth.

Despite our language barrier, I hope they saw the compassion I feel for them and the strength I see in them. I pray they recognize the love around them and the love from a few people across the border.

With Hope,
Dawn

In the Paper!

2008-01-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

Last week, a friend from work, Stephanie, and I went to a new restaurant since we each had a coupon for a free lunch. It's called Asian Bistro, and you may be wondering how I could possibly have a picture of us there! Well, just after we got our steaming hot plates from the kind waitress, a man walked in with a professional camera. I noticed him and his camera, but wasn't about to say anything until he interrupted us to ask if he could photograph us eating. Strange question, but he said he works for the Arizona Daily Star and is doing a story on the new restaurant. Stephanie and I are both shy, but we let him take our picture while trying to carry on normal conversation as the man balanced on a chair above us, snapping away.

He told us the story would come out on January 31, but it came out instead on Thursday, January 24th! We wouldn't have even known if it weren't for people at work who read the paper and saw us in the Caliente section! Click on the link above and you'll see the entire story.

Here's my review:

The dining room was fancier than expected and the mirrors covering an entire wall make the space seem larger. The staff was very friendly despite us coming in for a free meal. Our lunch special consisted of soup, an egg roll, 2 honey wontons, rice or lo mein, an entree, and dessert! I thought it was delicious, although I have had better egg rolls and egg-drop soup. It was very reasonable, and I think that the service and close proximity in addition to the yummy meal, are what will make me a loyal customer.

happy dining,
Dawn

Sweet Anticipation

2008-01-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

Here is the photo taken of Gayle at the start of her 3rd trimester in front of her white-washed kitchen wall, which Kurt and I used for the front of her baby shower invitation. Gayle's expression says it all-- how she is anxiously awaiting the arrival of their baby boy! She is enjoying every moment of her pregnancy though, even with all the throwing up she did during her first trimester. Sad, but true! It's all been worth it for her though; definitely.

I'm anxious to compare the features of Nathan to that of his parents. Will he have Gayle's small ski-slope-outlet nose, or Mike's long nose? Will he have a cleft in his chin like his daddy and Flintstone-feet like his mama? Will he be a golden boy with Gayle's blond hair and a continuous tan? He's bound to be tall and one thing's for sure, he will have blue eyes!

I'll post again once we have the shower, which is set for February 2nd, or when I have more photographs of my prego sister and her ever-growing tummy!

Signed,
an anxious auntie

Cat Nap

2008-01-08T22:08:00.000-08:00

Aw... Max, our awesome cat, decided to join me on the couch while I read the bookclub selection for the month, A Thousand Splendid Suns. He was so relaxed- I love that he trusts me enough to be that way! He tucked and prodded his body in to just the right spot, his head twisting owl-like and almost upside-down. At one point, one of his back legs was sticking up towards the pages of the book and the pink pads 'neath his foot were all spread apart. He was conked out and his feline cuteness distracted me. I couldn't resist but to stick my finger between one of the crevises on the bottom of his furry foot. All he did was pull his foot away without even opening his eyes. (Oh, yay, here he comes now, to join me as I type.) Then he just let out a heavy sigh that I like to interpret to mean, "I'm so completely content." It seemed like such a human sigh. I love that he's so expressive.

Max has a very majestic face; regal and powerful. I like to imagine that he's my lion; that if we lived together in the wild and he were hundreds of pounds heavier than me with a single paw the size of my head, that we would still have this kindred relationship. He'd still like to purr near me as I read, reach up to my face with his paw when he wanted attention, and want to steal the very water that I'm drinking. He's my dream cat; the cat who loves to be with you.

What a pleasant evening with Max and a book.

Contently,

Dawn & Max