Soni's Photos

I am not one to complain about these sites but "HOLY ADS, BATMAN!"  This site has gone to hell in a hand basket.  I can't stand how everything has changed and I have to sign in everytime I get onto the site.  Never had to do that before.. took me a few minutes to figure out where to post the photo and wondering why the file wasn't there to upload.  Not sure it is easier just more complicating.  Did I mention..I hate the ads!  oh..and can't stand to visit others pictures because of the ads and to many buttons to click to get to them.  The site takes 2 times longer to upload.  I am bummed.  Stupid changes!

I guess I can be part of this growing community of buzzer's so here goes my 8 things...

1.) I absolutely love all aspects of dance...teaching, learning, workshops, performing, competitions and practicing. 

2.) I love spending time with my 4 wonderful children and husband.  They are the light of my world. We are all outdoor people and enjoy riding bikes, walking, hiking, rollerblading and so on...

3.) I am 5' 4" tall, 116 lbs, hazel(green brown) eyes and I really can't say what my real hair color is..to much dying over the past 10 years or more.

4.) I am a Christian woman with a love for God and try(yes try) to live my life right in His eyes.

This is harder than I thought....

5.)  I am a very honest person and will tell anyone how I really feel about a situation..not always a good thing but you know you will always get the honest answer from me.

6.) I totally hate secrets and lies!  They always end up hurting others in the long run.

7.) I am terrified of motorcycles and will not ride one.

8.) I work out twice daily plus teach dance twice a week and take a hip hop class twice a week.  I lift weights and play basketball with my oldest son everyday.  You can say I am addicted to exercise. 


Ok..now off to find my eight people

outland2442 , pixeltopia , soccerdancemom, cunfused , dustylenscap,  justinblackphotos ,  melpixie , jaljag 

Another year gone by.  Depressing almost to see the years flashing before my eyes knowing there was so much more I could have accomplished.  Makes me desperate to do and see more.  I guess what I am trying to say is, I figured out what my goals are for this upcoming year (2007). 

PaW: photo a week
These past 2 years I took photos of my family doing things they love and put them in a photobook, added some quotes and they are now being shipped to me.  I would love to have a photo(blog)book but having trouble finding one I can set up with space for lots of text.  soooo...a photo a week will go in the 2007 yearbook.

Get back into shape:
My life has become so busy with my family, computer, pictures, and dance stuff that I hardly have time to work out anymore.  I want to get motivated to exercise in the mornings.

Advertise:
I need more advertisement for my photography business that is doing very well right now but could do better with more advertising within the surrounding states.  I would love to travel to photograph weddings.  I have a wedding in Montana in July that I am pretty excited about and would love to have more opportunities like that one.

My dance studio:
Look for a place to teach kids who can't afford the prices that a studio in town charges.  There are so many kids who want to dance and perform also kids who are overweight and would like other weighs of losing weight besides basketball, football, soccer and such.  I want to give all the kids in the community a chance to try and learn new things.  All kids deserve a chance to succeed and feel self-worth in life not just the ones with money.
I have a feeling I am going to make a few people angry because of my decision, but this isn't something I am doing for revenge, evil tactics or to split apart the current studio.  Those are not my intentions at all.  I actually don't care to take anyone from the studio and don't want them if they are upset with anything that is going on at the studio. 
Like I said at the beginning...."Depressing almost to see the years flashing before my eyes knowing there was so much more I could have accomplished.". How many of you have helped someone in need?  How many of you took money from someone when you knew they couldn't afford it?  Were we place on this earth to only help ourselves grow?  I don't think we were and I want to help others.  Since I was a young girl I knew there was something out there for me..placing that something was a bit difficult, but I guess I wanted God to place it before me when all along I should have been hunting for it.  Persueing my purpose instead of hoping it would drop in my lap. 

Stock:
I need to get motivated to do more stock photography.  I just don't have the energy to mess on the computer anymore.  I need to set a schedule for myself and stick to it!

Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ,
Then why do you look so much like the world?

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?

Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be bless me with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sands

Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?

Who is this that You follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side
Or fall down and worship at His holy feet

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we’d recognize Him

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despises the proud
I think He’d prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud

I want to be like my Jesus
Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus
You see I’m tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus but I’m not sure what that means to be like You Jesus

Cause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like My Jesus

L2 (to Soni): I have something fun to tell you.
Soni: what's that
Soni (whispers to crabAPPL3™): thanks!
L2 (to Soni): My tennis partner Paul went to your PAD and thinks you are the most awesome photographer, along with Pawdrix.

Soni (to L2): aww that is so cool
L2 (to Soni): He said that you did the best collages, and that your poses were inspired and unique. He visits more often now.
Soni (to mkmkmkmkmkmkmk):
Soni (to L2):
Soni: that makes me feel good
L2 (to Soni): He also said the coolest thing about it was that he felt like he got to know you, and your family.
Soni: really?
L2 (to Soni): And he called his kids after and kissed his wife.
<jpFightsSnow thinks soni has quite the photo--talent going>
Soni: than I did my job right..LOL
L2 (to Soni): You have impact, sister!
jpFightsSnow (to Soni): yayayayayay soni!!!
Soni: I was looking at my collages and everyone one of them shows how I am with each kid..it was funny to see our relationship from collage
Soni (to jpFightsSnow, L2): thanks
L2 (private): I thought you'd want to know! He's absolutely right, of course.
<jpFightsSnow thinks soni is way great ...>
<L2 is also on the Soni train.>
jpFightsSnow: and I'm not just sucking up either
Soni (whispers to L2): thanks..it made my night or weekend..it makes me feel good to hear that
Soni (to jpFightsSnow): lol
Soni (to L2): woot woot
MattO (to jpFightsSnow): yes you are
jpFightsSnow (to Soni): really. you're good.
MattO:
MattO: Soni s
Soni: aww..you all rock too!
L2 (to mkmkmkmkmkmkmk): He also loved your smoke shots, and thought the murals were super cool.
Soni: you all are great!

Chandraya did a perfect triple turn today.  She is practicing to get better at dance.  Her critique cd was very good and she is wanting to learn how to correct her mistakes. 

Way to go!  Love you, chandraya!

Soni: I would be kicking some butt about now if that was my computer
Soni: <cough>perv<cough>
Aaron: <sigh>nod<sigh>
Aaron: guilty as charged
mk (to Soni): so are you saying i'm a perv when i talk dirty to you?
Aaron: probably
Aaron: she's prudish like that.
mk: i'd say she's innocent but she does have four kids...
Aaron: so she had only 4 times
Aaron: so she had sex only 4 times
Aaron: so how long is it until we have a MendedClara?
Laurie: back...sorry
Laurie: homework called
Aaron: called you what?
[ DPC Fanatics: >>> colyla crawls into DPC Fanatics, plastered in confetti and whipped cream... ]
updateUserList(); colyla: ooohhhh....HI everyone!
Aaron: hello
SprainedClara (to Aaron): 4 more weeks
colyla: is sprainedclara the same as blemt?
SprainedClara (to colyla): yuppers
[ DPC Fanatics: >>> Spaz jumps into DPC Fanatics, trying to avoid a food fight. ]
updateUserList(); Aaron: yep. broken down version
colyla (to SprainedClara): sorry to hear you have a sprain!
Spaz: hi people
colyla: hi spaz
Laurie (to colyla, Spaz):
colyla: hey....do you guys know if karmat and her husband bought digital rebels or not? I know they were looking/asking but didn't know if they had actually found some and bought them
Aaron: hmmm. dont know
<colyla hands Clara some nestle's chocolate milk (it always makes me feel better)>
Aaron: I love this shot. soni looks 8 foot tall in it: http://www.pbase.com/image/51127140
colyla: <---contemplating selling mine
Aaron: for?
colyla: she looks like she has some llooonggg legs!
Aaron: it's all about the WA
Aaron: 18mm
colyla: is she tall?
Aaron: nah. she itty bitty
Aaron: cutsie smooopsie little boopsie
Laurie: she's about the same height as me
colyla: how tall are you laurie?
Laurie: 5'6"
colyla: oh wow...you're taller than I thought!
Laurie: at least she didn't seem short to me when she was here in April
colyla: I figured you to be my height
Aaron: ack I just got a cavity talking sweet like that
Aaron: ooowww the pain!
Laurie: how tall are you? @coy
Laurie: I can't type tonight
colyla: 5'3 1/2
Aaron: gotta get the half in there
colyla: LOL...yup
Aaron: just round up
Aaron: it's cool. we wont squeel
[ DPC Fanatics: >>> Ironworker parachutes into DPC Fanatics with a bottle of bubbly! ]
updateUserList(); colyla: now if I was just thinner!!!!!
Ironworker:
Laurie (to colyla): me too
colyla: Hi Ironworker
Aaron: like how much thinner?
Aaron: sup iron
Laurie (to Ironworker): long time no see
colyla: there is a hypnosis place around here....I should go and have them hynotize me to LOVE salad and exercise
Spaz: this one she looks like the 50ft woman http://www.pbase.com/sonifo/image/44948846
Ironworker: life got very busy as of late
Aaron: look at the size of soni's............knees!
Aaron: HGH girl: http://www.pbase.com/sonifo/image/49460123

hateful thoughts of destruction
undermining every last moral in my soul
wanting to break free, but feeling so much resentment
not wanting to go on, to push forward..
hating what may lie ahead of me
and beyond those broken walls
turning the plate upside down letting my heart fade elsewhere
searching out that intimate manipulation
that blurrs my sense of reasoning
my mind burns with those thoughts
craving what is not real
feeding myself with "I don't cares"
only bringing scolding tears again
burning like acid on my skin
treacherous words sting like pins on my skin
my ears burning from murmuring deseiver's
what gives..why is the world and so many in it, so cruel
so much pain and hurt rolls beyond our grasp
making us watchful like hawks for that person we fear
every hurt we receive builds layers on that invisible barrier
keeping out intruders and also those we love   
by soni

Life is pretty unbearable right now.  Finding it hard to cope.  I just want to lay my head down and fall asleep. 

Blessings:
Anything that gives happiness
Good fortune
Biblical: God's undeserved gifts and favors given out of his love and kindess.
Personal: unexpected joys or provisions that benefit you or your loved ones.

Sometimes blessings can go unnoticed.  We tend to put them in the closet and on focus the negatives in our lives.  Why did this happen or why is this happening to me. Maybe we need to take a deeper look at what we are blessed with..pull those blessings out and start looking at the more positive things in our lives. 

God's blessings are pleasures or advantages for the purpose of bringing goodness into your life.  They have another purpose too: to nudge you to the place he wants you to be, in attitude or action.  You may not understand the full value when you first recieve them.  It is hard to stay focused on the blessings God is giving us and the blessings we want. 

Some blessings could be direct results of obedience to God, and some blessings happen when you share the gospel with someone.

The apostle Paul asked Godo 3 times for his "thorn in the side" to be remved.  God told him the thorn was a blessing in disquese, to keep him from becoming conceited.
hmmm.. Something to ponder on.

Many flowers open to the sun, but only one follows him constantly.  Heart, be thou the sunflower, no only open to receive God's blessing, but constant in looking to him.
Jean Paul Richter

still working on it.................

If someone insults you, God wants you to smile.  If someone stomps on you even seventy times seven, God asks you to forgive.  But you're angry because you have been wronged.  Why can't you indulge in angry bashing to even the score?  It helps to consider the price.

Anger is like a clogged artery in one's relationship with God and people.  Anger binges rarely accomplish God's purpose in your life or theirs.  Yet anger is a weapon for good or evil. 

Some anger is sinful, some is not.  But all anger needs to be purified by allowing God to search the wounded heart for half-truths, hidden motives, and shared blame.  Blindness hampers the angry one's insight.

Here are a couple tests you can give yourself: do you get angry most often about personal slights or over injustices against others?  Would your family members call you an angry person?  That is, would they say that you can't control your temper, that you tend to argue all the time, and that you lash out at the smallest criticism?  The Bible also distinguishes between feelings of anger and acting them out.  Anger range from simple annoyance to vexed to the point verbal and physical abuse.  And the Word of God challenges you that one day  is long enough to indulge this emotion.

Ask yourself, "Why am I so angry?"  Anger dims by pleading, "Lord, please change me!" 

Give yourself time to work through the trying affront and hand it over to God.  Anger does not dissipate overnight.

"Our anger can be a tremendous gift, if we dare to look at the feelings it covers up..the fears, hurts, resentments, and self-protective motives we work hard to keep out of sight, and to emerge as changed people."
Larry Crabb

"In your anger do not sin:  Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."
Ephesians 4:26-27

 You feel a need for acceptance.  You sense it's a key to freedom to be yourself.

Acceptance happens when you know that God loves you as you are and you discover the person he created you to be.  From that base, you can reach out to others and not be overly concerned with their perceived response to you.  It's important to know the real you and live that self in honesty and humility before others, whatever their reaction.

We will never grow in our relationship with God if we don't have the gumption to become singleminded, bent on pleasing God and only God.
Michele Halseide

We [people-pleasers] may even be tempted to fake our spirituality, which impresses everyone but God.
Michele Halseide

Whether we live in the body or move out of it, our goal is to be pleasing to Him.
2 Corinthians 5:9

Remember in the art world never lose the person God expects you to be... it can become very worldly and lead you down a path of darkness that will be hard to escape from and the devil will be the one to make it feel ok...
You should be touching lives and awakening those dead lives to find their path... not lead them down a darker path.

Quoted by Donna

Sunshine won't you be my mother?
Sunshine come and help me sing
My heart is darker than these oceans
My heart is frozen underneath
Crooked soul trying to stay up straight
Dry eyes in the pouring rain
The shadow proves the sunshine
Two scared little runaways
Hold fast till the break of daylight
When the shadow proves the sunshine
Oh Lord why did you forsake me
Oh Lord don't be far away, away
Storm clouds gattering beside me
Please Lord don't look the other way
I'm a crooked soul trying to stay up straight
Shine on me
Let my shadows prove the sunshine

Destination

To know the place, to know the time
It is the purpose of this rhyme
For all the others who don't yet know
It's almost time for thee to show

The vision of a shadow, a shadow of a dream
For any who might question, all is what it seems

The hills that rise so peacefully
Above the sun bleached plains
Have long forgotten man's presence
Or the coming of the rains

It's not so much the presence
Of things that you can see
But rather it's the presence
Of things that used to be

And so it's there we turn now
With passion in our hearts
The hill surrounded valley
The place the future starts

Zachery had surgery on Monday and seems to be doing pretty good.  Won't start school till Monday.   Chandraya is getting the hang of her new schedule with school, dance and gymnastics.  Lila Mae is now going through her terrible two's at 3 1/2. Ugh.. I need to nip that in the butt right away.  Troy has been learning more about fitness and health.  He has been working out everyday to stay in shape for swimming this year with the highschool swim team.  He wants to qualify for the 50 and 500mm.. he also wants to build up more strength for the fly..he has the form just needs the strength.  

I have a wedding tomorrow.  Should go well, the lighting is excellent in the church. 

Everybody sees how you seem, however, only some know who you are. 

http://www.sonifopictures.com/donation

We, the DPChallenge community, are similarly affected by this tragedy. Words cannot begin to express our feelings about the death and destruction caused by Katrina, and the human suffering left in its wake. We share your sense of loss, and we share your desire to help in whatever way we can.

As many of you already know, the most direct way to help the survivors is by donating to the American Red Cross. Anyone can donate by visiting the American Red Cross web site. Individuals in the United States can also call the American Red Cross at 800-HELP-NOW (800-435-7669) to donate.
Any sales made from Sep 2nd through Sep 15th will be donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina via the Red Cross.

Words from a 6 year old:
You know mom, everyone is a hero. You are to me and I am to Lila Mae. We all help each other out. It doesn't matter how old you are.

Smart little thing. 

A Message by George Carlin

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but need still more. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness, less solutions.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.  We have more cell phones, yet more isolated.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but accomplish smaller good.

We've cleaned up our portfolio, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but
accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we com-
municate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this reflection, or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.  You won't be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you for guidance, because that little person will grow up and move on sooner than you think.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all 'mean it'. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.