Reverb 10 - Prompt #25

December 25 – Photo – a present to yourself.  Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you. (Author: Tracey Clark)

Photo Credit: Clarissa Rucker Photography

Can I start by saying that I love this prompt, Tracey Clark?  Can I follow that with, "Holy Cow, I take a lot of pictures in a year?!?!" 

The one I chose (above) was taken by one of my awesome friends who just happens to be a phenomenal photographer with a delicious eye for documenting what are sure to be some of your favorite memories.  Her name is Clarissa Rucker, and while I usually strive to protect my peeps by using aliases instead of their actual names, I want you to hunt her down and hire her.  Then, try your best not to keep her in your life as an amazing friend.  Go on.  I dare you!

I think this photo best captures me because I'm smiling, and that's kind of my trademark.  It's taken on the water, which is where I'm usually at my happiest and most serene.  This photo makes me smile because it was literally the most perfect day, and I mean that in every sense of the word.  It was a day of calm.  It was a day of play.  It was a day where I was surrounded by wonderful friends. It was a day of laughter and smiles.  It was a day where you just knew God planned the weather just for you and the activities you had planned.

This photo also captures who I want to continue to be in the future.  I want to be a genuinely happy girl who surrounds herself with good people and who makes the time to just have fun.  I want to be a girl who appreciates a day like that day, and who remains so thankful for every day like that I am privileged enough to experience.

As for where, this was taken at the lake, where we spent an entire day at the lake house of one of my work colleagues and friends.  His place is beautiful and it's really impossible to be there and not feel incredibly blessed.  I was so thankful that day - I had needed a day like that for a really long time.  It felt so amazing to cut loose with friends.  We sang songs on the radio, layed out in the sun, rode jet skis, and just enjoyed each other's company!  My friend's parents even cooked out for us, which was extremely unexpected but was the cherry on top of the day!

I believe this photo reveals about me that I am a believer in sunshine after the rain.  Granted, you can't see the metaphorical rain that occurred before this picture was taken, so you'll just have to take my word for it.  There was rain.  Buckets of rain.  But, as you can see by this picture, if you just hang in there, the sun will shine again and light your way to the things that are most important in your life.  So, thank you, Clarissa - for being an amazing friend to me and for capturing this memory for me.  I appreciate you more than you know!

Until next time,

Taking a Mental Break

Well, two things seem to be very consistent lately....I am super busy and frazzled at work, and thunderstorms must be in fashion!

I just decided to take a mental break from databases/Excel spreadsheets and create a quick post for my faithful followers, who have no doubt been bored at my lack of posting lately! I'm truly sorry. Sometimes, after looking at a computer all day at work, it is the last thing I want to do when I get home.

Plus, my first (and second) issue of Real Simple magazine finally came!!!!! So, I have been preoccupied reading that! What a great weekend I just had, though! Friday night, Mr. Chicken Wing and I went to dinner with two of our best friends, Mr. & Mrs. Hokie (again, nicknames to protect the sources). Then, we all went to see The Hangover which I already explained in a previous post was the funniest movie I've seen thus far in my existence. Then, as if that wasn't enough, we went to Dairy Queen and enjoyed some dessert!

After all of that fun, Mr. Chicken Wing and I went to Mama Chicken Wing's house to spend the night. Saturday morning consisted of the fur-babies' haircuts (also known as the dogs had grooming appointments), and then we all went to Grandma & Papa Chicken Wing's house to spend the morning portion of the day. Then, it was back home for Mr. Chicken Wing and I.

We weren't done yet! Mr. Chicken Wing decided to relax at home and watch some movies that he had Netflix'd. (None of which were of interest to me, and as it turns out, neither were very good to him, as well.) I, on the other hand, decided to relax at a pool party with my work buddies! Great times!

Sunday was a relaxing day...I spent a good amount of time on my back patio getting a suntan and reading the first issue of my magazine. Of course, there had to be time allotted to cleaning the house and playing with the puppies!

So, all in all, it was a great weekend! On this hectic Hump Day, it all seems so far away! Hopefully, this weekend will be just as fun! :)

To all my readers, I hope you're having a great week and staying dry where you are!


Back to my 5'x5' box,
Miss Chicken Wing