Thank God for You (TGY)

Brown Eyed Girl

Mark 12:29-31. "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."

I recently got to photograph this little one, a beautiful girl with big brown eyes and golden curls. My prayer for her is that she will grow to love the Lord with all her heart, soul, mind and strength!

Precious Moments

There's something about newborn photography that is so precious to me. Well, there are several things--newborn baby smells, those tiny wrinkles, teensy hands and toes, and a newborn's general sleepiness. But, what really hits me each time is knowing that I'm playing a little part in a new person's very first weeks on earth. Someday, I'll be talking to this little person when she's older and I'll still have pictures in my mind of the day I took her photo at 2 weeks old. What will she look like then? What will her voice sound like? How will her eyes sparkle when she giggles? I am looking forward to finding out.... but until then, I'm cherishing these images.

Anticipation...

I think maternity photos are so important. It can be hard for the mom-to-be to feel glamorous enough to have her photo taken sometimes... But, it's such a special time! The anticipation is exciting to all who are looking forward to the arrival of the little one. Here are a couple of photos from a session back in April of two very dear people.

Then, after all that waiting, planning, dreaming...and more waiting... ta da! A new little miracle.

A few more...

Continued...

At long last... more of my niece who is graduating from 8th grade! (D, I'm almost done...these will be in the mail to you by tomorrow.) Love you, flower girl.

Spring is here!

All winter, my camera has been begging me to take it out to play... But Illinois winters are not fun for outdoor photography (in my opinion). I prefer blue skies, green grass, and temperatures above 55 F. This week, my camera and I have been reunited...and it feels so good! (hahaha-I am not really old enough to know that song or who sang it, etc...but I've heard it in enough commercials to know the tune).

My niece...the one who made me an aunt for the first time... the one who, at not-quite-three years old, dropped little clumps of petals down the aisle at my wedding as the flower girl... the one who (well, for her sake I won't tell the story about what happened one night as she was bouncing around on a bed with a solid oak headboard)....the one who once screamed in horror, "You're sitting on Jesus!!!" as I climbed into the backseat of a car beside her... yes, that one...is graduating from 8th grade soon.

So, I got to take her graduation photos! Isn't she lovely? I look at her and see this person who is maturing before my eyes...and at the same time, I see her at age 7, smiling a gap-toothed grin at me when she was losing her baby teeth. She is so wonderful and special and I just can't wait to see what she does next.

FYI, this was taken at the Illinois River in Seneca, Illinois. Behind her, you can see the new bridge that is being built and the old bridge, too. I'll post more of my favorites of her as I edit them...

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23

This Psalm has been running through my mind as I think of the Haitian people today. My friends, I pray for your comfort...for God's mercy on those who are suffering...for strength and faith.