personal

Oh, how I LOVE LOVE LOVE Halloween. :)  10 years ago today, I met my 3 oldest children and took them home with me.  I remember getting a call at work, where I was appropriately dressed like a hippie, and having no clue how my life was about to change.  The woman on the phone asked if we would like to foster 2 sisters ages 2 and 4.  Of course we did!  These would be our first (and only) set of foster kids and we were sooooo excited.  So, we hurried to get off work and go pick up the little girls.  When we walked in, we saw them waiting for us, tiny and nervous.  As we're talking to them, a man walks up with a precious little baby boy - 8 months old.  Who knew the girls had a brother??!!  They asked us if we'd be willing to take him as well and we were just floored....what an adorable little family!!  So, we left the office - on a perfect Halloween - with 3 beautiful children.  Somehow that night we managed to eat dinner, trick or treat, get the kids some clothes, and buy the baby a crib, some formula, and some diapers.  Crash course parenting at its best. :)

So, this is why I love love love Halloween.  My 3 oldest were not born to me, they are gifts.  They are brilliant and beautiful and they embody hope.  They have not only overcome the harsh circumstances they were born into - they have moved past them into a life and a future no one could have foreseen.  Life is all possibility, all dreams, all adventures for them.

Not long after getting the news that I was going to be able to adopt my babies, I had my princess.  I now have 4 beautiful children total and they are the most wonderful little people on the planet.  Having been a teenager who swore I would never have kids, I have to admit, parenting is a blast!  My kids are hilarious and our lives together are so fun I can't even describe it.  It's like being surrounded by the coolest, funnest people you've ever met - every single day.  I LOVE IT.  God has blessed me immeasurably.  So, for us, today - it's Happy Halloween and Happy Anniversary!  Can't wait to take them trick or treating tonight!

So, here is a pic taken a few days ago of me with the munchkins. :)  Charles was still at work so he's not in it.  :(  But still - it's cute, right?!  Oh, and ignore what my Princess is wearing - she had a play that night where she had to dress old fashioned.  lol.  P.S.  Wow - I am so so short. ha ha ha

Over the last several months, I've seen and heard a lot about these wraps from ItWorks.  From what I saw in before and after pics, they seemed to tone flabby bellies (I can say that because I have one of my own - lol), tightening loose skin and reshaping a bit.  I had thought about trying one just to see if it made a noticeable difference but it was more of a fleeting thought until one of my acquaintances from church became a distributor.  So, last week I was able to get my first wrap!  I used it around my waistline.  My personal experience with it was good.  It was easy to put on and felt good for the 45 minutes I had to wear it.  The biggest changes I noticed afterwards were my stretch marks being much less noticeable and my skin (which is loose and flabby due to a pregnancy where my belly was ginormous) seemed to be lifted and toned esp. around my navel.  These are the changes I noticed after just one wrap.  From what I understand, although you can try just one, when you purchase the package it comes with 4 (and you can use them almost anywhere on your body).  I wouldn't say that this is some miracle product that will make you go from a size 20 to a size 2 but at either size, I think it's great for dealing with loose skin, toning, helping to deal with stretch marks, and getting rid of the puffy bloated look.  It would also be a fabulous thing to do before a boudoir shoot, wedding, high school reunion, etc.  I plan on trying more of the wraps and probably their vitamins, too, in the near future.  If you want to see my results, try a wrap, or purchase products - please check out my friend's site (you can email her and request to see before/after pics - or you can see them on her facebook page -http://www.facebook.com/wrapyourwayhealthy?fref=ts : https://misticrewse.myitworks.com/home

Happy wrapping! :)

Wow.  Ok, so this is a big topic to cover on a little blog!  I spend a good deal of time here talking about my Dad because he's the other half of Trinity Ridge Photography and because he's awesome.  But some of you may not know that I have the world's greatest Mom, too!!!  Trying to explain how much I love my mom is like trying to explain to a child how big God is.  My words can't quite capture their intention.  My mom is my best friend, my sounding board, my shoulder to cry on, my voice of reason, and my inspiration.  I remember vividly when she was in SICU after her surgery to remove the majority of her stage 4 Ovarian cancer.  It was about the 2nd or 3rd day of her being completely out, and she STILL had the breathing tube helping her breathe.  We always knew that God was healing her and we did not doubt that he would defeat cancer for her and she would be well.  However, on that 2nd or 3rd day I just broke down and had a crying sobbing fit.  LOL  It wasn't because she was sick, either.  It was because it had been 3 days since I had been able to talk to her and I already had SO much to say!  I MISSED her immensely.  Before her cancer, I appreciated and loved my Mom, but now I am keenly aware of what an absolute GIFT every moment I have with her is.  2 years after a cancer that was supposed to kill her in week - she is cancer free - and she is a GIFT.

So, here are some random things I love about my Mom:

1.  She has a dark sense of humor - it makes both of us weird - but is completely entertaining. :)

2.  She is the best brainstormer I know - and has a great business mind.

3.  She is an amazing cook - even though she can never make the same thing twice. ;)

4.  She shares my intense love for chocolate!

5.  She knows what unconditional love is - and she loves me that way.

6.  She ALWAYS listens to me.

7.  She has always put me first - even when she shouldn't have.

8.  She likes bargain shopping with me!

9.  She is completely wonderful and absolutely irreplaceable.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!  I couldn't do it without you. :)  Thank you so much for still pushing forward in this journey with me.  You've made it such an amazing trip.  You've brightened my world more than the Summer sun and I wholeheartedly ADORE you.  Hope you enjoy listening to "our" song. :)  You have saved me so many times and continue to save me nearly every single day.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQyQst3iBB4&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Making photography my career was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  Very few people can honestly say that when it comes to their work - they wouldn't rather do anything else.  People like myself not only can't imagine doing anything else...if we actually WERE...we would be doing photography in our "spare" time.  It's easy to recognize when you love what you do.  Photography for me is like writing in a journal, only it doesn't tell your secrets.  It kind of tells everyone their own secrets...letting them see their own feelings or memories in my work.  Oddly enough, though, when photography became work - it ceased as a hobby for me.  I've been trying to get my hobby back, since I don't really have any equivalent back up hobbies. ;)  So, today, in the amazing Spring weather, I took a drive.  This is the first year all of my children have been in school, so I have the daytime to myself.  Usually, I spend it sitting at this desk responding to emails, placing orders, and editing.  That would be great, too, if I didn't also spend all night from 7 or 8 to 4 a.m. - doing the exact same thing.  Having an office in my home, it's just natural to sit here and work constantly.  The fact that I love my work makes it even harder to resist the urge to work my days away without even stepping foot outside except to pick up my little cuties. :)  This year, though, I've promised myself that I'm going to get outside and give myself my hobby back.  I want to look back and actually be able to remember this year and the things I see and do.  Last year is just a blur of sitting at this desk and playing catch up.  So, here are a few pictures from my drive today.  Tomorrow, I'm planning a hike.  (For all of you who know me and how extraordinarily unathletic I am...this is the part where you giggle at the thought of me hiking. ;)  I actually do hike, though!  There is something completely brilliant about being alone in the woods during the most incredible time of year and just forcing yourself to take the time to enjoy it.  I feel like I did when I got my first car and thought to myself, "I am going to drive off into the country as far as I can go - and finally get out of this box".  Yay for getting me out of my box!!!! :)

If you know anything about Trinity Ridge Photography - you know that it consists of TWO photographers.  There is me, the "mouth" and my Dad - the "eye". :)  Don't worry - my mouth's not TOO big, but he DOES have a great eye!  Of course, he takes the most gorgeous wedding images you can imagine.  Less known is the fact that he is a master at nature photography.  I think of him as the King of Flowers.

So, today is my Dad's birthday.  I thought it would be fitting to devote a post to him and how lucky I am to have him.  Honestly, I could write a whole book on this topic, so it will be a struggle to keep it short. ;)  What I really want to say is that throughout my entire life he has been a constant support to me.  He has never failed me or failed to be there for me when I needed him.  If I called him at this very moment and said I needed him - even if it wasn't an emergency - he would come.  AND he would show up smiling.  He is and has the kind of strength that the rest of the world seems to be missing.  It's the kind that you see children searching for.  Many of my BEST memories are of me and my Dad.  Every year we get to work together, we make new memories and I feel blessed.  He is beyond good to me, and always fun to be around.  So, I think that I have a great reason to celebrate his birthday.  God blessed me and the rest of the world with a truly wonderful person when my Dad was born.  For that, today I am so thankful. :)

I love you Daddy!  Happy Birthday!