He wants your heart

You know how Facebook tells you what you were doing "on this day" in the past? Every once in awhile I am actually surprised and don't remember posting some thing or another. Yesterday I came across a quote that I posted 4 years ago. It came from my pastor, Scott Miller, and a recent message he had delivered. (Click here to listen.) And while the circumstances around the day that I posted this are fuzzy, I know the truth is still an important one and I was stuck again by the core of the words. 

"Whatever trials you might be going through, wherever life is taking you, God is in control of this. He is orchestrating your life, but He WANTS your heart. He wants your heart. More than anything else He wants your heart."

He wants me! He wants my heart and whatever He allows in my life is to bring my heart closer to Him. Wow. This gets me thinking about all the things I know my friends and family have gone through. I can't explain the death of your child, or why he suffered disease and disability for his entire life. I don't know why God allows the pain of a husband who struggles with addiction that crushes your soul. I am at a loss for words why some children live a loveless life with abuse and others are rescued to be loved deeply by a new family. And I don't understand why I was chosen to live an incredibly blessed life with everything I could possibly need and want, while others are called to live in war-torn countries with poverty, destitution, and lack of clean water.  But I do know that God uses the trials in our lives to draw us close to Him. Just like a loving parent pulls their crying child close, He desires to hold us in His arms. To embrace us through our trials and pain. He wants nothing less than our heart. ALL of our heart! "More than anything else He wants your heart." Share

It's 2016!

I am excited for this new year. I know who I am and what I want. I know that I will succeed and also that I will fail, and that's okay. There will be great happiness as well as sorrow. I will laugh and I may cry. I won't dwell on loss, or pain but will look at the good placed before us. I refuse to belittle others who choose to live their lives differently than I do. Instead I will choose to love them even when I don't agree with them. Ultimately, I have been chosen; and I choose to live my life in a way that will point others towards the Source of happiness, peace, love, and joy. I choose joy! Happy 2016!
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Windy Day

I recently started working at the pre-school thats part of the Christian school at our church. It works out nicely for our youngest to attend Kindergarten their while I spend the morning in the pre-1 class. That 14-16 2.5-almost 4 year olds! And boy am I tired when I get home! So, that explains the lack of recent posts....but I have a lot of senior sessions coming up over the next few weeks so stay tuned!! ;)
This session was done a few weeks ago on a hot, but windy day. We met at my clients home and wandered around their beautiful yard to get some of these great shots. I loved how well Jane had thought out the locations we could shoot. She has a great eye and a natural grace for portraits. She needed almost no posing or prompting but would quickly just have a great pose for me to snap a shot! (Love those sessions!)

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Happy Father's Day!!

I just couldn't let this day pass without saying Happy Father's day to my husband, my own dad and my father in-law! All of them are amazing guys who are quick to love their kids, quick to forgive and always willing to help. They are a great example of the One who loved us first!

Engagement Session

Engagement sessions are my absolute favorite! And the most recent one with Crystal and Austin was no exception. The only downside to the sessions is when it comes to editing. Almost every picture is just perfect, I don't know how to pick a favorite! I am only about 1/3 of the way through so far, but thought I would post a few that I like. I may have to do a couple more posts, or maybe I'll make a collage of my favorites when I get done. We'll see!

Willamette Valley, Oregon Engagement Photographer

Crystal and Austin ~Sneak Peak~ Willamette Valley, Oregon Engagement Photographer

I had such a fun time with Austin and Crystal today, shooting some engagement pictures! Austin is on leave from Iraq and I felt privilaged to share a few hours of their time together with them. I just had to post one shot I got...absolutely love it. The focus worked out perfectly, the lighting, the kiss, everything is just perfect! The two of them were sitting on the rocks and I was sneaking in from the other side of the water and captured this picture between some reeds. (click on the picture to view it larger)


We got so many great shots, I can't wait to go through all of them! I'll post some more tomorrow afternoon!

Willamette Valley, Oregon Engagement Photographer

Still Processing

I am still in a processing mode. Its amazing how differently I have begun to view life. This is my fourth trip to Mexico (as a short term missionary) and my first as a real "adult" :) But the affect has been the same. I still don't have words to share my experience, but I am processing it all and hope to have something soon. So for now, just some pictures.

This first one is a collage of the 23 hour trip south.

A few shots from the orphanage that we stayed at. They have amazing facilities and amazing kids there! (Check out the link in my previous post.)

A Sweet Moment

The other day my oldest daughter was having a hard afternoon. After listening to about an hour of off and on, whining and fussing, I had had enough. (Mean mom!) So I sent her outside to talk to daddy. A few minutes later I look out the window to see this....

it totally melted my heart. I have an awesome husband who is a great daddy to his girls!

I used an action from Coffee Shop Actions. They have some great free actions for Photoshop and PSE. The one I used here is Creamy Toffee Latte. It just gives the picture a sweet soft look.

I ♥ Faces ~Week 4~ Adults Category

This is my sister Melissa. She has the most gorgeous green eyes...I thought it would be a great shot for "The Eyes Have It" which is week 4 of faces at I ♥ Faces. (You can click on the picture to view it larger.)

I ♥ Faces~Week 4~

Week four over at I ♥ Faces. This weeks theme is "The Eyes Have It". This is a picture of my adorably grumpy niece! I made another entry so you can see that she isn't always this grumpy! She loves her aunty, but she sure is a mama's girl!

I ♥ Faces ~Adults Category~ Joy

This is my entry for the weekly fun. I think it fits the category...which is Joy. What greater joy then to meet your new son... I couldn't decide if this fit better in the kids category or the adults....but finally decided on the adults because that is where I see the most joy in the photograph. Check out the blog at http://www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

10th Anniversary

My husband and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary on Thursday. In ways it seems like it has been much longer (thats good) and in the same breath it feels just like yesterday. I am blessed with an amazing husband who loves me unconditionally and supports me overwhelmingly!

We did a little photo session today just for fun. I took the pictures on a tripod with a self timer. Our 8, 6 and 3 year old daughters took a few for us too! So, I definitely need to hire those girls...they did great considering their inexperience and unsteady hand! :)

The D Family

Yesterday I got to meet 11 members of the sweetest family you'll come across. Their love for each other is evident in the way they treat one another. Older siblings helping younger, and younger siblings looking up to older. I may not have captured it, but at least twice I saw a young man looking at his older brothers with respect and adoration. And during the hour that we were shooting I didn't hear one complaint from anyone! Just an honest answer to my question of "Are you having fun yet?" ;)

I am editing sessions in the order they were taken, so these are next on my list...but here are just a few fun ones that I grabbed out really quick!

Kelly and Ken

Busy-ness....that is whats in store for me over the next few days. I have sessions one right after each other, ending on Tuesday. So my blogging and editing is going to slow, just a bit.

~Ken and Kelly~
This couple was so cute...very fun to photograph! Their love is so obvious in their playfulness with each other! So, here are just a few pictures to see while we wait for the rest! There are going to be some GREAT shots and I can't wait to finish editing them!

Who Am I?

I am an aspiring photographer...a wife, a mom and a home-school teacher! I have been in love with photographs for as long as I can remember.
My mom is one who always has a camera in hand...or at least in her purse! So I sorta grew up with the idea of taking lots of pictures.
About 7 years ago my husband surprised me with a 35mm Nikon N65.

I was so thrilled! I could finally take better than average pictures! As I began to learn more about the camera and it's capabilities, I was impressed with all the functions...but as I took more pictures it became obvious to me that the camera isn't what made the pictures great!

This is me when I was pregnant with our youngest daughter.

What made the pictures great, is what I was capturing. I had an eye for things that other people couldn't see. I realized that so many moments go by in our lives unnoticed. There are photo opportunities every day. While playing games with some friends one evening I glanced under the table and noticed this....

another friend said;

"It's love seen, and unseen."

Life is all about loving. I am excited to record my first wedding on August 2nd. Nathan and Sarah are getting married and I have been chosen to capture the day for them. I can't wait!
So thats me, I am learning more about photography everyday! I could throw out fancy terms like lots of other photo blogs do, but honestly, I would rather just do what I do to take great shots!
I can't wait to post pictures of the wedding....in the meantime, check back soon for more pictures of an adorable family.