The End of the Year

It's the last day of 2012,

 

and I'm going to go against the

 grain of this blog for this post.

 

No pictures.

 

Just words

 to

create the image

of my gratefulness

that I want to express to each of you.

 

 

To my clients...

thank you for entrusting me with your sessions.

I've walked away from each shoot

with the feeling of friendships made,

and with a

sense of satisfaction

that comes with the

 magic of capturing memories forever after.

You have made my year wonderful!

 

 

To my friends...

thank you for your support and help

and for all of the shared laughter we've had.

You've made the endeavor of my business fun!

The memories we've made in 2012,

I will treasure forever.

You have truly enriched my life this past year!

 

 

To my family...

my heart overflows,

my eyes tear up,

and

a smile spreads across my face

as I think of each of you!

Thank you for your wonderful words of encouragement

and for enabling me to fulfill my dream.

I love the fact that you fall

into all the categories of my life...

family, friends, "clients"

(thanks for being my guinea pigs!)

You truly complete me!

And you have made this past year

memorable in so many ways!

 

 

Clients, Friends, Family...

my life is made more beautiful because of you!

and know that

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on..."

Hal Borland

 

 

 I look forward to

 "going on" with each of you

as we cross over the threshold into 2013,

and

may you experience God's

peace and blessings

as we enter our New Year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Fringe Benefit

One of the fringe benefits of

long term military life

is this...

when you move from
one duty station to another,

reunions happen!
 

 

 

I'm glad to say that

over the past 13 years,

we've had the privilege of being stationed with this

lovely family

 

 

 

in three different duty stations...

 

  covering 2 different hemispheres,

experiencing different cultures together,

and forming a bond that comes with military life!

 

 

We've been in beautiful Germany...

 

 

 

 

 

...exotic Hawaii 

and now the foothills of the Ozarks.

 

 

This benefit brings with it

a real sense of community

as you say "Oh my Gosh!"

over the growth of each other's children...

 

 

 

...and you reminisce

and reconnect

and relate

with each other

over all of the shared experiences

that military life brings.

 

 

~~

Scott and June,

 

 

 

I want to say

it's a pleasure serving with you

and

having our paths cross so often!

Seeing your children grow

over these years has brought

joy and a feeling of "family" to me...

 

a fringe benefit for sure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Anticipation Fulfilled

 

Anticipating

 an

event in life

is quite pleasurable.

 

 

 

 

This act of

 looking forward

to something

brings with it feelings of

joy

 

 

 

and

excitement!

 

 

 

 

And when that event

involves the arrival of a

 new member

 of the family...

 

 

 

...that feeling of anticipation

is

 off . the. charts!

 

~~~

 

Now,

let's talk about the

moment in time

 when

anticipation transforms into reality...

 

 

It is a moment of

hope

 fulfilled...

 

 

 

 

...pure happiness...

 

 

 

...wonder...

 

 

 

...and awe!

 

 

 

Fulfillment

is joined hand-in-hand

with

contentment...

 

 

 

and brings with it

total bliss

 

 

and the reality of

a wish

 coming to pass!

 

 

~~~

 

Congratulations,

Tasha and Roland,

on your wonderful bundle of joy!

And, thank you,

for allowing me along on this

ride of anticipation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



EyeCatching

When you have a photographer's eye,

every day 
as you're out and about,
you see things

that make you think,

"hmmm, that would be a great prop!"

And then I saw this little beauty!...



one morning.

Now,

it may have been my imagination,

but when I passed her,

I heard a whisper,

"Use me! Use me!

I will make the shot!"

(A little diva, no less!)

And

who out there would not listen to a

'72 Camero?...

I was compelled!

So

I scanned the crowd

playing the match game...

"hmmm, who owns that sweet ride?!"

Well,

it didn't take long at all

to figure it out.

Man + Car = Muscle all around...

Rodney,

I want to say,

"Thank you!"

for your generosity.

Because this Little Diva

certainly delivered!...

Thanksgiving Eve

During this week,

leading up to Thanksgiving,

I've reflected alot on my list of

"What am I thankful for?"

And definitely,

on that list is the fact that my

business has finally come to pass,

 and

I love it has much as I thought I would!

So I want to take the time

and express a heartfelt thanks for all

of the fringe benefits

that come along with

Memories Forever After...

My husband...

(Charles...far left)

(pic compliments of my mom)

...the behind the scenes man who is always there to help when needed.

My daughter...



...who has tagged along on a few sessions

and has ventured a few shots herself.

She has a good eye!

~~ 

My mom...

...who knows the gift of encouragement,

and who helps out now, even from afar.

~~

I have some fellow photographers

who I have been able to collaborate with...

 Erica

 Jason

Heather

...and then there's a great group of

photog friends

that I get to have fun with.

I've been thankful for the inspiration that they have all brought

 into my life...each and every one of them.

~~

Also, there's been some awesome assistants... 

 Malia

Taylor

...who have made my life

so much easier.

Thank you!

~~

I'm grateful for the 

wonderful weddings

 I've been a part of...

And my family sessions that

bring joy to me each and every time!!!...

~~

And I'm more than thankful that I can spend so

much time out in God's creation

capturing His beauty...

~~

Yes, I sure did alot of reflection :)

And I'm going to continue on with this

sense of gratitude in the years to come.

Because I realize that

without each of these contributing factors

in my life,

I would not enjoy my

MFA

as much as I do!

I'm thankful!



A Welcome Sight



Towards the end of road trips,

when I'm on the home stretch

and I've become road weary,

there's a sight that appears on the horizon

that always says to me,

"Welcome Home!"

The Gateway...

to the west,

to my home!

~~~

And this past Friday,

I spent the day with some

camera-toting friends

in St. Louis,

capturing some city sights

and

this beautiful momument...

"The Gateway Arch...

continues to symbolize St. Louis’ role as the gateway to the West.

Today, we examine this structure as a symbol and architectural achievement."

                                               ~G. Boerner

And as a great photographic subject!



Forever Friends

 

 

 

Does sibling rivalry really exist!?

 

Not with these two...

 

 

 

 

 

they don't know what the term means.

 

 

And this was obvious

 

both last year and this year .

 

 

This brother

 

 

and sister team

 

 

 

 

truly enjoy each other's company.

 

 

Not only are they siblings,

 

 

 

but friends...

 

then and now!

 

~~~

 

Thank you, Patrick and Mallisa,

for allowing me into your lives over the past two years.

 

(And thank you, Mr. Fisherman,

 for sharing your catch and bringing some added fun to the shoot!)

 

Your children are such a joy

and my time with you created a memory...

for me!!!

 

 

 



Joining Forces

Collaborate:

Verb (action word)

To work with another on a joint project.

Related words:

Cooperate

Get Together

Join Forces

 ~~~

And I'm pleased to announce that

is collaborating

with a very talented fellow photographer...

And we are joining forces

to bring to our clients our combined
talents
 and
 time
and
tripods
(ha-ha...I wanted another "t" word)


~~~

Heather,

it's not only a privilege to be working with you,
but also...

SO MUCH FUN!

You add another element to my business
that takes the
"work" out of work
and
have brought even more
enjoyment
 to my life!