yes, we're back. we left at 3 AM thursday morning and arrived home around 9 AM (easier with the kids that way). it was a great trip but...hot as hell. we knew it was going to be hot but for some reason, it seamed even hotter. tucson is going through a period of intense heat (around 110 degrees) without any monsoon moisture / breaks. crazy hot! so hot that i really didn't think much about taking any photos while there. well...i did briefly think about it but the heat seamed to override any brief photography thoughts. the attached photos are it (taken at our friends house)!

lots of day time spent in the pool and then evenings with our dear friends, the jamison family. and i actually got to read and focus on something other than photography. what a treat that was! i am almost done with Life of Pi. what a great, great book. i would highly recommend it to anyone.

i also bought and read a magazine called "More" (okay, i'm totally going to give away my age here but oh well). the magazine is targeted at women 40 and older. i'm not 40 yet but close :-) what struck me and spurred the purchase was, on the cover, it stated "fabulous over 40--we've never been sexier". i thought...yay...i need to get that magazine (being right around the corner from 40 and all). well, i really enjoyed the magazine. it wasn't fuddy-duddy at all. it gave me lots of inspiring things to think about. one article i read was about women, the magazine called "reinventors", women who had ditched their well paying job to reinvent themselves. i was like...hey, that's me; i did that. people often comment on how much money i could be making as a master's prepared nurse but you know what--it's so not about that for me. i wasn't happy as a nurse. i knew it wasn't me. it's about loving what i do and with photography, i truly love what i do. it's about following my passion. that is what it's about. the magazine also looked at what the reinvestment really cost--not only financially, but also emotionally and practically. it's so much more than the money (at least it is for me).

so now back to the age thing. it's kind of weird to be almost 40. i don't really think of myself as almost 40. i don't feel almost 40 but then...what is 40 supposed to feel like? i'm not sure i even know what 40 is supposed to look like anymore. do i look 40? i don't know. the other day, i had a chance to meet the wonderful and talented, wynona robison. she's a 22 year old photographer from utah. i am 15 (yes, 15) years older than her. i didn't feel 15 years older than her, yet i am. it's just kind of strange. i can't say that i'm really enjoying the developing wrinkles that seem to come with 'almost 40' but all in all, i'm pretty darn happy with this stage of my life.
i have an amazing family.
i have some of the most wonderful friendships that i've ever had.
i'm loving what i do.
i'm so incredibly happy.
i am blessed!