Refreshed

I came home from a weekend retreat  today (Sunday). The retreat was my youth group's annual Lenten Retreat.

We were in a lodge at a camp up in the mountains. Surrounded by woods, creeks and set apart from traffic noises.

One of my favorite parts of this retreat happens on Saturday afternoon. For three hours (usually it's 2-5pm) we have a quiet time. You aren't allowed to talk to anyone or be with anyone. It's three hours for you to be with God. You can sleep, journal, pray, take a walk outside, etc. In the past I've spent the three hours outside, praying, walking and taking pictures.

This year it was very windy and cold. I wanted to walk around outside so I decided to hike up the "mountain" behind the lodge we stayed at. It was my third time at this camp but my first time hiking up the mountain. (Keep in mind, this PA mountains I'm talking about and there is a big difference between PA mountains and the real mountains out west.)

It was so refreshing to be able to get away.
Get away from the craziness of life.
Get away from the stress of Junior year.
Get away from everyday problems.
Get away from technology.
And just be with my best friends and God for a whole weekend.

While my body may be exhausted from a weekend of too-little sleep and my legs and feet may hurt from my trek up the mountain, my mind and soul are refreshed and ready to face the real world again.

I wrote a few posts ago about taking an internet break in Lent. In that post I mentioned that everyone needs a break now and then. And sometimes breaks from screens isn't enough. Sometimes we need a weekend break away from everything that distracts us from God and everything that keeps us busy and stressed.

I'm so thankful I had the chance to get away for the weekend and come back refreshed. :)
~Mary Kate

{P.S. this is another scheduled post, I wrote it on Sunday after I came home.}

The Progress

I haven't posted many pictures from my Project 12 yet, but I have managed to keep up with it (mostly).  See this post to see photos 1 and 2.

3/25

4/25

5/25

6/25

See this post for 7/25

8/25

9/25

10/25


11/25

12/25

13/25

14/25

15/25

16/25

 17/25

18/25

19/25

20/25

Break

I've come to realize that the internet - although wonderfully amazing - is a little too addicting. Between blogging, reading blogs, pinterest, etsy, amazon, and the fact that I now have my own laptop I have been spending way too much time online.  Precious time that should have been spent outside, or playing with my siblings, or doing school, or praying, or reading, or sleeping.

Lent started this past Wednesday and this year I'm giving up is the internet. Don't worry! I'm not disappearing for 40 days, I have several posts scheduled plus Sundays don't count so I can update on Sundays. 

So I'm saying goodbye and taking a break.

~Mary Kate

Moments In Time

Entering this in Lucia's Photo challenge. the theme is LOVE in b&w.

Recently I've been a little MIA due to an overwhelming amount of school. (I just remind myself that I have a year and three months left of high school - they'll go by pretty fast, right?)

I've taken a ton of pictures lately but I wanted to focus today on those special moments in time. The ones that seem so unimportant yet once captured, hold such meaning. Like baby hands banging on the piano. And the steam rising off the food before dinner. And the two year old eating birthday cake. And the cat licking his paw. And the snow falling. And laughter. And love.

This is why I take pictures. This is why I love photography. To freeze moments in time, both the significant and seemingly unimportant. This is what I love.


Why do you take pictures?

~Mary Kate