In the past month, Chris had knee surgery, which took much longer to heal than we anticipated, I shot a kids clothing line with over 10 ten little ones, was asked to do a shoot for a large company out of California, got my two older ones back to college, and finished a wedding album. I feel like I am just now coming back to myself, having been stretched beyond my experience in the photography world, and feeling deeply the grief of watching my birdies fly again after a brief respite in our home.

There is so much to say here, and yet I feel like there is a stopper in the drain, not allowing any of it to flow out onto the keyboard. Going to give it my best effort.

I have a few photos here, to document our time in the past couple weeks. First, Annie and Johnny and I got to work on a project together where I actually got paid to photograph one of my own children. Annie got to model for a large company, the details which I will omit for privacy reasons, and Johnny was my tech assistant on the shoot. It was so exciting and scary for me. I got to hire a hair and make up stylist for the first time, (yes, I am a newbie), find a location and go make it happen. We went to Seabrook Island close to Charleston, SC . We hired the fantastic Ashley Brook Perryman as our hair and make up stylist. It was a weekend of firsts. My first time working with two of my kids on a professional shoot, my first time hiring a stylist, and my first time getting two tickets in the same weekend.  Evidently you really can’t park in a handicap space at the beach, and my tag had expired. Ugh!

We stayed at a wonderful friend of a friend’s house and took care of their sweet dog. It was a great experience, and there are so many parts of the trip where I felt God was so for me and with me, like the fact that the thunderstorms came all around us that day, but waited to fall on us when we closed our car doors to leave. Or the fact that I had gotten permission from the one security guy who would have given it to me to come on the island through a phone call I made earlier in the week. Thank you Officer Kreinbrook. Sorry if we got you in trouble.

Here are a few of Annie getting made up for her day. I did not shoot many other photos of the trip. Finally got most of the sand out of my gear.

It was a good experience overall. We have yet to see what comes of it. But I have made friends with some incredible people in the process and am so thankful for that.

This next section is the part where my heart breaks every year at this time. It is the time of endings, and beginnings. That place where it feels like it is all over and you dangle helplessly over that divide where the bridge runs out, and you don’t know if there is an invisible step just beneath you, like in the Indiana Jones movie, and he remembers it is a “leap of faith”. Then he steps and all is well, and let’s just say, that’s the movies.

It was time for Annie to head back to the Olgefort at Oglethorpe University where she has spent the last two years, making wonderful friends and becoming more independent. (As if that last part were possible.) We were having a family night and as I set the table with five plates, I began to cry. Okay, weep. You know those tears that come from the deepest reservoirs in you. Tears that bring a sigh and relief with every drop. I had been carrying them around for weeks. I couldn’t stop. Set the table. Cry. Turn over the meat for the fajitas. Cry. Ice in the glasses. More crying. When the kids got to the table I was a mess. I think they all made a decision right there and then that it was their mission to cheer me up. There is nothing worse than a blubbering mom at the dinner table.

After dinner we were trying to decide how to spend our family night and the subject of playing games came up.  We were bantering back and forth about  what to play when Johnny blurted ,” Let’s play Texas Hold’em and  dress the part!”. I hardly knew what happened when everyone flew out of the room. Now, mind you, we don’t play with real money, (we don’t have any!), and we really don’t play at all, but Johnny and Chris love to watch the World Series of Poker, with all it’s interesting characters.

It wasn’t long until Jim Dawson entered the room.

After him was Susie May, with her jean shorts, cowgirl boots, and (fake) cigar.

She was followed by Cassandra Maria Martinez.

Luke was next. ( he’s a hottie):)

I was Wylene, Luke’s old lady,tattoo and all, that said Chris, or uh Luke, with a big red heart. I didn’t make the photos but I did make the video. Maybe I can post that one later.

Here is the whole motley crew. I love these people. They are a light in my life.

It was a good night, with a full on dance party in the kitchen and den, as is our custom, and my heart felt lighter.

The next day, I took Annie Bug back to the fort, and the tears came again.

I ended the day with a movie by myself, something I haven’t done in ages. It was definitely a chick flick, and I loved the mini community I felt with the other women in the theater.

As I was reading my Bible about three weeks ago, before all of this happened, I came across a scripture that brought me much peace. I cling to it now, amidst all of the changes, not knowing which direction some of these ventures will go.

It is found in Isaiah 66:2 The Message Version, “But there is something that I am looking for: a person who is simple and plain, reverently responding to what I say”.

I think I have the simple and plain part, and I am thankful that God loves that and is even seeking it. I pray I can get the part where I reverently respond to His words. He holds me tight in a world that moves so quickly and wants to take me off my feet. He never changes, and for that I am grateful.

This photo shoot was pure joy, and you are about to see why. This is the much anticipated shoot for Parbella Childrens Clothing, a beautiful line of clothes for girls. We decided on a tea party for the scene of our shoot. We had 12 beautiful little girls and their parents here last Friday. It was 99 degrees that day, but I hardly noticed. Seriously, I don’t think I felt the ramifications of the heat until that night, and my body fell into a heap into my bed. It was just so much fun. The girls seemed to enjoy themselves, and those that didn’t even know one another became fast friends over the course of the day. They sat there, tea cups in one hand and a cluster of grapes in the other, talking like little women. I was so impressed with them all.

When you see these photos, I hope you will get a glimpse into the fun we all had. Such stunning little beauties, dressed up in Alison Johnson’s designs, feeling so pampered and special. It was any girl’s dream day. I heard several of them say more than once that it was “the best day ever”. This of course blessed me beyond belief. It is my joy to help precious little girls on their journey to feel beautiful and treasured. Alison also shares this conviction. I think that is why we work so well together! I hope you enjoy a few of the photos of the day. I had such a hard time choosing which ones to put on the blog!

How could this not be my favorite photo this week? This is my freckled-sunshine-Annie girl. Those Hydrangeas were just begging to bring out the blue in her eyes. She begrudgingly posed for this. I was in the middle of another shoot, and she was in the middle of working on one of her two summer jobs. I held the soft petals against her face and said a name of someone she holds dear. We won’t say whom. All I can say is she lost her resolve to make me stop, and gave me a soft and pensive smile. She told me I cheated. Maybe I did. Look what I got? Magic. My summer girl.

Here are some pictures of her and her two youngest boys just playing on her farm. She has baby chicks right now and I loved just walking around observing and photographing all of it combined. Joy, sunshine, laughter, innocence and just sweetness. Wish I could do that all time. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I did shooting them.

Enjoy the photos of sweet Eli. ~

I love this one of little Camden Chupp taken for his one year birthday.

Enjoy~

Their mom, Kelly, is one of my dearest friends. She is wonderful through and through. She is a veterinarian, and therefore an instant hero for me. I always wanted to be one when I was a kid, but lacked the chemistry grades in high school.  She has both beauty and brains. You can’t beat it. There is always a potpourri of different animals and rescues at her place. She has a heart of gold and the animals always seem to find her. I am always at home there myself. It is a good place to be.

Enjoy the beautiful Anderson boys.~

Thanks for trusting me with your magical memories, Riley Family. Much Love!

Enjoy these sweet photos. I sure enjoyed taking them, and even processing them.