i love love...day 4

Heidi & John David, married 2 months

Dear Heidi,

From the day I first saw you I knew you were special.  I knew you were different.  And I knew you were the one.  Through the years, the good and the bad, I still knew you where the one.  Nothing has made me happier than to start a life with you as your husband!
I love you forever and always! 

John David 

To My Loving Husband,

I like reflecting on our sweet love story! One of my favorite memories is when we very first got back together.  That was such a happy time!  I remember the look on your face and the butterflies in my stomach when I opened the front door and you weren’t expecting it to be me.  You were thinking it be one of my brothers standing there!  I remember when you guys came back from the lake that weekend to a birthday party where the whole family was there.  Everyone was so excited and filled with anticipation of what was sure to come!  I also remember realizing how muscley you’d gotten when you hugged me before you left!  Papa was especially thrilled when he caught me staring as you walked to your truck.  He made me wave to you as you drove off.  I felt like a giddy little school-girl thinking up reasons to text you that week.  And then all was right in the world when we spent the weekend at the cabin with my family.  I love looking back on that weekend. It's just so sweet.  I could feel it. You could feel it. Everyone around us could feel it. We're definitely meant to be!

I love you so much! Forever and always!

Heidi

i love love...day 3

Chris & Melany, married 16 years

Chris,

Love at first sight. It's for real. From the moment I laid my eyes on you at the beach, I knew you were the one for me. Your heart, your genuine personality and your...well...hot body is what  caught my attention and I knew right then that I never wanted to be without you. I can't imagine raising daughters or even doing life without you. I love you a whole bunch!
Melany

Dear Melany,

It has been almost 19 years since I rode 10 1/2 hours to meet you for the first time in Destin, FL. I could not have planned a meeting like that on my own. God knew what he was doing. At first sight, I felt something different than I ever had before. And no, it wasn't the sand in my bathing suit. You were beautiful then and have grown more beautiful each day since that first day, both inside and out. 

I have had the privilege of watching you become a mother to two beautiful daughters. You have allowed me to screw up along the way and still love me more. You support me, laugh with me, laugh at me, and cry with me. You forgive me when I fail you and you love me when I don't deserve it. 

This Valentine's Day will be the 18th one we have had together. I am glad you are my Valentine not only on February 14th, but also the other 364 days of the year! You are my one true love and my lover!!

I Love You,

Chris

i love love...day 2

Julie & Travis, married 19 years

"There was no Match.com when Travis and I met; we were just a bunch of crazy friends who hung out together and happened to be dating other (crazy) people. Our friends saw something that told them that Travis and I should date each other….sooo we started as friends who rode to our college classes together. That friendship led to a movie at his moms that led to a first kiss. We dated and (kissed) our way through college with the usual movie, food, and skating date nights.
After three years we walked down the aisle and said “I do” in the traditional white gown and dark tux complete with wedding-album photographs to commemorate our special day. Our life has been blessed with ups and downs and two great kids. We crave simplicity in this busy world of work, kids, school, gymnastics and life. We love to go to the beach and just enjoy the beauty and tranquility of being there together. This April we will celebrate our twentieth anniversary, so it’s definitely time to have another picture of the way we began our relationship….just the two of us."

because i love love...day 1

I start with the confession that I am a girl who loves love. You can talk me into a romcom any day and I often times find myself lost in someone's love story. The details of how you met, what you were wearing, that feeling you had....I eat it all up. As I get older and see more love stories at every stage I have found that there is further joy and such a deeper love when looking beyond those first feelings. We have the chance to see a love story play out. There are bumps and bruises and millions of I'm sorries and please forgive mes, death and birth and so much grace. Love is so much more than a feeling, love is a story.
As we count down to Valentine's Day I am planning to share some love stories. I have asked some of my clients to share their love story and I will be sharing a photo of the couples. Excited to share the love.
Happy February!

sweet baby (arkansas baby photographer)

So happy to share a few photos from my session with this beautiful boy. We got to enjoy the warm indoors on our morning together and though it is rare for me to shoot indoors it is a great option for these unpredictable January days. 

We had to work for some smiles, but i truly love his sweet serious face and those round cheeks and eyes. It is also my absolute favorite when babies are grabbing their toes, melts my heart. 

Can't wait to watch this little guy grow up and all the fun he and his big brother have. An amazing adventure ahead. 

Merry Christmas from our family to yours

snow days and christmas deadlines

On Friday we had the treat of a snow day, a precious part of a southern winter. Weather that would be considered a normal winter day further north shuts things down. It is a beautiful thing. I can remember as a child moving to Arkansas after my family lived in Ohio for two years and the joy of a snow day. In Ohio we went to school in snow suits and boots and jumped in piles of snow on the way home, but here the smallest snow brought a day in your PJs, sipping hot chocolate and watching Christmas movies. It is a wonderful thing and there is a part of me that watches the weather with a childlike anticipation of a snow day.

Over the last three day, and I'm sure today too (another snow day), we have watched countless movies, drank hot chocolate, roasted marshmallows over endless fires, learned to crochet, sledded on ice, thrown snowballs, taken naps, read stories, and rarely gotten out of our PJs. It has been a wonderful treat and has us all feeling so excited for Christmas. Around here you never know if it will be cold or possibly 70 degrees at Christmas so we are enjoying what we get.

I would love to know your snow day traditions? Or just ways you and your family are looking forward to Christmas.

And while my mind is on Christmas here are a few deadlines and dates. Hope you are having a snow day too!

-Christmas order deadline is December 13th.

-Most orders will take 4-7 business days

-If interested you can check out my Christmas card options here

-Prints can be ordered directly from the site, but cards and disc ($400 for whole session disc) can be ordered from me via email