amyp Photography

A New Season. A New Blog...

2011-04-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

The past 2 years still leave me in disbelief.
I woke up one morning and I knew - I was supposed to be a wedding and lifestyle photographer. I was made to do this.
And yet, I had no idea how to get "there."
So I laughed. And dreamed. And laughed some more.
Though I'm not "there" yet, God has brought me so far. I have a camera I could have only dreamed of two years ago. I have been blessed with the coolest clients in the world. This year alone we get to shoot weddings in 4 different cities. And the stories I've shared in? Beautiful. I've been humbled, I've laughed and I've constantly been blown away.
I have grown. I've cried. I've felt inadequate and I've had moments where I knew deep within me that somehow this would come together.
I can't wait to see what happens in the next 2 years. And the 2 after that...and...
In the meantime though, I outgrew what I could do here on this blog. And so...I'm moving on. And I'd absolutely love it times infinity if you'd join me.
You can now find me at: www.amypaulsonblog.com
And yes, I'd be honored if you came to visit... Or stay...

New Looks

2011-04-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

Please be patient with me.
As if you haven't so often before.
But right now, epic things are being dreamed. New designs are being made (by one of the coolest people ever and yes, I will share all her info as well!) And the look and feel of all that we do with amyp photography is going to be more who we are and the people we are striving to be.
Which does mean...yes...there will be a new blog. Yep, I said it. And it's a true story.

In the meantime, here are some pictures of my favorite little people in the world.

Letters

2011-04-13T09:00:00.001-07:00

I got an email from a precious friend who found out a dream of hers was denied.
At least for this moment.
She beautifully and honestly put her grief out there. And asked for prayer.
And so I wrote back.
And as weird as it sounds...I just felt like I should share my response. I felt like somehow...someone out there might just happen across this and maybe, just maybe, God had something to say to them. Or maybe I'm wrong. Oh well, I'll take the risk. So...here:

Okay.
I could write really annoying Christian-isms that may not even be Christian at all and would just suck. Like that whole "When God closes a door, He opens a window."
But you know what?
That's crap.
Right now it hurts.
It's maddening.
And there are likely a whole host of emotions and thoughts (some potentially not true - especially if they insult your worth.) running through your heart and mind.
My prayer?
That even in this you could turn and put it all out there with God. That you could go ahead and be upset and that you could cry and that in those moments you would be able to feel and visualize Him holding you. Maybe He has things to say, maybe He just knows you need to be held. And maybe He sings over you instead of you singing in that moment.
I don't know what it looks like exactly.
But I'm praying it happens.
And that you don't run from it.
And that you don't hold back how you're feeling.
And that you don't disguise why you feel that way.
But that you can fully put yourself out there.
And that somehow in the midst of it all...maybe in a couple of days or in that very moment you'd have hope again.
I know it's crazy. But I've seen Him do it. He's doing it in me.

Love,
Me

Rachel and Dave: Couples' Session

2011-04-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

If ever a couple could change the world with their love - it's them.
And quite honestly, it's not a matter of can...they will.
Rachel and Dave, I adore you two. Thank you for the ways you have inspired our family. For the ways you've loved us. Supported us. And picked us up when we fell. (Sometimes literally...) Thank you for the way you give your lives for others. You two are incredible and we are so grateful for you.

Could they be any more adorable?!?

LOVE. Times infinity.

Rachel. YOU.ARE.GORGEOUS.

In case you needed another reminder...

If you'd like to see more from Rachel and Dave's couples' session, visit their SLIDE-SHOW. And the music? The incredible Andrea Bustin wrote that song and had her parents sing it. Let's just say I'm in love. If you'd like to stay up to date on Andrea's concert schedule or order her album, be sure to check out her website...

Clare Colwin Designs

2011-04-07T15:17:00.000-07:00

Confession Time:
I want to buy everything from her store.
Every.thing.
Twice even.
As I went through the beautiful pieces I had the privilege of photographing, I kept thinking, "Oh my goodness...I want to keep this."
Her designs are honest. Beautiful. Inspired.
And I could not have been more thrilled to photograph them. Complete with BEAUTIFUL models... Let's just say the entire experience was oh.so.much.fun.

Which leads me to the fact that I'm thrilled to do two things:
1. Direct you to her site so you can go crazy with me and we can be stylish friends together.
2. Give one of these GORGEOUS pieces away to one of you!!!

So, first...here's where you can find more of Clare's designs:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/clarecolwin

And don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting them ALL.

Secondly - how about that giveaway?!?
Oh yes...

THE DETAILS:
Head over to Clare Colwin Designs and tell me on my Facebook page what your favorite piece is. With your comment you get one entry... (The winner gets to choose their favorite piece. Yes, Clare is that cool)
If you'd like to be so kind as to share my Facebook page with your friends by tagging us in a status update, you get two extra entries. If your tag is incredibly witty, you get three. Yep, I went there...

You have until Saturday at midnight to enter!
And the winner will be announced on Monday!

In the meantime, check out some of the pictures from our shoot...
(and there's a cute little someone you might just recognize...)

Happy commenting!

Kathy and Dave: Maternity session

2011-04-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Sweet Baby,

Your parents adore you. Already.

Times infinity, in fact.

When I asked about you – there were giggles and uncontrollable smiles. The entire time…

You are walking into such a beautiful family. You are blessed beyond measure, little baby, to have these two as parents. They are ready to give all that they have to you. To loving you. To kissing your soon-to-appear little toes. To showing you how to live. And to making sure that you love the Bears.

They cannot wait to meet you. And I can’t wait to see how much they love you once they’ve held you in their arms.

Love them. Treasure them. And don’t forget for a moment how blessed you are, little one.

Kathy and Dave - I could not be more excited for you two...

And...I am in love with these baby shoes...

Cuteness. Overload.

Kathy...let's just go ahead and state the obvious. You.are.gorgeous....

I just melted

Again with that whole being gorgeous thing...

Yes...this baby is destined to be gorgeous...

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Such a fan...

If you'd like to see more from their maternity session, just check out their SLIDE-SHOW. And the music is performed by the ever-so-incredible Adam Huff.

Happy birthday to my little lady

2011-03-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

Oh sweet one,

You have ruined me. Consider me mush forever - ever since you entered the world. From the way you love to the stories you tell to the laughter that comes from you all the time - I am constantly in awe that I get to be your mommy.
I love you, lady. Beyond measure.
And I could not be more grateful for your entrance into this world.
You have taught me so much about life in your 5 years.
And I cannot wait for the years to come.
I love you times infinity. And I always will.
And yes, one day, somehow, we will have a mommy/daughter date in Paris.

With all of my heart, I love you.
Mommy

Conversations with My Daughter

2011-03-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I stop. I look. And I'm amazed by how beautiful my little girl is.
Today I stopped to tell her so.

Me: How did you get to be so incredibly cute?
Little Lady: God made us cuter.
Me: How did God make you cuter?
LL: With God...anything is possible.

LOVE. Times infinity.

Everything changes...

2011-03-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

Some things in life are bittersweet.
And that's exactly where I find myself today.
You see - our family has these dreams - dreams for the future - crazy big, beautiful plans that excite us beyond measure - but as dreams often do, we find that are some changes ahead for us.
And one of those changes? Our family has decided to relocate to Atlanta, GA.
It's not an easy choice...
We LOVE our friends and my client-friends beyond measure.
But...to truly follow these dreams, we find that we simply must relocate.
Why Atlanta?
Well...it is a cool place. With incredibly cool people. And we have some great family down there.
It's warmer. Chicago - I love you and your summers, but your winters are difficult...
They have a nice airport. More on this in a moment...
And it is home to two schools that my husband is considering for his PHD work. (speaking of which - if you'd like to check out his blog, head over to www.theopaulson.com)

So, towards the end of the summer, our family will head down to start the southern part of our journey as a family.

What does this mean?
I'm glad you asked...
As of late this summer, amyp photography will still be blessed enough to be based out of Chicago AND Atlanta for wedding photography. Both cities will serve as our home base. (Double the cool points.) And as always, we accept wedding commissions world-wide and cannot wait to serve brides and grooms in many different locations. (That's why we're glad Atlanta has a great airport)

But this does mean we will have limited individual, couple and family lifestyle sessions left here in Chicago. As I noted in previous posts, I will be starting maternity leave June 20 and that will mark the end of our time serving the Chicagoland area for lifestyle sessions. (So...if you would like to set up a session, send me an email!!! [amy@amypphotos.com] I would love to meet you and have the opportunity to tell your story.)

I cannot thank you enough for all of your support, your encouragement, your sweet emails, your kind comments and every other way you've encouraged me! And we would definitely appreciate it if you'd let Atlanta friends know that we'd love to meet them and tell their stories when we move there soon! In the meantime, rock on with your bad selves...

New

2011-03-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

Today we stood and we sang words with hope and joy at our church. Guitars jammed, drums rocked and vocal-awesomeness reigned in abundance.
And then...
We sang this song.
This song that left me in tears the first time I heard it. Like - embarassing-I-hope-no-one's-looking-I-can't-get-it-together tears. I was out of hope. Completely. Totally. I felt like I had been carrying around a weight that sat on me daily and laughed in my face, "You can't do this life." I walked around wondering if I would ever feel again. If I could ever be me...
And this song came and got all up in my grill.
Here are the lyrics. And if you find yourself in a place like I was and am still coming out of - I pray it gives you courage or even the reminder that hope is possible...

Beautiful Things
by Gungor

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

No more hiding

2011-03-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

This post may suck.
It's true.
But as the past year got more and more difficult, I stopped writing. I was too scared to put down my thoughts at times. In some moments, I just had nothing to say. And most of the time I was convinced that distracting myself from my circumstances was a better option.
So...I'm writing again.
Why?
It makes me stop.
It makes me think.
And I have to face the fact that my words may not come together as beautifully as I would like - but if I never try, I'll never grow.

So there...

My hope is that today instead of checking out because it seems easier - that you drop in, you face this moment and you breathe deeply.

Even that - as painful as it can be - is a gift.

It's your choice...

2011-03-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight we watched The Karate Kid.
Because we're cool like that.
And there was a quote that has rocked my world.
"Life will knock us down, but we can choose whether or not to stand back up."
I'd say the last year has felt like a knock-down. Over and over.
But you know what?
I'm choosing to STAND up.

PS: Some words of thanks... Thank you incredible friends who have walked through this.
And thanks to Making Things Happen and the incredible people who make that intensive happen. If you'd like to be inspired, given the tools and given a swift kick in the butt when necessary - make reading their posts a part of your life. (For a quadruple blessing - go to the intensive. Oh my goodness.)
And I am so grateful that God has brought me to this place. He has given me the space to cry, to doubt, to grieve, to hurt and He has loved me through it all. And somehow, He's bringing healing and beauty into what I thought was hopeless. Words cannot begin to express my gratitude...

Just so you know...

2011-03-03T15:00:00.001-08:00

Dates, Timelines and Important Info...

2011-02-28T13:45:00.000-08:00

First of all, thank you.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words, your emails, your supportive comments and your prayers.
Your words and prayers walked us through such a difficult time. And though this baby (in case you missed previous posts - I'm pregnant...) might still make an early entrance into the world, this baby is doing well.
Which is why I write...

As of June 20th, I will be going on maternity leave.
And I am not taking sessions again until after September 1.
(Although we do have a couple of weddings in there that are completely unaffected! I could not be more excited for those weddings and the incredible couples!!!)

Finally, I do want to add, there may be a location change for our family over the summer months. (And yes, we will keep everyone posted) This does not affect our wedding clients or future weddings because we will still consider Chicago one of our home bases! But, there is a chance that we will not be here in the future for individual, couple and family sessions. So at this moment, my calendar is only available for sessions through June 20th until further notice...
(In simple terms...if you're looking to book a session with us, book before June 20th! If you are interested in giving us the honor of documenting your wedding day, let us know anytime!)

All of you rock. Big time. And as always...I can't wait to tell your story.

Love,
amyp

And just to spice things up today, enjoy a little video from one of my favorite little ones.

To my 3 loves...

2011-02-19T15:17:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I leave.
And I hate it.
Well, I don't hate it...but...
I leave all 3 of my favorite people in Chicago while I head off to Vegas for a photography conference that happens to go over my birthday. (Slightly sad, I'm not gonna lie)
Part of me is excited.
Part of me is terrified of flying by myself. (Read: thoroughly convinced that I will somehow lose my keys, my phone, my boarding pass or something ridiculously important)
And sometimes, when you're so used to life with certain people - you don't remember how to be by yourself. And this time, Ted isn't coming with me...
I know it will be good for me. I am certain I will meet incredible people, I will learn so much and I will come home overwhelmed with wonderful-ness for my life and business. (um, yeah...I'm blessed to be going to Making Things Happen and Natalie Norton's Breathe workshop and I can't begin to explain how much my soul needs this.)
But, since I'm feeling all mushy - I'm going to post some pictures to help me get through the hard moments. And to remind me of why I'm so excited for when I get to come home.

Christa and Adam

2011-02-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

He was right in front of her eyes...but she just couldn't see it.
Neither could he.
They had been friends for years. They had gone to church together, spent time together and sung karaoke together. But they were just friends.
It's not like she wasn't aware that he was handsome. And he could not miss the fact that she was gorgeous. But they were friends. Just friends.
But sometimes it's in those friendships where you start to realize the obvious. Though this person isn't what I thought I was looking for, they are exactly what I need. This person brings out the best in me. And I can't avoid those beautiful eyes anymore.
So their story began...
And in a matter of months, these two will be getting married. And we could NOT be more excited!

Christa and Adam, thank you SO much for taking over downtown with me. I had such a wonderful time with you two. And honestly, I was beyond honored to get to capture such a beautiful relationship. You two are incredible. And together? Ever more incredible. We are so thrilled that God brought you two together. We're big fans...

So without further ado, meet Christa and Adam:

Yes, they are adorable as all get out...

And they love to laugh together. So yes, they are some of my favorite people ever.

Let's just go ahead and put the obvious out there - Christa, YOU ARE GORGEOUS!!!

Being the kind-hearted photographer that I am...I made them race. In the middle of downtown...

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Christa. Seriously. So beautiful...

If you'd like to see more pictures from their engagement session - just click HERE for their SLIDE-SHOW. And a special thank you to Andrea Bustin for this beautiful recording... (She also happens to be Adam's little sister. Just wait until you hear him play guitar as well. These two amaze me.)

My girls

2011-02-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

She wouldn't quit.
I gave her many reasons to do so, even though she'll argue and say that's not the case.
I was hurting. I was ready to give up. And she was ready to walk through all of it with me.
Throughout our TEN years of friendship, she has pushed me. Spoken the hard words. Manufactured silly songs and fantasticly amazing CDs complete with songs from the Swedish Chef. Held my hand. Made me laugh so hard I nearly wet my pants. Told me I could do it. Called and left hilarious messages that to anyone else would seem border-line crazy. Reminded me that it will be okay. Had faith when mine was gone. Walked me through the goodness of God when I couldn't see it. Listened to me cry - not the simple tears, but the snot-inducing, heaving, painful sobs.
Of course, during this friendship, she had to go marry an absolutely incredible guy and move to Tokyo.
Boo...
BUT, they came to visit. And though we were saddened not to get to see her equally unbelievable other half, we did get to hang out with her and her PRECIOUS daughter. And yes, I officially claim aunt-hood to this GORGEOUS little lady. Be jealous.

I'm so in love.

Can we just draw attention to the fact that Katie is BEAUTIFUL?!? Oh my goodness...

Could they be ANY cuter? Nope. It's impossible. I'm convinced.

Yep. I just melted.

And requirement: You simply MUST check out their SLIDE-SHOW And the music is courtesy of Devin Bustin.

Sarah and Chris: Engagement Session

2011-02-02T15:31:00.000-08:00

Sometimes people just know.
Sometimes... your sister just knows...
And this time, Sarah's sister knew. So she did what any good sister would do: she convinced her sister to go to her nephew's practice so she could meet his hockey coach. And...her sister gave him Sarah's number.
Disclaimer: this is completely unlike Sarah's sister. But hey, sometimes when you know, you have to take a risk...for your sister.
A few days later they had a "sort-of" blind date. And they started to realize that Sarah's sister was right.
This fall, Sarah and Chris will start their journey as husband and wife. So, of course, they needed to stop and document this moment. Their love - their excitement - and lots of snow...

Sarah and Chris - I'm such a fan. Thank you for inviting me to spend a Sunday afternoon with you. (while the Bears unfortunately lost...) And thank you for being patient with me as ice + Amy often equals disaster... I am so excited for the two of you to get married and I had such a wonderful time with you!

Meet the incredible and incredibly gorgeous Sarah and Chris...

Okay, Sarah, I LOVE the way you look at Chris. It's pretty obvious how much you love him...

Can we say awesome? These two rocked it out... And Sarah - thank you so much for finding the Hyatt Regency Ohare so that we could do some indoor pictures!

LOVED this spot. And of course, they can make anything look AMAZING.

If only you knew what went into this elevator shot...

And then we headed out for some ice skating/hockey fun...

LOVE

Sarah, you are GORGEOUS.

If you'd like to see more from their engagement session, check out their SLIDE-SHOW. And a special thank you to Andrea Bustin for the beautiful original music. (And if you live in the Chicago area - she is performing this Saturday. Click HERE for the details!)

Today.

2011-01-26T17:14:00.000-08:00

Today I doubted.
Today I questioned.
Today I tried to think through all the possible outcomes and prepare myself for each currently non-existent circumstance I could imagine.

Today I realize I wasted a lot of time.

So in this moment, I'm leaping in blind faith.
I'm giving up the contemplation of what all that possibly come and trading it in for what God has given me - this moment.
And I'm giving up all those - "I can't do this" mind games.

It's frustrating. And yet it's freeing.

Because I know that even though this past year has been full of heartache, God really is good.

Kalyn and Ryan

2011-01-24T15:37:00.000-08:00

They were friends.
But just that.
Friends.
And at the time - that was perfect.
God had a lot for them to learn. Questions to ask. Friends to make.
But a few years later...they couldn't help but notice. Ryan knew that not only was Kalyn gorgeous, but she brought out the best in him...she challenged him and she was well...someone he knew he needed and wanted in his life. And Kalyn started to feel those butterflies when she was around him... He was so, well...amazing.
And so it began. And in a matter of months these two will officially start their journey as husband and wife.
And we could NOT BE MORE EXCITED!

We all got together on a CRAZY COLD Chicago day and took some pictures. And though I did lose feeling in my fingers at a few points - I LOVED every minute with them. (Keep in mind - these two are AMAZING. It was SO cold and they were so great about it all. Not to mention - their love for each other - beautiful.)

There will be more to come on a warmer day, but in the meantime - enjoy their awesome-ness. And Kalyn and Ryan we can't wait to celebrate and thank God with you in October! Atlanta - here we come!

Um...did I mention that they are ADORABLE?!? (Yes, Ryan...I just called you adorable)

KALYN. You.are.gorgeous.

Work it, girl.

LOVE.

Again with that whole "you are GORGEOUS" Kalyn...

Ryan...you make my day.

Seriously....Ryan and Kalyn - you brought it.

If you'd like to see more from their engagement session, click HERE. And thank you to Devin Bustin for the great music. Check out his original work HERE.

Remember?

2011-01-23T05:35:00.000-08:00

Do you remember that time that I looked you in the eyes and whispered the words, "I love you..." into your ear for the very first time? (PS: You swear I said it first, but I didn't. You totally said it the week before.)
I do.
Remember the night you proposed in the middle of downtown and the guy eating his fried chicken then took our first engagement picture? (How funny that now I take pictures...)
I do.
Remember that day when I looked at your hopelessly on our honeymoon and told you I wanted to die because I had to get a shot in the butt from the hotel doctor in Mexico and you just laughed and crutched (probably not a word - but since you broke your foot, I can't exactly say that you walked...) your way down to the lobby with a backpack on to buy me snacks from the gift shop? (And on your honeymoon, you laid there with me while we watched movies hour after hour with Spanish subtitles because I was too weak to stand?)
I do.
Remember those 9 months when I basically dropped off the face of the earth while puking so much I clogged a toilet and you stood by my side and listened as I whined for hours on end?
I do.
Remember the day when the car broke down in the middle of the cemetery at a funeral and you came rushing to get me? Remember how I fell into a heap and you just held me close?
I do.
Remember that time you worked so hard to buy a D-SLR camera for my birthday because you knew I desperately wanted one and I then tried to take it back because I didn't have a business and it was too much money and you looked at me and told me there was no way I was taking it back and I'd just have to deal.
I do.
Remember those weeks this summer when I couldn't stand for more than 10 minutes and during the busy season at work, you still managed to work and watch the kids by yourself pretty much all day?
I do.
Remember those nights I questioned if I could even do this - or if I was just delusional - and you told me that it wasn't a matter of can or can't...I already was...?
I do.

Thank you for these memories and so many more. I don't know what I'd ever do without you. And though I don't even begin to say it enough - know that I remember. And I cherish...

Kiersten and Eric

2011-01-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

Ice cream.

Honestly, it's where the best stories begin. And it's precisely where their story began.

He came to do an internship of sorts with her family's custard business. (And yes, if you're in western New York, you must go visit Anderson's. You'll thank me.) And then years later, when she moved to Philadelphia and needed a job, she turned to his ice cream shop.

But they soon realized they had much more in common than just a love of great ice cream. And before long they found themselves engaged in long talks, adventures and learning more history together - all the while starting theirs.

Kiersten and Eric - it was an honor to document your wedding. We loved getting to know the two of you and so many of the stories that have shaped the two of you and your friends and families. Thank you for sharing your love with us. We are so honored.

Kiersten's BEAUTIFUL vintage dress at the ever-so-gorgeous Roycroft Inn

The hair accessories that Kiersten MADE HERSELF. (She's incredible)

What vintage wedding would be complete without top hats and bow ties? (Guess who made those ties? Are you noticing a pattern? Yes, the incredibly talented Kiersten...)

I may have wanted to steal the bouquets and keep them for myself... But of course, I didn't.

And let's not forget her elegant Tahari shoes...

And without any more delay, the stunning bride...

One of my favorites. Kiersten - you are adorable!

A few of the wonderful bridesmaids...

While the ladies applied their finishing touches, the groom and groomsmen were busy tying their ties...

Sisters...

KIERSTEN. You are gorgeous...

Eric and Kiersten decided to have a "First Look" so that they could have a few moments to themselves and plenty of time to take pictures beforehand so they could focus on their family and friends after the wedding. (Such a great idea and such a beautiful moment for just the two of them...) This is a picture of Kiersten on the way to go meet Eric. They were so excited to see each other.

Eric's face when he first saw his beautiful bride

After they had a few moments, we all headed out for pictures at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. It was perfect.

And so were they. Can we say coolest bridal party ever?

My amazing husband/second shooter/love of my life captured this moment while I was putting together the group shots. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

And he took these next two...

With such a vintage wedding theme, we had to recreate an old wedding photo...

And did I mention that Kiersten is STUNNING?!?

Afterward, we headed to the church where Kiersten's dad was able to see her for the first time that day...

And before long, it was time for the ceremony to begin

This melts me every time.

We then headed to the reception at the Roycroft for dinner, celebration and ice cream...

Instead of opting for cutting the cake, they served a special ice cream they had made for their reception...

And soon it was time for some dancing.

Afterward, Kiersten and Eric went out to their getaway car to discover that some clever friends had buried it with snow... Here's a glimpse of what ensued. And yes, they were able to dig it out...eventually.

Because every bride wants a shovel on her wedding day?

If you'd like to see more pictures, visit Kiersten and Eric's wedding SLIDE-SHOW. And we'd like to say thank you to Devin Bustin for the music!

And then there were 3...

2011-01-18T12:18:00.000-08:00

I want to be thrilled.
I long to have excitement coursing through my veins as I post this.
But it's weighty. Because there are a lot of unknowns.
The known: In a few months, we will most likely be outnumbered.
Yep... There's a little one brewing. And she/he should be joining our family in mid-July.
The weightiness? I've been having some health issues that could indicate she/he could be at risk for some health issues. At this moment, I go in every two weeks to see if she/he is still growing and still doing okay. And as of today, the baby is just fine. And there are no clear explanations for the issues I'm facing. But nonetheless, instead of feeling super-duper joyous, it's been difficult to go in every two weeks to find out if she/he is still alive.
But I wanted to let everyone know. And yes, we thoroughly appreciate your prayers. Times twenty.

And just so I don't alarm anyone - I am doing okay. I'm still fine to live my normal life and take pictures and tickle my kids. I'm not allowed to work out beyond walking at the moment which is slightly frustrating, but it's all good. And we are still looking forward to the summer weddings we have the privilege of being a part of...

And in other fun news, in two weeks I'll be announcing a new line of photography that will be offered to my clients. And I couldn't be more excited.

Finally - a special thank you to those of you who have prayed, written encouraging words, brought us meals, held our hands, listened as I cried, watched our kids, cleaned our house (oh my word - best day ever...) and basically carried us through this time. I don't know where we would be without you actively participating in God carrying us through this difficult time. We are blessed beyond measure. And we could not be more thankful for you. Yes...YOU.

And until this new little one makes her/his debut - you'll have to settle for the extreme cuteness factor of these two...

Open arms

2011-01-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

Last night my daughter had a bad dream. That continued to bother her all day... Tonight at bedtime she couldn't hold back the tears. I laid down beside her and covered her in a bear hug.
It didn't help.
So I began to pray.
I asked God to fill our room in such a way that there was room for nothing else.
And then God reminded me. Pray with your imagination. After all - He gave it to us.
I explained to Hannah that she had an amazing imagination and we were going to use it to pray.
Amidst muffled sobs she got out, "Okay, mommy."
As I listened to God for how to guide her - the picture came more quickly than I ever could have imagined. I asked Hannah to picture God just as the Bible often calls Him: as Daddy. I asked her to imagine Him wrapping her up in a crazy big hug - the biggest hug of her life. And then to imagine laying down in His lap, with Him stroking her hair as He quietly reminded her, "I love you more than you will ever know. Let me hold you. And know that no matter what you face in life, My arms and My lap are always open for you."
I held her a little tighter. I glanced at her to see how she was doing. She then waved her hand to signal me to move on. She was being embraced by God and she didn't need me in the same way anymore.
And in that moment, I realized God wanted me to know that picture just as much as He wanted my daughter to experience it.
It's true, His arms and His lap are open to me. Every moment.

Silence

2011-01-12T16:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't known what to write.
And let's be honest, I haven't known what to feel.
Or if I feel.
It's those moments where tears start to form that I know - I do.

Two days after I started my break I got a little surprise.
I found out I was pregnant.
And by little surprise - I mean BIG-whopping-completely unexpected-are you serious? - kind of surprise.
We had definitely planned to adopt, but we were not planning on having any more of our own. Like - we-don't-have-maternity-coverage-so-we're-not-having-any-more.

I'd totally be lying if I said I was thrilled. More like shocked.

But...I started to accept it. My jaw slowly resumed its position OFF the floor. Though it still seemed a little crazy, I started to remember the joys of little new-born-ness. And how much they change your life in such a great way.

Instead of continuing on factually, I'm just going to get it out there.
I've started having complications.

And I find myself sitting in a doctor's office every other week wondering if this little one will be have a heartbeat.
I stare down the light blue walls. I laugh at the tropical island picture on the ceiling. I psycho-analyze the magazine collection and I wait. And I basically distract myself as I sit wondering if she still has a heartbeat. Wondering if she's okay. Wondering if I will hold her in my arms or if Jesus will be the one to hold her until I get to meet her one day...

Silence.

Questions.

So I apologize for being distant. I just haven't known what to say. I still don't.
But the beautiful thing is that in all of this is that people have carried us when we could not walk. Friends have prayed when I had no words. And God has broken through and helped me learn to trust Him again.

So thank you for your patience. I'll know more next week hopefully. And in the meantime, I'll treasure this time that she is with me.

Here

2011-01-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

I'm still here.
Pinky swear...
We've just had a lot of life.
So, I'll be back with new announcements, crazy stories and pictures of incredibly awesome people THIS week. (And next week there will be some pictures from the wedding we'll be documenting this weekend. I'm so excited to spend this time with this couple!!!)
In the meantime, I'm gonna go play Just Dance with my kids.

Yumminess

2010-12-20T17:43:00.000-08:00

If only you could taste what you're about to see.
Seriously...
UH-ma-ZING.
Times infinity.
Like...I-stole-the-last-cupcake-from-my-own-child-good.
The person behind it all?
The adorable Gina. Owner/Baker-extraordinaire of Crazy Delicious Cupcakes.
Here, I'll give you every reason to get rid of your diet plans...

And now, the adorable lady behind all this yumminess

Gina, you are oh-so-adorable

The past few months...

2010-12-17T17:50:00.000-08:00

Life gets crazy and I disappear.
I'm going to stop doing it. I swear.
I guess it's felt like life has been dealing us more than we ever thought we could handle in both good and not-so-great ways.
Like food poisoning?
NOT-so-great. Correction: HORRIBLE.
Time to explain to my daughter that we have choices every day to trust God and take chances and give in big ways or always be concerned about ourselves and live lame lives?
Infinitely wonderful.
And I find in these moments I over-analyze anything I would say and decide to play it safe and put nothing out there.

So...today, I'll put this. Joy. From two of the cutest little people on the planet. I hope these bring you half as much joy as they do to me:

Kara and Gail

2010-11-23T10:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes.
You get that phone call. The one that instantaneously leaves your knees feeling weak and you questioning if this could actually be happening. It hits you out of no where. And you're left to think.
To question why. To realize how precious life is. And how short. And to throw it all out there with God. The good, the bad and the ugly...
And somewhere in that whirlwind, you start to see more clearly. You realize what matters. You know in your gut that there's hope and that kind of hope can change the world. You realize that God is there. Listening. Aching with you. Walking every step right with you. And He isn't just there to comfort. He's there to work. And to do crazy amazing things. And bring lives even closer together.

It's at these times you realize some of the most important things in life. Creating memories. Living to the full.
And pictures, to hold in your hand or hang on your wall. To remember. To laugh at that moment again. To create new memories. To document that bond. To look and see that you survived that. To capture those emotions instead of just holding them back.
When Kara emailed me, tears formed in the corners of my eyes. She wrote that her mom had just been diagnosed with cancer. She knew her mom would fight it. But this made her realize how important it was to have pictures. Just the two of them. To remember. To laugh. And to see the beauty in even this moment.
After I finished reading, I was full-on wiping away tears. This. This is why I wake up and I can't believe this is my "job." I get to be a part of beautiful moments like this. Of mothers and daughters who will walk through anything together. Of composing images that take my breath away because of the beauty of the people in them. Of being entrusted with such a precious moment.

Kara and Gail, I don't have words. You two are so precious to me. Kara, thank you for thinking of this. And for inviting me to be a part of it all. You probably know, but I'll say it again, I positively adore you. And Gail, thank you for sharing this part of your journey with me. And thank you for sharing your faith in all of this. I cherish my time with you guys so much.

And one other thank you to the AMAZING Nicole Roby. Thank you for giving up the day after your birthday celebration to bring your unbelievable make-up artistry to these two. Sure you had gorgeous ladies to work with - but girl, I nearly fell over when you were finished. Thank you, Nicole! (And yes, any future clients out there - you simply must use her. I'll be talking about her more soon...)

So without further ado, meet Kara and Gail as they got ready with the ever-so-awesome Nicole...
(And if you'd like to see more from their session, just check out their SLIDE-SHOW)

Did I mention that Gail is stunning? Because it's a true story.

And her daughter, Kara? Oh.my.goodness. Hello and welcome to STUNNING.

Kara was so wonderful and agreed to find some old things she had made her mom back in the day. So great!

I adore these two.

I made them do a staring contest. Of course, they made it ridiculously cute.

LOVE.

To see more from their session, check out their SLIDE-SHOW. And yes, the music is courtesy of the amazing Devin Bustin.

How to take better pictures of your kids - or at least my ideas

2010-11-20T05:09:00.000-08:00

I've been MIA.
Life has been...well, crazy. Curve balls and all sorts of fun.
So, I promise, I'll be back. With pictures and everything. But in the meantime, for all you moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents and picture-taking people, I thought I'd share an article I wrote a while ago for Dupage Mamas about taking better pictures of your kids. Maybe it will be helpful for someone out there!

Here you go:

They’re adorable. Ridiculously so. And you just want to capture the precious moment that is unfolding before your eyes. So you grab your camera and you press freeze (AKA: shutter button) hoping to remember this forever.
You excitedly press the playback button. You look at the photo, but somehow it’s not quite as great as what you had seen before pressing the shutter.
I totally understand. That’s actually how I started in photography.
So today I want to give you a few tips for how to take better pictures of your precious little ones.

1. Turn off your flash
I know. It automatically turns on with your camera. And who can forget your best friend – red-eye reduction? (Which may have given some of our poor children nightmares…) I’m telling you. Turn it off. There are some instances where you may not be able to get around it, but whenever possible, find another way to grab light.
Here’s some possibilities…
Natural light: It’s got it going on. It’s yummy and when there’s enough of it, it can lead to images that melt hearts. And it is way better than anything our cameras put out. So become friends with your windows. (Besides – I could always use motivation to actually clean mine…) Or shoot outdoors. Just keep in mind that too much of a good thing won’t work out so well. So if it’s noon and the sun is blaring down and your in an open field – you’re probably going to get a harsh picture with squinting subjects.
(side note: garage light ROCKS. Open up your garage, turn off your flash, hang up a black sheet or a white one and see how wonderful the light can be. Added bonus: it might motivate you to clean your garage!)
Grab a lamp: Sometimes it’s dark. And there’s just no getting around it. (Especially here around Chicago where it likes to stay gray for weeks at a time in the middle of winter…not that I'm bitter...) Just grab a lamp. Especially those ones that have a spotlight head you can move or bend. Play around and see if by using that steady light you can get a better picture than if you blinded your poor child with the flash.

2. Move in closer
Chances are you’ll be starting out on your kid(s). I am now giving you an excuse to get even closer to them. The truth is, sometimes those moments get lost because we’re too far away and the scene clutters the picture so we get distracted from all the cute our kids have going on. So move in. Closer than you think. Try it out. See what happens…

3. Know your subject
One of the best tips in motherhood works really well for photos too: Study your subject! Learn what time they’re at their happiest. Chances are – that will make for the best time for pictures. Make sure they’re well fed. And watch how they play. You’ll find that you’ll sometimes be able to predict when they are on the verge of doing something hilarious and you’ll know right when to press the shutter button

.

Here’s an example from my little man. I took him beside the big window we have upstairs and started playing with him. (natural light!) I was within tickling reach of him (moved in close) and I knew he makes the most adorable face ever when he “growls.” So after getting set up, I just played with him and got him growling. I snapped the shutter and this is what I got. And I love it. And him…

So there are some tips to get you started. The main thing is keep trying and keep learning! And if you have any questions or are looking for more helpful books/websites, feel free to contact me. And of course, if you’d like some pictures that you are actually IN, I love capturing the beauty of families and telling their stories.

2 years

2010-11-14T18:38:00.000-08:00

He has this deep belly laugh that transforms me into a pile of mush.
He sometimes yells out "Happy No Toes!" And we have no idea why, but we've all adopted it into our everyday conversation.
He buries his head into the bend in my neck and as I wrap my arms around him, I know life is all about moments like this.
He counts to ten...without ever mentioning the number 7. Although he does pronounce 6 as "sicky". So maybe he thinks it's okay.

Little man - you have stolen my heart. And if it's okay with you, I'll keep you forever.

Happy birthday.

Nicole and Spencer

2010-11-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Her friend had already made her aware of the oh-so-cute guy that worked at her building. That match-making friend was convinced they would be perfect for each other.

Too bad that the first time Nicole met Spencer, she didn’t even notice him. He would add (with a mischievous smile on his face) – she was kind of rude.

To know Nicole is to know the exact opposite. She values people. She makes them feel welcome. And loved. And she has no recollection of said event.

But sometimes in life we’re given a second chance.

A few weeks later, she found an issue in her apartment. She called to send someone to fix it. Soon after, that oh-so-cute guy was knocking at her door and Nicole couldn’t help but notice.

After that meeting a spark had started. That led to him offering to help her move. That led to hour long conversations. That led to a relationship. That led to a precious little man named Cameron. That led to the realization that they wanted all of their days to be spent together. Loving, laughing and recalling first impressions gone wrong. And next year these two will pledge themselves to each other. And thank God for apartments in need of repair.

Nicole and Spencer, I love you two. (And Cam…) It has been SUCH a privilege to watch your relationship grow and develop. And I’m not going to lie – I totally teared up when I heard that Spencer had proposed. Because you two have that love – that beautiful kind of love that reminds this world that there is so.much.good. Thank you for inspiring me. For sharing life with me. And for being so incredibly wonderful. All.the.time…

And Nicole – happy birthday… I’m so glad that you were born!

For a slide-show of pictures from our session, just go HERE. And the music? You guessed it - the incredibly talented Devin Bustin. And yes, do yourself a favor and check out his original music.

Just so you know...these two brought it

I almost melted from extreme amounts of cuteness.

Nicole, gosh you are gorgeous. And of course Spencer brought the studly.

LOVE.

I warned her to make sure the water didn't go up her nose. I try to help.

Please, you simply MUST note these SHOES. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Oh so fierce.

Love these shoes. I cannot wait for her wedding day...

Oh my goodness..

Again with Nicole bein' all stunning.

Spencer - seriously. Wow.

One of my faves.

I love this beyond measure.

Again, if you'd like to see more pictures, check out their slide-show!

Jillian and Rob: Engagement Session

2010-11-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

She was beautiful.

And personable.

And she was one of those people that made the room light up when she smiled. (Don't get me started on her gorgeous smile. Just wait - you'll see) She was all things wonderful.

He sat in the interview – and he knew: this girl was one of a kind.

It was an easy choice.
The restaurant needed her. She had the job.

The not so easy choice?

After months of working together and realizing that he was already falling for her…did he admit it? Did he risk his job?

There’s one thing you know after spending time with Rob. He knows the right time to risk it all. And he’d probably say it was an easy choice. She was worth it.

And Jillian?

She started to fall for Rob.

And they started a relationship that was worth the risk. And in a few months they will declare in front of a close group of family and friends that it was the best risk they’ve ever taken. And they will continue to risk everything for this love. For ever.

Jillian and Rob, you two are beyond wonderful. I could not be more excited/honored to be there to document your wedding day. I'm so excited. And Rob, I promise not to call you "buddy" on your wedding day. Please forgive my social awkwardness. Somehow you two still managed to rock out our shoot.

And of course, if you'd like to see more of their engagement pictures, just click HERE for their slide-show. And of course, the music is the ever-so-talented, soon-to-release her album, Andrea Bustin.

Okay. Here it is. One of many shots that turn me into mush every time.

So.much.cuteness.

LOVE.

This is probably one of the times I called Rob "Buddy" and he couldn't help but laugh at my awkwardness.

JILLIAN!!!

Um. Hello and welcome to stunning.

They are just this gorgeous.

I LOVE this.

Wow. Double wow.

Again if you'd like to see more from their engagement session just click HERE for their slide-show. And thanks to Andrea Bustin for the gorgeous vocal stylings.

Yackety-schmakety

2010-11-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

This is sometimes an on-line journal of sorts for me.
And today is that kind of a day.
The past five years of life have been __________ (insert word here that captures the essence of difficult, different, beautiful, sacred, painful, growth-filled and so much more. And yes, if you find that one word, please email me - I beg you)
And I'd be lying if I said it hasn't been hard.
The past few months I've been realizing there is a lot I need to sit with.
And even in the discouraging moments, I keep having this vision that we (our family) has this love that could take all the pain and hard that we've been dealt and that we've oftentimes dealt each other - and swallow it. Gone. Maybe in sips and slurps, but gone. Not that it wouldn't be a part of our story, but that the pain side of it would be gone. Because - that's the love we have; that's what this whole Jesus story is about.
Tonight I facebook stalked a friend. A friend who's been on this kind of journey and has seen/is seeing that it is possible. I saw this quote, and I just felt like I had to share it:

What appears to be disaster over time becomes a strong foundation for a life well lived.
~Rachel Naomi Remen

This gave me courage.
I hope it does the same for you.
And though I fretted over whether to post or not to post this because it's well - uncomfortable, I feel like there is someone out there that needs to know she's not alone. So if you are out there - just know. You're not.

Lindsey and Rob

2010-10-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

She knew.
It was plain as day. Either she was going to marry him or someone exactly like him.
Him?
Well, he was oblivious.
He knew she was great, that's exactly why he was thrilled she would be volunteering with the youth group he led. But he was so focused on caring for those kids, it didn't cross his mind that this was the woman he would want to spend all of his days with.
Conversations continued. Coffee was shared. Life was discussed. Stories were told.
And as he caught a real window into who she was, he knew he had to say something. Because he couldn't let her go.
And in a few short months (7 to be exact...) they will declare in front of family and friends that no matter what, they won't let go of each other...ever. And I couldn't be more excited for them.

Lindsey and Rob, oh.my.word. Can I just say that I love the two of you? Because it's true. And the way you love each other. (and how hilarious you both are) Thank you. For sharing that love with me and with those around you. Because instead of just keeping that beautiful love to yourselves, you go out and share what love really looks like with everyone around you. We could not be more excited to capture your wedding day. And to go out for coffee dates any time between now and then...

To see a full slide-show of their pictures, just go HERE.

Meet Rob and Lindsey...

Okay, LOVE. Lindsey, you are stunning...

I melted. Into a pile of mush. You two are beyond adorable.

Um. WOW.

Rob, you BROUGHT it.

Quite possibly one of my favorite pictures EVER.

Lindsey. Again with that whole you-are-stunning thing.

I love them. So much.

I love that they were willing to dance in the middle of the sidewalk.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

I told them to make it look like you were in middle school again. I think they got it.

Now do you understand why I love them? SO MUCH.

And again, for a full slide-show of their pictures, you can click HERE.

Jim and Ann's Wedding - Second Shooting with the Incredible Nate Mathai

2010-10-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Nate Mathai.
He's a photographer. Of the insanely talented persuasion. And he's so incredibly kind. So when I was given the opportunity to second shoot for him at a wedding...well, let's just say I was excited.
Then I met the groom's family.
And I fell in LOVE.
With their graciousness, with their hilarity, with their details, their beauty, their rituals and their INCREDIBLE food.
And I kept looking around thinking how unbelievably grateful I was to be there, capturing this amazing couple, working with this awesome photographer and spending time with these precious people.

So without further ado, here are some of the beautiful moments that I was welcomed into... (and to see more [especially more pictures of the beautiful bride] go to Nate's post HERE.

Meet the handsome, oh-so-gracious and completely in love with his bride, groom.

His attire for the day

Okay, I love this picture. This is the groom's dad carefully placing some of the gifts for his daughter-in-law (which are a part of their ceremony) back into their special case. As I watched the tenderness with which he handled these gifts, I held back tears as I saw how much he already loves her.

Oh these groomsmen. They were the BEST. I'm pretty sure I was doubled over laughing anytime they were around.

And yes, they have a serious side, too.

So...as I learned, Indian ceremonies are full of beautiful traditions. Ways to stop and honor family and friends, opportunities to fully enter into the story of this day, and space to really experience the community around you. The following pictures capture different moments from some of those traditions. (which were so meaningful and inspiring) One such tradition has his closest friends and family do one part of getting him dressed. These are his brothers attaching his cuff links.

This is his mom. Whom I adore. Right after she had buttoned his vest. Words cannot express how precious this lady is... Or how much I love this picture.

Their saris? Stunning. (And can we just note how adorable this little girl is?!?)

A time of prayer asking for God's blessing upon the couple.

At this point I was holding back tears. His parents are so wonderful.

Jim and his dad. These are two incredible men.

The groomsmen praying for Jim right before the ceremony.

Jim's face as he saw Ann walk down the aisle. And as you'll see - she is stunning.

The church.

Though it was beautiful, it was a longer ceremony. One little guy couldn't quite make it through...

The colors were stunning.

After the ceremony, Nate took the family portraits while I took little detail shots. Like this...
This expression? Made my day.

About to make their exit from the church...

Their reception was held at Drury Lane. The details? So pretty. I was able to take these while Nate was capturing incredible pictures of the bridal party...

And there's Nate himself... Have I mentioned that he's great?

So another favorite part of their wedding day? Family and friends prepare dances for the bride and groom to open up the dance floor.
Let's just say the dances were pure awesome-ness.
These guys brought it.
And you MUST check out Nate's post for more unbelievable shots...

And then the dancing began. (PS: they had some of the most incredible emcee's ever)

Side note: can you tell these guys are brothers?

Thank you again to Nate Mathai for letting me work with you. It was an honor. And congratulations to Jim and Ann! I loved being a part of your day.

Polka dotted coffee mugs

2010-10-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

It's late.
I realize this.
But it's silent.
And it's moments like these when I hold a polka dotted coffee mug with hot tea and I think of these amazing people that are basically a part of our family. And though I wish they were hear sharing stories and life with me, I realize they are scattered throughout the world. Serving. Learning. Growing. Crying. Dancing. Laughing. Eating. Sleeping. And writing.
And I read their blogs. Because I miss them. Because they challenge me. Because I want to know what these places are like. Because I've grown to feel like their host families are friends. And because I love them.
So, I'll share them with you. Be prepared to fall in love with them. And places and people you never met.
And the pictures? Your breath will likely be taken away.
One of the students specifically is doing a story-project that will later be a coffee table book filled with pictures and stories. And yes, I totally want one.
Here are some links to some people that might just change your life and in small ways with GREAT love they are changing the world...

Hilary
Catherine
Remer
Erin

And there's another one in Chicago. Caring, learning, working, loving and the like. And yes, I'm calling you out here - because either you don't have a blog or you haven't shared it with me. But long story short - she's worth knowing. And her name is Kaitlin. And I hope you help me pressure her into starting a blog.

Something?

2010-10-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

It's been more than a week.
For realz.
Why?
Lots of reasons.
So in an effort to stop the spiral - I'm writing.
It's not much.
It's not very great.
But it stops the cycle.
It's something.
Which I'm told is often better than nothing.

Hopefully this is me. Coming back.
In the meantime, I give you my failed attempt to take a picture of my own kids.

Nothing.

2010-10-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have nothing left to give.
Nothing.
Like beyond empty.
I just can't do this.

Every day.
These have been my thoughts.
My reality.

Today I sat there.

Quiet.

Trying to ignore the day that seemed like it was going to be filled with me coming up short. Again.

And in the moment, His voice was clear.
Not loud. But clear.

At first I almost didn't listen.

I was scared.

Scared He would say I was a failure.

Scared He would say I needed to work harder. Dig a little deeper... Or some other "helpful" statement that seemed like I should be able to do and yet continued to fail at EVERY freaking day.

I was scared He'd show me just how far away from Him I'd gone and let me know this served me right.

He didn't.

He asked a question.

Why don't you just give me what little you do have? How about that?

[insert tears here.]

Yep.

I managed to forget Who I was dealing with. I managed to label God with all the worst reactions I'd seen in flawed people who were probably trying their best at the time.

But that?

I can do that.

And as best I can remember He has a reputation for being able to do a heck of a lot with that.

No wonder this is good news.

Big boy beds. And epic failures.

2010-09-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Today we decided to move the little man into a "big boy" bed.
Actually, our kids share a room and my little lady's bed is my big brother's old day bed from back in the day that has a trundle bed underneath which now belongs to Jayden.
In honor of that occasion, I'll share with you my text message conversation with Ted during Jayden's nap time...

Me: Dude. He seriously fell asleep.
Ted: Nice. You da mom.
(Can we just draw attention to how hilarious my husband is?)
One hour passes...
Me: And then he coughed himself awake.
Me: And then he pooped.
Me: And then he attacked the blinds.
Me: And then he pulled everything out of the electrical outlets and either electrocuted himself or fell off the bed. Still not sure which.
Me: And then I laid down with him until Stanley [our dog] decided to join us.
Me: And now he's scraping the walls.

Serenity now...

Oh well, at least he's cute.

Erin and Phil

2010-09-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

It's one of my favorite questions to ask...
"What was your first thought when you met him?"
Her answer was sweet and cute and inserted hilarious anecdotes about how he was wearing a Speedo. (Not actually true, however a hilarious joke they share)
Then I asked him what his first thoughts were when he saw her.
"Do you want to know the truth?"
Um, yeah. Of course.
"I thought I'd really like to make out with her."
At this point I nearly fell off my step ladder from extreme amounts of laughter.
Well...he was honest.
Over time they became friends. And instead of being some girl he wanted to make out with, she became the one he didn't want to live without. He caught a vision for what life following Jesus could be like and wanted every step of that to be with her. And she knew that she wanted to wake up every morning next to him... following dreams of serving others and living the crazy full life that Jesus promised.

Erin and Phil, you two are incredible. Thank you for letting me into your lives and your relationship. For sharing hilarious stories and for making me laugh so hard I nearly fell over. For then sharing more about your dreams of caring for people and seeing how you're already doing it. I am ridiculously thankful for you two.
And PS: Happy 2 year anniversary!

Yes, they are that adorable...

Can we say best series ever?

You two get at least 1,000 adorable points.

You two are fierce.

LOVE

Her reaction to Phil's first thoughts...

Erin, you are gorgeous. Just so you know.

Yes, yes he did.

And to see more from their couple's session, just click HERE. And the music? The amazing Andrea Bustin. Who is releasing her new CD next month. Sooooooooooo good.

Mark and Stacey

2010-09-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

He loves her.
She loves him.
And it's totally obvious. And all kinds of cute.
But it didn't start that way.
Because sometimes the very thing you're looking for is right in front of you. And you still don't see it.
She knew. And was smitten.
He couldn't see.
But after time, he couldn't take his eyes off of her.
He still can't.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.

Here's a glimpse of my time with one of my favorite couples in the world a few more years in. And better than ever.
Mark and Stacey, our whole family loves you to pieces. Thank you for sharing life with us. And for being an inspiration for what love can look like.

Oh Stacey, you are all kinds of gorgeous

When I first saw this my jaw dropped and tears started to form. Stacey, you're beautiful. And this - this is why I love photography.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

And to see more from their couples' session, check out their SLIDESHOW. And the music? Very much the ever-so-talented Devin Bustin. And you can buy his music here...I'm SUCH a fan.

At the end of the day...

2010-09-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

At the end of the day, I love you beyond measure.
          I get butterflies when you give me that look that says you're still in love with me.
          I love late night talks with you.
          I couldn't think of a better person to spend the rest of my days with.
          I think of all the sacrifices you've made for me and I am overwhelmed.
          I love your smile.
          I would play Boggle with you until my eyes cross.
          I am ridiculously thankful that your work emails contain such words as "Yee-haw"
          I see who you are and cannot begin to fathom how lucky I am.

But sometimes, in the middle of the day...I get frustrated. In a small moment I forget everything I know and I get upset. And you?
You forgive me. Before I even know to ask.
I love you.
And I'm sorry.
And I will love you until the end of my days...

PS: I'm insanely proud of you. Fo' realz.

Holiday Mini-Sessions

2010-09-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

It's coming.
Christmas.
As crazy and far away as it sounds...
The season of steamy hot chocolate, peppermint mochas, fruit cake, cherishing, celebrations and Christmas cards will be on us before we know it.
So... I decided to put together some special mini-sessions for the month of October in hopes of helping you cross one thing off your to-do list and helping you stop and enjoy the season this year.

So...what's a mini-session?
You (and possibly family members or good friends) + me + my camera + laughter, gorgeousness and all sorts of fun.
All in a half-hour.

But if you're like me, you like lists, so please, let me indulge you with a list of the information of what this includes:
30 minutes of shooting and hopefully lots of laughter
Up to 5 people (we recommend knowing these people, but we're open)
Private on-line gallery for you to peruse your awesome-ness
One master image burned to DVD for you to use for your Christmas Card blitz.

And these mini-sessions are $150.

Without further ado, I'll give you dates, times and locations to see if we can combine forces...

October 2 - Downtown Naperville
3:20 pm, 4 pm, 4:40 pm

October 9 - Downtown Wheaton
3:20 pm, 4 pm, 4:40 pm

October 23 - Herrick Lake Forest Preserve (or Downtown Naperville - depending on the desires of the first people to contact me for that date!)
3:20 pm, 4 pm, 4:40 pm

Things to keep in mind...
I think you're great.
This is first email, first serve...
And my email: amy@amypphotos.com
I will be taking time off from November 11 - January 5th. Please keep this in mind if you are wanting to schedule a session.

(and yes, this was composed when I was quite tired. I hope you enjoy!)

And to leave you with some picture love of an incredible couple coming to the blog soon:

Emily.

2010-09-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

I've gotten a lot of emails.
(Yes, it seems like I just tried to make myself sound popular.)
And they come from these incredible ladies. Ladies who are beautiful on the inside and out. And many of them say these nice, encouraging things that send my heart soaring. They remind me of what an incredible gift it is to be a photographer. But after all the warm fuzzies, there always seemed to be a statement like "I can't wait until I have an excuse for you to take pictures!"

Do not get me wrong.

I am honored. Seriously. Someone would already plan to entrust the beauty of their wedding or engagement or whatever special event and give me the opportunity to experience it and document it? There just aren't words to put around how beautiful that is. And it often moves me to tears.
But...
Yep. Totally just threw in a but...
I kept finding that I was also a little bit sad after reading those emails. Because somewhere along the line it seems like we've communicated to women that if you're not a senior or you're not engaged, there's no point in having pictures.
Bogus.
This time is beautiful. And no relationship or "right of passage" deems you more worthy of pictures than anyone else.
So I got all passionate. And soap-box-y. And I knew. I had to find a way to start doing this. To help girls realize how beautiful they are. To press pause on this sacred moment. To be in awe of their stories. To record this time for future generations.
And so I sent that random email.
I knew her loosely. The truth is, I had heard all this "oh my goodness she is so wonderful.." over and over. And then I met her. And totally knew everything I'd heard was right. And so I sent her a random email. And asked her to model for me. I was all, "I know you don't even know me, but can I take pictures of you?" And probably appeared stalkerish.
The truth?
I wanted to meet her. (For more than 5 minutes.) There's just something incredible about her.
And...I wanted to find someone that I didn't know well to just be my guinea pig as I started figuring out what this looks like.
And she said yes.
Even though I may have appeared stalkerish.

So here it goes... Chasing a vision.

PS: Emily - oh my word. You are so wonderful. I enjoyed hanging out with you SOOOOOOOO much. I still can't believe you're in Greece?!? Thank you for sharing yourself with me. Your stories. Your heart. Your plans to one day adopt. I left on cloud 9. And I'm so excited to go get coffee with you (if you're okay with it) when you get back!!!

Emily, you are adorable

And gorgeous.

So much cuteness going on here

Wow

One of my faves.

It is

2010-09-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I started to feel sorry for myself.
Things once again weren't going the way they were supposed to.
(Which has felt like the theme of my life this summer at times.)

And then I stopped.

I realized.
It is...

I can be upset. Or I can look for something beautiful in the midst of this. And give this "imperfection" the opportunity to be a gift.

And of course, if that doesn't seem to work - I can get a push up pop...

That makes everything better.

A few snippets of what little I know about photography...

2010-09-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Okay...it's no secret.
I'm NOT an expert in photography. (Or motherhood or wife-dom for that matter.)
But for some reason, some of you incredibly kind people have asked me questions.
And so...I'll share what little I do know and a little of how I do things.
And if it actually helps anyone, I'll be thrilled. Like...I might dance a jig.

So here are a few that I've gotten:

Is there a method to your madness when posing people? Such as what angles look the best, lighting, depth of field, etc.

My method...
I tell clients I only 20% pose. Because for me, I don't want people looking back at their pictures thinking - "man that felt seriously awkward". Or - "That's soooooo not me."
So...I have ideas, but I give loose suggestions. And I tell them why - because usually, if they'll become comfortable, they'll fall into GREAT poses. (Some clients need a little more input, but as a client becomes more and more comfortable, they usually bring it.)
So, I see stairs and I have this idea of them sitting in some cute little Anthropologie-esque type way (because I think it would seem authentic for the person) I tell them to sit and let's see how they fall. From there I adjust anything that looks odd or give little suggestions to make it better. And granted, depending on the client's personality, we might pose a little more - as long as they are loving it and having fun. And we might get a little more technical, but it really just depends on the person and their comfort level.
My main goal: to take pictures that help them see how beautiful they truly are when they are themselves. If someone can rock that out in a pose - I'm in. If they need to be in a moment - I'm in.

Angles
For kids - GET TO THEIR LEVEL. I cannot tell you how much better my pictures became once I started doing this.
Unless someone has a really large forehead, I also like shots where I'm looking down on them slightly. So I stand on stairs higher than them or on a bench beside them or something of the sort a lot of the time. Or even have them sit. Plus - you can combine this with a shot on their level and have two really great looks in very little time!

Lighting
That's an in depth one. It's all about the time of day and where the light is. So, that's one that either we could do over coffee or send me situations and I can help you think through it.

How do you pick locations?
I pick locations based on the client and who they are. And then from there it's based on what stands out to me. So...for my shoots I look for a location that has a meaning or just captures a little bit of who they are or even just makes them feel really at home. Then I just take a second to walk around and see what stands out to me. And we just have fun finding little nooks and crannies. And indulging every so often in minor trespassing - but only minor. (I like to explore...) Sometimes, I decide myself if the client is unsure, but I try to get to know them well enough that I feel like they'll like the end result.

Are there cues that you give people when you want them to act natural, interact with one another, etc for capturing action shots/candids?
Oh cues...
Now that I've put in the time on learning my camera and ISO and aperture and exposure and all that jazz, I'm free to focus on this a lot more. And it's my favorite part.
So, in individual sessions:
I try to draw out the person.
I ask for embarrassing stories. I tell my own embarrassing stories. I tell Hannah stories.
I ask about their dreams. I ask them to think about certain things. For example, one of my sessions was of a girl about to go for 9 months to Peru. I took my camera down for a second, looked her in the eyes and asked her to take a moment, take in a deep breath and just take in the fact that soon she would be in Peru. That picture - to this day is one of my favorites of ALL time.
I had a client that was having trouble being herself. She was so together and almost model-ish. (Which isn't bad, I just wanted both) So, I found out she used to sing and I made her sing the Star Spangled Banner in the middle of the forest preserve. It was epic. And a guy passing by joined in with her. I got some great shots of her laughing and hopefully left her with a slightly hilarious memory.

For couples...
Oh how I LOVE couples!!!
It can be even more than just pictures - you have the opportunity to reconnect people with their love for each other and that is SUCH a sacred awesome thing.
So you can bet that I'm learning about their story. How they knew they wanted to be with this person...what they love about that person, etc.
And I find ways to get them interacting. Whether it's dancing or practicing Ninja skills, if it fits the couple and gets them laughing, it's fair game.

For weddings...
I see that my role is to constantly bring them back to the beauty of this day and the person they're marrying. If I can do that successfully, I'll have unbelievable pictures ALL DAY LONG. And...I love it.

What do you shoot in (settings whys) in general?
I shoot in Manual mode.
I like to have control of my aperture and my exposure (shutter speed) and everything. It just gives me the freedom to really capture the moment the way I see it.
Also, I shoot in jpg now. I used to shoot in raw because it helped in case I was off a little - I could usually save the picture, but now I like JPG because I feel like I'm challenging myself to get it right in camera and I feel like JPG files end up looking more like prints from film and I really like the classic look of film.

If you are looking to learn more about photography, here are some websites and blogs that are far more helpful than I will probably ever be. As a matter of fact, these people have taught me so much:

www.jasminestarblog.com
Check her FAQ posts. So.much.help!!!
And she just so happens to be an INCREDIBLE person, photographer and writer.

www.thepioneerwoman.com
Check out the photography section. She has mad skills in explaining all sorts of technical jargon and she was basically my best friend when I was starting out.

And now...I'm going to bed. But first, I'll end with a picture of the little lady who didn't want to take a nap...

Emily and Austin

2010-09-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

I asked what some of her favorite things about him were.
Her reply?
He has laugh lines at the age of 22.
After meeting at Covenant Harbor while they were in high school, the letters began. She couldn't forget about him. So she wrote him. (I'm betting it was the laughing) And their letter correspondence turned into a relationship. That went through high school, proms, graduating, hard times, laughter, long-distance, college classes and is deeper than ever.
And in July of next year they are committing themselves to laughing side by side no matter what comes their way.
And to cherish every laugh line they develop.
Because there's something beautiful about sharing your laughter with someone for all of life.

Austin and Emily, you two are all kinds of adorable. I remember long talks at Red Robin hearing about Austin and watching as your relationship grew. And I could not be more excited to see you two getting married. We are so honored to document that incredibly beautiful day. And don't be surprised if I tear up...but I promise I can shoot through joyful tears.

And as always, if you'd like to see more pictures, just check out their slideshow HERE. And a huge thanks yet again to the incredible Devin Bustin for the music. And you can purchase his music HERE.

Prepare to be overwhelmed by cuteness

And yes, Emily is THAT stunning. Oh. my. goodness.

A tribute to the middle school dance days.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

You had to be there.

Don't forget to check out their SLIDESHOW

Coffee and Closed Doors

2010-08-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

Whenever I drink coffee, I find it necessary to drink a huge glass of water. It's simply a must. And for those of you who know me well, this is a typical occurrence.
This also lends itself to needing to pee.
Obviously.
So, on Sunday, while my friend fielded an important phone call I went to alleviate my bladder. I shut the door behind me, finished, washed my hands and then turned to the door. I twisted the handle and...nothing. We're talking door-would-not-move nothing.
At first I freaked a little.
And then I just started laughing.
A lot. (this is also a frequent occurrence for me)
I decided to get creative...
I physically tried to pull the door up as I pulled it back toward me.
Nothing.
I pushed down as I pulled back.
Nothing.
I twisted and used all of my body weight in repeated body jerks.
Nothing.
And then I texted my friend, "okay...I'm kind of stuck in the bathroom. Like - door-stuck-and-can't-open... Could you come help me?"
I paused, prayed and prepared myself for the hilarity and mild embarrassment of what was about to happen in the middle of this full coffee shop.
But I decided I'd give it one last shot.
And guess what?
No, really...guess.
It opened.
And then we laughed. Really hard.
And yes, there is no point to this story. At all.

I want my mommy

2010-08-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

I didn't plan on being a mom.
I figured if I ever had children I would misplace them.
Not because I didn't like them. But because I would get distracted and lose them like I lose my keys.
So let's just say I entered motherhood with a lot of insecurities. And a lot of - "this isn't the way my life is supposed to go." Accompanied by a whole bunch of "I'll never be a good mother."
And tears. Lots of tears.
Add to that the fact that I'm ADD. And let's just say an ADD mom is a hilarious notion in and of itself. My "mother-hood" is a little different to say the least. And if I were to be really honest, which I'm going to, I frequently feel inadequate and "less than" because I'll never be like these other mothers that I love and admire. I forget my preschooler's assignments. I celebrate birthdays a month late. I struggle to get out of the house before 10 am because I usually can't find my phone or my keys.
My children? They're great. But I still feel inadequate. I feel like I can't measure up to the mom I had. To the other moms I know and adore. To the mom they need.

This past weekend, my mom and dad-in-law graciously took our kids.
I was burnt out. And there were 1,000s of projects I've left undone. And if I were to be really honest, that whole having Lyme disease thing really kicked my butt and made me feel like an even bigger failure as a mom because I've literally been knocked onto my butt. And I've been working like crazy. And I don't know the last time we've been on a date. (actually I do. It was our anniversary. 4 months ago. And before that... Yeah...)
And while they were there, my little lady got sick. Like puked-her-guts-out-in-the-front-yard-and-cried-like-crazy sick. And in that moment, she wanted her mommy.
My totally capable mom-in-law recounted this story to me at dinner. She told me how Hannah amidst tears cried for me and said I'd know just what to do.
And as she filled me in, I fought back tears.
I know what it's like to want your mommy. Especially when your sick. As a matter of fact, I still do. And for the past 4 years I was afraid I'd be the exception. I'd be such an awful mom that my kids wouldn't need me when they are sick. They wouldn't feel that desire to have me there. That I would fail at what I saw as the core of mom-dom.
And in that moment my heart sang a little. And I realized - yeah - I'm not a perfect mom. But somehow - they still love me. And they don't care that I'm different. They are crazy enough to think that I know what to do.

PS: Internet, I do realize that whole "they think I know what to do" thing will change in high school. But I will enjoy this fleeting moment...

Amy and Nate: "Day After" Session at Oscar Swan

2010-08-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

Rain.
Sometimes it comes at the wrong time.
Like right in the middle of your outdoor wedding ceremony.
But...I have the best clients in the world. The kind that take life as it comes. And laugh. And at the end of the day - they know what's most important. Their love. That they get to hold hands. That they get to wake up next to each other.
So when the downpour came...in the middle of their outdoor ceremony, it ruined our time-line and our plans to take pictures of them by themselves. And so...we laughed. And made a new plan. Right after their honeymoon, she put on her wedding dress, he put on his tux and we captured their gorgeous selves. Here's a little snapshot of our time.

And yes, they are incredible and GORGEOUS.

Yes. A miniature house. With green hearts. And I made them stand there. It was too odd to pass up.

Makes my day. Every.time.

LOVE

Um. WOW. Amy... WOW.

Nate, you're adorable. And I'm officially adopting you as a brother. You are all kinds of sweet.

Love these next two...

Nate brought it.

Okay, I am overwhelmed by their cuteness.

Fierce.

LOVE LOVE and LOVE some more.

Andrew and Nicole

2010-08-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

When I first met Nicole, I figured we'd never be friends.
(Keep in mind, I never wanted to date Ted)
She was just...so great. So beautiful. So kind. And her kids? Seriously...they belonged on a JCrew ad. And my kids? Well, hair has a tendency to look like it's running from their heads. And so I just didn't think she'd want to have anything to do with a crazy, messed up mom like me.
(And yes, I was SOOOOOO guilty of judging. And SOOOOOO wrong.)
But for some reason, they invited us to their small group at our church.
And they invited us into their lives.
And I've never been so thankful for such an invitation.

This couple...
Gracious.
Forgiving.
Kind times infinity.
Giving.
Loving.
Hilarious.
So real.

And so much more.

The past few years have been crazy for them. Life has given them circumstances I can't even begin to imagine. They had every reason to give up hope...to throw in the towel...to just quit trying.
And they didn't.
Because they have this hope.
Their lives are based in an understanding that love is bigger. Stronger. And it can defeat all. Both of them base their lives on resurrection. That even when the unthinkable happens, that Sunday is still on the way. (This is a reference to Easter...to the celebration of Jesus dying on a cross and then 3 days later, rising from the dead. If you have any questions about this or want to know more, you are always welcome to send me an email) And though it has been an incredibly painful road, they know...hope is still the story of their lives.

So, after much harassment from me, they agreed to grant me their gorgeous selves to document this love, this moment and all the beauty of their relationship - complete with imperfect circumstances. And Nicole still had her wedding dress and could fit into it. (Um, yeah. After 3 kids...) And so they decided to go back to the beginning of their life as one.

Nicole and Andrew, we love you guys. I don't think you can begin to know how grateful we are for you. For sharing life with you. For your laughter. For the fact that you like Eminem. For welcoming us like family. For taking the time to get to know our craziness and not running in the complete opposite direction. For making our struggles your own and carrying us through heartache and hard times.

(And PS: I'd be a bad friend to all of internet land if I didn't mention it - Andrew is an incredible financial advisor. Times twenty. If you'd like his information - just shoot me an email. He rocks.)

And now do you see how gorgeous they are?

LOVE

I'm not sure it gets much sweeter... And Nicole, you are STUNNING.

Um...WOW.

I love this picture. Times twenty.

To see more pictures and enjoy some incredible music courtesy of the ever-so-talented Devin Bustin, just click HERE.

Blah blah blah

2010-08-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Blah, blah, blah. Yackety, schmakety.
That's what all of the lame blog post ideas that bounced through my head over the past five minutes sounded like.
A severe dose of lame.
Because they were all so put together. So neatly packaged. So. much. white. noise.

So...instead I'll give you a picture. Or two.
Because those are fun.
And then when I feel like I'm ready to be me again, I'll write. So enjoy these moments with some adorable people.

Superwoman. AKA: greatest daughter ever.

Chubby thighs.

Awkward family photos.

Utter Awesome-ness.

The consequences of daddy breaking your sunglasses and only having a sister. After this weekend I promptly went out and got him "Cars" sunglasses. Mostly out of guilt.

Squeezability.

A new set of rules

2010-08-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

I shut the door and pressed the number 1.
Nothing happened.
I tried it again.
Nothing.
I tried pressing start. Then cook time. Then start again.
And still...nothing.
Microwaves are not supposed to mess with people early in the morning. It should be a rule. Especially when they are postponing said person's caffeine consumption. And that person is a mom.
I couldn't figure out if it was me. Or the microwave. Such are the dilemmas I face before I've had caffeine in the morning.
Then it started. Randomly.
I found it hilarious.
We all did.
Our microwave now has a serious mind of its own.

But here's what we've learned...
If you lean with all of your body weight into the microwave, it will usually work. Usually. And it seems to notice if you're not really putting all of your effort into it.
A random succession of number pressing, accompanied by opening and closing the door at least 5 times seems to convince the microwave to start. Creative dances seem to also be helpful.
Even if the microwave starts, it may turn off at any second.
The time counting down is a good sign. However, the timer can still stop at any moment and just freeze. This is also something that strikes me as hilarious. Especially early in the morning.
Just because the light comes on and it "sounds" like it's working, it may not actually heat said item.

So, the money we were saving for a new camera or new lens will be diverted this month. Because it's probably never good when your refrigerator leaks and your microwave has a "personality."
Oh well.
It made for a good laugh.
So today I'll be thankful for the quirky little things appliances do (like Ted's possessed toothbrush that likes to turn on at 3 am...) and the stories I'll laugh over for a lifetime because of it. And I'll be grateful for what I do have.

Like clients who were celebrating a love that has lasted through unbelievably hard circumstances, twists and turns, laughs, adorable children and beautiful moments. And there is so much more coming, but in the meantime, here's a sneak peek of their couples' shoot. And yes, she's wearing her wedding dress - and she's had 3 kids. And she's my hero... For lots of reasons.

Yes, they are ridiculously good-looking.

Discouraged.

2010-08-05T11:29:00.000-07:00

Today I am discouraged.
About photography.
About motherhood.
About my body ever feeling normal again.
About being registered for a half-marathon that is in a month when I am having trouble walking today.
About life.
About writing.
About my faithlessness to a God who has always been faithful.
About ever being completely out of debt.
About where I'm headed.
About my lack of friends.
So...basically, about everything.

So...where do I go from here? I'm thinking self-pity is a no-go. It never works out.
I'm looking into bearing my soul to the One who gave it to me.
And listening.
Yep. Shutting my mouth. And opening my ears.
Because I have a feeling He might be saying very different things than my mind is currently broadcasting.
And you know what? It may or may not get better. But I can.

25 years

2010-08-02T06:23:00.000-07:00

Twenty five years.
Nine-thousand one-hundred thiry-one days. (And yes I looked that up on Wikipedia)
Of falling asleep next to each other and waking up together.
Of holding hands.
Of loving words and sometimes not so loving words.
Of choosing to love when it was hard and treasuring that love when it was easy.

This precious couple has done that. And they're not done. But it was time to mark and celebrate this day. This day celebrating that love. The kind of love that chooses this amazing person out of everyone else in the world. To do life with...

I'm not going to lie: I LOVE couple's sessions. It's a chance to stop. A chance to hear their story - and to reconnect them with their story. A chance to record this love. This love that has endured time, pain and has come out even more beautiful. (Because unfortunately, we all know we hurt the people we love the most at some point)

I left this session dancing. Literally. I tried to contain myself so I didn't terrify the people in downtown Wheaton, but nonetheless I danced. Because of the beauty of the love these two share. To hear how they've followed God. How they weren't afraid to admit when they had made mistakes. How love could literally cover a record of wrongs. How God could take something already beautiful and make it even better. I left with even more love for my husband and even more inspiration to keep loving.

Rick and Janice, thank you. Thank you for sharing your story with me. Thank you for being willing to be yourselves. And thank you for entering into the love you have for each other and somehow managing to let go of the fact that I had a camera in front of my face. You two are heroes to me. Here's to twenty-five more years. And more pictures all along the way.

And if you'd like, you can view their slide-show of more pictures from their session . And the music? That's the unbelievably talented Devin Bustin. Rush over as fast as you possibly can and check out his music "Asher Lev" on itunes. I'm in love.

Yes, this is one of my favorite pictures. EVER.

And Janice, can we just go ahead and put it out there - you are STUNNING.

They are beyond adorable

LOVE this...

Again with you being stunning, Janice...

This makes me smile every time.

Oh how much I love their love for each other.

Love the expressions here.

And again, head on over to see the slide-show of their session!

Amy and Nate: THE Wedding

2010-07-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

Two people.
Choosing each other.
Choosing to hold hands and walk through life with each other at their side. Choosing to hold each other when life feels like a suped-up game of bumper cars with no exit in sight. Choosing to laugh at each other's jokes...even when they aren't exceedingly funny. Choosing to share their inner thoughts, their inner life, their whole self with that person.
It's beautiful.
And Amy and Nate's wedding was just that. Because their love is beautiful. In a world that can be a very dark place, their commitment to each other and their love waltzes in and immediately reminds you of the beauty of life.

Amy and Nate...oh my goodness. There are not words that could begin to capture how much I adore you. You two (your families, your entire bridal party and your guests) simply must be some of the greatest people. EVER. Amy, knowing you is a gift. You bring joy to everyone around you. And Nate...when I saw your Air Jordan's at your engagement session, I knew you'd be one of my favorite guys in the world.
Thank you. Thank you for sharing your lives with us. Thank you for all the ways you've continually blessed EVERYONE around you, especially on your wedding day. Thank you for your humble love for each other. When I watched the two of you holding hands as we relocated in the middle of your ceremony to avoid the rain, I found tears in my eyes. Because in that moment, I felt like your relationship was clear. No matter what life might bring, you won't let go.
Because you won't let go of the One who brought you together. And we know He will never let go of you.
We love you guys.

* Update: earlier I had a special song just for Amy and Nate courtesy of the unbelievably talented Andrea Bustin on their slide-show. For the moment, we unfortunately needed to take down her song "Record Player" because she has not received her copy-right papers yet. And we'd all like that song to be Amy and Nate's song, (and of course Andrea's) and not run the risk of her incredible music being copied. You are still welcome to view their slide-show and their song will reappear as soon as everything is in order! But still, please be on the lookout for Andrea's CD release a little later this fall!

And now...some pictures

And yes, I almost passed out from excitement when I first saw her shoes.

This little flower girl was beyond precious.

Amy, you are GORGEOUS.

And why is she doing her own make-up? Only because she's one of the most talented make-up artists EVER. Seriously, any future brides out there - remember her. She's INCREDIBLE.

[Sigh]

LOVE LOVE LOVE. And yes, Amy had a matching pair for the reception.

The big reveal. And can we note what a beautiful mother of the bride we have here?!?

This melts me every time. After hugging his daughter, Mr. Clancy just couldn't take his eyes off of her.

These girls? AMAZING. And oh so talented. And sweet.

Amy, you are so cute.

The adorable ring bearer. (Or as my little girl says, "the bear-ringer")

Love this shot of Nate, his dad and his brothers. (And my amazing husband took this... And all the guy preparation shots. He's my second shooter. And yes, he rocks)

Can we say GORGEOUS?!? Their wedding was at Oscar Swan in Geneva.

I loved the programs that doubled as a fan. And the colors!!!

Nate's smiling because he just broke the sign he was supposed to put up. And because he's just plain great. And about to marry the most wonderful woman.

I just melted. Again.

LOVE LOVE LOVE and LOVE some more.

Everyone was cheering for them. I've never seen a crowd more thrilled for a couple. It's just one more example of who they are.

And in the midst of having to move their ceremony to their reception tent due to rain in the middle of the ceremony, this was all that mattered.

Okay, I positively LOVE Amy's face here.

And here. During some of the most hilarious, heart-felt, beautiful toasts.

Their first dance.

Okay, isn't Nate's mom adorable?!? Their dance was AWESOME. I kept thinking - that's the kind of relationship I want with my little boy...

Yep. This is what a gorgeous party looks like.

This little guy made my day.

And so did this...

And finally, here's what you do when you're given rain on your wedding day. (Prerequisite: be incredibly gorgeous like they are!)

Two Weddings and a Flower Girl

2010-07-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy couple of days.
We watched my brother-in-law and sister-in-law get married. And it was all things beautiful. Just like them.
My precious friend, Rachel, amazed me by her love and how she was willing to basically fill in for me with the kids while I had the privilege of being a bridesmaid.
Hannah made the cutest and most hilarious flower girl ever. And yes, stories will come soon.
I officially received word that I do have Lyme disease. (and I guess the Health Department will be calling me because this has to be reported. I find this equal parts awesome and hilarious)
I went 2 days without at least saying hi to my mom and dad. Strange.
Yesterday, Ted and I shot Amy and Nate's wedding. And I came home glowing. Because of who they are. Because of how they handled rain pouring down right in the middle of their outdoor ceremony. (Nothing could ruin these two starting their lives together) Because of their incredible parents. Because of one of the best bridal parties ever. And because it was one of those moments where I walked out and knew...I was meant to do this.
There's a real blog post coming soon, but in the meantime, here's just a few of my favorites. (Which I had the WORST time narrowing down.)

A letter to my future camera...

2010-07-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Dear $2500 Camera that I can't afford,

One day I will own you. Somehow. And not because you are $2500, but because your ISO capabilities would make you my best friend. As would the clarity of your images.
But today, my friend, is not that day. So today...I will rent you. And dream of days to come.
Oh the joys of extremely tight budgets, children and things that like to break.
But on that glorious day that you become mine, I'm pretty sure I'll appreciate you all the more than if I could have just afforded you without this serious struggle. And please, please be worth it.

Love,
Your Future Owner

PS: Do know, I still love my current camera. She's so good to me. But we both know you'll give me some possibilities she just can't. But that doesn't mean I don't love her and all that she has done for me.

Amanda and Jake

2010-07-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Mutual friends.
That's how it all started.
They just so happened to share some of the same friends, which led them to be at the same house at the same time. And from there, he realized he had found one of the most amazing girls in the world and she started to realize that he was the kind of guy you'd never want to let get away.
Six years later, he presented her with a ring because she's the girl he'd never want to live another day without.

Next year, Amanda and Jake will be sharing vows to share all of life together. The ups and downs. The sickness and the health. The laughter and the tears. And to keep choosing love: when it's hard, when you couldn't imagine anything else and every moment in between. And I couldn't be more excited for them. Unfortunately, our dates didn't work out for me to be a part of their wedding (although another insanely talented photographer I really respect will be capturing the beauty of that day!) I still had the honor of taking some engagement pictures for them. To celebrate this moment, this love, this season.

Amanda and Jake, you guys rock. Thanks for braving oppressive humidity, for laughing at my jokes, and for just being all around incredible. I'm so excited for you two.

LOVE the way she looks at him.

Amanda. You are GORGEOUS.

Love this series...

Tonight

2010-07-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight I sit.
I stop.
And it hits.
The fear.
The unknown.
The "this could go a lot of different directions."
And I wipe away tears.
And I write that email. To that friend. The one that knows what it's like to walk through these moments. These uncertain, the road is messy and I can't even begin to see moments.
And just thinking of her brings comfort.
And so I allow my heart to feel.
I sit and let feelings actually wash over instead of sweeping them off to the side and "trucking" on.
Because I'm tired of pretending.
And avoiding seems to get me a whole bunch of nowhere in life.
So I sit, and I admit I'm scared.
I tell Him.
I go there.
And it's scary.
But it seems like a worthwhile venture.