strength, dignity and a whole lot of laughter :)

"she is clothed in strength and dignity...
         and she laughs at the day to come without fear of the future."

she is my faith ann...faither...my sassy lovely friend. :)
I cannot tell you how much I loved having been able to photograph these people.

when matt and I were new to junior high student ministries a looooooooooong time ago,
micah was still a baby.
I had NO idea what I was doing as a mom...okay, lets be honest, as a human being. :)
and suddenly I was expected to have people over and look presentable and put together as a pastor's wife.
enter faith.
she graciously week after week invited our staff into her home so that I could find my feet in life.
it's what she does.
look up hospitality and there's a smiling picture of her and jessie.  by their pool.  inviting you in :)
the above verse is her to a "t"...
she loves to laugh and serve and is simply beautiful to watch living out her giftedness.
I don't think she'll ever know how MUCH that season of serving meant to me.
or how very much I learned from her.
or how very much I'm still learning from her.
she knew I wanted to be hospitable and just simply couldn't in that season of life.
and I love her for knowing that and stepping in. :)

fast forward ten years.
life has dealt her and her family a lot as of late.
her beautiful grandson was the one I wrote about last week...
there hasn't been as much "laughing at the days to come." as of late.
but now?
now I get to watch her living out the beginning of that verse:

"she's is clothed with strength and dignity."

and she IS strong.
I know she forgets sometimes (don't we all, though?).
but I see her loving her own baby...I see her loving her rylee mae...
I see her trying to sort out the truth that God is indeed good.
I see her loving her husband.  her amazing, rock of a husband.
I see her continually serving and being gracious when she's somewhat bruised from life.

yep.
she's my faith.
someone to laugh with...someone who asks how the "real" you is doing...she's my friend.
and a privelage to get to photograph her and see her smile for an afternoon with her handsome husband...
and "laugh at the days to come."

I didn't talk as much about him above...but not because there isn't anything to say.
quite the opposite.
I talk to faith a lot and know without a shadow of a doubt that she is only "faith" because there is a "jessie."
he is her rock.
he is her friend.
he is her love.
I admire his strength and see him work hard with his hands.  everyday.  hard.
I told him he has "man hands" and he does.  with the scars and callouses to prove it.  not many men do anymore.
and if you poke him...scripture falls out.  a lot of scripture.  and it's good for the soul.  :)