Adding Categories~ Minor Blog Update

Firstly, and most obviously... I gave the blog a little face-lift. Made it a little cleaner, a little sharper.

Secondly, for those of you who may be wondering about the title of my last blog post, that said, "Year of the Dragon". Sorry! It is not, the year of the dragon, it is the year of the horse, but I was typing away and did not notice. It has been fixed. 

Thirdly, i'm expanding the content of the blog. I will still post what I have been posting, just adding some other stuff:

I will be linking with Joy on Fridays for Faithful Fridays

I will be posting Mini Tutorials on easy blog designing. 

 I will be adding a Beauty category for Tuesdays. Tomorrow's post is entitled, "How to Keep Your Skin Clear and Healthy."

And there are going to be some Giveaways in the future!!! So keep your eyes peeled! 

IG Drop- Every month I'll re-post my Instagrams here for those who do not have an IG.

Fashion Inspiration- I'll show you how I style clothing and pick things out.

Photography Tips- I'll teach you some of the most useful photography skills I have learned. 

Possibly a couple of Recipes, with pictures.. of course!

Maybe some Pinterest trys.. did it work?

So in a nutshell, you'll be seeing a lot of new things! I'm excited... and I hope you are.

A LONG break.

In case you didn't notice, I've been gone a while. Truly, I don't know how it happened. My life was just in a phase of boring. I know, lame excuse. However, I also got REALLY busy when school started. My workload went up again, so I just didn't feel like blogging when I had free time. So, Sorry! I'm going to try to better. I can't promise lots of posts. But when I do, I promise they'll be thorough. Which means, I'll need ideas, like, what do you guys want to read? Your the readers, what interests you? 

If you didn't noticed, I changed a few things! (It's my way) I have an "About Me" page which you can read by clicking the picture of me and Joshua to your right! --->

I'm also working on a "Family" page which isn't done yet, but I let you know when it is!

So be on the look out for my next real post!

Missed you guys!

It's Been Awhile + FOLLOWERS NEWS

Hopefully you guys don't hate me because I haven't posted in a month. I had no idea it was that long!

In that month a lot happened. First Joshua got his casts of and is now in braces. That's the biggest thing.

This past week Mom needed a week away. So for Mother's Day she went down to Florida for a Mom-cation. Another big thing is tomorrow she'll be coming home in a new van! 

Our van had been giving a lot of problems so we decided it was time for a new one. I'll hopefully have pictures of that later.

While Mom was away we stayed with our Grandparents who live nearby.

We just came back this morning.

Now comes the technical blog stuff. Apparently Google Friend Connect is closing. So everyone seems to be switching over to Bloglovin. So I am doing the same. I went through this afternoon and added all the blogs i'm following to Bloglovin, I had no idea how many there were! And I am asking you to continue following mine! :) 

Either through Bloglovin

or by email: which is to the side >

Thank-you SO much for being a follower! I love your guys!

Sunday Snapshot...

Remember this picture???

Well I won Sunday Snapshot for that week! And now it's time to vote for the favorites! I'd REALLY love it if you'd go vote for me/Lily!! So head on over to Ni Hao Ya'll

Liebster Blog Award

Guess What?

I was awarded by Amber!

Here's the rules:

1. The person must list 11 things about themselves.

2. Answer the 11 questions that the tagger has set for you PLUS you MUST create 11 questions of your own for the 11 people you will nominate with this award            

3. Choose up to 11 bloggers linking them to your post

4. Go to their page and inform them of the nomination

5. Absolutely NO tag backs

6. Remember to ONLY tag bloggers with less than 200 followers  

My 11 Questions:

1. What's your favorite animal? Elephant. Always thought they were cool!

2. What's your favorite season of the year? Definitely Fall. I LOVE the cool weather. And Jeans!

3. What's your favorite subject in school? Science!!! I'm taking it at a Co-op and am having TONS of fun with my new friend, Lydia.

4. What's your favorite type of food? Hmmm, how can I decide? Cookies, pizza, Subway BMT, chicken, steak, BACON! Too many to decide! :)

5. How many siblings do you have? 6, 3 brothers, 3 sisters. (I count Luke!)

6. What's your favorite hobby/activity? PHOTOGRAPHY! Need I say more??

7. What's your favorite color? Purple without a doubt.

8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? China!! Love it there.

9. What's your favorite book? I don't really read to read. But I do like Nancy Drews!

10. What's your favorite movie? All three Lord of the Rings, NEVER gets old!!

11. How did you choose the name of your blog? I love orphans and rescuing them is what God has called us (Christians) to do!  

11 Questions for those whom I award.

1. What's your middle name?

2. What's your subject in school?

3. Where is your favorite place to eat?

4. Do you have any pets?

5. What your top favorite thing to do?

6. What is your favorite movie?

7. What movie do you wish you could see?

8. How did you choose the name for your blog?
9. How many siblings do you have?
10. How many siblings do you wish you had?
11. What's your dream vacation?

I award:
Ruthie from Journey with Joy
Lauren from The Biggest Sis
Megan from Phraze Photography
Michlyn from Small Town Girl
Hannah from in Neverland

(If you've all ready been awarded, sorry! I didn't know who had been.)

Black and White Wednesday Week #2: Nature

I am SO excited to post these pictures!

I was thrilled when I saw what I had taken!!

Because it's B&W Wednesday I have to post them in B&W.

But I have them in color too! 

Aren't they SO vibrant?

I added an effect but didn't vibrance any colors! 

 

 

 I called this the strawberry flowers because the middle looks like a strawberry.

 

I was also happy when I got a bumble bee picture!

                                              
                                                        <a border="0" href="http://justalittlephotgraphy.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/6fabb2901904a99963b835e86aa14337.jpg" /></a> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 Take a photo, that goes with that weeks theme, in B&W or convert an image to B&W.
2 Link up (By clicking the blue "add your link" button at the bottom of the post) on Wednesday (or Thur.) with the URL of your blog post. (Please don't use your blog URL)
Link-Up opens at 12am on Wed. and closes at 12am Fri.
3 Please leave a positive comment of some of the other links.
4 On Friday I will post showing my favorites, and the winner.

*Note: Please use recent photo's that you have taken. Don't use someone else's work.*


Also, If you wish to join our photo challenge, please be a follower of this blog. It is not required, but would be appreciated!


If you are unaware of how to get black and white photo's please read the top of the Black and White Wednesday's page.

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Black & White Wednesday Week #1 Winners

It was a fairly good turn out for the first week!

I hope that as it continues more people will link-up!

This weeks winner is...

Ruthie!

at Journey with Joy

 Ruthie took a fab photo of Joy! Her eyes are SO beautiful. 

All I want to do is kiss her sweet cheeks!        

                               Go ahead and grab your winner button! You deserve it!                                              

                                                   
                                                       <a border="0" href="http://justalittlephotgraphy.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/0bc6d9b98946f080888d293e7cfffaab.jpg" /></a>

This weeks favorite goes to...

Karen!

at Homespun Simplicity

Karen's pictures of old church steeples were pretty awesome!

You also may grab your winner button!

<a border="0" href="http://justalittlephotgraphy.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/09d21a90c7b196be5a990cc71537d821.jpg" /></a>

Thanks to all who participated this week and look forward to next Wednesday!
Oh! Next week's theme is Nature.
Be creative and use your imagination!

Black and White Wednesday~ Week 1

Well it's week 1!

The theme is whatever you want I to be!

Whatever is your favorite!

  

                                                        <a border="0" href="http://justalittlephotgraphy.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/6fabb2901904a99963b835e86aa14337.jpg" /></a>

1 Take a photo, that goes with that weeks theme, in B&W or convert an image to B&W.
2 Link up on Wednesday with the URL of your blog post. (Please don't use your blog URL)
3 Leave a positive comment of some of the other links.
4 On Friday I will post showing my favorites, and the winner.

*Note: Please use recent photo's that you have taken. Don't use someone else's work.*


Also, If you wish to join our photo challenge, please be a follower of this blog. It is not required, but it would be appreciated!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tomorrow..

I start this,

and oh, how I hope you play along.

I don't know how this will turn out, so I guess it will be a surprise.

Read all about my new bling here.

Till Tomorrow then!

Vacant Shoes- Favorite Foto Friday

Why is that a fav. photo, Emma?

Well, I see these shoes, sitting in a basket, every day. Among other vacant clothes.

Whenever I see them sitting there I'm reminded of a precious face I will soon kiss!

That's why I love this "temporarily-vacant" shoes.

I can't wait for the day when I tie their laces!

Sweet Sunday

My Photo doesn't have to do with Father's Day because the camera battery died abruptly.

However I did have time to shoot this one of Ally!

Pictures with Pouty Pants

In the past, photographing Lily was difficult.

Because she was always, tired, cranky, or upset with me.

So Instead of giving you her "one-second smile", I thought I'd give ya a glimpse of her true attitude.

Behold, Lily's specialty face.

Her thoughts: It's hot, I'm hungry, and I don't like taking pictures!

She was also mad at me cause I hit with the camera. ON ACCIDENT!

It's VERY rare if she smiles.

When I ask her to, she says "cheese" and doesn't change her expression.

However, she does compose great shot when she's watching our neighbor drive away!

It's a miracle! Are those teeth I see? And does she have a nice expression on her face?

Have a GREAT Weekend Everybody!

Jehovah Saves

After Luke's death, I felt as if I had been shoved into a dark closet. Isolated, angry, and bitter. On the outside I had it all together, but on the inside I was shattered into a million pieces. Nothing made me feel better, and I didn't want to think about Luke or anything that had to do with him. Especially adoption and SN orphans. A week or two after his death, I saw an email that said we could pick up another adoption where we stopped. I was so angry with the agency. Another adoption? No child will ever fill Luke's spot.

I was afraid, I didn't want to experience that horrible heartbreak ever again. 

For those of you who follow Stefanie's blog, remember when she posted about gus? Well I really didn't think about him at all. However she posted about him again. This time with a link to watch videos. I watched the video and look at the other children. Then I saw Jake. (Password jake1) All my fears went away and I fell in love. I watched the video over and over again. However, I moved on. The next week he kept coming back to mind and I had several dreams of him being with our family. Finally I had to show someone this precious boy. So I did, but my Mom was not enthusiastic about him, at all. So I thought that was the end, just another kid who must stay orphaned. He still didn't go away, and it turned out my Mom did try to see if he was available for adoption. He was, but with another agency, and there were at least four other families waiting to view his file. There was no chance, someone was going to adopt him. That evening at church, the message: God's delay's are NOT his denials. Coincidence? I think not.
The week passed and every time I thought of someone else adopting him I felt sick. Then one Sunday Mom and Dad said they had Jake's file. My thought, Then why aren't we telling the agency we'll take him? They wanted to talk to doctors about his SN and pray. Jake's special need is Arthrogryposis. The next Sunday as my Dad and I are driving home Dad told me that they had accepted Jake's file. I was overjoyed, and not sure how to react. Before I saw Jake I was so afraid of adoption with SN. But my fears were no where when Jake was around.

While my Dad and I were driving home, my Mom called. They just moved Jake into the "Shunyi Foster Home."
He had taken Luke's spot in the foster home.


Crazy, right? Right after we accepted his file, he was transferred to Luke's foster home.
Needless to say everyone was mind-boggled for the next few days.
Luke was a super-special boy, and I think he wanted us to have Jake, he wants us to help other distressed and alone orphans.

So without further a due, I introduce to you..

My new little brother!

The Beach- Sunday Snapshot

I know I promised to post the band concert photo's... and I will. At some point, or another!

However, I wanted you guys to see the rest of the beach pictures.

I must say, it was a perfect day! High 80's with a slight breeze. It felt wonderful!

Lily ADORED the sand! She was so engrossed in the sand she hardly talked.. at all! Which is huge because she is constantly talking! 

It was the most quiet she's been in months!

All in all, it was a wonderful trip to the beach!

As you can see, there have been some changes to my blog. And there is upcoming exciting news! 

Part 2 of THE MYSTERY OF KOLBE MANSION will be posted Monday!

I see much posting the next week!

Happy Memorial Day Week-end!