remembering | Memorial Day Weekend

Today is Memorial Day. The last day of a 3-day weekend. The day that kicks off the summer season here in the United States. It is a happy, carefree day. But, it is not carefree for everyone. And that thought is exactly what has been on my heart recently.

Those of you who follow me on Twitter may have caught on that there was a bit of a scare last week regarding Tommy's deployment and his safety. Relief flooded my mind when I heard from him, but sorrow was soon to follow. One of the soldiers in his sister unit in Iraq was tragically killed while on a mission. While this does occasionally happen for units that are currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is the first time that it has hit Tommy so close to home. Unfortunately, I have experienced the loss of a friend because of war and I hate that now Tommy has had a similar experience.

I wanted to take today to thank those who have sacrificed. Before this deployment I always thought that the sacrifice was safety. That they were risking their lives to fight for our country. And please do not mistake what I am saying, they absolutely are. But there is so much more that each of our service men and women sacrifice daily than just their safety. They sacrifice time with their babies, anniversary celebrations and long hugs during hard times. They temporarily do without the physical affection of their family and their favorite meals. They give up the comfort of a soft bed, clean sheets, and a comfortable temperature in the room. They deal with the longing of home on a daily basis. I know these are small things... but these things add up. Not to mention that some of them sacrifice their healthy mental state the day that they experience things they thought only happened in hell.

They sacrifice so much. And I was so naive before to think that they simply risked their lives... and when they returned home all was well again.

I say it again - please do not discount the sacrifice of safety. It is huge. It is life. But the sacrifice is so much more.

So today I want to say how much I appreciate our service men and women. I respect your service very much. I am grateful for each and every one of you.

And to our friends... Nick Mason... my cousin Chris Samson... and to the recently deceased MAJ Culver... I thank you. For sacrificing more than your life.

image credit: cwellsphotography

My first fan | Fredericksburg Wedding Photographer

I have my first fan! There is this girl that has started following me to all of the weddings I shoot. And I have a feeling she is going to be at more weddings in the future (where I will also be). I LOVE her. She is not a creepy fan. She is a supportive, happy fan. She is beautiful, she has a wonderful smile, and she dances in all the perfect areas so that I always have easy access to fabulous reception photos. Not to mention, she has such great expressions that make fab photos!

Okay I'm kidding. Well sort of. My friend Ashley just happens to be a guest at a lot of the weddings I shoot. She is also in the wedding industry and has been referring me to her clients for a while now. She IS beautiful and she DOES have a wonderful smile... but no... she doesn't stalk me. (Unless you consider blog stalking real stalking. In that case, there are a lot of you guilty of that. ;)) She is just very loved and invited to a lot of weddings!

Anyway, I want to show my appreciation to Ashley for her support. I also wanted to post photos of her just because she is one of the best wedding reception models I could ever want. And because I love her. Here are some of my favorite photos of her...

(Ashley, don't kill me.)

And two of me and Ashley to round out the photos...

Yay! Love her! :)

happy birthday, bro | Fredericksburg Family Love

I would like to interrupt the sneak peek-a-thon going on around here to wish my baby brother a very happy birthday. It actually probably won't be a very happy day for him, and because of that, I write this with a heavy heart.

Sometimes I have a difficult time expressing to my brother how much I love him and care about him. He hasn't been the easiest relative to live with. :) But... he's a smart kid... he's talented... and he is so, so kind hearted. He's gonna hate this part... but I have to say it. He is one of the most sensitive guys I know... and sometimes I think that's why he has such a tough time with life.

He is in the same town as my family for his birthday for the first time in about 3 years. I was so excited that he would be around today... I was looking forward to a big , happy family dinner with birthday cake and my sister's girls presenting birthday cards to him... showering him with love. Because that's what he needs... love.

Who knew it would be so hard to come by?

Anyway, the plans all fell through. So here's what I've got...

I love you, David. I pray for you regularly. I can't wait to see the life that God has planned for you... the goodness that awaits at the end of this dark tunnel. I am always here if you need a listening ear or just to talk to someone who cares. I will always care.

I love you. Happy birthday. :)

Gratituesday: Change

Ahh... another Tuesday is upon us. How did that happen? I'm writing this Gratituesday post from my new (temporary) office that is my parent's dining room table. Very professional, I know. :)

I haven't lived with my parents since the first time I moved into my own apartment. So... 5 years! Can I just tell you that I feel like I'm visiting a Bed & Breakfast? Seriously. The refrigerator is always stocked, my bathroom has a variety of guest toiletries available just in case I forgot a toothbrush or something (I didn't), and the bedroom I am sleeping in has a dresser full of empty drawers - all for me to make myself feel at home. I am loving it!

I am also loving the company. It's nice having my office out here in an open room with people fixing dinner, reading the paper, and walking by regularly. Company is good for me. :)

This week I am grateful for change. I love change - it is refreshing to my soul. Of course good changes are easy to love. But even when things change for the worse, I am encouraged knowing that they will someday change again.

This week... change has refreshed me. And I am grateful. :)

And completely off topic, one of my favorite images from last week's sessions:

Gratituesday: Simplifying

Today I am grateful for that small, refreshing little thing we call simplifying. Back story: I do not think it is good for man to be alone. (Gen. 2:18) Or woman, for that matter. :) After a few months of sitting in my office by myself day after day (with a few trips thrown in), I have decided to make the trek to stay with my family near Fredericksburg for the next few weeks. This works out fabulously as all but two of my upcoming photography jobs are located closer to my family's homes than my home. How does it happen that way? In any case, I am not complaining. I am excited to use that as an opportunity to go and visit with my favorite people in the world and to have their company each evening!

But! What this little trip ALSO does is gives me the opportunity to take with me only what I need. I am actually really excited about narrowing my mobile office down to just the necessities. And my wardrobe, too! It's refreshing to clean things out and get rid of junk. Especially the junk that I am attached to for no good reason at all.

It's springtime. I am sure many of you have started your spring cleaning and have experienced the freedom of getting rid of stuff. But I bet there are some others out there who haven't. When is the last time you purged the extra stuff around you? You should give it a try! It is so refreshing!

I just googled "How to Simplify" and this link was one of the top results. The very first thing on this list is "Clear Clutter."

I'm just sayin'. You should give it a try!!

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Also, I am grateful for inspiration (as always). I want to share with you all two things I came across this morning as I settled into my work space.

1. This is a story of one boy's wish to become a Superhero being granted by a whole city! A LOVELY warm and fuzzy for you to read. :)

2. And this is Stephanie Nielson's story. If you haven't heard about NieNie's story, I would question if you have been under a rock for the past year. :) But this is the best account I have seen/heard, with her words, and her images. It is beautiful and inspiring.

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And... a quick sneak peek from one of my sessions this past weekend:

Love!!