Babysitting
Side note, I started an interesting blog where my boyfriend and I will be posting our favorite picture of the day every day for a year. Check it out! www.dillonandashley.wordpress.com
A Gospel Community – vertical
Vertical is my church’s youth group. I took some pictures during worship.
First Post
Hello, I am not sure anyone will read this considering I am not yet famous for anything and don’t have much to talk about, but I am going to write anyway. I’m going to try to give readers a glimpse into my life, which is absolutely wonderful. I’ll write more later.
Winterim Overview
For me, the entire month of November was winterim at school. Winterim is a month when everyone in my highschool doesn’t have normal classes. Instead we pick one thing and just learn about that. I chose the photography winterim. It was extremely fun, I made a lot of friends, and obviously learned a ton about photography. We took a trip to New York and found some photo opportunities around Toledo. I’m just going to post a few from throughout the month. Please vote at the bottom for which is your favorite. 
Random Photos
So I have been getting some requests to write another post and even though I don’t have much to write about I will put up some photos. This week has been my first week back at school and it’s going pretty well. I do not enjoy homework, but it hasn’t been too bad so far and it’s nice to know that Christmas is coming up.
Well anyway, here’s the photos….
The first was taken by the quarry while it was snowing…
The second is just water, but I took it in New York.
And the third is buildings in New York…
Christmas is Coming
Christmas is coming! It’ll be very nice to sleep in and just relax over break. Not long after Christmas comes my sixteenth birthday. Being able to drive myself around will be very useful.
Also, even though I don’t have the DSLR camera I used during winterim, I’ll still be taking photos. They may not be as good, but I’m going to keep at it until I can afford my own DLSR. I never know how to end these entries so…..thanks for reading!
Snow!
It’s been snowing a lot here lately and I finally had some time to go outside and take some photos! I wasn’t out for long because it is absolutely freezing out and I hate cold, but I think I got a few good shots.
I still have not bought any Christmas presents, but I don’t have anyone I really need to buy for. It’s also hard, because I have no money.
This weekend has been very busy for me and it’s only going to get better. I love being around people so having three parties to go to this weekend has been great. Today I’ll be giving my friend Averill a crash course in photography. It’ll be fun. I’ve also noticed that more of you have been reading my blog lately so I thank you for that. 
New Beginning!
Hey, everyone! I’m back! I have not written anything in a long time, because I didn’t know what to write about. Well I figured out what I’m going to write about…I’m just not going to do it right now, because it’s eleven o’clock and I’m tired. I will say though that today I recieved a canon rebel xs for my sixteenth birthday (which is actually thursday the 15th) !!!!!! Yes, I am very excited and can’t wait to start using it, so tomorrow I’m going to my brother’s basketball game and later going to another brother’s hockey game. Also, a few of my photos will be up in the Wolfe Gallery at Maumee Valley Country Day School starting January 12th. And there is even more going on in my life all of a sudden, but I will write about that later. For now, goodnight!
2008 Overview
Well today we have at least five inches of snow and it’s still snowing! Since I’m locked up all day I’ve been testing out my new camera! I went outside and got a few shots in the snow, but went back in pretty quickly because of the cold.
Tomorrow night I’ll be at the Vertical 2009 Kickoff!
I realized that I never did an entry reflecting on the past year. I’ve noticed other blogs doing such, so I figure it wouldn’t hurt for me to join in. The beginning of 2008 began for me in my aunt’s basement. Not my most exciting new year’s party, but we played a lot of games and there were lots of laughs. I turned fifteen, not a big deal.
That year I bought my first camera, just a point-and-shoot, but a very good one. It’s the canon sd 1100.
Toward the end of last school year, I decided to switch to Maumee Valley. It was a really hard decision since I’d been going to my old school since kindergarten, but I don’t regret it at all. I love almost everything about Maumee Valley and think it’s the perfect school for me. I’ve made so many amazing friends and learned tonssss. I also I’ve become stronger in my faith since it’s been tested so much more.
The summer of 2008 I went to Gull Lake in Michigan with my parents and three brothers. It’s a Christian family camp and we all had a ton of fun there. A lot of other families from our church and school went, so I knew some people and of course I made new friends there. It was a very memorable experiencea nd thankfully we’re going back next summer!
A few weeks afterwards, I went to Daytona Beach, Florida with about 50 other high school students from my church. We went there for BigStuf Camps and were there for a week. We spent every day learning about God and worshipping him with 3,000 other teens. It was an indescribable week and it changed all of our lives forever. Thankfully I’ll going back again this next summer! I can’t wait and I look forward to it more than anything else.
In September 2008, I took a step outside my comfort zone and went to one of the rehearsals for my school’s play, The Mousetrap. I didn’t try out, but I started going to rehearsals and ended up being head stage manager. It was exciting, but very nerve wracking since I had never been involved in a production like it before. I worked pretty hard on that and the final production was amazing. I was very proud of everyone involved since I had seen how much work had been put in. Over those two months I grew much closer to everyone in the play and made even more fantastic friends.
Following the play, winterim began. I had decided to try Action Photography even though none of my friends were. I remember the first day being slightly awkward since I didn’t know anyone, but it was worth it. I learned so much about photography and I hadn’t previously thought about a career in photojournalism, but that month has made me consider it much more. We took a trip to New York and it was my first time there. What an amazing city! Always busy and bright, very exciting. I’ll never forget that trip. I made some especially good friends throughout the month and have been really blessed by them.
I finished the year at a friend’s party with some sparkling grape juice. I learned a lot about myself throughout the year and I don’t regret anything. 2008 was great and I can’t wait to see what 2009 will bring.
Life
Well lately I’ve been thinking about my life….like my entire life, and what I want to do with it. It seems like my possibilities are endless which is a great feeling, but it’s also kinda scary. I’m kinda realizing that my life is mine…. no one can decide what I do with it…. Watching my senior friends plan out their lives is where most of the worry and confusion comes from. I feel so unprepared sometimes. But then I remember I’m only a sophomore and have some time before making decisions like that…but then, my decisions now are important too. I have so many decisions to make and they really are life-changing. Just when I start to feel so overwhelmed I remember that God promises to help me…with everything, no matter how big or small. It’s indescribably comforting. I have so much to be thankful for. It’s literally like night and day…I’m afraid and worried, but in the hands of God I’m calm and actually excited about this life ahead of me. And it’s only just beginning.
I don’t really have a photo for this entry, so here’s a random one… It’s not really great, but I like the colors and it’s another beautiful thing given to us by our Savior…
Poetry and Basketball
It’s only Wednesday and already I’m exhausted and counting down till the weekend. I haven’t been getting enough sleep and I still have quite a bit of homework, so I can’t write much. Right now I am revising my english paper which was basically a collection of poems written by myself about myself. Here is the one poem I wrote that didn’t get any criticism from my teacher ….
What grade are you in? Such a simple question.
So many times it’s been asked. So many times it’s been answered,
But what’s behind that question. Is it really so simple?
Can anyone answer that question?
Can a very small child answer that question?
Can an elderly woman truly understand that question?
Is it more than just a grade? It implies that someone goes to school.
They’re a student. If this poem is readable, you must have been a student.
Do you remember, really?
The late nights filled with stress over projects,
The long days seemingly empty,
The never ending periods where every second is an hour,
The complicated quizzes that no one can pass,
The drama amongst friends that can feel pretty intense,
The teachers who generously give, though it’s not really what we want,
The hours spent writing something that just gets thrown away,
The hours spent just not understanding,
The backs weakened by heavy bags,
The money wasted on supplies that will quickly be lost,
The growing stress that seems endless,
The confusion following an undeserved grade,
The years all locked indoors,
Fall upon us all.
Do you remember the dark, long, tiring, sorrow-filled day that seemed useless and
just overall stressful? It’s over now.
So many have made it through, so many are able to say they graduated and went
on.
Can I make it through as well? Can the guy sitting silently across from me survive
the years left? I don’t know for sure. I don’t know what he will do, but I will continue. I will work my hardest and press on through the years. Do I have any other choice?
…And I have about eight more of those. :/ It was a lot of work, especially coming up with different facets of my life to write about. I got a pretty good grade though, so I was happy.
Yesterday I went to my first basketball game with my new camera! I got some pretty good pics. Here’s a few…
The first I just liked, it’s not really a good basketball picture though.
Going to finish my homework now. Leave comments!
Promises
So I just got back from New Community at church which is one of my favorite things…..ever. I just love being there with all of those people praising God. This evening while taking communion, Ben Snyder, whose blog link is to the right, was talking about God’s promises and how we’re his children. We can trust him with everythinggggg. Talking about God’s promises just gives me more joy than anything else in the world. My good friends know that I am very easily pleased. I’m pretty happy most of the time. But hearing about God’s promises for my life just gives me this unexplainable feeling that I can’t get from anything or anyone else. And I love it.
No photo for this entry. I haven’t been outside much because it’s sooo cold!
Attitude
So recently I read a blog post from a friend and it was about attitudes. I’ve always understood that your attitude can change an entire situation, but usually I think of a situation like a family trip that isn’t as fun as I’d like it to be. I never thought of my attitude towards the way someone was treating me. Just because someone isn’t very nice doesn’t mean I have to let them bother me. I feel like that’s something I need to be constantly reminded of. It’s something that can help a situation when I think about it, but most of the time I’m focused on the other person and what they’re doing that’s bothering me, rather than what I can do to make it stop bothering me… I can change my attitude. I don’t have to worry about them anymore…. that’s much easier said than done, but I’m going to work on it. This may all seem pretty obvious, but it’s something I tend to forget when a situation arises, so I figured it’d be good to write it all down.
Went to a basketball game today. We lost again, but it was still fun. I rode home with Margaux and we had a good talk in the car so it was worth it. Pic from the game….
Snow Day Photos
I just finished my last exam!!! It feels great to be done with them.
Well yesterday we had a snow day, so of course I went out and took some photos of my family in the snow.
This third photo is just a cute one of my little brother. He had some crazy hat hair.
So lately, I’ve been thinking about traveling. I’d like to go somewhere this summer, but I’d need to go with an organization of sorts. I’ve been looking at some, but if anyone has had an experiences with a group I could get into, that would be very helpful! I’d prefer it be some sort of photography excursion, but I’m open to really anything else.
Also, I am going to Florida in two weeks! I can’t wait to relax, get some sun, and of course take some gorgeous photos.
Last Summer Video
So my previous post was about this next summer, so here’s our personal video from BigStuf 08!!!!!!
I Can’t Live Without…
There are some things I cannot live without. Trying to imagine going through a day without them seems unbearable. They aren’t in a particular order.
One thing I cannot live without is music. It expresses every mood I could possibly be in. I just have to find the right song.
I can’t live without my friends. I depend on them for so many things. They are all amazing, and I can’t put all of their pictures up here, but I’ll put a lot.
I need my family. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for them, especially my parents. I love them very much.
I need my camera. Not taking any pictures in a day makes me feel like I’ve wasted a day.
I need my Lord and Savior more than anything else on this list. He is the reason I live and my life is devoted to Him.
I love my cellphone. It’s amazing being so connected to everyone so easily.
I could go on a lot longer, but I have a lot of work to get done before Florida!!!! Leave comments!
Music
I feel like my posts are getting less and less important, but I’m sure I’ll have something useful to write about at some point. For now, I am listing some songs that are currently on my favorites list.
Taylor Swift
Fifteen
Hey Stephen
I’d Lie
Stay Beautiful
Yellowcard
Inside Out
One Year, Six Months
You and Me and One Spotlight
Only One
Miles Apart
Chris Tomlin
God of this City
We the Kings
Check Yes Juliet
Matt Nathanson
Come On Get Higher
Toby Lightman
My Sweet Song
Sanctus Real
Sing
Legacy
Head Automatica
Beating Hearts Baby
Basshunter
All I Ever Wanted
The Timeless Voices
Goodnight Sweetheart
The Academy Is
Everything We Had
and sooooooooooooo much more. I recommend all of them.
Encouragement
http://lanceroper.wordpress.com/
http://jordanjustice.wordpress.com/
These people make me think. I don’t think they even realize, but reading their blogs encourages me so much. They give insight on things they have been reading and point out things I’d never thought of before.
So I encourage all of you to check them out.
Florida Photos Finally!!
I have been back from Florida for about a week now, and I finally had time to organize my photos! I’ll put a few on here, and the rest are on my flickr site. There are lots more so make sure you take a look!
Senior Photos?
Went out and took some sort of practice senior photos.
generated some interest so hopefully I get some more clients!
