Crimson and Matt - 1 year

I'm sure every photographer could tell you this, but there's something really special about capturing married love that's way sweeter and deeper than engaged or dating love.  Engaged love is super sweet, but it's a little timid, a little nervous, a lot excited, but a little naive - and it should be that way.  Nothing wrong with it, it's just how it is.  Dating love is great, but without a ring on the finger there's not even a guarantee it's going to progress to either of the next two phases.

But married love? That's a whole different story.  Even for these guys who are just celebrating their first year, you can see it - there's an undercurrent of trust that only comes with covenant, an acceptance of one another that allows the couple to be completely relaxed with the other, and a sweet joy from being one.  I think the best way to describe it is a knowing love.  When two people know each other better than anyone else in the world on every possible level and choose to love each other even when it's not pretty, it produces a love that's broken in, cozy and safe, and there for the long run.  Married love is my favorite, and bonus points if you've been married for 40 years like the elderly couple in the last post.

But one year counts! Congratulations Matt and Crimson!


(Prepare yourself for a longer post than usual...I had too many favorites!)

The Norman Family

I first met Shannon when she showed up on the side of the road in her big pickup truck when I was in the middle of taking some engagement pictures acrosst the street from her property.  Apparently there had been some shady activity going on in the woods across the street and she was making sure we weren't apart of it.  After being a little afraid of whatever had been going on not too far from my house, I was instantly grateful to have such a watchful neighbor living right down the street! 

Later on Shannon contacted me and wanted some pictures of her immediate and extended family on their beautiful property.  I was thrilled to shoot such a sweet family in such a great location!

I think I've decided that the elderly might be my new favorite group of people to take pictures of...can you believe how cute they are?

What I love about you.

Sweet boy.  The days are flying by...I take that back.  This year is flying by, but most days do pass rather slowly.  Teething has a way of doing that, I guess.  You have one little tooth on the top, another one poking through on the bottom, and I think you'll get your second top one after that.  Letting you gnaw on my finger is not an option anymore.

There are things about you at this sweet little almost 9 month stage that I feel sure I will remember forever, but just in case, I'm writing them down.

I love...


The way you giggle when I tickle your "chunky chunky thighs."  It's always so hilarious to you.
(Ignore my 15 chins in this otherwise precious picture.)

The way you crawl over to me when I'm laying on the ground playing with you and give me a slobbery mouth-plant on my cheek...your version of a kiss.  Only now, you have teeth, so it kind of hurts a little bit.

How you are always standing up in your crib waiting on me when I come to get you up from your nap.

How sometimes you just want to be held.  You could be screaming your lungs out and when I pick you up, you lay your head down, suck your thumb, and your other little arm just flops down at your side.

The way you stick your thumb in your mouth after every. single. bit. of food.

Your little blonde eyelashes and your whispy blonde hair.

How you show off by pulling up on something and then holding on with just one hand. You are just so cool.

How you started waving all by yourself.  I tried to teach you once or twice, but then you just started doing it one day all on your own.  Except it's more like a salute.  Daddy calls it the "right hand of fellowship."

How you hold out your little hand like you're trying to snap.

The way you look when you fall asleep in your carseat.  Precious lips, sweaty hair sticking up, and hands laying limp in your lap.  You're the sweetest.

How attatched you are to me at this current stage.  You don't like me to leave the room for a second.  It gets a little tiring, but I know it won't always be this way so I'm soaking it up.  I love that you know that  I'm your person.

The way you decided to start listening to stories without trying to eat the pages.  It's really great.  And the other day, you fell asleep on me while I was reading to you.  I didn't move for a long, long, time.

How you love your daddy.  It's so cute to watch y'all "be boys" together...growling, roughhousing, etc.

The cheesy smile you do. It's kind of hard to describe, but it's hilarious.  It looks like this...

Sometimes when I'm working on my shutterfly book or something, and I get the feeling that someone is looking at me, I look down and see this...

I love you, son! You make my world so much sweeter :)

Caris + Caleb

These sweet little babies are my precious neice and nephew.  Caleb was born fifteen days after Levi so we call them the "cousin twins."  I love these babies so much and am so thankful my child has such precious cousins to grow up with - family is such a beautiful blessing!

Aidan

Aidan's mommy wanted some spring pictures of him to document what he looks like at age 5.  He is a cute little guy - all boy - and dressed up perfectly for spring :) 

Just Finished - To Die is Gain

Kay Arthur said that the best books to read besides the Bible are biographies of people who have walked with the Lord.  There is so much to learn about the Lord when you read about His dealings with faithful believers who have gone before.  It is so faith building.
When I graduated from high school, my mom's dear friend (who would become my mother in law!) loaded me up on biographies and I fell in love.  I have continued to read them through the years, sometimes more often than others, but every time I get to the end of one I think, I should only ever read biographies.  My faith is so strengthened! 


I definitely felt that way after finishing "To Die is Gain" by Mrs. Howard Taylor.  In short, this is the biography of a young missionary couple, John and Betty Stam, who give their life as martyrs in China in the 1930's.  I was challenged by their joyful attitude when faced with death and how faithfully they serve the Lord while they were alive.

This book has caused me to do some serious refocusing on what is really important.  While I'm stressing out over not having my laundry done or having what seems like a never ending pile of dirty dishes, other people are dying for the sake of the gospel.  That is so sobering to me.

You can buy this book here.

Here's one of Betty's poems (many more like it are sprinkled throughout the book.)

Afraid? Of What? 

To feel the spirit's glad release?

To pass from pain to perfect peace, 

The strife and strain of life to cease?

Afraid - of that?

Afraid? Of What? 

Afraid to see the Savior's face, 

To hear His welcome, and to trace

The glory gleam from wounds of grace?

Afraid - of that? 

Afraid? Of What? 

A flash, a crash, a pierced heart;

Darkness, light, O Heaven's art!

A wound of His counterpart!

Afraid - of that? 

Afraid? Of What? 

To do by death what life could not - 

Baptize with blood a stony plot, 

Till souls shall blossom from the spot?

Afraid - of that? 

To fall on Him

"All of us like sheep have gone astray,

 Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."

Isaiah 53:6

Last night in Bible study we were discussing King Ahab from 1 Kings 19.  He was a wicked, wicked, man with an even more evil wife.  He killed the prophets of the Lord and worshipped false gods.  He hated Elijah and wanted him killed.  The Bible says that He did more evil than any other king before him. But at the very end of his life when judgement was being pronounced upon him, he humbled himself and the Lord delayed the judgement to the next generation. 

Just like that? This evil man gets off the hook for a lifetime of evil with a last minute heart of humility?  The mercy of God is so hard for me to grasp sometimes.  And yet, it makes me so, so thankful.  I am praying for a heart like His - willing to give mercy to anyone. At any time. For any reason - or for no reason at all.  (Quick definition of mercy - not getting what we deserve.) 

We were talking about different villains throughout history and how we would feel if they repented and turned to Jesus.  Would we rejoice? Or would we have a hard time with the fact that they weren't getting the punishment we thought they deserved? 

And then I thought about the cross.  And I thought about the high price God paid to show mercy to sinners.  He isn't just a jolly cosmic grandpa who sweeps our sins under the rug without a second thought - don't worry honey, we all make mistakes.  He doesn't make mistakes, and our sin is repulsive to Him.  

Our sin had to be dealt with. Someone had to die in order for the Holiness of God to be vindicated.  So He created the only situation in the entire universe that would work in order for God to demonstrate His perfect holiness and perfect love all at the same time.  

He punished sin. 

But He did not punish us. 

At the cross, God poured out the weight of all His wrath towards our rebellion and sin on the only One who was not guilty of it.  The only person who could take the punishment without being deserving of it. 

Jesus. 

"But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering..." 

Isaiah 53:10

This is the glory of the gospel.  God's wrath toward sin is satisfied and His love for sinners is poured out - all at the same time.  Sin is punished. Sinners are given the oppurtunity to be forgiven - because Jesus died the death we all deserve.