Life Lately

{1}

{2}

{3}

{4}

Boy have these last few weeks dragged. Derek works in the state school system so the last stretch before the school holidays really seems to take its toll. On both of us. I feel like the weeks are blending together and disappearing before I can even catch my breath. I am really struggling to find the perfect balance between all the hats I am wearing and wearing them all well. And this PhD gig? Rough. Seriously rough. I don't even know what life looks like outside of study. Between teaching and studying, it feels like I live and breathe University. I can't remember what it feels like to have no pressing deadline looming in the horizon, to have a night off and not be quietly stewing on how many late nights I will have to pull to compensate for that down time. It's been a long semester. One more week until the students and staff breathe a unanimous sigh of relief to have one whole week without seeing one another. And boy am I hanging out for that week.

These things aside, there has been a lot of celebrating happening lately. Birthday celebrations, new job celebrations, family members returning home from Darwin celebrations, impending birth of new baby celebrations. It's been nice, really nice. I'm a firm believer in taking the time to celebrate the good things, to be genuinely thankful for the good amongst the crummy (and of course, celebrate with cake whenever possible). These stills represent some of those moments that I really am thankful for: friends, family, new opportunities and new life.

{1} // A birthday, a building apprenticeship and a homecoming all warranted a big family dinner and lots of cake
{2} // Another birthday dinner with a cake made of donuts before a basketball grand final that left Team Bazinga smiling ear-to-ear
{3} // A celebration of life, documenting a pregnancy that is nearly over. Just a teeny snippet from a beautiful afternoon photographing Jessie and her baby bump last week
{4} Fresh blooms brought home to me from my love.

What are you thankful for?