personal

So, I'm finally back from Las Vegas!  For those of you who didn't know, I just returned from the WPPI Convention (a HUGE photography convention).  First, let me say that I went there for educational purposes and to scout out all of the new products and equipment I'm interested in for this new year of business.  I had no idea what I would really find there.  Let me tell you what I found....

To begin with, MGM Grande is really an enclosed village the size of the town I live in.  I'm the type of person who only walks when necessary, like when I want food from the refrigerator.  ;)  Walking from my room to one of the classes was like me randomly deciding to walk across town to my post office and then realizing I have no choice but to walk back.  I was totally kicking myself for packing my brand new cute black heeled boots instead of my comfy work shoes.  LOL  Either way, ouch.  Between my slow walking and the long lines to get into classes - eating somehow became nearly impossible every day.  This was sort of a good thing, because had I the the time to eat, I probably would've felt a lot more guilty for the $3.00 bottle of Coke I bought every morning, and the $4.00 tall white mocha from Starbucks I splurged on every time the line was short enough to go through.  Then there was the mishap of me bringing the wrong charger for my phone and being phoneless half the trip.  I DID end up actually buying a battery powered charger from - get this - a Best Buy VENDING MACHINE in the MGM village of chaos.  So, basically, I spent a week walking non stop with no food and no phone.

I'm telling you all of this because I felt horrible and it was totally showing.  I started thinking about my whole life and every shortcoming and exposed nerve that I had.  Then, in the midst of my confusion and discomfort, God showed me his mercy and tender care for me.  He surrounded me with 4 very uniquely beautiful and encouraging women.  Nothing tremendous happened or was said, but all 4 women were kind to me despite my little mood swings.  I didn't go to Las Vegas looking for friends, and I've always kind of thought that I really didn't have time for any.  But God had them there when I needed them.  Now, I'm reminded why I can't continue to shut myself off from the rest of the world.  Sometimes, just a kind word that you say when you are completely unaware...can affect the heart of someone who truly needs it.  I don't have the right to withhold that from the people I come in contact with.  After my week in Vegas...I no longer WANT to withhold it.  And that - is a very good thing.  It's amazing how God has watched over me so closely, walking with me despite where I've chosen to walk, and loving me even at my most unlovely.  I hope I can share that grace and kindness with some of you in the future. 

God Bless.

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.

So, today I realized that my blog might sort of possibly be boring.  Well, actually, it's full of gorgeous portraits - which are interesting....and a few comments about them which are not.  So, I decided that I MUST put something on this blog that is about me.  The trouble is, I've been so consumed by my career as a wedding photographer that not much "about me" has survived.  I have been living and breathing weddings for 4 years straight.  In between all those glorious weddings is retouching on the computer - and for me personally, it's a 40-60 hour a week job.  Now, ask me if I love weddings and everything that comes along with them?  Oh - absolutely!!!  I do it because it is the only job in the world I could imagine doing.  So, here's the part where life gets tricky!  I'm learning to balance my life and my business.  Who knew they were separate?  LOL  Hopefully, in the near future - you'll be reading about all of my sorted attempts to be a "real" person again - and I'm sure most of them will be comical.  Until then, I leave you with a quote:

"All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. "
Martin Luther King, Jr.