Hello all! I may or may not have told you this, but I am a writer, but that's not really what I'm going to talk about. I'm going to tell you about a form of writing that I practice called poetry.

Poetry is a mixture of words or phrases that make up a sort of story. They don't have to rhyme but a lot of poems do. I wrote one yesterday and I also wrote one on July 20th; way before I started blogging.

I'm going to type both poems; the July 20th one is first. Here they are:

A Poet's Sensation

I'm in the mood.

I can feel it.

Fighting past my insides.

Screaming to get out.

My stomach is flipping.

A sensation is coming.

My head is a whirl of thoughts and activity.

My sensation is here.

Something is born,

And I am the one to witmess it.

Poetry is like a child.

It must be created,

When it's ready.

-Hannah Cowart

Age:11 years

July 20th, 2006

And the next one is a poem that my teacher told us to write. In school yesterday we read a poem called WHATIF and our assignment was to write a poem similar to that. We were aloud to use some of the author's lines, but I took no such cheap short-cut. I wrote my own original poem and here it is:

The Worries

While I rode the bus today,

Some worries just dropped in to say,

"Hello how are you this fine June?

But what if it rains this afternoon?"

"I know you planned to go to the park,

And watch the fireflies fly and spark

And have a picnic there I see

But listen, listen, listen to me!"

"Worries, worries drop in and shout:

Don't you wish to keep us out?

Well you can't and why you ask?

To keep you worried is our task!"

"What if hail comes down and hits

So hard it smashes you to bits!

What if the pitbull comes and bites?

What if the movie gives you some frights?"

"Oh and wouldn't you be scared so bad?

If chicken-pox is what you had?

So itchy-itchy scratchy ow!

Look at the spots; wow, wow, wow!"

"That's all the time I have today

That's all that I have time to say.

So worry on my little friend.

I'm positive we'll meet again!"

Now if you were wondering about my picture and why my face (if you haven't already noticed) is painted I have the answer to your question. It's because today at school (since this week is Drug Free Week and Mon.= Jersey Day to team up on Drugs; Tues.= Twin Day, I don't know what it stood for; Wed.= Wacky Day; Thurs.= Inside Out Day) was School Spirit Day so I dressed up. The End. :)

Well now I must retire from my typing. It has been my pleasure to entertain you w/ my poetry. Farewell for now!

Love,

Hannah Cowart

Peace Thieves

Wednesday: Hannah has dance class between school and church. This Wednesday was my first class on Missions and Prayer (M.A.P.) and I was concerned about getting there early and setting up. I didn't bring lunch with me to work and had to push back eating until I got home with Hannah at 4:00 pm. I'd run to WalMart first to buy groceries and snacks for my class, and it was hot outside and I hit two log-jammed school zones, delaying my speed and increasing my frustration. By the time we got home, I was on shaky ground, warning Hannah that I had a short fuse and needed to eat immediately. I didn't have time to cook dinner, and got Hannah to dance 10 minutes late. More frustration.

However, dance went well, we ate at church, and my M.A.P. class went great! I had about 12 childrens, ages 8-12, who paid attention, asked lots of questions, and enjoyed our first session. I was jumping up and down as we left that night.

Thursday: Hannah was upset because she had lost her ID, which prevented her from going to the first Bible study session she and her friends have started. I had left the coffee pot on that morning, so I was greeted with the smell of burnt coffee when I came home for lunch.

Friday morning: I overslept, Hannah still couldn't find her ID, and I spilled a whole cup of coffee all over the floor and myself while getting ready for the day.

Looking back over these words, I imagine you, Reader, saying, "Rachael you need to learn to manage your time better!" and you'd be right. This is a flaw I realize I have and am steadfastly passing down to my daughter. We'll work on it, I promise.

But all of these things are Peace Thieves. Spilled milk, misplaced homework, traffic jams, the lady returning something in front of me at the checkout line without a receipt, I bet your blood pressure's rising even as you read this part! When we're tired, when we're hungry, when we're hot and sweaty and in a rush, the whole world seems out of whack. But, I told Hannah, I knew it was all me, not the world. And I was striving not to take out my irritation on Hannah, or anyone else.

This morning, we'd been ugly with one another as Hannah unsuccessfully searched for her ID, at the expense of having time to make her lunch. When we were driving, I said, "Do you remember when you lost your ring at the WIM International Conference two years ago?" She said, "Yes." "Remember how I told you about losing my own rings, and how Grandma prayed with me, and she found them? And so I prayed with you, and you found your ring that day?" She remembered.

"Instead of yelling at each other and losing our tempers, we should pray first. I think if God can find a little ring in a swimming pool, He knows where your ID is."

So, we prayed. And felt a LOT better.

My life is great! It's wonderful, I am blessed at every turn. This is reality. Did only bad things happen Wednesday through Friday? No, but that's what we remember!

I recall from scripture how Satan is called Beelzebub, "the Lord of the flies." Why? Because often, his attacks come in swarms, like gnats, or mosquitoes. And we're driven mad without being able to fend them off. So, when those irritating, whining gnats, those Peace Thieves come at me, I stop and pray. There's no better "insect repellant" than the Holy Spirit's "cloud" of peace that comes over me when I pray and glorify Him.

Receive your peace today, and don't let it be snatched away! List the good things, out loud, that happened today and thank God for them.

Love, Rachael

Hey folks,

Saturday, we went hiking at Enchanted Rock with Zach and Cheri Walters, and Lanier. I wanted Lanier to see it before he took off for two weeks back East. It rained, which was a little disheartening, but it let off and we enjoyed the day's activities. I am always amazed at the life teeming within the cracks and crevices of that gigantic monolith. Cheri got some amazing photos of plants and stuff with her Canon point-and-shoot camera. If you click on their name, you'll see a slideshow she made of the trip.













This week, I've got a class at church starting Wednesday night, running for 6 weeks. Hannah's Bible study begins Tuesday morning. Her next orthodontist appointment is Thursday. Saturday is the women's ministry coffee get-together at church, where I'll photograph the ladies hanging out and I'm supposed to bring food. And then there's a whole string of photography appointments I've set up with friends in the coming month--two couples with whom I'm friends are getting married. One hired me to do their group shots and reception, the other, I'm doing her bridal portrait.

Hannah turned in her PTO fundraiser this morning: they sold pies for $10-15. She raised $191. Not too shabby. If she'd remembered to take her order form to church Sunday morning, I know she would have cleared $300. But I have to admit, I was a little discouraging to her because, selfishly, I realized I have to deliver all those pies!

We've gotten three solid days of rain. Not hard, driving rain, but soft, soaking, ceaseless rain. It's great! But sleep-inducing. I'm waiting for the cold front to move in; it was 75 degrees at 7:00 this morning. Yuck.

Be blessed! Be a blessing.

Rachael

Hey everyone it's me again! There is a lot to talk about in my life so I hope you have time to listen.

As you know my braces were a complete success they were accepted at my new school, which I told you about, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Well, something is happening at school that I think is cool and here's what it is. I, and my friends Janelle Martin, and Sabrina Martinez, are planning a Bible study for my school. I was informed today that we have been approved by the principal and that our dates are in place. I planned it for Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our flyer is good too. It clearly sates where to go, what to bring, and when it is. So things are going great on that subject. YAY!!!! :)

Well supposedly I get my bottom braces sometime this month. So pray for me again, b/c I don't like getting braces. They always feel weird and they hurt the first week or so.

Lanier Hall's 25th birthday was a while ago and it was a smashing success. Though the cakes didn't come out as planned, Janelle Balderson saved us by placing one on top of the other (one was thicker but smaller in length and width than the other). We sprayed silly string all over his car and when he blew out the candles, we sprayed him too! My friend Madison Green helped me, but her can went haywire and got all in his ear and it was WET!! GROSS!!!!!! :) But besides all of that, we really enjoyed it.

The weekend of Lanier's party my mom had to go to Tennesee to photograph a friend's wedding. (As you already know.) So that weekend Tamra Becker came to stay with me and Janelle Balderson (a.k.a. the cake saver) did too. That weekend was a LOT of fun. We went to the fair on Friday (there wasn't any school that day), had Lanier's birthday party, went shopping for Tami (Tamra) and more! I was very happy to take a break from my mom, but when she got home, I realized how much I had really missed her.

Well that's all on the subject of my life for now. I'll talk some more another day.

See ya!


Signed, Hannah Cowart

Annie and Josh's Wedding

September 30, 2006

I went to east Tennesee this past weekend to photograph my friend Annalysa's wedding. Annie and I were in the VSU Art Dept. together back in 2000. She's from Roswell, GA. We'd kept in touch sporadically over the years and she called me back in the winter to say she was "getting mahhried!" I was ecstatic when she said she wanted me to photograph for her.

Josh is from Michigan, so they decided to pick a "neutral" place for the event. Annie's family owns farmland in east TN, Rogersville, to be exact. It's about 30 minutes away from Knoxville. We spent a lovely, lovely weekend, drinking in the rolling hills, white steepled churches dotting the countryside and exclaiming over the spectacular views. There is nothing like the east coast area of the U.S. I hope I retire there one day...

Annie looked like a true Southern belle straight out of "Gone With the Wind." But she defied the traditional paranoid bride's attitude of "don't mess up my dress!" as you can see below:

That dress never had a spot on it! And these photos were taken before the ceremony.

Another tradition blown to smithereens: here are Annie's lovely "flower ladies" artfully strewing petals down the runner.

Immediately after the ceremony, the wedding party broke out the bubbly.

Two of the Loveatt girls, toasting the bride and groom.

Annie's dad, David, worked his tail off for four months to restore this old T-bird so Josh and Annie could make their escape in style. Her brother Evan said the brakes didn't work so great, but they made their way out successfully.

All in all, I shot 1,405 pictures. Man! A record. It was a fun wedding, and in the immortal words of Steve Smith, "a good time was had by all."
I'm still recuperating from the trip, but it was worth every moment, and those who kept Hannah for me back in Texas have my heartful and eternal gratitude. Thanks to Annie and her family for hiring me and letting me be a part of an unforgettable celebration. Love, Rachael