this is it-
i’m graduating today.

this moment is incredibly…surreal. never have i ever felt how i feel now. last night, when i stepped inside my room i found my robe, neatly pressed, hanging there- waiting for me to put it on. a thick layer of thoughts clouded my vision- memories. this was the defining moment. all that i had accomplished, experienced- ready to close. ready to write my final chapter of high school, a chapter that goes like this…

the end.
as i stand upon the threshold, my mind whirls with emotion. this is it- the day i have been looking forward to for such a long time. i am ready to seal this time of my life- package it up and store it in my memory banks, only to be pulled back out in years to come. we’ve come so far and we’ve experienced that journey together. growing up has been the hardest, but most assuredly the most rewarding. i’ve learned so much- so much that i will never forget.

1) don’t forget the simple things in life. those little, unimportant blurbs that we have are the ones that we wish we could cherish. it’s the conversations over coffee, the late night drives, the bike rides, the study times, and the note passing that count.

2) pursue the valuable that you wouldn’t always consider valuable. these are the times that starve for your attentions- the defining moments in your life.

3) find the important people in your life. cherish the times with your family, friends, and loved ones.

4) have a good character that others will remember. be the kind person, the giving person, the joyful person, or the wonderful person that others will always keep in their hearts.

5) live YOUR life to the fullest. NEVER take for granted what has been given to you- live every single day as if it were your last. our time here is too short to not pursue the greatness of our lives.

i replay these in my mind as i prepare myself to walk to my seat and receive my diploma. i carry God with me, in my heart to lead and guide my every step- every breath. my strength and my rock- my lord and my savior.

with my future as my vista and the horizon in sight, i take these steps forward. goodbye high school- hello future.

Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Joshua 1:9
…Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

i never posted this one and i’m not sure why… it’s one of my favorites. this has become one of the best spots i’ve come across. i am the type of person who likes to be secluded from the busy of life and just breathe fresh air, and this is where i can do that. i’ll be going back most definitely. 

to disneyland. ah, my favorite place. to get ready for my trip i dug up some old photos and turned them into really old photos. this is how i see disneyland through my eyes. it is a place full of nostalgia and memories, and what not a better way to present it than ttv photography.

today, i took my sister and cousin out to the smallest mountain range in the world. with dark, storm clouds over our heads the entire time, we found a mood that called for some vintage photography. so, imagine with me, if you will, that these images have been captured with an old camera. shall we go back in time?

well, life is winding down and my life is becoming less and less busy, which is very enjoyable. last weekend, i took some pictures of an old friend whom i haven’t seen in 8 years… talk about crazy! one of my clients recommended my photography to her mom and they called me up. it was really nice getting to see her again and her portraits came out really well! i will post more when i get around to it- there are plenty more to see :)

and there are more coming soon…

Well, my last year of high school is drawing to a close and I am beginning to feel the separation from something I have had for 13 years. Each day that passes by seems to speed up and complete more quickly. Although I am happy to move on towards greater education, I am sad that I won’t be able to bring all of my friends that I see every day with me. This has caused me to realize the important stuff in life- the stuff we take for granted some times. I am someone who could sit outside for hours, just observing everything around and taking it all in. One of my favorite pieces of nature to photograph are flowers that shine and have rare beauty. As I took these, I thought how sometimes we take flowers (or simple things) for granted- and usually it is those things that help us through life when we take the time to appreciate them.

I have begun to take for granted one of the most important parts of my life- my family. I have been gone so much lately being involved in different events that I haven’t really had a night home to spend with ‘the fam’. I am ecstatic that Godspell is almost over and that we had a good run because I know that it means I get to see the family. I don’t remember when the last time I had dinner at home was- and boy am I excited to!

I guess all that I am trying to say it to remember the importance in life. Don’t forget about your families or even the flowers. Those are what we need most…