AMY FREE photography

AMY FREE photography http://www.amyfree.com/ lifestyle photography that celebrates the beauty of life as you know it. en Copyright 2013 Tue, 14 May 2013 15:54:55 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification glory days: mia here for their amazing blog and story). Mia has already conquered amazing odds and has the heart of a little fighter. After spending the majority of her first 3 years of life in a crib with very little love and interaction, she is slowly blossoming under Shannon and her family's deep, tender and sacrificial love for her. There is still a long road ahead with some physical and developmental challenges, but they are trusting God with every step of the way. Shannon's willingness to walk through this journey with honesty, grace and openness about the highs and lows of it all has truly been a ministry to me.. I seriously can't read their blog updates without bursting into tears that are a combination of awe, wonder, happiness and sadness. It was my hope and prayer to capture the tenderness of their bond because it is truly the definition of love and beauty....

I titled this "glory days" because it has really been pressed on my heart to see the beauty and glory in each of our days. It's in the most simple tasks each day that we have the opportunity to see and experience God's glory...

Gratitude... goes beyond the "mine" and "thine" and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy.
Henri J. M. Nouwen

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2013/05/glory-days-mia.html http://www.amyfree.com/2013/05/glory-days-mia.html Tue, 14 May 2013 15:54:55 -0500 Southern Proper for summer...

The behind the scenes video is pretty fun too! So many great moments and hard work to make these shoots come to life.... Goodness I love it though!

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2013/05/southern-proper-for-summer.html http://www.amyfree.com/2013/05/southern-proper-for-summer.html Mon, 13 May 2013 16:34:48 -0500 Connor man. This was my first time meeting little Connor man and everything about this child makes me want to just scoop him up and do anything to just make him giggle and hold him close. He is so much like Charlie, yet also totally his own dude. Being almost two makes him very certain of all his opinions, and he is willing to stand by his convictions :) Of course I love this little boy out of a wellspring of love that I have for his mama, another one of my old college roommates, and seeing her beautiful soul manifest in him is just a sight to behold. Meredith, your son is precious beyond words and I'll treasure this sweet visit and slice in time forever.

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2013/05/connor-man.html http://www.amyfree.com/2013/05/connor-man.html Thu, 02 May 2013 22:58:02 -0500 hello out there.

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2013/02/hello-out-there.html http://www.amyfree.com/2013/02/hello-out-there.html Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:39:33 -0500 some friday happy.

During this trip I also got to love on the perfectly shmooshy cheeks of mister Raylan....

Happy FRIDAY and have a blessed weekend!

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2013/01/some-friday-happy.html http://www.amyfree.com/2013/01/some-friday-happy.html Fri, 04 Jan 2013 13:57:44 -0500 lauren + miss ruby jackson.
I've seen you walk through many seasons of your life... college, Colorado, adventure, love, heartbreak, life transitions, job transitions, engagement, marriage, the ups, downs and everything in between. And I have to say that seeing you in this season, as a wife and mama, is my very favorite so far. Your beauty has always been radiant and what a joy it is to see that beauty multiplied in your precious little girl.

Love you,
Amy

ps: Matt, you are pretty awesome too :)

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2013/01/lauren-miss-ruby-jackson.html http://www.amyfree.com/2013/01/lauren-miss-ruby-jackson.html Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:37:43 -0500 for you katie. A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

As a continuation of celebrating my college roommates and their kids, let me just brag about this beautiful lady. Katie has been the leader among us on getting married and having kids, and it's fair to say that she has done both with such grace, honesty and vulnerability that she has been a source of encouragement and inspiration to me on some many levels... this blog entry is just one example of how she keeps it REAL. Although it's an old story, I have never forgotten how she was willing to celebrate and laugh at those moments in life and motherhood that have you asking.... really?!? And I've always been borderline intimidated by her natural beauty, but I have to admit that I've never seen her look more beautiful that having all three of her kiddos piled around her (it doesn't hurt that those kiddos are perfectly darling either!). So dear Katie, know that you are loved and celebrated today as a friend and mama!

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/12/for-you-katie.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/12/for-you-katie.html Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:12:49 -0500 mister henry weishaar.
Ah yes, shared bath time for these two butterball boys. Won't they love this photo when they are in high school? Muhahahaaa!

And now, just this Fall... what a handsome BIG boy!!!

Love you Henry xoxo your 505 Auntie Amy

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/12/mister-henry-weishaar.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/12/mister-henry-weishaar.html Fri, 07 Dec 2012 13:30:19 -0500 officially introducing: raylan acuff
First off is Tiffany, her husband, Will, and their butterbean of a son. These photos have been a long time coming because I actually look them back in May, but have not been able to officially share them until now... so it is with great pride, excitement and love that I can show off this handsome little man, mister Raylan Acuff. He has been prayed over and anxiously awaited for a VERY long time and when they were finally able to adopt him into their family it seems as if the waiting only made it that much sweeter to hold him in their arms and call him... son. And for me, it is such an honor and joy to see Tiffany as a proud mama... clearly, bliss is written all over her face as she and Will look upon this child.

I'm looking forward to photographing this little man again in less than 2 weeks now when I travel to see them again, so it will be fun to document how much he has grown and changed in 7 months, but until then let's just celebrate his perfectly squish-able face!

With love, Your 505 Auntie Amy xoxo

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/12/officially-introducing-raylan.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/12/officially-introducing-raylan.html Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:46:16 -0500 around our house.

The Charlie man is a constant source of entertainment.

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/11/around-our-house.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/11/around-our-house.html Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:12:53 -0500 sippy and a snack with davis.

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/10/sippy-and-a-snack-with-davis.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/10/sippy-and-a-snack-with-davis.html Sun, 28 Oct 2012 22:03:50 -0500 mom moments. Never cease to seek seeing the beauty around you, for it is the handwriting of God.

One of the things that I love about getting behind my camera is that is allows me to see and capture some the most simple ordinary moments of life and preserve them...and especially now that I'm a mom I know how many of those simple ordinary moments never really get documented. So when I see this... a mother's kiss on the forehead with a little girl's eyes closed, body snuggled in close and that look... oh that look of knowing that she is LOVED... it makes me happy because I think of how many kisses Cassandra has showered on her sweet little girl in her 4 years of life... and how moments such as this don't last forever because she is growing up so fast and holding her close deserves to be documented...

And this, how many times does a mama scoop up her kids? ... arms and heart FULL. Often out of necessity to hurry along or content a fussy one, but how beautiful to contain these little lives in your arms? That deserves to be remembered... honored... celebrated.

Zerberts for Jackson's smiles, yes please. The most genuine kind of laughter spills out of a zerbert. And those tiny sticky little fingers...grasping tight on the lollipop stick. These are the everyday beauties that my camera delights in finding.

So from one mama to another, Cassandra, I hope seeing these little moments through my camera make your heart happy.

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/10/mom-moments.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/10/mom-moments.html Kids and family Fri, 26 Oct 2012 08:19:01 -0500 rori + jack... and a really cool fort.

In other neighborhood news, the older kids have claimed a tree in our backyard to build a rad fort. It's actually quite impressive and quite clear how much pride they are taking in the construction process.

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/10/rori-jack-and-a-really-cool-fo.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/10/rori-jack-and-a-really-cool-fo.html Kids and family Tue, 02 Oct 2012 14:05:14 -0500 loving fall with my boys. And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come
You are autumn
- Nicole Nordeman

We have been loving, loving LOVING the gorgeous Fall weather and just trying to soak up every bit of warmth and color that has been surrounding us for the past couple of weeks. This past weekend was particularly glorious, with golden leaves and light surrounding them... I'm kind of head over heels for the images of my boys.

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/10/loving-fall-with-my-boys.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/10/loving-fall-with-my-boys.html Kids and family Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:00:24 -0500 johnson family oy is the realest reality, the fullest life, and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given; joy.
- Ann Voskamp

What are the chances that my friend from college, Kathryn Ivey, married Ron... who, before he even met Kathryn, became close friends with Justin.... who he met while interning in DC and Justin, his wife and 2 kids now live in Grand Forks freaking North Dakota?? Yes, these are the connections in life that I believe God has laid out before me, showing me His love and His plan even if only bit by bit. When Justin and his amazing wife, Heather, invited us over for dinner the first time happy tears fell onto my plate as we blessed the food. Why? Because it just felt so good to be welcomed by a family that already felt like... friends despite the fact we had laid eyes on each other for the first time when we walked through their front door only 15 minutes prior to that moment.
All that being said, its such a JOY to get to know this family more, bit by bit. And what a joy it is for me to be able to observe them together from behind my camera... to see the love, laughter, tickles, snuggles and silliness that they share together. There is no denying the beauty I was able to capture.

]]> http://www.amyfree.com/2012/09/johnson-family.html http://www.amyfree.com/2012/09/johnson-family.html Kids and family Sun, 30 Sep 2012 13:42:55 -0500