Details

I *LOVE* details!

So I thought I would post a few of my favorites from our Thanksgiving day feast...

We have a small house, so we don't have large groups of people over for dinner often. 

So, when we do, I like to take every opportunity to make things special. 

Plus, it's Thanksgiving, right?! *wink*

Thankful...

I'm thankful for countless people and things, but these are at the top of my list:

home life...

Truth be told, this has been a hard week in our home.
Adam, my husband, lost his job this past week. It was a terrible job, so we are thankful to not have the 'lurking evil' in our home, but it leaves a bit of uncertainty...

But this post is not about the struggle, it's about what I'm learning... my thoughts are still very raw on the matter, so forgive me for not delivering them in the most eloquent of ways...

Things I'm learning at school in life:

Most everything in life is relative. How 'bad' things are, how 'good' things are... it's all relative.
I often think Adam and I couldn't be any more broke...but we could. We are.
I often think we couldn't live in a 'lesser' home, and even if that were true, we could be back living with my mom... and, in the near future, we may. And while that seems pretty crappy, it's still not as terrible as the majority of the world lives...

God can and will make an example of me if I let Him. So the question is: do I want to be an example? Ask me that ten years ago, I don't even have to think about my answer, it's a resounding "NO!" But today... it's a yes. And I know what that means... It often means suffering. To what degree? I don't know. But I do know one thing with every bit of my being: I would rather be suffering with God, than sailing on smooth waters without Him. I know that FOR SURE. And I don't say that recklessly, I say that after nearly thirty years of God proving to me that the other side of the 'storm' is far better than what I can imagine my life being.

I am ungrateful. I've said it before, Adam and I live in a small house that is not in the greatest of neighborhoods. We have friends that pay more in property taxes per month than we do for our mortgage. And while I am so thankful for our home, I often find myself being very prideful. Prideful in my thriftiness, in how we 'make the most' of our humble home. But the truth is, that leaves behind God's grace in the matter. The fact that I don't deserve any of it...any of it. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of my sin is death, so as long as I'm alive on this earth, I'm living under God's mercy. I often forget this...


God makes good on his promises. There's no explaining here, it's a fact. God will take care of me. Maybe not how I imagine it looking like, but exactly how He planned it.


I will never stop learning... God willing!


Thanks for letting me blab on here...

This picture reminded me of how there's always 'sun' to peak into life... looking for it is the key.

{Kayt: 37 is the new 27}

When Kayt, or 'KT' as I endearingly call her, wrote me enquiring about a birthday shoot, I jumped on it! KT is a beautiful outdoor girl, who grew up in and embraces 'the country' and has been a dear friend of mine for nearly a decade. So, where better to shoot than out in the fields near her old stomping grounds.

Happy Birthday, KT! I hope thirty-seven really is the new twenty-seven for you this year! *wink*

{Bowen: Family Shoot}

Remley and I were instant friends, so his perfect two-year-old boyish personality and our new-found friendship made for a fun adventure of a shoot! 

Thank you, Julie and Mike, for letting me share in some of your precious family time!

Feelin' Crafty!

I think I'm posting this online so that maybe, just maybe, I will actually follow through with making these crafty things that have been filling my mind. I heard this phrase from a friend, and I claim this statement: My 'follow through' is broken!  So, this is really just a means of accountability for me. (For the life of me I can't figure out which of my friends 'coined' that phrase...if it's you, TELL ME... I should pay you royalties.. I say this often!)

Below are a couple of pictures of said items that I found on easy.  I will follow up with the shop link, so you can purchase them if you're so inclined. I have no relationship with these shop-owners, I just stumbled upon their products and I'm inspired to craft up something similar. Also, to be clear, these are not my photographs!

I'm loving this 'home' set of pillows! one, because I'm a bit obsessed with 'Words With Friends' right now (an online scrabble of sorts) and two, because I LOVE my home! I think I may make them for the sofa in my office, and have them spell 'work' on one side and 'play' on the other... since Atticus likes to play in my office. I envision someday he will send me a 'code' via those pillows of when he's sick of me working and would like to play, we will see. (Check out her store.)

I'm a bit obsessed with making Atticus's gifts. In my head at least. I have grand ideas of making all of these 'Etsy-like' toys that he adores and that can be passed on to other children we may have. So, since we are incorporating the alphabet in every way we can right now, I'm dreaming of making this for Christmas. Now, this lady is the BOSS of all things felt, (check out her store) her whip-stich is like something out of a magazine, so I don't imagine mine will look anything like hers, but you get the idea.

Interaction time: do you have anything you're dreaming of making for your home or as a gift? please share!

Gratitude

I was driving to the store this morning with Atticus in the back seat. Now, Atticus has had an ultra-ego in the car lately. It's like we literally flip a switch when we put him into his car seat, and he starts begging and whining for everything he sees... a cup, a CD, a book, anything really. So after my normal "Mommy is driving, and I won't be getting anything else for you" speech, I started to tune out the noise coming from the back seat. Just as I was about to scold him for whining, I realized he was looking around, swaying from side to side, and singing along with the music...worship music to God.


(Lyrics:
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.
Then what could stand against.)



I can't begin to put into words the feelings that welled up inside of me. Tears rolled down my cheeks (as they are now as I write this)... It took me a minute to recognize the feeling taking over me... it was a deep sense of gratitude and humility. I could do nothing but thank God through my tears for this overwhelming joy that I was feeling.

The list of things that I'm deeply grateful for is long, but today I feel strangely grateful for my freedom. This may seem unrelated, but my first thought as I heard Atticus singing along to worship music was just how thankful I am that Jesus died for him. And that he's given a chance to live a ridiculously full life serving Christ, and having to do nothing for it... and then it came over me that he gets to hear about Jesus in so many situations. And how much easier it is for me to share God's love with him when it's played on the radio, when we get to go to an awesome church, when I get to meet with a friend in Panera and talk about our Bible study while he eats breakfast...there are countless occasions.

Now those of you know know me well, know that I am not a patriotic person. I'm not political, and I'm not patriotic. I don't believe that America is a sacred place, just, for now, a relatively safe place. (Still not my eternal home!) Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful that I live in a country full of freedoms... but I have always attributed that to God's sovereignty and grace on me. I believe whole-heartedly in James 1:17 ("Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows."). But today, in addition to God's grace on me, I felt a new gratitude for those who have fought to secure this freedom Christ has given me.

So, today I guess I feel 'patriotic'.
I am so thankful to the individuals who have given their time, their quality of life, and some, their earthly lives, so that my son can sit in the back seat and sing to Jesus.

Thank you will never be enough.

New Flash: Adorable Subject

I've been needing to practice bouncing my new flash for my upcoming indoor sessions, and what better time to do it, than in Atticus's dark room when he woke from his nap! 

I love these pictures, they capture who Atticus is right now... 

full of attitude, and not quite sure about anything...

Oh, and I learned a thing or two about bouncing my flash, too *wink*

(these are all unedited so you can see the difference in lighting...)

 I was trying to get Atticus to wink at me in this last one...he's quite the 'copy cat' these days!

(*this image has some editing*)

Oh Sunny Day

So, before you wish for a glorious, sun-filled day for your photo shoot... 

I wanted to give you a little glimpse of the end result of pictures in the sun vs. the shade. 

Now, sure you can find shade on a sunny day, but your options are a bit more limited.
Wouldn't you rather have pictures taken in the exact location that you choose, instead of finding the side of the barn with the best shade?

Just thought I'd bring the ideal weather forecast of this (Family/ Child) photographer to you!

In a shady spot..

Out in the glorious Sun.

On that same note there are times that you can get sun in your lens and can make for an amazing, picturesque scape. But kids don't get that... and since I'm primarily a children/ family photographer... I'll save the sunshine for playing at the park or taking pictures of my dreamy husband. (see previous entry *wink*)