I'm published!

i picked up my "capture arkansas" book today, and i have a photograph in it! it's huge, too- it takes up 1 1/2 pages! :) i'm so excited about it. it's this photo:


also some good news, brian had 2 different interviews with 2 banks today, and we think they went well! the first one was really stressful for him, but the second was better and more relaxed, and he thinks they liked him (of COURSE they do!). SOOOOOO, everyone cross your fingers for us that we'll hear some really freaking good news sometime in the next week or so.

"capi's" opened last thursday (the new restaurant). opening night went SOOOOOO well! it was pretty emotional for all of us who were involved in the process. it was our baby being "birthed," if you will. :) the kitchen was so incredible. i was so impressed. the food was great, and we went on a wait! AND, it was a "soft opening," which means there was no advertising- just word of mouth. i can't believe how smoothly it went. everyone did an amazing job. i've had a huge sigh of relief now that it's up and running.

i also finished a long string of doing photography EVERY weekend- i haven't felt like i've had an ACTUAL day off in forever! i've loved every second of it, but my poor house is falling apart. :) i have today off, and it's raining and cold outside, so i've been "forced" to relax all curled up inside. :) i'm making some homemade chicken noodle soup in my slowcooker right now. yummmm... i've been working a bit on photos, but i'm having a good relaxing day.

i meant to blog about the election right afterward, but i haven't had a moment to sit down. i can't put into words how relieved and proud i am of our country right now. yes, all politicians have flaws (usually much bigger and more selfish than the normal person), but i think a small step forward is so much better than staying in the muddy crap we're in right now. i don't think obama is a perfect man, nor my ideal president (taking all his policies into account), but i know with all my heart that he is what we need at this moment. i felt so emotional and proud to be an american, looking around at all the other people, clapping and hugging (i was at a bar with some friends from work when it happened- brian was in conway with his brother). it was the first time since 9/11 that i felt actually connected to other people as AMERICANS. i felt like we are all in this together, and that we actually pulled it off- being able to be gutsy enough to make such change for the better. it's not been fun trashing government the past 2 terms- republicans think we like being negative and pessimistic, but we DON'T! we WANT to feel patriotic and proud. we're headed in the right direction, and that's all i ask of this country right now. i know there will be plenty more challenges ahead, but i hope that this momentous and HISTORICAL event will change the way we live. i hope that obama can continue to enliven the patriotism in so many of us that have been discouraged and disconnected for the past 8 years. i hope that he challenges us to free ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil by changing the way we view energy. we need to explore different methods, and put a LOT of funding to this. we need a mandated recycling program, we need our troops to be TRULY honored when they come home by giving them the mental and physical care that they sadly lack. there are SOOOOO many things we need to work on, and i hope that the election of the first black president will encourage us to make other momentous changes that this country needs and deserves. i am a proud american right now- i hope you are too.