meet … SANTA!

… a.k.a. Michael.  He has a twinkle in his eye… and a smile that is contagious! 

“DELIGHT yourselves in the Lord,
           and He will give you the desires of your HEART.”
                                                        – Psalm 37:4

jill <><

erek & annalisa.

I realize we are extremely behind on blogging.  Hopefully we can catch up soon!  Here’s a start…

Erek & Annalisa’s wedding was beautiful!  Annalisa chose to utilize the fall colors – with the hay bales and pumpkins, and it looked so good!  A family member had painted several of these signs and the hung them outside the garden. 
 

There was a lot of hard work and detail put into the ceremony, as well as the reception.  I think my favorite little detail was the cake topper.  I have always liked the Willow Tree figures, and the one they chose looked beautiful on the cake. (Below: Top left.)

Thanks, Erek & Annalisa, for letting us be part of your special day!

jill <><

none too soon.

If there ever was a photoshoot with perfect timing, it was this one.  We met Mrs. Rosie, Brittany, David, and the adorable little Fitzpatrick on a blustery day a few weeks ago.  We came close to cancelling the shoot, because it looked like it would rain any minute, but with Brittany’s due date so close, we decided to chance it.  It ended up being the perfect evening – the reason?  Monday was the shoot, Brittany went into labor on Tuesday, and little Isabella was born on Wednesday!  Talk about cutting it close!

This little Fitzy was the best behaved dog.  Even downtown with all the distractions, he did pretty much exactly what David said to do.

We caught these shots just before the raindrops started!

And of course… the real star of the show.

Brittany & David, we hope you enjoyed your preview!  Can’t wait to meet that sweet little Isabella!

jill <><

sweet baby brody.

We are thrilled to introduce you to our first baby to be a part of our fearfully & wonderfully made baby plan!  Meet Brody!

This is the back of Brody’s birth announcement.  It turned out beautifully! 

The first thing Mom does when she gets her hands on any baby… is take off their socks. 

Before Brody was born, his big brother Clayton tried really hard to figure out how this whole baby situation was going to work.  We got so tickled when we heard that Clayton had asked, “Is mommy going to be Brody’s momma too?”

This last shot is probably my favorite.  I love his sweet little cheeks!

Every new baby is nothing short of a beautiful new miracle. 

jill <><

jody.

A little while back, a dear friend of mine (and suite-mate!) came and spent the weekend with me.  And of course, when I called to see if she could come, I told her to bring some outfits for a photoshoot.  So, being the good sport she is – Jody obliged.  Kay, Jo, and I spent the morning walking around trying to find some good shots, and spent most of our time laughing at each other.

Jody is a huge fan of sunglasses.  [Day OR night.]  In fact, if you ever get a peek into her bag, you’ll find another little bag devoted solely to sunglasses.  Big ones, little ones, even a pair that looks like they are upside down!  So we had to have a few shots with the sunglasses.

Notice Jo’s shoes?  They are TOMS.  [When you buy a pair, a pair is sent to a child who doesn’t have shoes.]  One pair is brown burlap, and the other is a blue, green, and yellow tie-dye.  Both of which – I own as well.  And inevitably, we usually end up wearing the same pair… the same day. 

I have come to wish that anyone who looks at our blog or our website could see the fun we have behind the scenes.  So, today, here’s a little taste of what went on.  The explanation of the picture below?  I was trying to help Jo get up on the windowsill without snagging her sweater or pants.  But… even with my good intentions – she probably would’ve done better on her own.

 Thanks Jo, for waiting patiently for these.  Love ya!

But if I say, “I will not mention Him
       or speak any more in His name,” 
       His word is in my heart like a fire,
       a fire shut up in my bones.
       I am weary of holding it in;
       indeed, I cannot.
                                        – Jeremiah 20:9

jill <><

fail us not.

Rarely do we post anything on here that is not picture related.  But today I’m going to.  I don’t know if you’ve heard of the band called 1000 Generations, but if you just read this sentence, you now have to check out their website!   I so appreciate 1000 Generation‘s music.  Their lyrics are wonderful, their music is great, and most importantly their hearts are truly focused on worshipping the Father, and leading others to worship with them.  I’ve had the opportunity on several occasions to meet and talk with some of the band members, as they’ve done several events and concerts at Cumberlands.  We share a common bond – they are from Indiana, and so are we (kind of)! 

The band’s newest cd, Turn Off the Lesser Lights, is a great collection of new and old 1000 Generation songs.  I received an e-mail a few days ago which pointed me to the band’s new music video for their radio single – Fail Us Not.  Take a minute to watch the video.  Really listen to the lyrics – and soak in the Truth of them! (Find out more @ http://www.failusnot.com.)

 

Failure doesn’t phase You, worry doesn’t win,
Loss doesn’t leave You afraid to start again,
Our sin doesn’t shock You,
Our shame doesn’t shame You at all…

Whatever will come, we’ll rise above,
You fail us not, You fail us not,
No matter the war, our hope is secure,
You fail us not, You fail us not,
You fail us not…

jill <><
1 Corinthians 13

annalisa’s bridal.

There is something about a wedding gown,
prettier than any other gown in the world.
                                         – Douglas Jerrold

Meet Annalisa and her very special Maid of Honor – Faith.  Annalisa & Faith are cousins, and Anna said she’s always loved Faith as though she were her own little sister, so there was no hesitation as to who would be her Maid of Honor! 

We were so thrilled that the rain held off long enough to do Annalisa’s bridal shoot.  She really wanted a “country” look in her photos, so we climbed out into the field, and then went down the road to Mr. Harold’s red barn (luckily the goats were on the far side of the field!).  The result was worth the effort, as you can tell!  

There had been a mix-up with Annalisa’s original dress, but the dress she found to replace it was absolutely gorgeous!  It was simple, yet elegant – the perfect combination.  All the jewelry worn by the wedding party was made by Annalisa’s grandmother.  Each piece was beautiful!

 Take a close look at the picture below.  See anything slightly out of the ordinary?

 Look at the bottom left-hand corner.  Peeking out from behind the barn door is a little white kitten that decided she would invite herself along on our shoot.

Check back soon for a sneak peak of Annalisa & Erek’s wedding!

jill <><

introducing… the littlest cousin.

Kay and I hoped for a girl.  Adam and Daniel hoped for a boy.  So we decided to compromise.  Twins – one boy – one girl.  But when we realized we really couldn’t choose what we wanted… we decided to at least compromise on the name – Gus Caspian.  However… I guess Aunt Linda & Uncle Trey had dibs on choosing a name. 

The boys, Kay & I are just looking forward to the day when we can take Michael for a ride on the go-cart.  But until then… here’s a look at our little fella.

 

Mom & Aunt Robbie have a bit of a rivalry going – as to who will be Michael’s favorite aunt.  (Or at least I think that’s what’s going on…)  Judging by the photographic evidence below, Mom is winning.  Miraculously, at the age of 4 weeks, Michael spoke his first words… 

 

For you created my inmost being;
       you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
        your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well.
                                          – Psalm 139:13-14

jill <><

sweet home alabama.

Judging by the amount of posting on the blog over the past month, Kay and I haven’t done much.  But in reality – we have been extremely busy!  Check back over the next week, as we’ll be posting pictures from our recent sessions! 

But for now…

We’ve had the opportunity to spend some time in Alabama with our grandparents.  I always look forward to our times there.   Two places at my grandmother’s house have inspired and encouraged my imagination and creativity for as long as I can remember.  One – the huge magnolia tree in the front yard.  And two – the field that makes up the back yard.  So on one of our trips home, I took some time to get a few shots of Kay in our favorite places.
 

 

 

And for my personal favorite… Kay’s laugh.

 

 jill <><

here comes the bride…

Last fall, we had the opportunity to take the engagement pictures for some friends of mine.  And today, their wedding day has finally arrived! 

Congratulations, Chris and Hannah!  I wish we could be there to celebrate your wedding day, but know that we are thinking of you and praying for you!

jill <><