Pieces of the Puzzle

Puzzles start out looking mixed up and incomplete.  With enough time and patience, you can find the right place to put each piece.  Some don't go where they look like they would, from a distance, they look like the perfect shapes to fit into one another but end up not fitting at all.  After finding enough right pieces you start to make sense of the picture.  When the picture is complete- it looks less like a mess and more like a masterpiece.

 This is how I've felt about life...especially relationships.  It took a handful of "wrong pieces" before God revealed the right piece.  Some seemed like they would fit, but our lines didn't mesh.  I often get frustrated that we don't get to the see the whole picture all at once.  But ultimately, I should be so thankful.  If I knew what would come next, I'd make different moves to avoid certain pathways.  It's a sweet release and lesson in trust for me to realize that it's not up to me, and while the pieces are still being put together, I just need to trust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren, of Lauren Zaffos Photography, was nice enough to let me come second shoot with her! We had a fun time, Tayler was working it with her Kate Hudson smile (so jealous!) i just had to grab this last shot of them, it was too funny to pass up!

Marilyn Monroe Jr.

Little girls have sass.  This family has 4 girls, each one has the kind of blue eyes that make you melt. Oh and you should have seen them when I showed them my tiara! It is now on all of their birthday lists. "I want to have it. And I want an ipod. Today." That was what the 6 year old told me. Kids are hilarious.

Since I'm a newby to the whole children's photography world, I am quickly learning the best line is "Ok, you are a ragdoll...go limp." Then you position them how you want them to be....hey, it works. Here are the favorites of the Marilyn Monroe Jr's:

 

 

 

 

"It's Official"

I love the show Rob & Big.  (The story of kinship between a wee itty bitty hyper skateboarder and his humongo bodyguard.)  If anything is valid or set in Big's world...it is magically deemed as "official." Today a shipment came in that made me nod and say, "Dat's official." ha!

Now I'm off to design some vintage accessories for a session I'm photographing tomorrow with some cutie little girls! I've been on a wild goose hunt for a 1920's inspired veil, no hope so far so I'm going to probably the 6th fabric store today. Eek, wish me luck!

 

 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

...is the time when I see those boxes outside of local grocery stores. The sweet little girls collecting change for their Girl Scout Cookies. Let's just say I'm a frequent customer. Last year I had about 5 boxes....by myself! My roommate and I would put our thin mints in the refrigerator so they would be nice and crisp.

 Prepare to drool.

The Little Girl Twirl.

There's a video of me as a 3-year old at my bff Katie's birthday party.  I stood in line waiting for my turn to try to throw the ball through the hoop so I could earn some candy.... while I was standing there I had a tight grip on my dress and was swinging from side-to-side. I mean I was literately chomping at the bit for my turn to come! So nervous with excitement that when others would get the ball through the hoop I would jump up and down and clap.

 

17 years later... I'm waiting in line to walk across the stage and grab my diploma from Texas A&M... my hands are on either side of my graduation gown (more like a tarp!) and I was just a-swinging as the gown swished back and forth.  I've noticed I still keep those same mannerisms that I had when I was a child.  I still believe in "safety first" (which was according to my parents, my motto as a child), picking up buttercup flowers, and I still get homesick.

 

Matthew is always the first one to notice these habits since he has watched one too many of our home videos.  He's the 1st to point them out, whether their cute or even gross (i.e. nail biting, picking, etc). I have to admit, I love the fact that part of me is still trapped inside the little bitty me I used to be.

 

 

 

 

**These pictures were taken at an antique shop. My new favorite place! You never know what you can find in them.