Work, Work, Work

Colossians 3:23, 24 ~ New International Version ~

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,as working for the Lord, not for men,since you know that you will receivean inheritance from the Lord as a reward....It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

 For the last 6 years, I have been a stay-at-home mom.  My job description has consisted of bottle making, feeding, cleaning, diaper changing, snuggle buddy, cook, laundry doer.... you get the picture.  I tell ya, there is nothing more rewarding than to be able wake every morning and know that you child is where he needs to be, being taken care of the way you want him to and knowing that he feels secure and safe and loved.  I got to be there for all of his firsts.  I did miss him roll over for the first time, but we will just say he really didn't really roll over at the sitter's house.  It has been truly amazing watching my son grow every day.  

 Dan and I never thought we would ever be able to afford for me to stay home and raise our children, but God provided a way.  There were times it was not so pretty when bills came due but God always provided a way for them to be paid.  We were always taken care of.  

Reese has entered a stage in his life where I am not needed as much in his life.  Don't get me wrong.  I am there in the background and watch every move he makes but he's growing up.  He is in school now and playing sports.  He is wanting to play with his buddies and not his mommy.  And that is ok.  It is the natural flow of things.  I am proud to know that Dan and I have raised our children to want to be independent in some areas of their life.  We are proud that they are perusing life and taking in all it has to offer.  So it's time for me to do the same or find another job if you will.  I still have my job(s) as wife and mother, but it is time for me to add to my resume.  

I am so excited to begin this venture in photography.  I have dreamed of this for several years and prayed that some day it would come true.  And now it is happening.  I have booked a couple of sessions and it is so humbling to know that the work I do not only captures the moments and stages of ones precious life but to capture an event that may never happen again.  But to know that it will always be available to look at and remember the happiness that can come from this ugly world we live in.  I have so many ideas and dreams of what I want to do with this business.  I feel free behind a camera.  But I also feel passion not only for the beautiful subject but for the fact that with every snapshot, I am helping save a life or helping prevent someone from getting Cancer.  And hopefully one day eliminating the disease completely.  It's not just about making money or finding something to occupy my time.  It's about fulfilling God's demand for me to work for him and give him the glory for that is good and bad.  I have put a lot of energy and thought into this venture I am heading towards.  I am striving to build this business so that we can make a difference.  I have seen too many people suffer from this disease including myself and I am ready for the suffering to end.  

I also want to use this business to capture the lives that are touched by Cancer.  I would love to follow a Cancer Survivor through his or her battle and document the bravery that has to come along with fight Cancer.  I would love do portraits of those who are in the middle of their treatment and capture the beauty they can't see.  I regret not documenting my journey with pictures.  During my treatment, I ran from a camera and wanted no memory that.  But now as I look back and as I begin to heal emotionally from the trauma of my diagnosis, I wish I had documented it better.  I have it all in words, but I wish I could be able to go back on those days I feel down and not wanting to get out of bed and see how far I have come.  I wish I could go back see the strength that I now know I had that was from nothing other my support system and God.  I wish I had a picture of my bald head and scared chest.  Those are my survivor scares, my badges of honor.  Yes they are painful to look at sometimes, but I am alive and I am ready to work.  I am ready to take my experience and turn into Hope.  

I have given all I have to my family , aka my employers, as God commanded me to do.  And now it is time for me to give myself to this cause as well.  I am ready to use the gifts that God has given me to use them to Glorify him.  

I ask that you pray for me and my family as we throw ourselves into Julie Hudnall Photography~Shooting for a Cure.  I ask that you pray that word gets out of what my mission is.  This isn't for me.  This is for God.  This is for you and your mother, and sister, and the child that may never see their birthday.  

I am ready to get busy.  Let's get to work.

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

All through mine and Dan's marriage I have been the cold one.  He slept with a fan all of his life and I would wake up with icicles on my nose when we first go married.  Needless to say the fan had to go.  So we settled for a ceiling fan.  I could deal with that.  It was quiet and it did not feel like a tornado was coming through the room.  And when I was pregnant, it was welcomed.  I was so hot.  Luckily, I was biggest during the cold months so I did not suffer long.  But I would be sitting in the house with shorts and a t-shirt on and Dan would have on his winter coat and cover up a blanket while standing next a vent.  I was laying in the bed with fan turned up on Tornado speed and he was freezing to death.  We just could not get it right.

And now, just when I thought I had my regulator working right they go screw it up again.  Hot flashes have become part of my everyday life for quite a while.  With the medication I have to take it causes them to happen they were manageable.  I would only feel like this for a few minutes.  Well, let me tell you.  Those days are long gone for me now.  Oh My Goodness.  You know the expression, "I am sweating like a pig!"  Well, let's just say I am constantly walking around in fear that I am going to slaughter any day now.  Hot "flashes" are a thing of the past.  I would pray to have one again.  I am just plain hot all of the time.  Who would have thought those girl guts were so important to ones temperature?  If you haven't guess, I had a hysterectomy 2 weeks ago.  And you would have thought they transformed me.  Emotionally, I am OK...I think.  But my Lady's speed stick is get a workout now.  I am constantly sweating.  I mean I think I would put a man to shame in a sweating contest.

I came home the other night and it was 35 degrees outside.  Dan had on a sweatshirt and thick flannel pajama pants.  He was wearing socks and covered with a huge blanket.  I walked to the bedroom, peeled off my damp clothing and put on shorts and a tank top and turned the fan on tornado and just laid there.  When that didn't work, I went and sat on the front porch.  Yes, I was still wearing the shorts and tank top.  There was no "flash" about this.  A flash happens quickly and then passes on by.  Oh no.  My hotness sticks around. 

So if you know someone who has had the girl guts yanked out or has gone through "the change", just be aware of the temperature.  Be prepared to bundle up and purchase a space heater.  Cause she is not gonna spare any wiggle room in that thermostat.  Go ahead and purchase some of those hand warmers they sell in the checkout line at Walmart.  They will come in handy for sure.  And I for sure recommend one of those electric blankets that has the dual controllers.  You will have yours set on high. 

And if you see me in Walmart and I am sitting in one of the coolers.  Just keep walking.  I will understand that you do not want anyone to know that you know me.  Because that is a strong possibility.  Hey it helps.  Don't judge.  And if you see me driving down the road in 35 degree weather with the windows down, I promise I have the heat on for Reese and Dan.  No worries.