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Yes, you read it right.  I was dropping my kids off at school a few mornings ago and I passed by this really crappy car parked at the school with it's window stuck halfway down.  Seeing as how it's 30 degrees and there's snow all over the ground - I assumed the window wasn't left down on purpose. ;)  I stared at that car and I just had to smile.  That car was SO me.  I lived with the curse of the crappy cars until my mid twenties.  All of my first cars broke down constantly.  My freshman year of college I mostly walked but when I had to drive I was rolling in a Buick boat with red velvet interior.  Not long after - I was given the uber cool 1980 something Mercury Grand Marquis by my Nana.  It was Maroon - HUGE - and as uncool as it could possibly be.  That summer I decided to work at an amusement park a zillion miles away and the speedometer broke on the way.  Once I got to my destination the driver's window got stuck down.  I was broke and had no way to fix it - so I put my work uniform rain pants in the window and drove with them like that.  (It rained nearly every day.)  I distinctly remember leaving the apartment complex to go to work one day and the old guy at the booth telling me he really like my car and that they just didn't make cars "like that" any more.  I HAD to laugh.  Driving around in my comfy SUV a few days ago, I smiled at that crappy car and thanked God that I had had many of them.  I love the fact that my whole past is not some super cool story about a girl who lived a perfect life with perfect people and perfect cars.  MY story is much much more interesting. :)

So...Yay to everyone who has ever had to get out in the middle of traffic - lift the hood up and bang on something with a hammer you have to carry around in your car for occasions like these.  And Yay to every teenager who has ever had to drive something even their Grandparents don't feel cool in - and double yay if you gave the car a cool name and totally owned it. ;)

If you've been reading my blog for long - you probably already know this - but Micaela is my gorgeous sister-in-law!  We photographed her wedding back in September. :)  It was a truly unique experience since I was actually IN the wedding as a bridesmaid.  I have to admit, I nearly had a mental breakdown over having to wear a sleeveless dress in public!  LOL  I killed myself at the gym the whole month before her wedding, got a spray tan, had a pedicure and manicure - and STILL thought I was going to have a panic attack if I had to walk down that aisle. ;)  But, I did it...and I survived.  By the way, the dress was gorgeous - I was just wishing I was 20 lbs. lighter and 10 years younger before I had to wear it!  I truly found a new and glorious respect for all bridesmaids on that day. :) 

Anyways, I'm in the process of wrapping up her wedding and thought I would add a few of my favorite black and white portraits from the wedding.  Some have a little tone to them which is cool.

The above image was taken by my beautiful and talented sister, Keanna.

On a side note, I have been listening to Pink's song "Glitter in the Air" for about four hours straight and I've decided to find some magical moments in life...and my new chapstick.

Today was my baby boy's 8th birthday!  I feel so old - I can't believe he's already 8!  Many of you know that my 3 oldest children are adopted, and we have had my son since he was almost 9 months old.  I was in love with him from day one - I have to admit.  He was absolutely meant to be mine.  To this day I am still completely smitten with him and think that he is a complete angel.  I'll be posting some more wedding portraits very soon - but I just had to share a mommy pic from a point and shoot that I took of my amazing little boy.  Oh...and if you don't believe in miracles...you should. ;)

I have to admit that I've been completely dreading the arrival of this Winter weather.  I am the type of person that would love to swish my magic wand and give Arkansas a tropical climate.  I completely identify with people who have a Winter home on the other side of the country someplace warm.  (Actually, I can't wait to BE one of those people!)  Anyways, as the sleet and snow continued to fall all day and all night, I was totally disgusted by it.  Of course, I was thrilled to have my kiddos home - but I was wishing they were home for some other reason.  Sitting there, thinking about the snow day, I wondered when they stopped being so magical?  From the time I was little to my teenage years, if there was snow, I bundled up and jumped on my sled.  I even put food coloring in spray bottles full of water so I could spray paint the snow outside of our house. 

The last time we had a snow like this was my freshman year in college.  I specifically remember layering on my clothes, putting plastic bags over my shoes, grabbing my 35mm FILM camera, and heading across campus to take pictures of anything and everything.  Today...I put shoes on with my pajamas and walked out onto my back deck long enough to take 4 pictures of the snow.  Obviously, I need to remind myself what it's like to look at the world like a child and see (as my sister's friend called the snow) "sparkly white flakes of awesomeness".  :)  So, to celebrate the snow and the gift of childhood - here is a portrait of one of my beautiful little girls who modeled for me today in the living room while watching the snow fall.

Ok, so today was one of those completely weird sentimental days where you go way up and way down like it's a 24 hour rollercoaster.  LOL  I thought a lot about my life and the long journey it's been, and I still can't fathom how I can only be 24 (for the 6th time).  With everything I've done and been through (a lot of it quite good mind you) I should be at least twice the age I actually am.  I discovered today that thinking about the whole journey is not a exactly a normal day activity and should be done with caution.  But I was listening to this song I found by Kendall Payne called "I Will Show You Love", and it reminded me of how God has been there for me through every moment and how blessed I am to know that.  So, I was editing James and Lisa's wedding at Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, AR and came across this portrait.  It reminded me of how incredible it is to know I am not alone.  Then I thought about how weddings can be such a profound example of what love really is and what it means to be there for someone through the good and bad and all of the amazing plain days in between.  So...here's to the journey...