Dear Photograph

Sometimes I look around my house, and as we are erasing the choices of the past owners, making our new mark, I wonder how they lived in this space.  What it looked like with their furniture and their children running around.  I think about what this home will be for us - as we move in to the future - and the house, and our lives change.  I recently happened upon a website called dearphotograph.com, a website dedicated to taking an old photograph, and moving it into the present. 

People and living things change so much quicker than the houses, roads, and other things around us at times.  Don't get me wrong, I understand that roads widen, buildings get torn down, and new ones rebuilt.  But when you see these photos, it makes you stop and smile, think, and wonder what will be, and what photographs hold when you take them with you into the future (with our space ships we'll be driving around... haha).  As a lover of photography, I tie photos to memories.  How I felt and looked in that very moment.  I might not otherwise remember that day - but a photograph can take you back - and remind you of the very way you were.

My sister, the rockstar.

Being a mom is tough! Okay, okay, so not that I would know personally.  But, I did spend the last three days playing "aunt mom" for my nephew Canaan while my sister is on bed rest, and I have to give all the moms out there SO much props.  I'm not really sure how they find the energy each and every day to do what they have to do for others - its actually mind boggling!  My sister is such an amazing mother.  From her first pregnancy, when she was on bed rest at (I think) 21 weeks, she was so good about doing what she needed to do with Canaan, that she made it to 38 weeks with him - nothing short of a miracle.  Now, in her second pregnancy, she is there again, but its been more than it was in the first pregnancy.  My sister is a (freaking) rock star!  There is really no other way to put it.  You may see a woman laying in a bed, but I see a woman who is giving up four months of her life so that her child can have the best chance in their start in this world.  Would she like to get up and go to the grocery store? Yes.  Would she like to play with her stinkin' cute baby? Yes.  Are there many other things she would like to be doing right now?  Most certainly!  She doesn't complain, and has resolved to be positive through this challenging time for her and her family.  Oh, and can I say how awesome her husband has been?  He works long shifts, and comes home, and he's being Mr. Mom, taking care of his family's needs.  I know that is "what you are supposed to do,"  but I know it is SO much easier to sit back and say that, than it is to live it out.  As you can tell, I am just overwhelmed by how amazing my sister, her husband, and my nephew are.  It blows my socks off, and brings tears to my eyes.  Little baby Ezra, you are one lucky little dude!
So what makes it all worth it?  I know what does...

Waiting on Mason :: Courtney and Matt Pregnancy Session

Courtney is a friend from many many many years ago - we lived in the same neighborhood growing up, and would run around together when we were in elementary school.  She is a very very creative lady, and she is also going to be a mama soon!  A few weeks back we met up in Mishawaka, (up near South Bend) for a pregnancy session with her husband, Matt, and her pup, Lilly.  The park is absolutely fantastic, and although the day was quite humid (and was supposed to be very stormy) it ended up staying nice and light, with no rain to be seen.   That was very nice of mother nature, because the fact that we live three hours apart from each other, doesn't leave a lot of room for a ton of rescheduling.  So it was nice out, and I was so excited to see little miss Lilly, their sweet (and excited) puppy!  I am a lover of animals, especially dogs, and although it was interesting from time to time - I was so thrilled that they brought her along.  She is family, afterall!  She wanted to be with them so badly, that she even chewed right through her leash - of course after she bit threw it, she didn't run off or anything, instead she just ran right to them!  Very impressive!  I cannot wait to take more pictures with them, as they will be expecting their very first baby, Mr. Mason, very soon!  Below are a few pictures from our day together.  Be looking very soon for pictures of baby Mason - I can't wait to meet him!!

Summertime ... and the Livin' is Easy

  I think whoever wrote that song meant to say "the livin' is busy and goes by way too fast!"  This Summer has been one thing after another (in a good way) and has been so incredibly packed with fun.  Between photo shoots, going up to Fort Wayne to see my husband (he's been working there this Summer), visiting family, hanging out with friends, chaperoning church camp for high schoolers in Panama City Beach, and more photo shoots, this Summer has been crazy!
  Recently, I got together with my friends Sarah and Mike, and their baby Drew for his six month photo session.  We met up at Sarah's aunt and uncle's house in Carmel and when I say they have an incredible property - that is a far far understatement!  They are apart of a garden club, and their multiple acre property is covered in amazing bushes, trees, flowers, plants, and so on.  Not only are they gorgeous, but they are all labeled!  The next time I need inspiration for plants around my house, I could just take a stroll up there and see the plants in action (so to speak...).
  It shows me that every one finds a niche of their own.  For me, it has been photography, and for them their gift and hobby is definitely gardening.  Walking around, there were so many places that we could take photographs - it was quite exciting!  Drew is an expressive little kiddo - I took his pictures back in March - but he's even more so now.  He makes happy faces, sad faces, and silly faces.  We had to work on him quite a bit this time - we shook necklaces, hung them from my camera lens, squeaked toys and anything else that would work - as he was going right through teething, but we got some fantastic photos out of him!  Teething is a crazy process, if you think about it, and Drew was a trouper through the entire thing!

Below are some favorites from the day!