{happiness is...}

I don't know about you, friend, but today I would welcome any distraction that might just put a big ol' smile on my face. This did the trick....

{happiness is...} kisses from a baby brother who absolutely adores you.

a gentle & quiet spirit

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 1 Peter 3:3-4

see you soon

I don't have many words for the "see you soon" we had to say last weekend. It was so hard. But it was also good. Necessary. Life-giving.

We adore you. The way they look at you and laugh, the smiles reserved especially for you, the hugs that last for minutes. These are the things we'll hold onto during the months ahead.

"To observe a Marine is inspirational; to be a Marine is exceptional." ~Unknown

favorites

I'm feeling so, so fortunate. I've had the pleasure of photographing quite a few families recently and while I'm up to my eyeballs in photos to sort through and edit, it feels great. It's still hard for me to believe that people are really asking me (and trusting me) to do this for them - to capture this moment in time for their family. I always feel so blessed and honored having been with each one of them.
I'm also feeling so fortunate and blessed to have an adoring husband who is my biggest fan. He is so supportive, encouraging and believes more in me than I do in myself. He is pushing me (gently) to develop my passion and to really see where it takes me. He is a gift and I'm so thankful to have such a great guy with whom to share this life. Enough mush, right?! On to the photos...here are some of my favorites lately. Photos of my own little loves coming soon too. :)

Happy weekend, friends.
xo

so very many things

Words can be hurtful. Or healing. Comforting or destructive. Often there are no words for what we are feeling or going through, just silent prayers and words only our hearts can speak.

There are so very many things we can speak with our mouths but infinitely more we can speak with our hearts to those we love.

totally random tuesday

well, hello there. life is busy, right? i have a lot on my plate right now but i found a few minutes this evening to snap some photos of my own littles while we played in the backyard, savoring the indian summer we're having. fall is my very favorite time of year. i love everything about it - the smells, the leaves, the chill in the air (even though it was 83 degrees here today...)

some random photos and some random thoughts to go along with them:

yep. she's alllll mine.



dirty, bare feet in october in minnesota. crazy! and head first down the slide. something's not going to end well here.



if you are my 18-month-old son, this is no ordinary slide. it is an olympic luge track and you are going for american gold, baby. my son isn't wearing any shoes. no, we are not hilbillies. i pick my battles and it was almost bathtime anyway. yes, he has a big boo-boo on his face and eye. this crazy kid jumped off the olympic luge track the other night and his poor little face met the mulch and paver stones below. ouch.



be still, my heart. my amazing, beautiful boy. i never cease to wonder how i was so infinitely blessed with these children.



the massive oak trees in our back yard have started dropping their leaves. oak leaves = fall. fall = love.



and this? this is just a sample of some of the gorgeous sunsets we've been seeing here lately. and this is a shot taken straight-out-of-camera. no editing, no fussing, no tweaking. it's not perfect. and i happen to really like it.




xo,
am