The 'LIFE' Journey

Such a crazy journey we're all one. It's a beautiful one, don't get me wrong - just can be a whirlwind some days. A beautiful, out of control motion ...

And, well, time is a whole other phenomenon - it's amazing how fast 'it' goes - how life goes in this spiraling, out of control motion at moments. However, I've always thought that it's the MOMENTS that make life so AMAZING.

It's a few days since I've written. I tell myself I don't have time, but in reality, I think there are times I just lose inspiration. Not that there aren't inspiring people and things around me - I think it just might have to do with my motivation. I'm a work in progress on that one ...

I've been reminded in recent days of the AMAZING people and AMAZING moments that make up my life. The most recent addition to our family is one of them - my son Eli. I'm captivated by him on a daily basis. He makes me smile and he fills me with so much JOY. It's really indescribable in words most days. I imagine all you parents out there feel the exact same way about your children. While I love photographing MANY things, he is my most FAVORITE thing to 'capture'.

It's strange to think ... I never wanted to have children. For so long, I was living this lie that I wouldn't be a good parent, a good mother. This most likely stems from the relationship with my own mother, but looking back, my mom did the best she could. And that's all we can really hope for - and shoot for in this world. Life isn't perfect, it's a journey that we embark on, making the BEST and MOST out of it, around each bend, each fork, each twist in the road. Despite the uncertainty of it all, the journey of LIFE keeps us moving and striving for MORE. I appreciate my mom so much more these days - I pray she finds her happiness in this journey of LIFE ...

I write about this idea of 'LIFE' and 'MOMENTS' a lot, but hey, the saying goes: 'write what you know'. And this is what I know. Life isn’t about what you get, but what you give; it's not what you know, but what you learn; it’s not who you love, but how you love; it’s not what you say, but what you do. Live everyday fully, compassionately, humbly, whole-heartedly.

Beautiful YOU

It really is a joy to be able to bring out the BEST in people. It's one of the amazing things that we get to do behind the camera.

It's our goal, each and every time we photograph someone, to make them not only feel comfortable, but also beautiful.

Most often, people can't see how beautiful they are. We are so conditioned to think that if we don't look a certain way, match a certain style, or be a specific weight, we aren't good enough.Well, that's all wrong. YOU are beautiful, just the way YOU are. You are unique, you are talented, you are fabulous, you are YOU. And there isn't anyone who can diminish that. So keep being YOU - because YOU are beautiful just the way YOU are. :)

Balance - Motherhood - JOY

It's been a few weeks since I've blogged. A little behind - I'm sorry my friends!

With being a new mom and going back to my full-time job, things have been well, busy! However, I love life - and I simply LOVE being a mom. It's the GREATEST joy of my life. It's one of those things that I just cannot describe in words. I imagine all you moms out there feel the same way. :)

Anyway, it's a struggle sometimes, to find balance in everything. I think often times, in our country, the fast pace lifestyle is just NORMAL. We forget sometimes to take a breather from EVERYTHING because we're taught that if we're NOT busy, we're not productive, or we're not contributing. For me, this change in my life is a learning process. While I struggle to maintain some sense of balance, I desire SO STRONGLY to pursue my dreams - probably more so now, because I am a mom. I want my son to grow up knowing that despite the struggle it can be to chase your dreams, it's certainly worth it.

So here we are - trying to maintain some balance - all while trying to raise a kiddo and chasing the BIG dreams. While the road is long, and perhaps a little rough at times, it's the JOY of it all that makes it worth EVERY single moment.

Eli Joseph - 11 weeks - 15.9 pounds (he's going to be a big boy!)

Boys Just Wanna' Have Fun

It's been a few weeks. We apologize. Sometimes life gets a little hectic, you just then have to sit back, take a breath, and really, take each day, each moment at a time.

It's a beautiful thing, life.

A few weeks ago, we were lucky enough to snap a few photos of our precious cousins, Cody, Cameron and Chase. While they made us work for their smiles, they were so much fun to be around. They have an infectious laughter and bond among them. And while the song tells us 'Girls Just Wanna' Have Fun', we could definitely tell these little guys wanted to have just as much fun!

We snapped these photos on the lake, where our aunt and uncle live, in Elkhart, IN. It's quite peaceful there - and when you add the mixture of laughing from little ones - it makes the scene, the moment, that much more perfect.