Happy

Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2L 2.8 aperture, 1/320 shutter 100 ISO

It was such a joy spending the afternoon with these two lovebirds, Anna and Adam. I have known Anna since she was three. Chris and I were in her parents’ small group when Katie was born. We have kept in touch with her family over time and she has commented often on my 365 project this year, although she is living in Louisiana. She contacted me last month and informed me that she and Adam would be moving to Korea after Christmas and asked if I would be willing to photograph them before they left. She wanted to be photographed in her wedding dress since she will not be taking it with her. She said she didn’t mind getting it dirty and mentioned horses, and that was all I needed to know. I knew we would have some fun. They have been married two years, but they still act like they just got married yesterday. They were so sweet together.

My girls both assisted me on this shoot and it was fun for all of us. We even got out the the rain-maker in 50 degree weather! They were brave souls. We had horses, old books, beautiful sun flare, feathers flying in the air, and rain falling from a tree. Oh, and an amazingly sweet couple. Sounds like perfection to me.

Blessings, Adam and Anna. We wish you well on your new adventure together. May the Lord bless you keep you. Thanks for spending the day with us and helping me log another day onto my 365 project with your sweetness.

Numbers 6:24-26 ~” The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;  the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Sharing Interests

All Day with You

Focused on Her

Embrace

Perfect

No Place to Go

Surprises on both Sides

Horsey Hug

Pure

Horse Girl

Beauty

Carefree

Spontaneous

Dance

Fire and Ice

Family Time

Canon 5D Mark ll,100 2.8 macro, 4.0 aperture, 1/50th shutter speed, 800 ISO, 500EX ll flash off camera bouncing off ceiling at 1/2 power

It was pure joy spending time with Brandon and Kimmie McCormick’s family tonight. You may remember sweet Ever’s post that I did in October. She was born 8 weeks early, carried here by the prayers of friends and family. She is precious and doing so well. A miracle baby. Her sister Storie is just as lovely and so very sweet. I got lots of Storie hugs and butterfly kisses tonight as she brought out the menagerie of stuffed animals she has in her room, each with a name and a history. They are a beautiful and fun family. She even stopped to pray for one of them who has a boo-boo on his leg. So much love in this little family. I am grateful for my time with them.

Here are a few more images of the wonderful McCormick family. Blessings on this day 345 of my 365 project. (20 days to go!)

Psalm 126:2,3 ~”Then we laughed with our mouths, and we sang with our tongues. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad.” New Living Translation

Giggles

Mommy Love

Daddy Hugs

Sweet Sisters

Storie, Full of Life

Looking up at the Light

See Storie Fly

Silly Daddy

Sweet Expressions

Pile of Joy

Precious

Cherished

Happy Family

Classic Christmas

Heart Seeds

Canon 5D Mark ll, 100 macro 2.8, 2.8 aperture, 1/60th shutter speed, 400 ISO

My mom and I share a love for Zinnias. We both agree they are one of  the most cheerful flowers of summer. This year she had a lovely patch of them by her back porch. She promised me she would save the seeds for me to plant this coming spring. On my birthday this year she gave me a bag full of them. What a wonderful gift! They were so lovely, their colorful petals swirling into elegant patterns. Even in death, they hold beauty and promises of new life.

Hope for the Next Season

Every year, when Chris plants his vegetable garden in the spring, he leaves a row for the Zinnias. He knows how I love my Zinnias. The first year we planted them together, we planted them at night, with the moon and a flashlight our only light. It was so much fun. I held the flashlight, my toes sinking into the freshly-tilled earth, while he carefully sowed each seed. Each seed felt like it was taking root inside me, as I watched my farmer-husband cherish the desires of my heart. Now, we always plant this row by moonlight. I feel like a little girl barefoot, holding my flashlight, while he gently carries the seeds to the side yard. It is our tradition. Another strand to weave us together.

How I love Zinnias. They remind me of how much I am loved. Thank you mom for the sweet gift, and thank you my husband, for your willingness to sow love into my heart.

Thank you God for Zinnias.

Luke 12:27-28 ~ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you~”

Spring

Swirling Petals

Treasures Yet to Be

Hope Tumbling Out

Birthday Surprise

Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2 L, 2.0 aperture, 1/400 shutter, 100 ISO

I found these waiting for me at the end of a wonderful birthday this week. The green boots. I had been eyeing them in the window of our local Charming Charlie store that we pass when we go to dinner or a movie. I remember passing by them once or twice while Chris and I were on one of our dates and thinking how I loved their cheerfulness. They were just sitting there in the window, beaming sunshine, a not-so-easy task for a rain boot. I may have remarked that I liked them. It is typical of me to ooh and ahh out loud.  At any rate, my sweet husband walked himself right into that store and bought them for me for my birthday. He remembered. He said in that one gesture, ” I see you, I hear you, and I value you.” That does a lot for a birthday girl’s heart.

Best of all, he left a note about something else he remembered. Something from the season when we were falling in love, when we walked and shared hearts in the rain.

Sunshine for my Feet

He wrote the line. You know, the line that nearly stopped my heart all those years ago when I was wearing those red skippies of mine? ( You can read our love story here.)

Rain still looks good on you.

I love my Carolina boy. Gonna keep him. How will I do without him when I splash in the puddles of England next week?

I do not know.

Wrapped in Red Ribbons

Sigh

Home

Canon 5D Mark ll, 70-200 2.8L,  120mm focal length, 3.5 aperture,  1/160 shutter, 400 ISO

This Chinese baby boy will melt your heart. His name is Sam, or Samuel, which means “God has heard”.  Erin and Andy let his name resonate to the bottom of their spirits every time they call him or hear it spoken. God did hear their cry for a child to love. They found him after much prayer and longing through Lifeline Children’s Services, a Christian adoption agency committed to placing children who need homes with loving families. Andy and Erin are that and so much more. They cannot take their eyes or hearts away from their treasure, their Samuel. They know that God has heard not only their cries, but the cries of a baby boy who needed a family of his own.

Happy

Three Make a Family

This is a treasured, happy little boy. He is deeply loved and cherished by his parents. You can hear it in his laughter. And beautiful, so beautiful, this boy. How could they not love him? His eyes sparkle when his daddy throws him in the air or when his mommy sneaks kisses from his cherubic skin.  He is adored, grafted into a new heritage, a home woven and washed in the love of Christ. Sam is a blessed boy.

Isn’t this our story too? It is the Great Story. The one that runs through every amazing story we have ever heard. A great and noble King risks everything and fights a wicked nemesis to rescue those He loves. We are taken in, rescued from death, and given a new name. It is the stuff fairy-tales are made of. Rescued from hopelessness, we become the sons and daughters of a great King. We are brought in, given the finest robes, and a feast is set before us. We are honored, treasured, fought-for, loved. We are given a new bloodline, a royal heritage, and an eternal home that no one can take away from us.

Sam’s story is our story and it is beautiful.

Blessings to you, happy happy boy. You are esteemed and loved and we are glad.

Galations 4:6-7 ~”But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.”

Treasured

Wrapped in Love

Lifted

Embraced

Back to the Beginning

Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2L, 2.8 aperture, 1/80 shutter, 250 ISO

Dear Brandon and Kimmie,

For you anniversary this year, I want to give you something special. I have collected some treasures, some joy, some sunshine for you. Just here in my pocket, I gathered them and I have them for you. They are images of you, happy, in the moment, in love and remembering why you began this journey together. You have been through some tough seasons. Some not far behind you, and some still ahead, but look at what I have for you. God is with you. His light shines between you and His love covers you.

Here you are. See? Happy, alive, laughing. There is a good road ahead and you are walking it together. The path of righteousness. Strong and loving parents, husband and wife, family of four. God is indeed with you.

Happy anniversary, Brandon and Kimmie.

Psalm 16:11 ~”You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Joy

Dancing

Happy in this Moment

Surrounded in Light

Laughter

Play

Eighth Anniversary

Magic

Rain Kisses

Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2L, 2.2 aperture, 1/100 shutter, 320 ISO

(In these images is the lovely LeeAnna Hoffman and her fiancé, Scott Channell. They are an amazing couple with one of the best love stories I have ever heard. Once they are married they will head to Hawaii with YWAM. They are both missionaries at heart. Love them.:))

It all started with an image I saw on Pinterest. It  looked like it was straight out of the movie The Notebook. If you have seen the movie, you know about the famous rain scene. Who can resist the raw emotion and passion depicted in that scene? Every girl wants to live it.  I wanted to try shooting it, but needed a willing couple. Enter LeeAnna and Scott, two artistic young lovebirds about to be married, and willing to try something new for the fun of it. They agreed to go out on a limb with me. The problem was I needed rain, and it wasn’t in the forecast. I put an inquiry out on twitter about creating rain for a photo shoot.  It wasn’t long before a couple friends sent a suggestion on how to make a rain-maker. Johnny put it all together in a couple hours today, and the results were fantastic.  I am including a few images from his creative process below, as well as some more stunning rain images.

Thank you LeeAnna and Scott for going on this adventure with me, and thank you Johnny for building it!

What you will need for your own rain-maker:

2  2×6 boards placed crossed over one another and screwed together at the center

4  1×2 pieces of wood used as braces around the center of the cross

50 foot garden hose

32 plastic zip ties

drill

long piece of rope to secure it in the tree you will be placing it in

end cap for the hose

One sweet young man to build it for you if you can’t figure it out.:)

Basic Structure

Securing the Hose

Handsome Hardworking Boy

And then you have this. Because love should be passionate, and because the best line of all time is  “Hey, rain looks good on you.”.

Let it Rain

Free in the Rain

Serious Moment

Rain Looks Good on You

Shine

Play

Be Mine

Miracle

Canon 5D Mark ll,  50 1.2L, 9.0 aperture, 1/800 shutter, 100 ISO

(In these images are Heather and Ben Scranton, and their daughter, Amaya, who is still resting in her mommy’s womb.)

And this is the miracle, that one could be made from the love of two. It is God’s beautiful design, His amazing gift to us.

A family is born.

Through the Window

“Not only me, not only you, but with the help of our Father, one made from two.” ~ an excerpt from a poem I wrote about my Katie when I knew she was to be ours.

Blessings to you, Scranton family.

Isaiah 40:11 ~ “ He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

Sweetness

Happy

Beautiful Heather

Gathering the Sun

Canon 5D Mark ll, 70-200 2.8L, 7.1 aperture, focal length 200mm, 1/320 shutter, 100 ISO

Where will you be when the sun sets tonight? When the light caresses the blushing earth, all hearts set ablaze in this hour called magic?

I would like to be with you, as the flowers gather the fire with soft hands, encircling the glory. When the sun starts her descent, I want to find you, and share one more sunset with you.

Blazing Sky

Sun Kisses

Until Tomorrow

Song of Solomon 8:6 ~ “for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.”

Two for the Show

Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2 L, 2.2 aperture, 1/125 shutter, 100 ISO

I have two tickets to a show, let’s me and you go.

I will put on that dress you bought for me. You know the one? You surprised me with it last year. The soft purple one you caught me looking at in the catalogue? I was so surprised. It made me blush to think you thought so much about me, that you remembered the one I liked. I feel that feeling  all over again every time I slip it on. Did you know you could make my heart flutter like that?

Driving into the Sun

Let’s go into the city together, you and I, as the sun shimmers on metal and pavement, reflecting in mirrors and your eyes. I am taking it in, as the cars rush past and I hold your hand. We listen to old songs and sing and laugh. I made us late again, and you try not to care. I love you for that. You want to be there when the curtain goes up. I want to be with you.

City Drive

The  sun warms the buildings into embers against bluish skies. I don’t want to be anywhere but here, with you.  I caress your cheek as you drive, and you smile. Thank you for giving me your Saturday night.

City Show

We park and practically sprint to get there on time, and we do. We find our seats and I snuggle into the crook of your arm. The lights dim as the cast enters the stage. The music swells, and I feel myself inhaling with anticipation. The show has begun.

Another special night with you. Another memory to hold. Thank you, my love.