Mark and Morgan have a lot to be excited about in life right now.... they are getting married in just a few months, and summer is coming, which means that their house on Lake Norman will become the hub of everything carefree and fun in the sun. Mark and Morgan also have 3 pups (Taconi, Nesta and Buzz) that provide constant love and entertainment, so life is looking pretty darn good for this couple. I have to say that spending a beautiful evening capturing a slice of the life they are building together... well, it made me happy. 

I just feel like lately I've been really focusing on loving life, loving each day, because I am totally in a time of transition (with lots of change ahead) and I don't want to get stuck wishing my days away waiting for the "next thing" when there is so much blessing in each day right now. I know that this is a common struggle for so many of us, so I just want to do my little bit in encouraging you (and myself) to enjoy the here and now. For who knows what tomorrow holds, but a life well lived today is one of the greatest blessings of all.

"The important thing is not to think much, but to love much; and so, do that which best stirs you to love." -Amelia Earhart

You may remember this sweet little girl... from here.

"Oh my GOSH he has gotten to be such a little man!"... that was my exclamation when I met up with the Harvey family! I've had the opportunity to photograph little Wells a few times now, but had not seen him since well before Christmas of last year, and now he is certainly no longer a baby...but a gentleman with curly hair and the brightest of blue eyes. I couldn't get over it, apparently, because I just kept smiling to myself throughout our time together when I would catch glimpses of the baby face that I captured only months earlier. Preciousness.
I confess, I'm totally going to be that lady who takes kids cheeks and squeezes them while saying, "I remember when you were so little!!" I just can't help but marvel at how time flies....all the more reason why we should live each day to its fullest. Now go... swoon over someone you love today :)

One of my most memorable high school graduation gifts was the Dr. Seuss book "Oh the Place You Will Go" and I can't seem to help myself from thinking about that book when I meet and shoot with graduating seniors.... you know how it goes...

"Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."

In all seriousness though, meeting Colin and Preston and their amazing family, it makes me so excited for the path that they are both setting out on. So as they both embark the adventure of college and their futures, this is what I have to say about them...

"And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.) KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS! So... be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!"

 

So it's been a big week for the little Free family because there is a lot of change unfolding in our lives right now...upcoming move... buying our first house... more details on all this to come, I promise. But that being said, another week has flown by me in a blur and I have lots of fun work to share, but I'm shamefully behind on editing so I wanted to take this chance to share a link to one of my uber-mondo-favorite websites of all time, The Pioneer Woman. If you don't know about this site, puh-lease just check it out because there are ALL kinds of goodies in there from random/entertaining daily stories, photography, cookiing and even home and garden info.... it's quite the cornucopia of goodness (and yes, I just said cornucopia!). Well the post that caught my eye, and a made lump in my throat, is actually by one of her guest bloggers in the photography section and she is encouraging parents to just GET IN THE PICTURE. Yup, read it here. 

Oh bless, just going back and reading it now makes my eyes well up for some reason. So whether you are taking photos at home or want someone else to do it (hint, hint) just get in the picture... with your kids, your friends and those you love. Because pictures make for the best memories.

Here are some of mine.