Happy Birthday Zoyenka

This is a photo of my beautiful wife Heather holding our daughter Zoyenka a few hours after she was born exactly one year-ago, today.

First birthdays are less about the child, and more about the mother. And, about everyone's reaction to the baby digging into the cake.

Happy Birthday, Mother Dear

Today is my mother's birthday. Being the second oldest of seven children, I cannot overstate how wonderful my mom is. How do you describe a woman who gave girth to seven kids, home-schooled them all, cooks, cleans, sews, writes, and works part-time? Seriously. What do you give that woman as a gift? Really, there's nothing that can come close.

My mother, Sara, is on facebook now, but she's not a stalker mom. I'm sure she would love it if you posted something on her wall.

The only problem with writing a blog post about your mother is that you're bound to get an email about how many grammatical errors there were.

The above photo was taken at Christmastime of 2008 in my parent's abode in Chesapeake, VA. Shot with available light and a 28mm lens on my old, trusty Nikon d50.

Right Before The Lions Got Him

This was taken on the Masai Mara in Southern Kenya. I snapped this photo seconds before the lions pounced and ruined our trip.

Just kidding.

It didn't ruin our trip.

I'm now offering 8x10 prints from my trip to Africa, as well as from various other photographic experiences at prints.levibethune.com but you can purchase limited edition prints straight from this blog.

Bound4LIFE Wants You

This is a shot I can file away with other happy mistakes.

I was on assignment for Bound4LIFE, taking shots of them praying in front of the Supreme Court in DC during a 40-day intensive last year, and snagged this shot of my very good friend Ian Kelly. Ian is a gentleman of high standards and deep convictions in whom I put a generous amount of trust. His character, candor, charm, and wit make him a brilliant speaker, writer, and thought-provoker. Follow him on twitter.

I highly encourage you to check out the Bound4LIFE blog, and all the exciting stuff that is going on this year.

Right now, I'm working a lot with Bound4LIFE and JHOPDC while I'm in Northern Virginia. I love these people, and especially what they stand for and fight so hard to see accomplished. Tomorrow I'm going to their headquarters on Capitol Hill to shoot some lifestyle photos of the internship there and of the weekly prayer "rumble" they host in the basement of a condo just blocks from the capitol building.

African Baby

I'm backing up my photos today and this photo catches my eye like never before.

I want to go overseas again.

And I want to kiss this kid on the cheek.

I'm Way Behind

I've been really behind on posting to this photoblog, but to make up for it, I'm going to share a link that has a plethora of photos. And some videos as well:

the Organic Visual Facebook Page

Dual Band

This photo was taken while shooting the Facedown40 event at the Supreme Court with Bound4LIFE. I have recently had the pleasure of being a guest contributing author at the Bound4LIFE Blog, talking about the benefits and methods of social networking as it pertains to social justice issues.

One of the things that Bound4LIFE has created on their website is a social network that revolves around their "Life Bands". The Life Band (pictured above), is a simple red wrist band that has the word "LIFE" written in it, and is worn by those who have made a covenant to "Pray, Vote, and Obey". It is an outward symbol that reflects the inward desire to see Abortion ended, and righteousness returned in the hearts of our nation's leaders.

If you spot a Life Band in the wild, you can participate in "Gotcha!", the Bound4LIFE social experiment. Take a picture of said Life Band with your cellphone, email it to gotcha@bound4life.com, include your location in the subject line, and your photo will appear on the Bound4LIFE Gotcha! Map.

Neat

Ladies, this is Ian. My two-year-old little boy calls him "Neat". We still haven't figured that one out, but you can read all about just how neat he is at his blog.

Windows

This was taken a while back. I was taking photos of the Bound4LIFE staff in downtown Charlotte, and in one of the alleys I looked up. This is what I saw.

This Is Africa

This is one of the first photos I snapped in Africa, and probably my favorite out of the thousands that I brought back. When our plane flew into West Kenya, and we landed on the Migori Airstrip, within minutes, we had a swarm of kids welcome us to their land.

I took this photo with my Nikon d50 outfitted with the legendary Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens. Looking back, I should have carried the 50mm on the d80 and kept the 15mm on the d50. Well, looking back even further, I would have bought two d700's and gone without food for a couple years.

The photo of these kids just speaks to me about what Africa is. I don't know how to explain it in words, and there's no phonetic replacement for the experience you have when you visit this place. Even this photo, however moving it may be, does not do these boys justice, nor does it hold a candle to the magnificence and beauty of the countryside and it's people. All I know, is that it's hard to look at this picture, and it's equally hard to look away.

Laying Hands

The only Sunday morning I spent in Kenya, I visited a church plant that had nothing but a lean-to made from sticks and grass, and bamboo stalks for pews. It was a life-changing experience. It's hard to take yourself and your local church seriously after seeing these people with nothing worship like they have everything, and nothing to lose.

This photo was taken at that church as the congregants left the covering of their grass-thatched roofing to lay hands on and pray for the sick among them. Every single person in that community of believers left their seats to get prayed for, and every single one of them was praying for someone else. Unbelievable how selfless they were.

To Africa and Back

I've been intimidated to write a blog the past few days back in the states because there is so much to talk about. I feel like I wouldn't do all the stories justice in one entry. However, if I split it up into multiple entries, what do I write about first? Such is life.

I'm back from Africa, and tanner than ever. I didn't get sick like you would expect a world traveler to get sick, but I did get some mild sun poisoning. A bunch of small blisters popped up on the back of my hand and my forearm, and at night I scratched them because they itched, so they bled, and now I'm going to have scars that look like my hand got in the way of a shotgun blast.

As part of the ZAO Water Team, I documented the trip and ZAO's work there via photos and video. Right now, I've got about 4800 photos to sort through, and close to 13 hours of video to import. I'll be taking all that material and editing a series of promotional and informational videos for ZAO.

Knowing now what ZAO does on the ground, and seeing the impact that they have on the community really makes me excited about this project. ZAO isn't the only Non-Government Organization in Africa that digs wells and protects springs, but as far as I know, they are the only ones who have a local staff made up entirely of native Africans to maintain and repair the wells that break down. And they all break down. Now, I don't want to slam the good work that other people are doing, but something that most people don't realize is that when an NGO goes and digs wells, most of them just walk away afterward. They gave people clean water, and that's that. All things tend toward entropy, so when the pump handle breaks, or the seal dries out, the people in the community then have to go back to the water source that got them all sick in the first place. If no one maintains the wells and springs, then it's like giving someone a cellphone without a charger. It's good until the battery dies, then it's useless.

ZAO is unique in that they actually care about the community and the people using the well because the majority of the ZAO staff actually rely on their own wells for their own health. Suffice it to say, I believe in what ZAO is doing, so I'm excited about this project. Now, I just need a few more hard drives to hold it all.

Debt and Taxes

The next president of the United States of America, will be sworn in tomorrow, but looking at the price tag of this little get-together, you would think he was getting crowned as King of America.

The estimated cost of the party surrounding the 90 second actual "swearing" part is rapidly approaching $150 Million. There are people that are spending $50,000 on front-row seats that were all in a tizzy about the cost of President G. W. Bush's inauguration that totaled a little over $42 Million.

Sure, 42 Million dollars is a lot of money. Shoot, right now, 10 dollars is a lot of money for me.

How much is $160 Million dollars exactly? I feel like I've been brain-washed when it comes to that much money. I hear these huge amounts thrown around all the time on the news, but it's just such a staggering number, I can't really wrap my head around it.

I wouldn't mind someone spending that much money on something that they believed in, but I have a problem with it if it's MY money they are spending.

I'm about to file taxes, and I expect a fairly large return this year. I made a steady amount of money, had a kid, and claimed zero when I could have claimed 3. But, I'm still paying a lot of money to the government. Not only April 15th, but every time I buy diapers or milk. If that money is going toward keeping our borders safe, then I am happy to pay it. If those tax dollars are funding medical research that will keep my family healthy, great, I support that. Even if I don't directly support what the money is going toward, but it helps the greater good (the greater good), such as wars and political campaigns, I'm even cool with that. Bottom line, I pay taxes, and I'm proud to support my country through it. But, if we are going to be spending $160,000,000 of mine, and my children's money to throw a party for a man who just said that we are in the worst economic crisis of our lifetime, um, I'll pass. If I only could.

Despite the clear and obvious corruption in our government, I am American, and I am proud to support my country's leaders. But I know I'll be paying for it later.

All the Halls have been Decked

This Christmas has been a little odd for me. Not to say it hasn't been good, it definitely has it's cheer and good will toward men (and women, not discriminating), but a lot has been going on in my two families. My sister-in-law Amy committed suicide this past spring so this is the first Christmas without her around. My dad was laid-off from his job just a few days ago due to budget cuts and general thickheadedness by people who are above him. These things have made it a challenge to communicate, relate, and balance cheer with sensitivity.

It hasn't been uncomfortable for me, and I didn't really expect it to be, because the people that have been affected by the tragedies are so secure and solid that they don't lash out at the people around them. Love has become the focal point and the driving force behind all the interactions in family experiences. Despite my father's current job state, and consequent state of mind, he has treated everyone around him with the same respect and humor that he always has. My wife's family, instead of feeling sorry for themselves and shutting people out, have opened their home and been just as gracious and hospitable as ever, without making the people around them feel like they have to tread lightly.

This Christmas vacation has probably been one of the best holiday trips we have taken up to Virginia so far.

And a big congratulations to my older sister Autumn, and her husband Matthew on the birth of their first baby, my first niece, and Isaiah and Zoe's first cousin: Isabella Aurora Jane Bender. Happy birthday, can I call you Izzy?

Heather and I are now preparing for an impromptu New Years party at our Fortress in Fort Mill.

Fondue + Fireworks + Guitar Hero = Explosive Dipping Karaoke. At the Bethune House on Durand Road, the last day of the year. You can come if you want.