Then, Now, When

I (obviously) forgot how much I love blogging. Not just the act of it, but the concept of a blog itself.

It's amazing how you can literally just freeze a part of you in that time, and post it. Then, you leave it, and move on with life. Sometimes, you just may change in life and slightly forget yourself, "then". So you go back. You scroll back through your blog as if it's a visual log of your brain. But with pictures. You can find that time in life and read. Read and remember exactly who or what you were and where your mind was then. It's just amazing to literally read back through your life.

I did that this morning. This morning of the end. I lost my stride with blogging awhile back and let it slip away. This morning was the first time in months I had visited and it, was cool. I guess it's ironic that I stumbled back to Morgi3 on the last morning of 2010. I'm not normally one to think much about the year coming to the end. But after reading Morgi3 again, that saying, "when you come to an end, you start (and sometimes stop) to think back about the beginning" came to mind.

I'm trying to organize my brain and make it conduct a way to even think about 2010. Maybe try to describe it perhaps? Yes. Ok. Well 2010 was...words-to-describe-less. Great.

I'll try though:

Awesome.

Amazing.

Fulfilling.

Changing.

A big fat lesson.....

Fail. That didn't describe it much. Was 2010 just another year? No. This one was different. Of course, every year is but this one was especially different. I got 1 year older yes, and felt more mature too, yes. But also found, that I have so much growing up to do. So much. I'm not even close to being "there". I found, that that's life and...oh, this isn't working much either....Let's see.....ok. Let me try this way. Month by month.

Here goes....

January.

I can't remember it much but...I know it was a good time. Christmas was still lingering in minds and in home. We spent the week after Christmas watching movies together on our first "this generation" tv. I spent time just about everyday day of January cruising the neighborhood on my new classic bike and loved it. Life was in literal cruise motion and it was fantastic. School was going, I was still knackin around with photography. Life, was a new year, and great.

February.

I know many things must have happened in this month but the big thing I will always remember is Maddie's birthday. "Maddie's magical birthday". Georgia got snow, and a lot of it. The Olympics began which you'll remember in this post, turned out to be very special to us all. We were sad to see it go again. But that day, the 14th, was a favorite of mine. 1 you never wanted to have end. I'm glad it came though:)

March.

From what I can recall, was not very eventful. Well, no. I remember we went to a nascar race. Just Dad, Taylor, Chandler and me. It's always a thing we love to go do. Nascar has a special place in Dad's heart, and when he gets to share the experiences and love of Nascar with us, it's....awesome. It's 1 of his favorite things and just something so dear to him. I love it:)

April.

Well, April is, busy. With 3 birthdays and Easter it can be a quick month. It's always a cherishable one though. Birthdays are birthdays and Easter is always a mad dash to find the perfect outfits for everyone, and have an awesome day. (We're usually, successful;) And I can not forget, April brought a new member to the family. Cooper:) The biggest change April brought this year though was that Jordan, went from dating,....to engaged.

May.

Mother's Day. The day of the giant card to Mom.

May was all Mechlings packin up and rollin out to Virginia to attend Jordan's graduation from Liberty University. As a bonus, we also met Glenn Beck:)

June.

This is when summer goes into full speed usually. This summer however, did not go by quickly. We cherished a lot. I cherished a lot, and time went slow. It was a great month spent at home, by the pool, and nights were spent with Mom, Dad, and Jack. Watching 24 became our night life, and it was awesome. You can read about that whoooole story, here.

July.

Independence Day of course. That was a good day. Grayson turned 4 on the 15th. Little man may be growing up but thankfully, is still, little man:) This month Cousin Dale left for Australia as well...original plans for that didn't play out as, planned. But everything worked out, in the end.

August.

I liked this month. It was, a happy time for me at least. Chandler's birthday kicks the month off. The big 14. Summer began to twindle down. Awana began. For me, this was hard to get back to, at first. We began to hear the horror sad stories of school starting up again and tried to drag the days out. Jack helped that out but, all good things must come to an end and Jack nights, came to an end. We finished out 24 and the summer went with it. We, were sad, but, the fact that fall weather is coming always chases away the sadness. Looks changing outside due to fall inspired Mom to do the same indoors. Project: "Redecorate the entire downstairs" began. Oh. Boy.

September.

What a big month. Huge for me! A happy one too:) I photographed my very first wedding and apparently, nailed it:) I was then asked to come help out in photographing 2 more weddings! Those 2 weddings were in, Virginia. I got to fly up with Jordan. That was an awesome weekend. I'd be thrilled to be able to go back and relive that weekend another time. I loved it and had a great time.

Mini Memories Photography was officially begun. I couldn't believe it. This was big and such an accomplishment to me. Things were looking like going nowhere but up from here, and I, couldn't wait to see what God would bring along and have happen next. All Mechlings also trekked up to Indiana for a few days to allow Chandler and Taylor to live their dreams and attend the Manning Bowl. That weekend was another very happy one for me:)

My 1 regret from this month. I'd like to take this time to publicly shame myself: We way flunked on Mom's birthday. We didn't do anything. We. are. horrible. Mom, next year, you wait. Hopefully, you won't even remember, this year. Or at least be able to, forgive us?:)

October.

Happy, happy, immensely happy. That's all I remember. And my birthday. My Birthday weekend was, fantastic. It was fun, happy, and Mary Poppins. No really, that was who we were this year. I was Mary (of course). Chandler was Bert. Maddie was Jane. Harrison, Michael. Grayson, a penguin. Oh yes, it was adorable. I just loved that week. I loved this 18th birthday. I not only got an updated Flip camera, but something else i'd never ever before been given and, I was really, really happy. I'd actually kind of like to go back to that week too, and just freeze. Or stay there for a bit longer. I loved it.

November.

Was another big one. I had the privilege of adding 2 family sessions to my portfolio!:) Which did indeed make me thankful. Oh, and I got my license. That was a long, long challenging day. An even longer story. Thanksgiving though; It finally came and it, was great. We all baked up, packed up and shipped out and up to North Carolina. I could sit here and tell all but, I don't have to:) If you have at least an...mmm...hour...and couldn't think of any way to spend it, I have a solution. Watch these:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

I video documented just about the entire trip and then made movies of each day. My apologies. They are...very, long.

December.

Was....good. And hard. And sad. But good. We all had those "happy" times of course, and I had a lot of life learning times. Ones that yes, were going to come, needed to come, and I'm actually thankful they did come, and no, it wasn't an easy time. But, Christmas was fantastic. It was just, us. Not that we don't enjoy guests on Christmas! No! We love having family come to visit! It was actually odd that this year it would be, just us. Nothing else. But, this Christmas was our last Christmas of "just us". Just the Mechling 9. Next year, Jordan will be married. Which will be new, yes, but good too. Emotions were mixed throughout the day, but it really was a great day. Minds were cleared and filled with just Christmas and family. I posted about it here. I was unfortunately sick this Christmas, but it was Christmas and it was family, and it was perfect.

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And that was it. (Hey, that worked:) That was life and that, was 2010. Now, it's 2011. A new year. Nope, I do not have any resolutions. Nope, i'm not making any. Change or improvements should be made by you when you think they should be, not because it's a new year. Change because you know you need to, not because you have to "now". Apparently at this time in life, I needed to start blogging again. And look at me now. I'm about to hit post.

So, life goes on and never stops. Keep up! Don't get lost in yesterday and try to get ahead to tomorrow. Don't forget, today.

I came across a quote tonight that just seemed all too ironic to find today, at this point.

"If you focus on what you left behind. You will never be able to see what lies ahead. Now go up and look around." ~ Gusteau from Pixar's Ratatouille nonetheless.

You can sit and think back, look back, try to organize thoughts, wrap yourself in the past for only so long. There is not anything really wrong with reflecting and remembering the times then. Just do not forget, there is a present now and a future waiting. The future, well, that can wait. The present is now. Don't lose it. Cherish it now, and keep going.

Thank you, 2010. Do take a bow and exit right, please.

Put your hands together please and welcome, 2011:)

What's up next?

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January.

Today is the first day of 2011, and I, am blogging...again.