"you make me happy when skies are grey..."

After many months of saving, hard work, and so much prayer, I was able to purchase my camera on Saturday. Rain splattered the sky with streaks of grey on Saturday, and my mom and I headed to Mall of America. We maneuvered through the crowds of people like professionals, and it makes me laugh at how we instagrammed photos of pretty much everything. "Mom, we look like tourists...and we live here!" She laughed it off while snapping a shot of the Ferris Wheel.

The blue and yellow of Best Buy called my name, and I had excited jitters. We walked out of Best Buy and I felt considerably light-headed and my stomach was tangled in butterfly knots. No flip-flopping flutters, but full out belly butterflies. My mom laughed at how I cradled the Best Buy bag like my baby, but I was ready to pull out some kung fu if someone jostled us. We didn't even stop for a cup of Caribou coffee on the way out -- and we're hardcore coffee lovers here.

I've been in a blur of excitement and a haze of surrealism this weekend, and have constantly been reminded of God's faithfulness and goodness. I've been praying about this camera since last year, and not only that, but praying for where I am right now, and looking back, this journey blessed me. In the midst of the many months that I was stressed, upset, and discouraged, when choosing to believe was a daily thing, the Lord worked on my heart. I have verses scribbled in my journal and pages of words on my heart that fill my moleskine, and I love looking back to see what the Lord was doing in my life. He is more good and faithful than I can say.

So, for my first day with my camera, here's my Sunday in photos. Let me just say that I've been smiling like crazy all weekend.