Baby Fever?!?!

Well, here I am. Smack dab in the middle of my first bought of baby fever. Who would have thought? Finally, at thirty-one years old, it hits. I’ve been wondering when (or if) it would happen. And, to say the least, so have most of my friends and family.

Now, this does not in any way mean that I’m ready to have a child. I am, however, becoming more and more open to the idea of having one. Maybe it started last week when Chris turned to me and said, “God, I’d love to see you pregnant.” Or maybe it happened while I was online and browsing baby beanie hat stores in search of newborn photography props. (I'm thinking it actually started when my sister-in-law reassured me that the epidural is given during a contraction so that you don't feel it piercing your spine.) Who knows? And does it really matter? No. All that matters is that it has hit.

Baby Ava. Baby Dexter. In a few years you may very well exist. ;)

So, in honor of children everywhere, here’s a clip that made me laugh so hard I almost - well, you know. Enjoy.


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"Diaper backward spells repaid. Think about it."
-- Marshall McLuhan

The Road Taken...

Last weekend, Chris and I got up early, grabbed several liters of legally addictive stimulants, settled into the Jeep and did what we love to do best - drive. No maps, pre-printed directions, or specific destinations in mind... It's one of the best ways to spend a weekend, let me tell you. ;)

Here are a few things we ran across on our mini road trip:

Remember a little cult classic called Twin Peaks?? This is Twede's Cafe in North Bend. It's the home of the infamous cherry pie. It also houses a "damn fine cup o'coffee!"

As a side note, Special Agent Dale Cooper was nowhere to be seen... ;)




Speaking of hit television shows... After taking several unplanned and spontaneous turns, we ended up in a little town called Roslyn. Northern Exposure, one of my all-time favorite TV shows, was filmed right here in this very spot. Since our move to Washington, visiting this landmark of televison history has been on my list of "things to do." Well, two years later, I finally got to see it. You can imagine my excitement as we stumbled across the sign on the interstate informing us that, in just nine miles, we'd be in Roslyn. I was positively giddy. Just ask Chris.

The Roslyn Cafe mural:



While we didn't see a moose on the loose, we did run across this adorable, furry-faced pooch. I think he's the official town greeter. He came right up to our Jeep, smiling and wagging his tail. Ah, dogs really are "man's best friend." (Note his ball in the background.) ;)






A pass through Snoqualmie brought us to the Northwest Railway Museum.




And finally, last but certainly not least - PERKINS! Chris and I haven't ate at (or seen!) a Perkins since we lived in Sioux City. (Which was years and years ago!) So we were beyond excited when we pulled into Ellensburg and found this one! Mmmmmmm, Country Club Melt - I heart you.



Now all we need to do is find a Taco John's... Too bad the nearest one is 180.95 miles away. Hmmmm... Maybe that will be our next road trip?? ;)
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"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move."
-- Robert Louis Stevenson

Bucket List

For now, this is it - my list of things to do before I die. As time passes, I'll check things off, add more places to see, include more things to do, etc. Life continues to ignite more desires in me everyday, and I'm excited to see what it has in store for me next.

May the adventure never end... ;)


1. Visit Alaska and see the glaciers
2. See Stonehenge
3. Meet Dean Koontz & discuss writing styles
4. Go white water rafting
5. Drive along the East Coast in the fall
6. Visit Salem, MA & Sleepy Hollow, NY during Halloween
7. Own a house on the ocean
8. Swim with sharks
9. Scuba dive
10. Write a book
11. Visit Nantucket
12. Visit Scotland and search for the Loch Ness Monster
13. Visit Iceland (Blue Lagoon)
14. Spend a night in an ice hotel
15. Swim (or float) in the Dead Sea
16. See a ghost
17. Learn a martial art
18. Save a dog’s life
19. Have something published
20. See the Northern Lights
21. Get a tattoo
22. Spend a night in a haunted house/castle/place
23. Buy a Glock
24. Make my living as an artist (photographer, writer)
25. Visit Cornwall, England
26. Learn to fly a plane
27. Volunteer with an animal rescue group/shelter
28. Become self-employed
29. Camp on the beach
30. Take a cruise
31. Have coffee in a European café
32. Visit the pyramids of Egypt
33. Learn to salsa dance
34. Write a X-mas letter
35. See Willie Nelson in concert
36. See the Foo Fighters in concert
37. Own my own home
38. Buy my husband a motorcycle
39. Visit, hike, and canoe in the Boundary Waters
40. Hike the Appalachian Trial
41. Swim with dolphins
42. Ride a horse on a beach
43. Host a fabulous Halloween costume party
44. Go dog sledding
45. Visit New Zealand
46. Search for Atlantis
47. Visit Mount Sinai
48. Hike a glacier
49. Visit all 50 U.S. States
50. Take Doga at East Yoga
51. Go on an African safari
52. Scuba dive down to a shipwreck
53. Be an extra in a movie
54. Attend a ball and wear an amazing gown
55. Ride a zip wire
56. Visit New York City's East Village
57. Become involved in animal assisted therapy
58. Trek Kilimanjaro in East Africa
59. Visit Greece (Santorini)
60. Learn how to fence
61. Visit the wreckage of the Titanic aboard a submarine
62. Write a story that scares the sh*t out of people
63. Visit Thailand
64. Visit an active volcano
65. Visit Machu Picchu
66. Live in New York City for a year
67. Kayak next to orchas/killer whales
68. Visit the rain forest of British Columbia (And see the Spirit Bear...)
69. Ride in a hot air balloon
70. Parasail
71. Learn to speak a foreign language fluently
72. Volunteer in a foreign country
73. Stay in a bungalow over the ocean
74. Run a marathon
75. Live in a foreign country
76. Visit Hawaii with my husband (already been there myself)
77. Trust people
78. See a taping of "Supernatural"
78. Do at least one selfless act every day
79. Get drunk in Ireland
80. Visit the Netherlands
81. Go to Costa Rica and see the Arribada
82. Start a fire w/out a match/lighter/etc.
83. Kayak and camp the Broken Group Islands
84. See Count Dracula's Castle in Romania
85. Listen to blues in New Orleans
86. Go to the Moose Dropping Festival in Talkeetna, AK
87. Hike the West Coast Trail in the Pacific Rim National Forest (BC) – all 46 miles!
88. Visit Edinburgh, Scotland
89. Scuba dive off the Great Barrier Reef
90. Traction Kite / Kite Buggy - Land Board
91. Open up/Start an animal rescue
92. Vacation at the Watergate Bay Hotel
93. Visit the Great Wall of China
94. Ride a gondola in Venice, Italy
95. Ride the Minjin Jungle Swing
96. Heli-hike in Canada/BC
97. Try glass blowing
98. Explore Easter Island
99. See a Broadway show
100. Complete a triathlon
101. Adopt a child

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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover."
–- Mark Twain

A Sunny Day @ the Dog Park...

Yes, we have 'em here. ;)



(Dehlia at Marymoor Park...)
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"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."
-- Milan Kundera

A Little East Coast Flair... ;)

Last weekend, Chris and I were fortunate enough to jet off to the East Coast and spend some quality time with our amazing family. Because we've always lived so far apart, every time we get together is beyond special. This last time was no exception as it was Jeff’s 50th Birthday!

One thing I adore about the East Coast is the history. Absolutely everything out there has such an astounding past that, if you took the time to sit down and study it, the info would boggle your mind. Every single place - every building, home, town, street - has a wonderfully unique and interesting story behind it. In fact, even my brother’s land has a history - it used to be one of the camp sites for the confederate army. (Just ask Jeff and his metal detector!)

The restaurant where Jeff’s party was held has not only a history, but a ghost as well! (Imagine my excitement when I discovered this! I know, I know - I had to be held back.) Well, of course I had to bombard the manager with tons of questions regarding their spectral visitor. And, being the gracious host that he was, he answered every one of my inquiries. Feel free to take a look at this amazing place and read about their ghost by checking out the Occoquan Inn. (I swear, after photography and writing, I’m soooo going to pursue ghost hunting.)

But anyway, here are a few shots of the fabulous event.











Not only was I lucky enough to shoot Jeff’s party, but I was also able to take some lovely photos of the entire family the day after... (J & E, Laura, Laura Guitar.)

Happy Birthday, Jeff! We had a great time, and are soooo grateful that we were able to be there for your birthday. Love ya! :)
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"Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts."
-- Author Unknown

Random Questons For A Random Blogger ;)

The Adult Survey...

Do you have children?
** Two girls... Well, two dogs, but we consider them our children.

If so, names and ages?
** Molly is 7 going on 8, and Dehlia is 8 going on 9. :)

Where do you work?
** Anywhere and everywhere. I work several days a week at the Woodinville Animal Hospital. I'm a photographer, so I work wherever a shoot takes me. I'm a writer, so I work out of my office at home. Like I said, anywhere and everywhere. :)

Are you happy with the career field you have chosen?
** Photography? I absolutely love it. Writing? I absolutely love it.

Are you satisfied with your income?
** Yes

Do you rent or own a home?
** Rent

Is your home big enough?
** Absolutely. I have to admit that I LOVE our place!

Do you throw parties often?
** Not really.

Do you want to move?
** Nope - love it here. It fits - for now. ;)

What do you do for fun?
** Go to the gym, take pictures, hike (when the weather allows), read, hang with the fam.

Favorite TV shows?
** Supernatural, The Big Bang Theory, Dexter, anything on the Travel Channel...

Do you have a TVO/DVR box to record shows?
** No. I’m not that addicted to television.

What size is your biggest TV?
** Honestly, I have no idea... Chris would know. Maybe 42 in?

Do you have pets?
** Yes - see above.

What vehicle do you drive?
** Jeep. Yum.

What do you like or dislike about your vehicle?
** I love the size of our Jeep. It’s big enough to hold us and the girls, yet not so big that it’s clunky and difficult to maneuver. And it’s perfect for all of our off-roading, adventure-filled weekend excursions.


If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself at age:

age 5:
** Keep up the writing. It WILL pay off someday. :)

age 16:
** Enjoy and appreciate your youth. Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up.

age 18:
** The world is sooooo big. Don’t let trivial things get you down. You’ve only just begun your journey, and you have so many wonderful things waiting for you on the road ahead. Stay awake. :)

age 21:
** Keep your head up. Chris is just around the corner. ;)~

age 25:
** You’re really not old! You have PLENTY of time! You become what you think about. Your thoughts create your life. Pick good ones.

age 29:
** You’re on the right track.

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"It's not about what happened in the past or what you think might happen in the future. It's about the ride for christs sake! There's no point going through all this crap if you're not going to enjoy the ride. And you know what, when you least expect it something great might come along. Something better than you even planned for."
-- Irving Feffer, from Along Came Polly

Today Is A Good Day ;)

Words cannot express the excitement, anticipation, and hope that I feel today. In fact, right now, I can't even get my mind wrapped around the wonderfulness of this day. It's both humbling and overwhelming to think about what this special time means - not only to America, but to the entire world. So, instead of a rambling, incoherent blog filled with too many exclamation points to count, I'm going to honor our new President by posting a few of his amazing, heartfelt, and intelligent quotes...

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
-- President Barack H. Obama

"It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today."
-- President Barack H. Obama

"I think how we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other. And it's very important that we have a president who is mindful of the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals."
-- President Barack H. Obama

"If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress."
-- President Barack H. Obama

"Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential."
-- President Barack H. Obama

"I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."
-- President Barack H. Obama

And, finally:

"Why can't I just eat my waffle?"
-- President Barack H. Obama

Okay, so that's more than a few... But, in all honesty, I'm beyond excited to see this wonderful man lead our nation. And I'm even more excited to help by showing my unwavering support.

God bless America. God Bless EVERYONE. :)

Random Musings on a Tuesday

I used to think “alone” was good.

As a girl who lost her father to cancer at the tender age of fourteen, I learned early on in life that people come and go. There one minute, gone the next. Fathers, mothers, friends, aunts, uncles, acquaintances, pets, enemies, teachers, co-workers... It didn’t matter who they were, or what they meant to me. Gone at the drop of a hat.

The reasons that people disappeared from my life were never really important. I lost a best friend in the eighth grade due to a misunderstanding over a dinner invitation. Also in the eighth grade (wow, what a traumatic year), a messy divorce cut my sister-in-law clean out of my life. The following year, my freshman year of high school, proved to be no easier - my father died in November and my dog, Holly, who I’d loved unconditionally for eleven years, passed away the following August. The list goes on and on. Misunderstanding, sickness, death, divorce, or simply just the routine act of merely drifting apart... Like I said, the why didn’t matter. All that mattered was that they were gone.

After the first couple of losses, I became extremely guarded. Never quite relinquishing control, I allowed myself to make many acquaintances, but never friends. Keeping everyone at arm's length, I lived a carefully calculated, if not somewhat lonely, existence of complete and utter control. I had say over who came into my life and, more often than not, when it was time for them to “check out.” Because I never allowed myself to get close to anyone, I was never hurt when circumstances turned and I was suddenly minus one. Sure, I experienced a sort of vague, misty sense of loss. But it was more like losing my car keys instead of a trusted friend or family member.

Throughout my twenties, the losses continued - acquaintances, boyfriends, my mother, one of my brothers, co-workers... People flickered in and out of my life like images on a forbidden, un-subscribed-to television station. There one minute. Gone the next. There one minute. Gone the next. There one minute. Gone the next... You get the picture. And it didn’t matter how much someone tried to convince me that I was wrong, that he (or she) would always be around and wasn’t going anywhere. Because I knew the truth. Things change. People change. Life changes. What someone says one minute may not be true the next. For years, I was unreachable. Regardless of what anyone said or did, I was determined to live my life in solitude. And for a long time, I did just that.

Then I met Chris.

Suddenly, life as I knew it was over. My whole existence, once so comfortable and numb, was thrown completely and irrevocably out of whack. The wall that I’d so carefully constructed around myself was broken. Brick by brick, I had let my guard down. Without even realizing it, I’d become vulnerable, exposed. As if waking from a dream, I found myself out in the open, completely unprotected against the harsh elements of human nature.

In the beginning, I was amazed at how differently the time passed with Chris than with anyone else. Hours turned to days, days to weeks, weeks to months, months to years... Until, finally, the years turned into Forever. Chris settled himself into my life so completely that, before I knew it, our souls were intertwined beyond the point of unraveling. Probably due to a strong and stubborn streak, he refused to let me distance myself from him and, as a result, from the world in general. In a nutshell, he saved me from myself.

One of Chris’ favorite things to say to me is, “I’ll prove you wrong.” This statement is always said in jest, and is usually a response to one of my sarcastic comments about “forever not really existing.” But, so far, he really has proved me wrong.

Things change. People change. Life changes. But, because of Chris, I’m okay with that now. I have faith. I experience hope. And, at long last, I have finally found my courage. Because of my husband, I’m able to live a life full of purpose and passion. I no longer dread the parting of ways. Instead I cherish the stroll, the dance, the walk.

Now, I relish the journey.

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Quote of the day:

"Fire scares me, yes, and earthquakes, and venomous snakes. People scare me more than anything, for I know too well the savagery of which humankind is capable." -- Odd Thomas

A Few Resolutions

1. Live a creative, fulfilling life.
2. Take a lot of pictures.
3. Write.

An excerpt from a piece I've been working on. Here's to finishing it...

The smell. She couldn’t get over the smell. It was awful.

Lacy sat on the edge of the hospital bed, feeling sick. Her heart was still hammering, drumming a steady beat-beat-beat in her ears. Every thump, every nerve-shattering pulse, reverberated deep in her bones. And while her skin felt cold and clammy, her muscles were on fire.

And that smell, vaguely resembling a mixture of pine scented disinfecting cleaner and stale urine, caused her to wrinkle her nose while simultaneously fighting brief bouts of nausea.

It was unreal. All of it.

Despite the fact that she had been fighting this battle for the last four months, despite the fact that she had prepared herself for this very outcome, she was scared. Ashamed, she hung her head.

But how can you prepare for something like this? she thought desperately. There’s no way. There’s just no way.

Tears welled, stinging the corners of her eyes. Blinking them back – for she was determined to be strong, if not for herself then for her family – she slid her palm across the stiff bed sheet, silently mustering what little courage she had left. Searching for her father’s hand, she found it, held it tight. The lump in her throat that she had choked down earlier while in the waiting room resurfaced, and for a terrifying moment she couldn’t breathe.

Calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down, she silently instructed herself.

But try as she might, she couldn’t block out the feel of her father’s hand. Cold, limp, and rubbery, it already felt like the hand of a dead man.

Lacy bit her lip, and her palms began to sweat.

Through eyes half blinded by unshed tears, she dared a glance around the room. Sorrow, sadness, and despair settled over the place like storm clouds, pressing away any and all hope.

Directly across from her, sitting on the other side of her father’s deathbed, was her mother. Like her daughter, she refused to give herself completely over to grief, and her grim face, pale in the florescent light of the room, was dry. Her eyes, however, rimmed deep in gray-black circles, spoke volumes.

Her father’s death was going to be hard on everyone, Lacy knew. What she didn’t know was how they were all going to cope.

Behind her, as if reading her mind and therefore knowing how unstable she was both mentally and emotionally, her brother, Michael, laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Her elder by as much as seventeen years, his reassurance usually meant the world to her. But now, sitting by their father as he struggled through his last moments, Lacy came to the unsettling realization that she was beyond even Michael’s help. That even his comforting support wasn’t enough to halt the icy hot pain that was creeping through her gut.

Oh, God… What are we going to do? Lacy’s body ached from months of pent up anxiety, and she felt as if her shoulders were sagging not just from the heaviness of her own stresses, but also from the weight of the entire world.

The atmosphere in the room grew heavier, almost unbearable, and her father’s soft, rhythmic breathing became raspy and uneven. His chest began to heave dramatically and his eyes, shut all day due to the mild coma he had succumbed to in the early morning hours, popped open. Wide-eyed and groggy, he turned his head left then right, searching. Finding and eyeing each family member, he continued to struggle for breath even as his lips murmured unformed words.

Flying up from a chair in the far corner of the room, Lacy’s other brother, Kyle, nervously approached their father’s bed. His hands were shaking, and Lacy could see that his eyes were red. Younger than Michael by only two years, he was by far the more sensitive of the two and seemed to struggle relentlessly with life’s cruelties.

Lacy felt her lips quiver, and bit down hard enough to draw blood. The coppery taste lingered on her tongue, and she wanted to gag.

Even though she was sixteen and a junior in high school, she couldn’t shake the feeling of childish helplessness. As a teenager, she was excited by the fact that she could finally make her own decisions and, carved by her own actions, plow ahead on her desired path in life. But now, so early on in her path to self-discovery, life was teaching her that not everything could be persuaded by the mere power of positive thinking. That some things, like the death of a parent, were still controlled by Fate. And no matter how hard you fought, sometimes you were destined to lose.

Her father’s eyes slid shut, and his breathing slowed. An unearthly silence filled the room.

“He’s gone,” Kyle choked.

Daddy, Lacy pleaded silently. Every ounce of her being begged, prayed, cried out. Oh God, Dad, please don’t go. Daddy, please… She drew in a shuddered breath and waited.

After what seemed like hours, but was in reality only seconds, her father opened his eyes. Unlike before, they were now clear and focused, and he lovingly set them on each member of his family one last time. At that particular moment, time seemed to stand still, and as a single tear rolled down his cheek, he died.

Tails-A-Waggin'

Well, the snow is finally melting, and Fed Ex was (finally!) able to make it up our street this morning and deliver our Christmas packages. Thank you, everyone, for the wonderful gifts - we appreciate everything and are soooo touched by your thoughtfulness. Here are a couple shots of Dehlia enjoying her holiday gift from Uncle Jeff and Aunt Ellen. (Molly is MIA, as she was a bit too excited by the hoopla to slow down for a photo or two. Go figure, huh?)

White Christmas

In my opinion, there's nothing like a white Christmas. Being from the Midwest, where white Chritmases are the norm, it took awhile to get used to winters in Seattle - where if snow does fall, it melts practically a minute later. Granted, if Chris and I want to see snow, we're not far from it - the white stuff sticks around in the Cascades pretty much year round. But there's something special about waking up on Christmas morning, looking expectantly out your window, and seeing the ground covered in a shimmering white blanket of snow. So, needless to say, after two holiday seasons without snow, Chris and I were more than thrilled when we looked out of our bedroom window this morning and saw that our backyard was practically glowing...







Merry Christmas!

xo, The Sorbes