If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera. ~Lewis Hine

Photography! Where do I begin? I just love it. It is the one thing that can preserve your memories and freeze moments in time. How many times have you gone through old photos, only to realize all of the amazing moments you had forgotten?Countless memories can be lost to time. Photography preserves those memories. It links all things together, everything created by God and man can be a work of art with a simple close of the shutter. Photography is not just a hobby, its art, passion, it's magical. Photography can take you into a world that is less traversed. 

The most amazing thing about a good photograph, is it doesn't have to be a difficult shot. Some of the most beautiful photographs are ones that capture scenes we see day to day, but don't take the time to look and appreciate.

As I have said before, I adore my family. I cherish every moment that I get to spend with them. At every get-together I try to have my camera in hand. Someday, all I may have is those memories, those wonderful pictures to look back on and see the faces of my dear loved ones. “Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” ― Marc Riboud

My favorite "subjects"to photograph are my nieces and nephews. They are so full of energy and spunk! Nothing sweeter than a newborn baby or the food stained grin of a toddler. My hope is that someday, they can look back at these pictures of their childhood and have fond memories of their Aunt Lizzy, camera in hand.

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes, the best photographs don't need explaining. I've heard it said, "It's like a good joke, once explained, its not that funny." You either get it or you don't. Photography is the same way. You can look at a photograph and see it for face value, you can inspect it and critique it, looking for all of those inadequate flaws of an amateur photographer (which I very much am) or you can simply appreciate it for what it is, something special to someone, somewhere. Their memory, frozen, in time.

My hope is that long after I am gone my pictures will live on, impacting and inspiring others. Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever . . . it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.

"Artists can color the sky red because they know it's blue. Those of us who aren't artists must color things the way they really are or people might think we're stupid."

Snake! I hate snakes! But I love this lil guy. He is so pretty! 

This Fool Got Serious

Life is something so many people take for grant it. It's so easy to put the hassles off till tomorrow and just "deal" with them later. But...seriously, what if tomorrow doesn't come? What do you have to show for it? Can you honestly say you have lived a full life and are happy with who you are. Up until about 3 weeks ago, I couldn't. I was unhappy, felt rotten and frankly needed some major changes. Thankfully, all that changed. With the help, love and support of my close friends and family I am on a new path. A path to living a happy, healthy and full life!

 (Me at my heaviest weight)

To give you the full experience of the life and experiences of Lizzy, lets first rewind to when all of this nonsense started.

Just a few short years ago, I was facing some serious medical issues. I had lost close to 50 lbs in 4 months...some say that would be a blessing, and yes I did have weight to spare, but everyone was baffled at this sudden onset of crazy symptoms. I had heartburn, intense stomach pain and whenever I ate it came right out...one way or another. I couldn't eat, function, I was miserable and constantly in pain. After countless tests and multiple doctors, the culprit was found. My gallbladder. Who would have thought! 18 and I had to have my gallbladder removed? Are you kidding me? How did this happen? Whats next? (I will delve deeper into my suspicions later). After meeting with the doctor and doing some research with the help of my parents. We decided to go ahead with the surgery. I was excited and optimistic that this would cure my problems and that I would be able to eat again and feel like a human being.

The surgery came and went. In all it was everything I expected from a surgery. When the doctors removed my gallbladder, they said it was completely dead. A healthy gallbladder is supposed to be robin egg blue, mine...was brown. Yuck! I was baffled by this. What causes an 18 year old's gallbladder to just up and die? I was healthy, active, and full of energy before all of this. There was no logically reason for it. The doctors claimed, sometimes these things just happen. Well, as Carlotta would say, "These things do happen! And did you stop them from happening? NO!" No one could give me a straight answer. So on I went with my life, without my gallbladder.

                                                            The gallbladder

At first, it took some time to get used to food again. I had basically starved and my body was not used to food. But I quickly got the hang of it. :) Resulting in gaining back 30 lbs, but hey, i didn't care. I could eat! The only problem, I was still having tummy troubles. I would get ravenously hungry out of nowhere, then when I ate, I would feel sick. I learned to give up red meat, thinking that was a big part of the problem...it kind of helped...but not really. So then I tried getting rid of dairy, to no avail I had no relief. So I went to eating bland food with no seasoning or sauce...not fun. I missed my food.

Long story short...I gave up and decided to take the problems and eat whatever I wanted. I would take enzymes to help digest food and gas-ex to well, ya know, take care of the embarrassing side of things. It was a mess, but I indulged in all the food I wanted.

As you can imagine...this resulted in even more weight gain. I won't tell you how much, but lets just say it was beyond unhealthy and I was embarrassed of my new look. Ive always struggled with weight, and being overweight was just tearing me apart. I lost my self-esteem and became bitter and unhappy. That was when I decided that I had enough. I was through with feeling yucky, gassy, bloated, and fat. It was not me. The real me was inside screaming, "YOU FOOL! FIX THIS!" So this fool got serious.

Two years ago, the Lord allowed to me marry an amazing man. And with this handsome, amazing man came an equally amazing set of in-laws. From Great Grandma down to baby Abigail, I just love them to pieces. My greatest inspirations are my sisters-in-law. They opened my eyes to the world of celiac disease and the effects gluten has on your body. I do not think it was just happen stance that God gave me a man that had such a wonderful family who knew the effects of gluten. Jen (my sis-in-law) encouraged me to try gluten free. She had done it on and off and saw improvements in her health throughout her experimenting. So I figured, why not. Ill try it. So for the past year I have tried little spurts of going GF (gluten free). Only to see results while on that diet fade the minute I cheated and had a donut, pasta, or bread. It wasn't till about two months ago that I had to make a choice. This was it, I was going gluten free.

My body had become so overgrown with yeast, gluten, and wheat that my hands and feet were breaking out in tiny bumps. It is a symptom of yeast overgrowth in your body, and is a major sign that things are on overload. The only way to rid your body of the overgrowth is to stop eating gluten ASAP. So goodbye gluten...and I must say...WOW! After a week of no gluten, my hands started to clear up! :) I felt better, more energized and best of all, my intestines weren't going crazy! I could actually sit and not have to get up and go potty multiple times a day. It was like night and day. Now three weeks later, I still have some symptoms, but it takes a good long while to clean out your system completely. So, I am marching on and sticking to my GF lifestyle. Mind you, it is not a diet. It is a way of life. It is not something you can do every other day of the week...this is a daily, hourly constant choice I am making to avoid all things gluten.

So, to rewind again, yes, I do think gluten and a wheat intolerance led to the demise of my gallbladder, and along with that, it was causing my liver problems... resulting in the tiny bumps on my hands and feet. Gluten takes a HUGE toll on your body. It is not something to take lightly. Even if you think you do not have a gluten intolerance, or you are healthy, it is still not the best thing for you to eat. But, off my high horse now. What you eat is between you and your digestive system. As for me and my tummy, we will be joyous in our new found freedom! Oh! and did I mention? I have already lost 10lbs! :)

                                          A much happier me (with my new nephew Noah)

(Anyone interested in GF, Celiac Disease, or the toll that gluten can take on your system I highly               recommend the book *Wheat Belly.*)