The Weekend

Well hey there friends!  To the few of my dedicated readers, here's another update.  I don't have much to post today, but I wanted to post a couple of things from the weekend.

Aunt Donna with her grandson Titus and her great niece Cora

A lovely glowing pregnant Tara and her "pregnant" husband?

First off, we finally got together with the family!  I only snapped a couple of photos from my phone.  I really need to get better about that and I had my camera too since I was headed to a wedding afterwards, but I just have this mindset that I need to get out of.  My mindset is that I'm constantly working.  When I'm NOT taking pictures on the job, I don't want to be taking pictures when I'm at parties or events where I'm also trying to enjoy being off work and with friends and family.  However, those moments with family are priceless and they need to be captured.  I was given a gift by God to have this eye that captures rare moments.  Many other people have also been given this gift, it's definitely not a statement that I a meaning to be in vain, at ALL.  But God has given us all gifts.  And this is another place that I'm working on in my life.  I enjoy taking pictures when I'm on the job, but then when I'm off the job, sometimes it feels like work instead of enjoyment, does that make sense at all?  I guess just picture it as doing your job after you're off work.  Which a lot of people work all the time too, I guess I don't know where I'm going with this.  Just know that God is working on softening my heart towards this, and it's already getting better.  Just something I'm working on because those priceless moments are only memories after they've passed.  Memories that we can capture in an image to remind us and share with others.  I've come more to this conclusion after grandpa passed.  I'm so thankful for the photos that I did take, because now the whole family can cherish those and the great times that we had together.

 The photo above that you see is soooo cute.  Such a priceless moment.  April told me to come in the room and there they were, our nieces putting hair clips in Justin's hair.  It made me think of one thing.  How awesome of a dad Justin will be someday.  He is SO good with kids (people in general).  He always tells me he doesn't know what he'll do if we ever have a girl.  Well, this photo makes me think he'll be just fine if God blesses us with a daughter someday.  He has a sense of humor ya know! ;)  This is also extremely funny because all of us girl grandkids did the SAME thing to my grandpa all of the time!  He might admit to you now that he actually enjoyed it.  It was one of our favorite things to do.  See below :)

Now just a couple of random photos that Justin and I took yesterday before we went to the festivities. I just love how we can always be ourselves with one another.  And as you can see to your right, we are quite special in our own way :)





I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with my family yesterday.  I was able to be there for both birthday parties as well as some time after to just hang out before I went on the job again.  The wedding went really well.  I can't say I'm not exhausted, because weddings are definitely tiring, but this one was great.  I had ample amount of time to spend with the bride and groom, and when you have a bride and groom that's willing to do anything and allows enough time for it, you end up with a result as seen below.  I have an all time favorite wedding picture right now, and that's of one that I took last fall that you can view on my website under the proofing tab.  But, I think this one ranks up to that point now.  I was SO happy.  Mom and I had just sat down to take like a five minute chance to eat while they were so we could refuel for the next couple of hours that were to come.  I looked over to my right and there, right over the haybales was a breathtaking sunset forming.  I thought it would be unrealistic to have them climb up on the haybales, especially poor Regan in her wedding dress!  But guess what?  We did it, and boy and I glad we did.  It's that "eye" thing again.  I just get this overwhelming feeling whenever I see a scene.  Some of you have seen me stop dead in my tracks and say "Okay, we're stopping here, this is going to be gorgeous".  But I also know when it's going to be a bad area to take a picture too.  Just a gut feeling.  I'm just so glad that my mom nudged me to ask them anyway.

Speaking of my mom....Holy cow I love that woman.  She has been there for me every step of the way with this business.  Started out going on every shoot with me as I was just beginning and didn't have the confidence.  Then she took care of all of the taxes and legal things, etc. (still does!) And now, even though I'm completely independent and have come so far and can do most things on my own, she still does the tax and bill part but also still helps me with the weddings.  She gives up her weekends for weddings too.  I can't ever express how much that means to me.  I really enjoy the time we get to spend together as we do them.  She's my rock with this stuff!  Although she doesn't shoot, she carries all of the bags, manages the list, watches behind the scenes to see if there's things we're missing, talks and relates with people, etc.  Wow, I simply could not ever thank her enough.  A wedding needs two people to be doing it, and I'm so thankful that she's willing to be that person!  I will miss that time with her during my sabbatical from weddings next year (besides one in June!) but we both need the break and we're going to see where God leads me with it.

I think that's about all I have to say for tonight.  We're grilling for supper tonight and quality time with my hubby awaits me!  Let's all start out with the mindset that Monday will be great! :)