"Brides always look beautiful. However, their beauty lies not in their attire, but in the warm glow of love that radiates from their countenance."

Elizabeth defined this warm glow of beauty for her bridal session. Truly, her joy is so evident from her lavish smile, and her stunning dress and natural beauty absolutely make for the total package. Her pup, Opie, also shone for the camera in his flowered collar....

If you know anything about me at all, you know that I find joy in some of the most simple details of life. One of the bright spots of my day is that today I'm going to get a new journal. Ah yes, there is just something about that clean blank book that gives me a shiver of excitement for what may end up filling the pages...especially since it usually takes a good year or two for me to get through a whole book. I started keeping a journal back in college (yes, I get the exact same black journal every time), and although I have my days and sometimes even weeks of inconsistency in writing, it has been such a fun way to document life. The pages of these books are filled with my thoughts/ramblings, random snapshots, notes I've been given, notes I've written but maybe never sent, quotes and lyrics that inspire me, ticket stubs, invitations, prayers, and other various pieces and parts of my life.
When I go back and thumb through pages that I've written from years ago, I'm thankful to be able to read the thoughts of my heart and to see how far I've come... yet also how all the experiences I've walked through have specifically shaped me to be the person I am today...the good and the bad.
So, as I start the first page of this new book ...I challenge you to consider what are the things that tell the story of your life and who you are? Whatever it may be, keep it up because I believe in the beauty of celebrating your story.


** I included this old photo of myself since this is one of my happiest memories. It was the morning of my 22nd birthday, the summer after I graduated from college. I was working out at Lost Valley Ranch and the girls on my crew surprised me with a special birthday breakfast which included that fabulous waffle and lots of toasting with orange juice in plastic champagne flutes. Clearly, I was really really happy about all of it :)

I had the chance to photograph twins, Maddie and Keifer, last year and just got to meet their sister Harrison to complete the set. This was a fun reunion because the twins have both been accepted and have decided to attend UNC in the fall - go HEELS!
Much like her younger sister, Harrison (who is a senior at Appalachian) was a natural in front of the camera and I was crazy over her mom's vintage mink coat that she wore over her sassy dress (and with fabulous MK shoes to boot!). Harrison has an obvious gift with fashion, which will serve her well once she graduates from college this spring and ventures into the world of high-end event planning and PR.

Harrison, good luck as you finish school and girl... you are gorgeous.

"Madeline, Madeline! Where have you been? We've been to London to see the queen!" - Ludwig Bemelmans

You may remember my dear friend, Caitlyn, and her precious little family. Well, they've had a lot going on these past few months since a third baby girl has been added to the crew and they are moving home from Memphis, TN to London! And you thought your life was crazy right now?! Ha. Of course, Cait and Josh are handling all of this transition with the grace and strength that I would only expect from such incredible people. Plus, she looks AH-mazing for being a new mom of three! Cait has always been such a beauty in my eyes, and I love that she is passing along all the elements of her beauty (internal and external) to her little girls.

 All that being said, it was really important to capture them all in their last days enjoying time with family stateside... plus celebrate/document precious little baby Lillian!

This week is special because it is the last week that Ross and I get to spend together at home for almost two and a half months. He leaves soon for some training with the Air Force in San Antonio, so we are just soaking up every moment of just being together and doing the simple things around home that we love so much. Long walks with our big pup while we talk and laugh about our days, making some special favorites for dinner, drinking coffee together in the morning, and getting to spend time with family that we are blessed to have so close.
I feel like I always appreciate Ross as a husband (and as an all-around amazing man), but knowing that we are going to be apart making me cherish him all the more. For example, the fact that he has been SO encouraging for me to taking on some crazy cross country travel adventures for my Lost Valley project while he is gone. I love that he cheers for me to dream up crazy ideas and then go DO them. I love that He loves me when I know I'm being cranky and intolerable, and that he won't give up until he can make me laugh. I love that he is coaching our 9 year old nephew's basketball team. I love that he is passionate about his job and about promoting a balanced and informed perspective on the agriculture industry. I love that he "gets" how important it is for me to make our house feel like a home. I love that he can make me feel small despite the fact that I'm almost  six feet tall. Ah, and the list could go on... so I won't bore you. I just needed to take a moment to recognize the man that I'm crazy head over heels for and still have a crush on.