lemonade

ahhhhhhhhhhh, the lemonade session.
what. a. session. it. was.

this session set out as a dream of mine that got unbelievably enhanced by:
an incredible photographer,
an interior designer/vintage rental company owner,
a wedding boutique owner,
a beautiful florist,
a modern vintage stylist,
a crafty seamstress,
a creative nail technician,
a meticulous makeup artist,
a unique hair stylist,
an aspiring videographer,
and eight absolutely gorgeous, hardworking ladies.

this sessions story starts with a three month old beautiful dream of mine.
I got to see this beautiful dream come to fruition.
unfortunately, I also had to watch as it was made to get torn down minutes before it was to begin.
talk about a "cinderella before the ball" moment.
the happy part of this sad story is that much like cinderella,
I had a fairy godmother that day.  in fact, that day I had over a dozen of them!
when, in my cinderella moment, I simply couldn't see a "plan b" to my original dream, these beautiful people could.
in all honesty,
elizabeth, kate, lindsey, josh, mireille (and her two beautiful girls), cassandra, priscilla, eli, lauren, lauren, emily & ashley
YOU. MADE. THIS. BEAUTIFUL. SESSION. HAPPEN.
serious fairy godmother status. :)
at the end of the day I have never been more proud to have the family & friends that I do.
the kind of friends that literally picked up the pieces of my dreams, my "lemons" if you will...
and turned them into lemonade.

robin hood eyes and lady bugs

oh my goodness, is their young love sweet to photograph?!
the way he looks at her...
his tender helping hand walking her carefully through the rocks...
the way he lifts her chin up to gently kiss her...
the way she looks up to him with those robin hood eyes...
(oh, it's so a thing...you know the disney version with the foxes when maid marian looks enticingly at robin hood?  yeah, robin hood eyes.  it's a thing.)
it's enough to make a girl audibly *sigh* :)
plus, throw in an actual lady bug landing on her ring...
and THEN the fact that he's a pilot...romantic 80's visions of top gun...it was all I good do from refraining to say "I feel the need, the need for speed." ;)
yes, this was an amazing engagement session to get to view through my lens.
it is going to be an absolute pleasure to photograph you two in sedona this may!

[prelude]: maccallum's

love getting to see this family grow! :)

unique

unique.
I think that's the attribute that I like the most about her.
yes, she is gorgeous.
yes, she gets to own the title homecoming queen. (and she is going to LOVE that I put that in there!) ;)
yes, she has unbelievable fashion sense.
but it's that attribute of being unique that makes me smile & love this girl.
she's witty.
she doesn't take herself too seriously.
she's able to laugh at nearly anything.
she's smart.
she's an aspiring videographer/photographer. (and a nikon lover, too!  win!)
she has a big heart for being loved by Jesus and in return to love others in a big way.
yup, I like this girl.
this most interesting & unique girl.
what an absolute pleasure to have gotten to spend the afternoon with her. :)

the nearness of you.

without him, I am not me.



the song came on today...
in the midst of do-it-now's, have-to's, must-get-done's;
the song came on today. :)
immediately I became flooded with one of my most favorite memories to date.
books have the same kind hold on me...a sort of an escape from the day.
but this song?
this song is so much better than any book I've read.
this song is this memory for me.
and today, I escaped to the cold...to the city...to the nearness of him.

I love him.
it has become so that without him, I am not me.

and back to where it all started... :)