Beautiful Dancers

I LOOOVED This photo shoot!!! These dancers were so beautiful and having so much fun, it was infectious! I had never shot a recital before, and getting the hang of changing shutter speeds as the lighting changed in the middle of the action was quite tricky, but I learned a lot!

Here is a sneak peek, ladies, Hope you enjoy!!

A Joyful Wedding!

It is truly SUCH an HONOR for me to be invited to share a family's most precious moments with them!  This beautiful couple were literally glowing, and it was such a joy to be a part of their wedding day New Year's Eve, capturing each moment "on film".  I hope you can see their radiance through these few shots I'd like to share with you!!

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. K!!!  May God pour Blessings upon Blessings on you two and your beautiful family!!

The cake and decor were gorgeous!!

The Bride waiting with her Maid of Honor, and the Groom waiting with his son, who married them!
Waiting, waiting... then.... the CEREMONY! Then....   THE KISS!!

Their rings and flowers. All just beautiful!!!

Precious Baby Boy J!!

This weekend I had the pleasure of photographing Baby Boy J for his first portraits, including Christmas pics! We had such a fun time, he was perfect!!! Literally!!! Mommy fed him when they arrived then he was all smiles and cute faces till he fell asleep in his gift box at the very end :)!  Not a single fuss!!! (Oh, well, except he didn't like being on his belly at all! So as long as we stayed away from those poses he was good to go!!)  I LOVE photographing babies no matter how long it takes to get those precious shots, but I have to say, I have never had one be this easy!!! He may be destined to be a baby model ;)


Hope you enjoy your preview!!!

Change of plans... AGAIN...

YES! Portraits with Santa is STILL ON!!! HOWEVER... unfortunately, I will no longer be your photographer :(

I have contracted the flu or some other virus, and due to the danger this puts my baby in, as well as the danger it could put your babies in if I were to attend, I decided to send in a photographer friend of mine...  Rachael Thackston Photography will take over the event, and I know she will do a FABULOUS job!

I am so sorry I will miss you!!! But you will still get the most unique, priceless photos with Santa you can imagine!!! Hope you enjoy!!!

It's Gorgeous Outside!!!!

I am LOOOOVING this weather and the beautiful views!!! And I am so excited that I am finally feeling better and able to start booking sessions again!!! What perfect timing!!   With the leaves changing and the weather so comfortable, this is the PERFECT TIME for a Family Portrait Session!!!

Let's go outside and play in the leaves while I capture your family enjoying the season together, and genuine expressions of fun and pure joy!

Remember, we still have our %50 Portfolio Building Discount available!!! So not only can you get gorgeous colorful family portraits right now, but you get custom portraits at half the price!!!

We are specifically looking for the following groups for our portfolio:

• Families
• Expectant Moms
• Children
• Tweens

Soon we will also be needing Newborns, Teens and Graduating Seniors.

If your family or one close to you fits our needs, please call or email us today!!  The %50 discount is for you! You will get a CD of all your images with limited copyright and half off prints too! As a valued member of our first client base, the foundation of our budding business, you will also receive future benefits of discounts and special offers and be the first to know about upcoming events with Dulce Light Photography!

Don't delay! Call or email us Today!!

Change of Plans

Well, Unfortunately, the Fun Fall Portrait Session for this Friday has been cancelled.  HOWEVER, we have other exciting news to share with you!!!....

The Holiday Event is still in full swing and just got even better!! In addition to one-on-one time with Santa himself and the exciting crafts and games Miss Lala has planned,  we just found out there will also be a Magician there putting on two shows!!! This is sure to be a fantastic fun-filled day, a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season right before Thanksgiving and get into the Spirit of Christmas!!!! Here are the details:

When: November 20, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Where: The Arts @ West Cobb
What:  One-on-One Pictures with Santa scheduled every 15 minutes, free crafts, games, storytime, music, and playtime in Miss Lala's treehouse, as well as two magic shows with ticket prices tba.

The portraits will be $60 per session, and this includes a CD of ALL IMAGES captured with limited copyright, meaning you can print as you like* for personal use and post the images online to share with family and friends, however all online postings should bear our company watermark and/or and link to our website, dulcelightphotography.com. We will also have professional printing available, starting at $8 per sheet!!

Some of you may wonder why it would be worth $60 to have pictures with Santa, when you can go to several stores around town and get a free picture with Santa or portraits done anywhere from $15 - $50 (and up of course!) The answer is simple: unrushed, personal time with Santa! This will inevitably result in some of the most candid, precious pictures of your kids with Santa and genuine expressions of emotion!  No cheesy poses!!! This ALSO means, that if your child is fearful of Jolly Old St. Nick, we have the time to work with that! And if they never get comfortable, we can still work with that! Santa can peek out from behind the chair or something similar so you still get the pictures with Santa you hoped for, without feeling like your child was traumatized! AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, the $60 is per session, NOT PER PERSON! Meaning you can bring the entire family!!! Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Long lost brothers!! Bring'em all!!  It's truly going to be a fun, memorable time for everyone!!!  

Space is limited, so Book Your Session TODAY! 

Also, the Contest for the Fall Session will be revamped for this event,  so stay tuned on how you could win a $25 gift certificate good towards your portrait session or for Christmas Shopping as well!!

For questions or more information, please call or email us! We'd love to talk to you!!



*Dulce Light Photography not responsible for photo quality of portraits not printed on professional printers.

Accepting Baby Steps

Whew!! What a crazy few months it's been!  In the past several months we have moved, had 2 birthday parties, started a new job (hubby), gone on a way-overdue vacation and survived morning sickness with baby #4! Its almost gone, I can feel it! Or maybe I'm just being optimistic because I am soooo ready to get back to shooting!

This is a shot I was so excited to capture! The Lego Statues at Downtown Disney
fascinated me! And apparently the squirrels too!

The lighting on it was tricky though, because I was actually standing under an awning, and the
sun was on the other side of the statue. The first time I shot it, you couldn't see the squirrels at
all for the blow out of light around them. After adjusting for that using all that
I've learned so far ;) I shot this one. Seriously, if I can do it, SO CAN YOU!

In effort to shoot as many new pictures as I can (the more I shoot, the more I learn!) I have decided to create a new goal for myself: From now on, ALL the illustrations on my blog will be using MY OWN pictures! I hope to get creative and shoot some really artistic photos to use for this purpose :) I think my baby sister can help with this too, and it will be great fun working with her on it! Since I not only use this blog to showcase my portrait photography and blog about those stories as well as stories about my own life, I want to tie it all together with the one over-arching theme that seems to cross over into everything I do: Art. I love ALL Art: from paintings to photographs, music, dance, and theatre - it all fascinates me. It always has. This seems to be a common bond for many of us on a universal level. So this will be the common thread I hope you see throughout all the posts, both the professional and personal ones :)

On that note, I am getting really excited, and honestly humbled, by the direction my photography is taking. In December last year I wrote a post about desperately trying to hear God, and what He's calling me to do in life. I felt unfulfilled because I had not found that yet, and I was aching to be in the middle of His will. Some of you may relate to this, others may not. But I think all of us, regardless of beliefs, desire to feel a sense of accomplishment. When we do something we love, we feel it with our entire being, and we effect others in a positive way. When we don't, we dread every second of it and effect others in a negative way.

So I began searching for what my calling might be. I felt so lost because my passions lead in so many different directions. However, little did I realize that God was going to lead me there! It was just going to take a series of tiny little baby steps.  Now, as I look back at just the past 10 months, I can see God's fingerprints on everything that has happened! Which only makes me SOOOO excited about the steps to come. But let me back up and explain:

• The update on that post mentions about how in the short months between the original post and the updates, I met so many photographers willing and excited to help me and I had learned so much it was overwhelming (in a very good way!)
• One of those photographers took me on as a mentor and walked me through so much! She even invited me to help her on a newborn shoot.
• One of the other photographers, a great friend from high-school I was able to reconnect with, has been an endless source of information, patiently answering all my questions and offering all the advice she can think of. Then SHE invited me to a family portrait session with her! It was such a great learning experience!!
• Then I started practicing on family and friends, and their response was greater than I ever expected coming from my first few "professional" shoots. (I've been shooting since I was 13, but never under the intention of doing it professionally until now.)
• Suddenly I had people asking me to book session after session! All in a matter of 8 or so months!! I honestly never dreamed of it going so well. The only thing I can say is that God has been behind it all. There is no other explanation. 
• Then I had the idea (out of "nowhere" ... ahem... so like God) to join forces with my good friend Santa Claus for a special portrait event. I was unsure if he would be able to attend though, seeing as he gets incredibly busy this time of year! However, he loved the idea and was willing to make room in his schedule to come down and join us! All I had to do was find a location to host us...
• Then, tada! It the idea for the perfect place to host Santa for portraits falls into my lap: Miss LaLa's Treehouse, now called The Arts @ West Cobb! They are all about ALL THE ARTS!!! How fitting!!! 

When I called them, they loved the idea! And so now, I have a great opportunity to join forces with a company who is not only willing to host us for Christmas but would also like to host us for a Halloween/Fall portrait session and see why else our paths might have Purposely crossed! I meet with her tomorrow so I will be sure to let you know the details we work out. But all I can say is that I could never have imagined all these baby steps were even possible, let alone that I would be walking them.

Why am I sharing all this with you??

We all have dreams. Some of you dream about photography like me! (I hope to "pay it forward" and help you as others have helped me! Email me for more info!) The rest of you long after a myriad of other dreams. One of my goals with this blog is to inspire you to dream them, and do whatever it takes to follow them. Even if it takes itty bitty almost invisible baby steps. You never know where you will be a year from now if you do. But if you never try, you'll never reach it. God plants those dreams in our hearts! He wants SO MUCH MORE FOR US than we can ever imagine! 

It's Beginning to Feel Like Christmas!!!

Can you believe some stores already have Christmas toys and decorations up? I sure can't! However, it got me thinking... Wow, this year sure is flying! Christmas will be here before we know it!  I have a good excuse though:  I been so sick I completely missed the month of August and the beginning of September. But a new baby is worth it ; )   Yep! We are expecting a new baby! We are very excited! Still, I apologize for my little absence. It has knocked me off my feet for the first trimester, but I am starting to feel better and will soon be back to work, camera in hand!


Now, back to the topic at hand, we were looking for a playground set for our kids, thinking we could get a good deal with end of summer clearances. We thought we were smart! Ha! Many of the stores we checked have already cleared out their summer inventory and made room for Christmas!!

I used to get upset when I saw this, since my birthday is in November, I felt like the retail industry was just skipping over the entire month of November, Thanksgiving and my birthday! Just to focus on their money-making "holiday" sales!!!  But I'm over it now =)

Actually, I'm kinda already in the Christmas spirit myself ; ) In fact, I have been busy planning a really fun, super special portrait event for Christmas! And I've sent a personal invitation to my good friend Santa Claus!!!! Stay tuned! The details are almost all complete! As soon as they are I will tell you all about it!!!!  Till then...


Merry Christmas!!! and Happy Birthday Jesus!!!!

Faith Like a Child

This is one of my favorite songs ever, by Jars of Clay. I have been dying to use it as a title :) When I started putting together a montage for my portfolio of children's portraits, I knew I could finally use it!

These kids are A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!!!! You might recognize them from the precious family shots of J & M's maternity portraits and newborn portraits. These are random shots I got during both of those sessions. They were perfect models, as you can see! They were not camera shy!! It made it sooo much fun!!! But more that how sweet and beautiful they are, they each already have a strong and precious faith. It shines in their eyes, you'll see. But that's what happens when we truly trust our lives to our Creator, an unexplainable peace and joy consume us, and it is evident to everyone. It's that "it" someone has that makes you realize they are different in such a good and enviable way. Enviable if you don't have it but they make you realize you want it. These kids got IT. Love'em!!

I loved how they enjoyed trying on all the hats at their mom's maternity portrait session! These were so fun!

Then they found ducks and were so excited!!!

They were just camera hams at baby sister's newborn portrait session. More to come :)

Beautiful Baby Girl A!

Goodness! I was so anxious and excited as I waited for this precious baby girl to be born! Her mother's maternity portraits were so fun, I knew the newborn portraits would be too! I don't know who was more ready for this precious baby to arrive... me or her mama.  LOL, Just kidding! Nothing compares to a mama's wait, but I sure felt it too!!!

Thank you J & M for sharing this precious time in your life with me and allowing me to capture the moments for you = ) Hope you love these as much as I loved shooting them!!!

"M" Family Maternity Portraits

I LOVE LOVE LOVE shooting maternity portraits! I adore the glow the mom-to-be has, and the anticipation on dad's face. I love the connection between the two and the inevitable kiss ;) I also love the interactions with the older sibling(s).

This shoot was no different! Both mom and dad were so excited, and big sis was bouncing off the walls! (Whether due to excitement or the fact that she is 2 is debatable, LOL!) But it was so very fun to shoot this sweet, adorable family! I was honored and thrilled when mom-to-be "J" called asking me to do the shoot- we go way back & recently reconnected on facebook! I've known J since high school and have so many fun memories of field trips, orchestra trips, and her great sense of humor; she would always crack me up! So it was no surprise to see that come through on camera! Hope you see some of it, too! 


I must announce this, too! The precious baby boy inside her belly was born yesterday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY B!

J, J & I, here is your preview! (a bit late now, *blush*) But I hope you like what you see so far! It was so fun shooting these with you three, thank you for allowing me to photograph you beautiful growing family!!

Baby Portraits Through New Eyes

I am always so honored and thrilled when I get invited into a family's home to take pictures of their precious children! It has been such an exciting time learning, practicing and building my portfolio! This was no exception!

I met this precious family at McDonald's a few weeks ago, and then we realized we attend the same church! Small world! They were so patient and kind with me while I figured out how to capture the best light, and I am so grateful! I left their house a bit concerned that I did not get many good shots. But again, just like my last maternity portrait session, after reviewing them later at home it was like I was seeing them with new eyes. Not perfect and much room for improvement, but better then I thought with my critical mind's eye. So I think the key for me is going to be allowing myself to see them with new eyes a little after the shoot.

New Eyes. It seems that's what I have now. I hate to interject this painful personal insight into such a happy photography experience, but it was so healing that I feel the need to share... It started with a comment my Aunt Renee said to me last week, that through all I've learned since my miscarriage, it's like God has given me New Eyes with which to photograph babies now. Now I see it's so true! Every little detail stands out to me so much more now, and this passion inside me burns deeply to try to capture their innocence, joy and love.

I hope I did that with this adorable baby. Baby B was wide awake and quite content! I love his cheeks and his bright eyes and.... well all of him!! I'm sure you will too!

S an K - hope you enjoy your preview, I loved every minute of shooting and editing these portraits for you! Thank you again for the opportunity to do these!  :D

Portfolio Building - AT LAST!!!..... Maternity Portraits

After studying for what feels like forever, I finally feel ready to begin my portfolio building! I have asked several friends to allow me to practice on them and was honored and thrilled to have some takers! In the first week I had two sessions already! One was for maternity portraits and the other for baby portraits. I'm so excited!

Here is the first session, my first maternity shoot. I learned so much just by actually shooting these pictures. Reading books and blogs can only do so much. I realized actually getting out there and shooting really is the best way to learn! In a previous post I wrote about conquering my fear; I was so nervous it almost kept me from doing this shoot. But I think the key was doing it despite the fear. My friend who is a photographer in Nashville told me that the more I shoot the more tricks I'll learn - and I see now why! Thank you  for your tips and encouragements Joy! When I looked through them after I got home I immediately noticed things I could have done and said differently to get better results, so I am so glad I went through with the shoot. On one hand I feel bad for my friend M that they aren't perfect like I wanted them to be, but I am grateful for the experience.

Thank you so much J & M for this opportunity! M, you are always beautiful and especially so when expecting! It was a joy to shoot these portraits, hope you enjoy them as much I enjoyed shooting them!

Time in a Bottle

When I was a little girl, my mom and I had two songs we called "our songs."  One of them was "You've Got A Friend" by James Taylor and the other was "Time In A Bottle" by Jim Croce. To this day when I hear those songs I get swept away to those moments in time. 

There are two vivid memories that stand out to me regarding these songs; these are the ones that especially come flooding back upon the first few notes of either song:

The first was right after we moved and I started a new school for 1st grade. I felt so alone and scared; I was painfully shy. It was recess and I remember sitting on top of the monkey bars alone, crying and singing the words to "You've Got A Friend" to myself, willing my mami to hear them and come rescue me:

"When your down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name,
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again...."

This song reminded me that she wanted to rescue me, even when I knew she couldn't. Just remembering that would make me feel better.

The other memory is when I was trying on her clothes and modeling them around the house, she got tears in her eyes and said
"if only I could save time in a bottle," and started singing that song to me:

"If I could save time in a bottle       
The first thing that Id like to do       
Is to save every day       
Till eternity passes away       
Just to spend them with you..."       

       Of course, when you're little you take everything literally, so I asked her what she meant by "saving time in a bottle" and how can someone possibly do that? If she could tell me how, I'd do it for her since she wanted it so bad!

Oh if I only knew how quickly time would pass, and what she meant by that. Now I find myself saying the same thing to my three little ones, and wishing I could find a way to keep time in a bottle. Maybe that's why I love photography so much, it is a way to freeze time and keep it forever. I try to take mental "snapshots" every day of those fleeting moments, but am always so thrilled when I capture them on film. This is what drives me, and why has become one of my biggest passions. But I know I owe it to my mom for making so very aware that nothing lasts forever. I think most kids (& grown-ups!) don't understand that until it is too late.

So Mami, thank you for teaching me to savor the little moments, even when I didn't understand.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

And to all my mommy friends... remember everything your child does is a phase- the good ones and the not-so-good ones too- and they will (all too soon) pass, so try not to rush any of them. Focus on moments: just get through the tough ones and look forward to that inevitable yet fleeting next good one, and when it arrives, freeze it.
Then, save that moment in time in a bottle. ♥

(or a frame, LOL!)

Photography Goodies

After studying Real Estate photography and realizing my passion for all things photography, I started researching and soaking up anything and everything I could related to that passion. I have found several blogs that are truly inspiring, tons of gear I "must have" and a workshop I know I just have to find a way to attend! But guess what I found out today?  They are raffling off a **FREE** spot at that VERY workshop! All I have to do to enter is tell you to 

Check out the LOVE AFFAIR BLOG and enter to win a Kelly Moore Bag & a seat to their upcoming workshop in Dallas!! www.loveaffairworkshop.com!!

Yay! I can do that! Oh wait, I just did! Ooh, two birds with one stone, as I could also win that must-have  Kelly Moore Bag too by posting that, awesooome!!

Here's prayin' I win!!     ; )

It Matters to This One...

 So I practiced taking some natural light pictures today, and this one turned out to be my favorite of the day. It reminded me of one of my favorite stories is the one about the little and the starfish. Have you ever heard it? If not, it goes like this:

"A little boy was walking along the shore picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea. A man walks up to him and asks him why he is even bothering, he can never save them all, so it doesn't really matter. And the little boy replies 'It matters to this one' and tosses one more back into the ocean."

There are so many reasons I love that story. I love that the little boy's spirit was undaunted by the older gentleman's doubt. I love the boy's perspective that all that hard work was worth it, even if only to save just one.

Makes me think...   how about you?

The Call

How do you know when God calls you? This is not a rhetorical question. If you have an experience that might answer this, please, leave a comment below and share it with us. We are eager to know.

I wish it was as obvious as this picture. Or Bill Engvall's "Here's your Sign". 

You see, Chris and I have been on a journey for about 6 years now. A journey we thought was culminating soon to the purpose God had planned all along, but now we feel as lost as we did 5 years ago. It seems the closer we get, the farther we are. The more time we spend with Him, the less we understand. Though, you would think it would be the other way around.

I'm going to do my best to explain this, but, you see, it is a general overwhelming feeling that is really tough to put into words. This is going to be a long, seemingly random hodgepodge of stories. Nevertheless, if you feel like reading, here goes:

Six years ago, Chris and I were still fairly newlyweds: 3 years, but no kids, enjoying married life, our jobs  and  hanging out with friends. But we started to feel unsettled. There has to be more to life. Yes, we wanted kids, and they would come, in time. But we felt like God wanted us to do even more. We are both shy by nature, uncomfortable until we really get to know someone, yet we both have this passion for people. Especially youth. We were working for a church, Chris as a youth leader and I was the part-time secretary. We were building our new Real Estate business. Chris was also teaching and I was finishing school to become a teacher as well as working a great local small business getting to use my Spanish. Yes, we were juggling many balls in the air. Still, we felt like God wanted MORE.

Since then, we've added three kids here and one in heaven. Plus two in Colombia we feel are our own though we can't bring them home due to immigration's red tape. We have served in various churches and made a full circle coming back to our home church at Burnt Hickory Baptist. And the feeling that God wants MORE has only gotten stronger.

We thought it would be fulfilled by adopting Brayan and Yorely, but the more we obeyed the more red tape we were dealt.

When Chris was layed off we thought maybe God wanted to send us elsewhere for a job. In an attempt at obedience, Chris sent out applications all over. No reply.

Before we get any farther, let me explain that I do know that God has given us one of the most important ministries you could have: our kids. We value that tremendously and do not take it lightly. However, as we go about our day-to-day activities, I still have this incredibly unsettled feeling that He wants me to do MORE.

We have inside us a burning passion for three major groups of souls:

1. Kids & teens who need love.
2. Young people who are bombarded through music, TV and movies with the cultural message that pre-marital sex is not only OK, but necessary in a relationship in today's modern world.
3. Married couples who face struggles with sexual temptation outside of God's beautiful design.

This passion is an all-consuming, deep-burning fire inside both of us. And so far, with no outlet. What happens to a building when an all-consuming fire burns within it? It implodes and falls apart. That is pretty much where we are today.


***Don't get me wrong, we love our life and we realize we are greatly blessed. And we are GRATEFUL.***

 But it is this very grattitude that creates in us the desire to give back. To serve our Father who has lavished so many blessings upon us.

Yet we remain lost in the dark. So many paths we thought He was guiding us on have failed:

• Real Estate: We sincerely thought we were called to provide a much needed service (Real Estate) in a much needed different way (with honesty, integrity and no-compromise dedication) - not that there aren't any such Realtors already, however, we know from experience, there are not many. The industry is overrun with deciet, selfishness, and general lack of customer service. It has been tough holding the line of black & white, right and wrong. So many in this industry believe in "gray areas". However, as much as we have poured into this business, it has yet to succeed. And I am not sure how much longer I wish to pursue it.
  
  
• Other Careers: Besides Real Estate, I have also had the dream, desire, or calling (?) to:
• be a history, music or drama teacher
• pursue photography
• write fiction novels
• write books about God's beautiful amazing design for sex
  
  All of these are paths I could see God leading me on to reach people for Him. I have unfinished pieces, schooling, or projects for all of the above, and more. Many people struggle with finding what they "want to be when they grow up." Though I genuninely love what I do as a part-time stay at home mom, sales rep and Realtor, I still feel like I am not where God wants me.
  
   
• Adoption: We both knew we were called to adopt since we got married. We trusted God would show us the who, when, where and how when His time was right. We were sure this was confirmed in July with Yorely and Brayan. However, since then, one road block after another, it seems like perhaps He is still saying "not yet." With Yorely's 16th birthday arriving in March, the deadline is quickly approaching.
  
  
• Youth Work: We have lovingly and excitedly served in various churches. Just when it seems like things were about to "take off" God gave us a clear sign it was time to move on. We have had to leave so many students we had fallen in love with, churches we grew to be family with, and goals we were about to see met. It was all in God's timing and we heard of wonderful, great things that occurred with each group after we left. Still, it hurt to not be a part of that.

I know it may seem like I am being ungrateful, and I assure you I am not. I truly love my life. I feel genuinely spoiled by my Abba Daddy. Precisely so, I want to serve Him. I want to share this love inside me that feels about ready to explode. I was to let this burning passion consume others for Him. But how? This is a question I have yet to clearly hear Him answer. I have so many ideas coming at me a hundred miles an hour, but no outlet. No confirmation from Him where and how to do them.

I am about ready to implode, so I had to let it out somehow. This post was more a therapeutic one than a purposeful one. Unless, of course you know how to answer the question. = )

********************UPDATE: 2/5/10***********************

HOLY WOW!

Since posting this, I had many friends and family members make suggestions, and I thank you! I was humbled by your suggestions, and honored by the idea of some of the things you could see me doing. And your encouragements let me to seriously think about your suggestions. Then after a series of events, I suddenly find myself studying photography and getting help from two professional portrait photographers! I AM BLOWN AWAY!

It is amazing how God leads us, step by step through the plan He already has for us. When I posted this I was feeling stuck in a rut, and with no direction to go in. Now, I am thoroughly enjoying my photography studies, and thrilled at the idea that this may really be my calling. I have met so many people already and can see how this could lead to meeting many, many more. And since life is all about relationships to me, what a perfect avenue this could be! I can't wait to see where God takes me from here.