Peace.

Living in the midwest, I don't get to spend very much time at the ocean, but when I'm there, the reverence I feel is overwhelming. I took this the last time I was in LA. February in California is, by far, much warmer than February in Iowa, but it was still a chilly day at the beach as I checked off "#264. Photograph a Pacific sunset" from my bucket list.

When it comes to waiting for the perfect shot, I have infinite patience. It's pretty much the only thing I have patience for, actually. But I rarely expect anyone else to wait with me. Not many people I know understand my process because they're not artists themselves, but my bestie, being the infinitely patient person she is, sat with me as I took photo after photo. We sat on those cold rocks shivering for about an hour. The tide came in, the air got colder, but for that hour, I was at total peace. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day.

With three kids and a hardworking husband, my life is filled with schedules, deadlines, and activities. My house is always noisy, people are always coming and going, and I don't have a lot of time where I can just relax. But for an hour, on the shores of Malibu in February 2013, I was at total peace.