Capturing a bit of myself for the January journaling challenge

Anna Aspnes:
ArtPlay Palette Scholarly http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=28512&page=1
ArtPlay Palette Adventure http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=29867&page=1
ArtPlay Palette Crazy Life http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=29597&page=1
ArtPlay Palette Encapsulate http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=28723&page=1
ArtPlay Palette Ablaze http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=29044&page=1
Artsy Kardz Salty Living http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=30875&page=1
Beautiful Word Art
Find My Way Overlays 3 http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=30328&page=1

Maya de Groot:
Nuts n Bolts Alpha http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=30267&cat=566&page=1
Cut Out Alpha http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=26018&cat=566&page=1
Stamped Alpha http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=32075&cat=566&page=1
The Art of Journaling http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=28198&cat=567&page=1

There was a time I didnt like to have my picture taken..I didnt like the way I looked in pictures. Now I realize that doesnt matter, as this is how others see me, so I had better get used to seeing myself this way. Now it is not at all unusual for me to take a silly self-portrait like this one, taken in front of the Frances Scott Key Memorial in Golden Gate Park, because it was sunny and beautiful, the sky was blue and the air was clear and fresh and I liked the shapes and the contrast and I was well, happy!
This is me who has learned a lot this year, learned to care a little more for others, learned to put others before myself, learned about caring for a parent and doing my best to make life better for someone who tried to do the same for me.
This is me who loves to take pictures, loves to create, loves to spend time with my family, loves a good hair day but accepts that those dont exist in San Francisco, loves my home and my neighborhood and my golf course and my gnomes, loves that I have learned to treasure those things which Dad left behind.
This is me the engineer, the scientist, the logical thinker, the artist, the dreamer, the crafter, the creator.
This is the mom who hopes to convey some of these learnings to the young woman who is my life and love, and looks forward to sharing with the best husband I could have.
This is me at 55 and Im proud of it.

Photo from December 29, 2012, documented December 31, 2012