Shayla vs. The World

I don't know how I took a year to discover this, but apparently we live in the best area for fresh apples, pears and stone fruits in the fall. Austin and I have opposite schedules right now but due to a project at work causing some overtime for me I was able to get a day off with him. So we headed towards a lovely little orchard just south of Hood River. We went expecting to pick some fruit and have a nice day outside. The day was filled with so much more. We had a beautiful lunch with an even more beautiful view. There's supposed to be a view of a mountain there. Sorry for the location filters. Took some of these pictures on snapchat Mountain View Orchards also brews their own cider from their apples and has a vineyard and winery. We walked the public portion of their grounds and picked some of our own apples. Most importantly, we met Carlos. Carlos is an 18 year old steer. He loves when you scratch his head and feed him pears. We had a gr...

  Tomorrow marks one year from the day this photo was taken. A day that has been ever present in my mind as it has slowly crept up. Our going away party. In two days we would pack up a U-haul and make the 2000 mile trip to Portland. I wish I could say this year has flown by and that I can't believe it's been a year since we moved already. But I can't. This year has been long. Long and hard and exciting and exhausting and awful and amazing all wrapped into one giant bundle with a crushed bow on top. I honestly struggle to pinpoint what emotions I'm feeling looking at this picture and thinking about this day. I feel sadness knowing this amazing group of people will never be whole again. I feel happiness that we were able to share this moment and that Jennie made us take this picture. I feel relief knowing that I survived this year and am starting to heal a bit. I feel anger at life for taking what we planned to be a wonderful new adventure and turning it into t...