tired and happy

i just returned from a weekend with the family down in atlanta. i'm going to be an aunt! my brother and sister-in-law are expecting their first baby in november. i'm so excited! a little montoya running around...

i'm tired and ready for bed, but i could not be more thrilled with how Africa at the Icon went last thursday. it was a dream come true and worth all the hours of hard work our team put into the event. over 200 people were there and nearly $3,000 raised. the feedback was great, and everyone had a wonderful time. i'm still giddy just thinking about it. and to know that money is going directly to the kids at calvary christian in kibera, kenya makes it so much sweeter...

speaking of ellie's run for africa, we launched our new website! go to elliesrun.org and check it out. we should have pictures from Africa at the Icon soon (preview a few pictures now by going to sarah b. gilliam's blog). chip hayner and the crew at centresource have worked hard to build a new registration platform, so you can register for the event online! if you register to be a hero, you get a sah-weeet t-shirt!

now i'm preparing for the ellie's run mission trip meeting tomorrow. yes, i'm going to africa this summer! plenty more details on that coming in the near future.

good night.

magic word of the day: attic

i have had this sort of fascination with succulents for some time. then i realized so does everyone else. that's didn't stop me from by 2 little buddies this weekend to keep me company in the kitchen. how can you not love them? they are like little pets!

africa at the icon

i am proud to be a part of africa at the icon! a group of us from ellie's run from africa have been working very hard the past couple of months to put this event together. if you are in nashville on this night, please come join us!

the donegans

after a week of snow angels, big-star skies on the hopi reservation and precious time spent with dear family and friends, i have hit the ground running back in nashville. my hard work (photography and otherwise) will hopefully pay off in the weeks and months to come. i am excited to continue sharing these small accomplishments and victories with you, my fellow dreamers.

nothing brings people together like...

...the renassiance festival. i'm back in arizona visiting family and friends for the week. my trip started out in phoenix to attend the period festival. i've never attended a ren fest and it was quite the affair, where period costumes, jugglers, cleavage and turkey legs abound. it was a great place to people watch, it was like christmas to so many! if you've never gone, i highly recommend.

on a much more serious note, we went to see taken. if you haven't seen this movie, please go. this situation happens to girls every day, all over the world. i have been aware of human trafficking for several years, but to see it through this medium really hit home for me. i left the movie angry and upset, disgusted by the individuals who facilitate this kind of business, and those who participate in it. my friend, julie, who volunteers with free for life in nashville, told me that tennessee recently passed an anti-trafficking law. contact your local representative to see what your state has done to fight against human trafficking. as many as 10 million people are victims of human trafficking. this includes forced prostitution, child soldiers, etc... The majority are women and girls, sold as sex slaves. visit international justice mission to find out what you can do, because everyone can do something.

sunshine and snow from flagstaff,
christy

labors of love

i was thinking the other day how we have to sacrifice things to make our dreams come true. for me the sacrifice is sleep. each dream and goal ahead of me requires me to stay up just a little longer to type a few more emails, do a little more research and, of course, blog. and then it's off to my "real" job in the morning!

but i don't mind. i'm 25 and becoming more and more the person i want to be every day. Love is wrecking my world in the best way possible, and i'm along for the ride. like i said to my dear friend the other day, "Look at all the things we're accomplishing!"

p.s. i will have pictures of that dear friend's daughter in a few days. it's a nerve-wracking thing for me to wait on film, as I have no clue what is hiding on that 35mm roll right now! oh, the life of an amateur film photographer...

it's already february

i don't mind the cold weather as much as i used to. and it wasn't the chilly season that changed, it comes back every year. i think i just decided to like winter more. today was frigid, yet the birds were still singing. how amazing is it to live like they do?

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thank yous to everyone who is joining me for free shoot fridays! i have some more openings, so feel free to send an email and schedule.