I love this sweet family… it is always wonderful to “grow” with a family… and to document them year after year.  Thanks and hugs to Thy, their delightful mom, who continues to trust me with the amazing privilege to document her precious children… and to trust me when i pull them into a grungy alleyway.

It’s always delightful to photograph your friends. Megan is one of my dearest friends… a beautiful girl inside and out. Isn’t it sweet that little Sophie got her Momma’s dimple when she smiles?

going on dates with my little boy. No worries… he’s not sipping a mocha. It’s only hot chocolate.

Isn’t little Lilly just as sweet as can be? Wanted to share a favorite…

I always love shooting Seniors. Meet Madi. She is not only stunning, but she has the sweetest spirit too. And, I’ve heard she is an amazing dancer! Look for her face as she graces the pages of some of our new advertising products for High School Seniors.

there are some sessions where everything works out more perfectly than i could’ve imagined… warm weather, no wind, fun parents, smiling kids (yes, even tears can be good at times), etc… i just knew that this session was one of those. i knew i’d want at least one of these images for myself, printed on canvas, displayed above my fireplace in my office (i chose the first image). and it’s usually in my car on the drive home, when all is quiet, that I am overwhelmed with thankfulness that the Lord has given me this as my ministry!

this family was an absolute delight! macy, molly, and mack were absolutely adorable and you could tell that their family was the best of buddies. their sweet mom, shay, had the whole family dressed perfectly. little molly (in the strawberry sweater) was a little teary near the end, but it allowed my assistant, Kelsey, and i to spend some fun one-on-one time with her while mom, dad, and the other kids took a little walk alone. sometimes, one-on-one time is nice so that kelsey and i can get to know them and gradually bring them out of their shell. we got some really sweet expressions and smiles from her… and great shots of macy and mack, too!

Well, if you have not had the pleasure of meeting our oh-so-wonderful office assistant, Kelsey, here she is with her sweet husband, Chris. She is the voice that most of you hear on the other end of the phone when you call the studio… and she’s usually the gal who helps keep the kids laughing while I’m photographing them. I’m not quite sure what Steve and I did in our “Pre-Kelsey days.” Her strengths have brought so much calm to our studio and to our family – we found that my weaknesses were her passions which allowed me time to focus more on doing what i was truly gifted at – photography, and being a wife and mother.

Author and pastor, Andy Stanley states in his book, Next Generation Leader, “I discovered that there were some (things) i had no business juggling. When i finally mustered the courage to let ‘em fall to the floor (and allowed others, gifted in those areas, to pick them up)… I began to excel in juggling the two or three (things) I was created to keep in the air in the first place… that is where you must focus your energies. That is your sweet spot. That is where you will excel. Within that narrowed context you will add the most value to your organization (and where God will be most glorified).”  I could write pages and pages on that subject, but that’s for another day.

You are a dear friend to me, Kelsey. Thank you for blessing our family and our clients. A million thank-you’s for helping us get through this busy holiday season. Sigh… we made it through!