Kevin and Gayle are MARRIED!!  Their day was beautiful…sunny, spring blossoms, and a wonderful couple!

Congratulations, Kevin and Gayle!  The Lord bless you as you serve Him together.

Special thanks to Jenell Shrock for assisting me for the day.
 

Beautiful flowers by Doreen Toman of Olive Branch Floral Design. Notice the unique details on the bouquet---initials sewn on a leaf, a jewel on a flower, and at the center three leaves woven together with ribbon to arch the bouquet.

I love this shot that my assistant Jenell captured.

Notice the guy in the red shirt dumping the whole bowl of bird seed on Kevin!

While my passion and preference is to shoot outdoors with natural light, I made the decision this winter to pick up my camera and shoot life indoors to work on my creativity with angles and lighting.

When we pose for family portraits we try to look “just right”, but in real life you’ll find my boys wrestling or running laps around the house while they wait for warmer weather outside.  And in real life we have to work, do laundry, go to meetings, make dinners…busyness…LIFE!  Years ago I learned to have joy in each day–a lesson I need to be reminded of every once in a while.  Despite the ho-hum of everyday life we can still see the beauty in it and have joy…joy in the Lord!  Below you’ll get a tiny glimpse of our lives around here…not perfect, but blessed!

Happy spring to everyone!  Enjoy what each day holds and find the beauty the Lord has placed in it…even if it seems like it will never get warm!  (Oh, and yes, the laundry pic below was the pile I had yesterday that still needs to be folded!) 🙂

I love how they sit so close to each other when they watch a show. Where one is, you'll find the other!

During the winter months I get a bit of extra time to edit pictures that I have taken for my family.  Although these shots are a few months old, maybe we all need a little reminder that warmth and sun are just around the corner! 🙂

Hans and Emily are MARRIED!  Their day was crisp and even a bit chilly at times.  The fall colors, mixed with dark clouds and the occasional breaks of sunlight made for some unique picture backdrops.  Not a detail of the decor was missed, from the handmade thank you cards to the chocolate-dipped cake balls at each guests’ place setting.  However, amid all the beautiful details, one could not miss Hans and Emily’s love for each other or their love for the Lord.  Their ceremony was a true worship service and glory to God.

A unique “snippet” from their day took place while we were taking some of their portraits in old Dublin.  While Hans and Emily stood on the street corner waiting to cross, many people drove by them and honked their horns loudly to wish them their “Congratulations!”  The honking well-wishes added some fun to the celebration of their day. 🙂  (See the “car” pictures below.)

Special thanks to Marlisa Beachy for assisting me for the day.  I love having a second shooter to see the details of the day from another vantage point.

"Kissed by the sun"

I love the "social" little flower girl!

Sam and Ashley’s wedding fell on a beautiful, autumn day.  Ashley was a stunning bride with her long, flowing veil and breath-taking blue eyes.  And let’s not forget Sam, the handsome groom!  Sam and Ashley wanted to keep their day simple without a lot of traditions.  The guests were seated at tables for the ceremony, which then transitioned to the reception seamlessly.  The reception was enjoyed by young and old alike, as the guests danced and celebrated.

Congratulations, Sam and Ashley!  May the Lord bless your marriage in the years ahead.

Special thanks to Deborah of dgPhotography for assisting me.  Once again, it was a joy to have Deborah’s help and company for the day!

I love how my son arranged our manger scene.  Had I been the one to arrange the figures, I would have neatly placed each shepherd and wise man so that you could see their faces, as if posed for a picture.  My son, however, placed everyone (even the animals) so that they are facing and surrounding Jesus.  To me his arrangement is a picture of adoration.

Isn’t that what Christmas is truly about?  Focusing on Jesus.  Adoring Jesus.  So often in life I get caught up in everything else and don’t take the time to truly adore my Savior.  I love the Christmas carol “O Come All Ye Faithful.”

      “O come let us adore Him.  O come let us adore Him.  O come let us adore Him Christ the Lord.”

As we put the finishing touches on all our Christmas gifts and plans, may our focus and adoration be directed to Jesus Christ the Savior of the world!  Merry Christmas!

For Kevin and Gayle’s engagement session we headed to Inniswood Metro Gardens in Westerville, which was a new location for me.  Wow…let me tell you that this is not just a “normal” park!  Even in December the grounds were beautiful, with so many unique nooks and crannies, gardens and structures!

Let me introduce you to Kevin and Gayle!  Their love story began with sisters trying to play “matchmaker.”  When the attempts at getting Kevin and Gayle together failed it was suggested that they at least become “friends” on Facebook, of which they consented.  After many months of Facebook “friendship”, occasional messages turned into emails, which led to phone calls, finally to their first date in December, 2010, and now wedding plans for April, 2013!

Kevin and Gayle’s personalities and interests compliment each other well.  Spending time with family and friends, working in flowerbeds, and the love of sports are some of their mutual interests.

Once again, I just can’t pass up the opportunity to let you read what Kevin and Gayle shared about each other.  It’s one of my favorite things about engagement blog posts!

Kevin, what do you love about Gayle?  “Gayle is truly the love of my life.  So, there is nothing that I don’t love about her.  The thing that I love most though is the Christian witness that she is, not just to me, but others as well.  Gayle is not just a wonderful Christian woman, but she has been blessed with a tremendous voice and is a fantastic singer.  She uses that voice and talent as a witness for God.  She also has the unique ability to know when I’m really feeling down and knows what to say to make me feel better.”

Gayle, what do you love about Kevin?  “There are many things I love about Kevin…but the one thing that stands out to me is his genuine love and interest in the lives of his friends and family.  I saw this reflected in our relationship as it deepened.  He also has a willingness to assist me in whatever project I’m working on! I also feel blessed that as we’ve had Bible Studies together, I can see and hear a desire in Kevin to know and grow even closer to God…he may not be as vocal about it as I am, but it is displayed throughout his actions and words. He also just loves me…and loves me just as I am!”

Have you ever met someone and felt blessed to have met them?  That’s how I felt after getting to know Thomas and Jacquelene!  As we walked around the Ohio State University campus and chatted about their lives, families, and the minsitries they’re involved in I left feeling blessed, encouraged, and truly inspired!  I wish I could tell you everything I learned about them, but I will need to keep it condensed. 🙂

Let me start by explaining that Thomas and Jacquelene met at OSU, thus the locaiton of their engagement session.  What do they enjoy doing together?  Everything!…ministry, watching football, watching movies, spending time with their families, and date nights.  They shared, “We really just enjoy being together and doing absolutely anything, just as long as we get to spend time with one another.”

Thomas is laid-back, fun, easy-going, relaxed and he has a huge heart for others, which is amazing to see in his daily life with his house-mates and friends.  Jacquelene is outgoing and likes to have fun.  She is full of energy, but definitely likes to be organized and is a really big planner.

When asked what Thomas loves about Jacqulene he said, “I really love her smile and her love for Jesus Christ and her family. I just love everything about her.”
Jacquelene shared about Thomas, “I love his blue eyes and the way he loves me all the time!  I also love the way he loves Christ and leads our relationship to God.  Thomas is the type of person who would do anything for me, no matter what, and he shows that daily.”

Thomas and Jacqulene are planning a May wedding…right after they graduate from OSU!  I wish you both God’s blessings in the months ahead and as you serve Him together.

“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”  Psalm 139:13-14, NIV

There’s just something so soft and peaceful in a picture that has been “kissed by the sun.”