she's a tree

stream of consciousness poem

Day of diagnosis

September 15th 2014
Monday afternoon with Sarah Kay

I'm sitting here on the porch looking up at the trees

on a beautiful completely normal September afternoon

except it isn't normal
everything has been ripped open and twisted

earlier

I came over after school and saw Sarah Kay 

she had called me and told me the diagnosis
she had been alone some of the day 

dealing with it

I walk into her and Derek's apartment smiling

bearing comfort food; dill pickles 

we laugh and joke and small talk for approximately two minutes

nothing is wrong
we casually chat
we are nonchalant

cancer is so whatever

we sit on her bed and suddenly
the world slips away and
we both break

we begin to weep in each others arms

it lasts a while
then we laugh 
and cry some more
it is so surreal

what is happening, what is cancer, what is death, what do we do

I've never held her like that 

she was like a small bird

so little
so fragile

so scared

scared of the future and what cancer means for her

I'm her younger sister

she's supposed to hold me when tears come

this is all wrong

it makes no logical sense because

today was just another Monday
just another beautiful completely normal September afternoon

Cancer 

Hodgkin's Lymphoma 
what is that

what does that even mean

I don't really know

blood cells or something

doctors had their suspicions for weeks now

we hoped it was only mono

I already cried about the possibility like a week ago
sobbed in my room thinking about how this could change her life
change my life
change all of our lives
why are there more tears

nothing prepared me for today
the actual diagnosis

my head is swimming

eyes swollen

tear streaked and sweaty 

can't talk 

or think straight

trying to take it all in

our whole world has changed in one beautiful completely normal September afternoon

sitting here on the porch looking up at the trees 

can't really fathom that this situation is really life or death

like what if my sister dies
could she die?

she could die
I would die
chances are slim though, thank you God
because what would I do

what would Derek do
what would Mom and Dad do

how would we cope

how

then I realize
we have no time to worry about her dying
I push that scary unknown out of the list of options

life or death

no
only life
just life

I'm committed to stepping up my game
I feel like her soldier
her warrior
the great Herakles taking on the cancer gorgon

I'm taking care of her

I'm her sister and friend more than I ever was 

we're going to see Beyonce perform live

we're going back to visit NYC

we're going to lay on a beach together
she's going to see me dance 

she's going to laugh at my dumb jokes

we will tease mom and sing 80's songs with dad

we will eat food in Switzerland

we will cook pizzas on friday nights

we will spend Christmas holidays together

we will graduate together
she'll come to my art classrooms

she'll be there when I fall in love
she'll hold me when I am hurting

she'll be at my wedding 

she'll cuddle my babies and we'll weep if she's barren 

and then wipe our tears and rejoice for adoption

I'm still sitting here alone on the porch looking up at the trees 

on this beautiful completely normal September afternoon
we are all exhausted from the day
Sarah and Derek are napping and I am 
crying 

shaking
worrying
breathing 

thinking
praying

can't help thinking how dramatic this is

am I reacting correctly to this news? 

I don't know anything
I don't know anything

I'm just looking up at these trees 

realizing they have survived after countless storms and quakes and droughts

all those trials made them stronger

my sister Sarah Kay 

she's a tree 

she has roots 

good, strong roots

stalwart support from incredible family and friends

we are all going to water her 
we are going to take excellent care of her
keep the cancer away from her branches

she's not going to die

she's just going to become stronger

because she's a tree

Ishel Brimhall

deep stuff coming

I'm going to post a very personal poem soon.

like really personal.

like we're talking deep, raw emotions.

It's a stream of consciousness poem describing the day Sarah Kay was diagnosed with cancer in September. I want to put it out here on Christmas as a gift to me, my friends and family. It'll give you all a little insight into what we all felt that day back in September.

Who do you influence?

Who do you influence each day?

Is your influence good or bad?

Which humans that you interact with every day are influenced by your words, thoughts and attitude?

This powerful thought was shared in one of my work meetings last week. It is such a humbling thing to force yourself to think of all the people that you influence every day/week/month/year. Don't think of all the people who fawn over you and love your presence, this is much deeper than that. Think of the people you have a connection with and influence, whether they love you or hate you.

Personally, I think of my siblings, my family, my friends, co-workers, roommates and countless other relationships that I have. Some of these people I think of are older than I am, some are younger.

I have always had a goal to keep myself in situations where other can look up to me. I never want to be involved in something that would question my reputation or compromise my standards. I want to keep a good reputation that inspires others to come unto Christ.

There are so many people I have to opportunity to influence every day and I want to influence them all for GOOD!

Go out today and DO GOOD! Think of how you are viewed by others and how you can improve their thoughts about you. Influence others for GOOD! Encourage others, inspire people and love ALL the humans!

keeping Christ at the center

These past two and a half months since Sarah Kay was diagnosed with cancer have been life changing. 

There have been really good days filled with love and support and laughter. There have been long hard days filled with grief, worry and concern. But overall there has been a beautiful feeling of comfort that envelopes me at the end of every day. 

No matter how much stress overwhelms me during daily trials, there is always a peaceful comfort that comes after I pray at night (it's also totally comforting to get lots of hugs)

I feel confident in the Lord and trust in His plan. Even though this plan is so hard and sad and unexpected, it is here and we are in the midst of it all! I can't survive even one day without praying and asking for Heavenly Father's help. I am learning the importance of keeping Christ as the center of my life. 

In President Thomas S. Monson's talk, Ponder the path of thy feet, he says, 

"As we strive to place Christ at the center of our lives by learning His words, by following His teachings, and by walking in His path, He has promised to share with us the eternal life that He died to gain. There is no higher end than this, that we should choose to accept His discipline and become His disciples and do His work throughout our lives. Nothing else, no other choice we make, can make of us what He can."

That last line hit me so hard (in a good way)

"Nothing else, no other choice we make, can make of us what He can."

This is so comforting to me. Life can get crazy, really really crazy, but God knows ALL and we just gotta trust in Him.

bunny therapy

Holding a baby animal can be wonderful therapy. 

Their tiny heartbeat and the way they snuggle into your arms is absolutely lovely and tender.

they already have Rent a Puppy but what about Rent a baby Bunny? 

Provo plz get on that thanks.

just a jumbled collection of photos

just some shots of my sister Sarah Kay that I've been collecting for my final photography portfolio.

enjoy.

I MISS MY MOM

I loved having mom and Mimi here.

so relaxing and nice.

like really, I didn't want them to leave. 

we cuddled a lot, laughed a lot, cried a lot and prayed a lot. 

It was so wonderful to have my Mother here in Utah, smothering me with love and food and care. 

we ran around town shopping and sharing our capsule wardrobe pieces.

we spent all day Saturday journeying to the temple (it took us all day cause we had a pit stop in good old gorgeous Sundance). 

we spent time with dear Brimhall cousins and extended family.

we made to do lists for when they fly out for Christmas.

we had a Harry Potter marathon and ate lots of comfort food. there was lots of laughing, teasing and calling Dad to tell him we missed him.

I love my family so much. 

sometimes, when I really think about it, I realize it's pretty hard to live so far away from them. But I am so grateful for all the wonderful humans who have basically become my family out here in Utah. like really tho, I have SO MANY MOMS! it is so nice to have friends who support me, and care for me and my sister. 

life is precious and can be wasted so easily. 

there really is something to be said about YOLOing*

I'm so very glad for family and friends who are helping us live it up right now.

so now stop reading this and go find someone to hug/kiss/smother with love!

*disclosure statement: I don't entirely agree with the term YOLO because I believe it really should be YOLFESMGC = You Only Live For Eternity So Make Good Choices

BUT

yolo is much more catchy

sisters in zion

isn't that a great blog title? cause both my sisters are here in Utah (zion) hahaha I am so clever. ...............(but actually Zion is wherever you make it so now that I think about it the cleverness behind my title is nullified......)

so anyway, my little sister Mimi is here in Utah for a week! She and my mom flew out to come visit and spend some time with Sarah Kay, Derek and I.

Mimi just got her braces off. every time she smiles the room glows with her radiance. I've realized that she isn't my baby sister anymore, she's growing into such a wonderful woman right before my eyes. It is neat to see how our relationship has changed over the years. We are so much closer now that we are on opposite ends of America. weird how that goes....

anyway, Mimi is 15 and has four girl cousins the same age as her (once they all get to college it is going to be a PARTY for sure)

My mom, Mimi and I took Amanda and Savannah on a little trip to the temple last saturday. we took a detour in Sundance where we snapped some fun photos.

fifty days

fifty days since diagnosis


it's a funny thing when your life changes
it can change with a new job, a new place, a relationship or a loss
sometimes you don't even realize it's changing

but other times, 
everything stops and stands still while your brain waits for you to accept this life changing event


cancer


this tiny, two syllable word changed our lives in one afternoon

there is no guide to handling cancer
there isn't a master guru to consult
each experience is different and unique
it is a personal and individual battle
I can't fight my sister's cancer for her
as much as I wish I could take her pain and put it on my body
she is the least deserving of this
yet has to fight this disease

it is something you cannot control
it takes hold on your body
it infects your cells
you try to push through it
get over it
it's not a big deal

well

this is a big deal

this thing
this disease
it hurts
it kills
it destroys life
it can destroy spirit too
if you let it

so what?
what has gotten us though this struggle so far?
people
family
prayers
blessings
words
hugs
hands
tears
smiles
laughs
lots and lots of laughs

we are positive
we are optimistic even!
we hope for the best
but that certainly doesn't mean that we still don't cry about it
or that it hurts our hearts to see sarah kay in pain
or that we wish it would just go away so she can heal

it is still a struggle
writing all this out helps
the emotions
the hurt
the silver linings
it really does heal
slowly
and sometimes quickly

our lives are changing
and they are not finished changing
there is still so much to conquer
this path is hard and sometimes impossible
but we made it fifty days so far!

so basically we can handle anything
right?

final photography project ideas

just realized that tomorrow will mark the 50th day since my sister Sarah Kay was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma.

can I just say like whoa

TIME FLIES.

hopefully time will fly a little faster cause tomorrow my mama and little sister Mimi fly out to Utah and I'm so excited! It's really hard living so far away from home and my family. But it is also great because every time we get together it is a big deal and we don't waste precious time.

and if there is one thing that I've learned in the past month, it is that time is incredibly precious.

this post is to help me formulate my final photography project. I have so many ideas and experiments and need a place to organize everything.

I want to photograph Sarah Kay but I'm unsure of how the process will go. I'm going to be taking photos of her going through life with cancer. this whole journey is hard to capture on camera and I don't feel experienced enough to create impressive photos (but yolo right??)

k so here are some of the first wave of sk portraits.
enjoy, SHE'S ADORABLE!

The Boy Who Lived and Partied

I have wanted to throw a themed Harry Potter Party the way that most people want to go sky diving. It just HAS to happen before I die!

The main focus of the party was to bring people (especially those who love Harry Potter) together!
I wanted to create a fun atmosphere that had the feel of Hogwarts.

k so now I'll just let the photos do the talking: