I met with Melvin & Heather for their maternity session in August!

They were gifted a newborn session for their sweet little miracle – which reminds me – GIFT CERTIFICATES ARE A GREAT IDEA!

This chair – I fell in LOVE with this chair! I told them it might come up missing!

Absolute perfection!

You guys are so blessed! I can’t wait to watch your little guy grow!

Today is Thursday – October 11th – your 3rd birthday. I have a dear friend who has a daughter your age. It’s bittersweet. I love watching her and witnessing her growth – but it reminds me of the little boy you would be.

I truly believe that you had your daddy’s eyes – a sea green. You would probably be tall like your little brother. You would love Fitzy. You would be building legos together and reading books. You would love your grandparents and spend all day in the field with gpa Trout or dancing with gma Barden.

I have a picture of you in my head – but sometimes I just like to keep it safe in there instead of describe how you look to me.

You’ve got your hands full in heaven – with a little brother and sister – cousins too. I’ve wondered before if you have birthdays in heaven – but I’d like to think you do.

Today you’ll play with your little friends – maybe run through a sprinkler. You’ll open presents – mostly just cotton candy – since it’s easily made in the clouds. You’ll eat cake and ice cream. It will be a great day!

I’ve been really sad lately. I’ve been really angry. And jealous. Your daddy struggles with anxiety – and it’s been pretty bad lately. I’m trying to help him – but it doesn’t seem to be working. I’m wishing for the year to be over – we lost two more babies this year and it seems like it’s been years since it happened. I take pictures of people that have babies when we should have. It’s hard. I love capturing those moments for them but I can tell you that I cry on the way home. Sometimes even on the way there. It’s funny how time as a whole seems to go SO fast but as a day by day process – it creeps by at an extremely slow pace. We found a house we loved. It didn’t work out. I’ve been so very sad about it. I’ve been so angry with people that were able to move whenever they wanted. I’ve been so jealous. I’m trying to be excited about this house we are in. But when I look around at all that NEEDS to be done – I get sad again. We need to do SO much to this house to make it even remotely what we might want. I see a mountain – that I don’t want to climb. A mountain I never wanted to be standing on in the first place. Maybe it’s because I’m home all day and I just see every little thing that I don’t like. Sticking it’s tongue out at me – teasing me. But I’m having a very hard time accepting that we are here. To stay.

I’ve also had a really hard time trusting. It’s been a really hard year and your daddy and I know that we will get through this rough patch – but the hits keep coming – knocking me down again and again.

I feel like God has forgotten me. Seriously.

Now you have to understand something about me that might surprise you – or not. I have control issues – you know this. But I also have trust issues – because I have control issues. When you think you’re in control – the only person you trust is – yourself.

I don’t trust God – wholeheartedly. THAT might surprise you. I talk about it a lot – that God is in control and He will do what He does. But when I really truly think about it – I don’t completely trust Him. Or maybe it’s better put this way – I don’t trust that He will indeed make it all good.

I just needed to get it all out there – and since you are hanging out in heaven with JC all day – I thought maybe you could cheer me on as I try to embrace a new attitude of trust. I want to be happy in His will – not just wishing I was.

Little Enoch – we miss you terribly down here. I can’t believe that we’ve spent three years without you in our arms. I never knew your face but I see it everyday. I never heard your voice but I hear it now and then. You are loved. You are missed. But for some reason – heaven needed you more than we did.

Bridget is a fellow photographer and holds an EXTRA special place in my heart – she captured the birth of our sweet Fitzy!

We’ve been planning this session for MONTHS! We FINALLY got it in – and I’m glad we waited – it was BEAUTIFUL!

Bridget – I know you are like me and you HATE being in front of the camera – but I truly LOVE these shots of your family!

OH MY WORD – that shot of your three kiddos – LOVE IT!

I prefer the top shot – just because it’s the way I shoot – but I added the cropped version – just in case!

Sweet *E* – such a happy girl!

Bridget – thank you SO much for all you’ve captured for us! I hold the photos you took for us dear to my heart and I hope you treasure these ones too!

Shelby is my dear friend Ronda’s niece. She is kind and sweet and smart and gorgeous – and LOVES Jesus.

I HAD to capture her in her wedding dress – so we did a bridal session!

Shelby got married TODAY and it was beautiful! I can’t wait to share this session with you!

SERIOUSLY!

OH MY WORD!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

I love the Alice in Wonderland feel of this little door!

Shelby – we are so blessed to know you! You and Seth are perfect together!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE senior sessions – LOVE THEM!

Nicole picked a PERFECT spot for our session!

I’m gonna reveal a HUGE secret right now – I get my inspiration from ANTM – yes – that’s right – America’s Next Top Model.

Isn’t she GORGEOUS!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE that green building!

LOVE!

And that light – LOVE LOVE LOVE!

BEAUTIFUL!

What a way to end the night!

Nicole – thanks for a GREAT session!

Katie is a fellow photographer and the youngest of 4 sisters. I’ve taken pictures at one sister’s wedding and anniversary photos of another!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!

TWO OF MY FAVORITES – OF ALL TIME!

Okay – so in case you are wondering – I didn’t really tell Joe to look at Katie – he just couldn’t take his eyes off her! So sweet!

This session made me so happy! I loved spending time with you guys – and the shots I got were exactly what I’ve been striving for!

I cannot WAIT to see your wedding photos! Thank you so much for asking me to capture this moment for you!

I’ve known Kelly & Joe for quite a while now! I photographed her sister’s wedding a few years ago and have done family photos for them in the past!

If I could shoot at this location every day – I would be a happy happy girl!

Purple shoes – how I LOVE purple!

GORGEOUS!

Kelly & Joe’s daughters – such sweethearts!

Those shots with the shoes in the mirror are some of my favorites!

I LOVE HIM!

OH MY WORD – that weeping willow – I wanted to dig it up and take it home!

I couldn’t have asked for a better family shot! The secret – I told *A* that she could take a picture of her mom if she gave me a BIG smile!

LOOK AT THAT REFLECTION! AMAZING!

Kelly & Joe – thank you SO much for asking me to capture your wedding!

I’ve photographed *E* since she was in her momma’s belly! I cannot believe that a year has FLOWN by already!

I had a wedding the day of her party – so I had to miss it – so sad. We met in Troy on a Sunday morning – bright and early!

Isn’t she beautiful!

*E* – it’s been so great watching you grow! I hope your move brings new adventures! When you do come home for a visit – try and convince your parents to get some pictures!

I’ve known Autumn for a LONG time. She “dated” my brother in middle school I think – so I say dated loosely – cus we all remember middle school!

She is a local photographer and SUCH a sweetheart!

I’m not gonna lie – doing a session for another photographer adds a little bit of nervousness on my end – so you can imagine a wedding! We had talked before that Autumn could have 5 freak out moments available to her. She could tell me what a horrible job I was doing – what shots I wasn’t getting – could just totally FREAK out if she needed to. She didn’t use ONE – not a single one! I honestly don’t know if I could keep my cool as a bride and a photographer!

She didn’t even freak out about the rain – and did it rain. And rain and rain and rain. The forecast was AWFUL – monsoon like winds and rain all day – getting severe around 3 pm – right when the ceremony started. Thankfully – it rained all morning. The ceremony was moved inside – BUT – we were able to get outside pictures and it was clear for the rest of the night!

Autumn is a CRAZY crafty girl. She made most of the things for her wedding – beautifully!

If you remember her bridal session shoes – they were pink. So Autumn painted them – awesome!

The wedding was at Hidden Valley Campground – which was BEAUTIFUL!

Autumn’s mom MADE the wedding cake AND the flower girl dresses AND did all the alterations on ALL the dresses! She is also an amazingly crafty woman!

And the rain rain rain came down down down …

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the picture in the frame – such an awesome idea!

Craig Griffin came along with me and took the photos of the guys – can’t wait to see them all! I’ll post a preview when I get them!

LOVE THOSE SHOTS!

MY FAVORITE! I might have to get a BIG print of that one on the left!

LOVE THOSE ONES!

Autumn & Ryan – thank you again SO MUCH for asking me to capture your wedding! I had a GREAT time!

Mackenzie had BEAUTIFUL light for her session – which happened to be on her birthday!

I LOVE those shots!

Mackenzie – thank you SO much for asking me to capture this moment for you! Best of luck next year!