This is my first post from my I Phone- so forgive any errors in spelling. I wanted to remind all my adoption clients to begin e-mailing me at midnight tomorrow night for a Celebrating Adoption session. Please visit the Celebrating Adoption site (I am not good enough to link it here but it is on my website splash page) to be sure you qualify. When you e- mail me please include your name, spouses name, child’s name, age, date they were placed in your arms, country the child is from, ages and names of any other children, and anything else you would like for me to know. I will be accepting 20 of these sessions in 2008. The session will be done for no charge and I will gift you a full set of 4×6 images and a DVD slideshow. You are welcome to purchase any additional prints you might like. Adoption is an incredible gift and I am thrilled to do my small part in helping celebrate it!!

this is! I have known this family for a very long time and I was honored to be asked to photograph them just before Christmas. The F. family has a wonderful farm in Woodstock and it lent itself beautifully to photographing the family. It was a rainy, yucky day and we did not meet until late in the afternoon. I was worried if there would be enough good light and if we would have enough time. The light and timing turned out perfectly fine and I am in love with the results.

Happy Birthday to my little ‘Liza! Today she turns two years old! I feel honored and lucky to be able to parent Eliza. It was a blessing from God that we were chosen as her forever family and I am grateful everyday. She brings us much laughter and occasional tears. We love her so much. So, a very happy birthday to my little girl!

for this family. This sweet family welcomed beautiful, little twin girls into the world last week. Both girls topped the scales a little over 5 pounds. They were so small and so perfect. They slept really well for me… I love sleepy newborns!

When I walked into this house there are several things I noticed:

1- Their house was beautifully (I mean really really beautifully) decorated for Christmas. I could not believe it…. I knew mom had been on bed rest for months and the babies are only a week old… so how could it be? Mom was quick to tell me that her in-laws had decorated for them this year. I thought about this all day today…  What an unselfish wonderful gift to help another person with an act of kindness… We all have plenty of "stuff" these days. If you are like most people I know, if you need or want something then you just go buy it. When Christmas comes and family and friends ask what you want, you can’t even think of anything because you have already bought all your own gifts. Now think what it would mean to you if someone came over and did your laundry one day? What if someone made you a meal? What if someone rubbed your back for 10 minutes (you see my weakness?)? These are the kindness we all appreciate. So, in the spirit of Christmas, don’t just go through the motion of giving a gift. Think of something that is meaningful.

2- This mom greeted me with a hug. She had never met me before but she opened the door and gave me a hug. I know not everyone is the hugging type so don’t mistake this for me telling you to change your ways… It just felt warm and lovely coming into her home because of her precious greeting.

3- They actually have a REAL wood burning fireplace! I love it. Believe it or not, my newborn from the post before.. they too had one. It is such a rare thing to see these days. It takes me back to my childhood and the feel of the mountains on the crisp winter days. The ease of gas logs is so appealing and some gas logs even look very close to "real". However, nothing smells like burning wood.

Long introduction….. now, meet the first and second R. girls…

Baby Time….

Every year, January thru March seems to be packed with newborn clients. I love my itty bitty babies so much. It is a delight and honor for me to be the first to capture these little ones. I can’t think of a session that is more important than a newborn session. You can fudge on the age a little at other ages… For example, you can capture two-year-old portraits at two years and 5 months but you can only capture newborn images the first couple of weeks of a babies life. There is no turning back time. This smart mommy knows the importance….. Even with her hands already full raising two young boys, she thought ahead to schedule me to come photograph baby number three.

This past weekend, my husband, my oldest son, and I went to Nashville for our niece’s wedding. Melissa is a very sweet,  beautiful girl and it was such a delight to watch she and Eddie exchange their vows.
Slaton was asked to be the bell ringer for the ceremony. I assure you that he took his role very seriously and he did a wonderful job. It was so much fun for me to see him all dressed in his tux and looking very dapper!


Slaton and his Papa!