snokomo

I wish I could explain how excited I am about all the praise that "Apache" has been getting.  

Apache


I spent a lot of time on it (and its really not even that complex compared to some of the really awesome artists I've seen in just the last couple of days).   So, all you guys's praise is amazing to me!  I wish I had time to go through and thank every single one of ya'lls 's  It means soooooo incredibly much to me that Apache has received this kind of attention!

Its been a long time since I had started recently making photo manipulations again (you should have seen how terrible I was two years ago... oh boy was it bad...).  I honestly didn't think I was good enough to receive a whole lotta praise for.  I did it to have fun and make it my release from life.  But when college started, I didn't have much time for any free time to do what I wanted.  BUT, I will say, I've been working really hard to improve, and I'm glad that its starting to get noticed among the community (but thats not why I do it!)  I just love doing it.  The fact that i love doing it, and the fact that sooooooo many people support me... Holy hot ceder wood on a fire!  It makes me fell awesome.   

I just wanted to thank YOU all for all the support and encouragement.  It means the world to me.  I hope yall keep making your own art as well!  I sure wish I could comment and tell every single one of you how awesome you are as an artist, and individually thank every single one of your for ing Apache (and any other piece of artwork of mine you have ed!

Best wishes to you all!
-Kayla

I don't really expect ya to read all this.  Just kinda letting it out.

So, been a busy last couple of weeks.  I'm really trying hard to get back into photo manipulation.  I'm also considering bring over some old pieces from my old account, because there were a few I was pretty proud of.  Might have to do that sometime this summer.

Speaking of summer, I'm almost done with this semester.  A few more finals (which I'm ignoring....  bad...  haha, I really really need to study for those).  After those finals, SUMMER!  I'll be working about 50 hours a week, but thats money to put towards a new truck or something.  Or a new lens for the camera.  Who knows.   

Grandpa died two Thursday's ago (April 26), since then, its not been good.  His funeral was on the following Monday, which conveniently... I had two tests.  One teacher insisted I take her test the next day (yay me.  I couldn't study to save my life.  And I didn't.  Got an A, thank God I retained enough during hte classes I went to).  And the other teacher just let me by pass the entire test, and he's going to average all my test grades and count that as the exam I missed.  I just took his final this last Monday, I'm hoping for an A in that too (the other two tests I did take I got mid-A's, so, I'm thinking I'm going to be okay).  But hte final is worth twice a much, and twice as long and more crap to remember.

Its okay though.  The family hasn't ripped each other apart yet (its getting close though).  He was the last grandparent on my mothers side to go.  And to be quite honest, his children wouldn't know what dignity was if it bit them on the nose.  7 hours after he passed, my aunt is sitting in a room with all of us, and she goes 'so, do we want ot start going through the stuff now and deciding what goes to who?"  I about cold clocked her in the face.  The entire family that was present literally got up and left the room.  Not even a day, and she wanted to divy up his stuff.  I'm so fortunate though.  Grandpa was one of those people that what ever he did, he did it and did it damn good.  He was an excellent wood worker, father, grandfather, fisherman, friend, what ever he was, he was great at it.  I miss him so much though.  Same with Grandma.  Sweetest woman you could ever meet.  And man did they spoil their grandkids.   Anyways, I'm fortunate because, aside from him, I was the only other fisher/hunter person in the family.  And he had already told his brother, cousin, best friend, and I think his sister that he couldn't wait for me to marry some country boy so he could pawn off all his fishing and hunting gear as a wedding present.  (thanks grandpa, I wish you could make it to my wedding, when and whom ever I decide to marry).  He made all his own flies and reels, and rods.  He had an antique pump 12 gage.  I can't wait to take that out for a spin (although, I don't think it got much use in his hands.  He couldn't hit hte broad side of a barn with a large spread).  Fishing was his thing though.  He just knew where they were.  Fly fishing, spinner bait, live bait, he knew it all.  He could fish anywhere and he'd knew where they were.  He was an absolute blast!  Taught me how to fish when I was a little one (as sooon as I could grasp a fishing rod, I was fishing off his tune).  

He was a really smart guy too.  He PhD'd in Mechanical Engineering (majored in that as well as mathematical engineering too).  He was wicked smart fella.  When I was learning to tie my shoes, he was also teaching me to say the number pi all the way to the 10th digit  (ya, thats not much for anyone now, but when your like 3.... thats HUGE).  And he did is successfully according to my momma.  DIdn't know my own phone number, but I could tell you the first 10 digits of pi.  

I could listen to the man for hours telling stories about high school, college, growing up, etc.  He had so much to share with the world.  He told me about him and grandma meeting, getting together, etc.  Great love story actually.  They told it again at his funeral, but it wasn't the same.  He told it better.  I must have heard hte story at least 50+ times.  Never got old.  He lived, breathed, and his heart and soul pumped and yearned for that woman.  And hers the same for him.  Wana talk about a match made in heaven...  Thats where they are now, back in heaven. 

He died on the same day she died five years prior to April 26th (hence why I made my artwork 'April 26).  She also passed away on a thursday as well.  I wish he didn't have to go, but as soon at midnight struck to that awful date, ad few minutes later, his heart went to her.  He knew.  He hated that day.  He missed her so much.  And I don't think he could be without her any longer.   She called and he answered.  Its appropriate, but I still get an urge to call and just talk.  He was pretty much hte soul purpose I went back home from college.  To visit him.  When I was driving home from the funeral, I got to the fork in the road out at the lake my mom lives at (and he lived a few coves down from her there too), and I could go left ot moms ,or right to grandpa and grandma's.  I had that reflex to start going right to their house, and it caught me off guard.  he's really gone.  And I won't get to make that decision anymore.  It hasn't been long, but it still catches me off guard when I think about it.  I know he's gone, but I have the biggest desire to go see them.  Hug them, tell them I love them.  

Now, when i hear the song "youre the reason god made oklahoma" I just start bawling.  We decided to play it at the funeral, because anytime we were in the car, it was ALWAYS on.  At least one time for every time the engine started, and he would sing it.  Plus, my family is from Oklahoma.  He loved Kansas (which is where we live), but he was Oklahoma proud. 

But anyways, Grandpa, Grandma, I love you, I miss you, and I know you'll always be with me in my heart.  




Best Wishes deviantArt,
Snokomo