Farewell dear friend!

A few weeks ago I sold my camera to my sister Courtney and upgraded to a different model. In October, when she was visiting, I was taking some pictures of Lila and she mentioned how she really wanted to get a camera like mine. I said (because I am Grandpa Jack's granddaughter, so apparently everything is for sale) that if she decided she really wanted to get a DSLR camera to let me know and I would sell her mine and then upgrade. I didn't think much about it, but not too long later she told me she did want to buy it and we struck up a deal.

Right after Christmas I found a used upgraded camera body for a great deal and got it. As I was getting my camera ready to ship to Courtney, I literally started crying. And although I was very excited for my new camera, I was feeling very melancholy. I think it is because this particular camera was much more than just a camera to me.

After Mylie was born, I had terrible post partum depression for a long time. I was head over heels in love with Mylie and so happy to be a mom, but it was just a tough time for me. Because of that, I was slightly apprehensive about how I would be after Blake was born. I had enjoyed photography as a hobby for a long time, and my interest in it increased as my interest in scrapbooking increased after Mylie was born. I knew that to really work on my photography skills, I needed to upgrade to a DSLR camera and so shortly after Blake was born, I did. Jeff is so supportive of my hobbies and I think he knew too, that having a new hobby to focus on in the post partum time would be helpful ... and it was.

I have spent hundreds of hours studying photography in the last almost 2 years. I have read books, studied online tutorials, participated in an online photo community, and taken classes. I'm not claiming to be a super photographer, but I am really pleased with how my photography skills have improved since that time. I can tell a difference in my pictures. I understand f stops and shutter speed and ISO. I can look at a picture (usually mine) and identify what I could have done differently to make it a better picture.

That camera represented all of that to me. All those hours of studying, thousands of pictures taken testing out what I had learned. It represented me not sinking into the depths of depression after Blake was born. It represented all the moments of our family's life that I have captured in the last two years. For a few days, my camera sat on my desk I wasn't sure if I could send it to Courtney. I started working with my new camera and getting the hang of it. My D40 is now Courtney's D40 and it lives in Iowa. It has already taken super cute pictures of little Lila (http://jcschreck.blogspot.com/). Courtney has a great eye for photography and I am excited to hopefully have a hobby to share with her. I am excited to watch her skills develop. I am certain my old camera is happy in its new home.

My new camera and I are becoming friends. Although it is the same brand, there are some difference that took me a bit to get used to. But I know this camera has the potential to do great things and I am excited! I am grateful to have a hobby that I really love and a family that is supportive of it!