Sneak Peak! | Newborn Emory

This family is oh so precious to me.  Natalie was one of the first friends I made in college and after being her roommate for several years, I was able to be her co-worker after we graduated!  Now, we go to the same church and still get together with our group of college friends and their growing families.  And I love it.  God has blessed me so much with such an amazing community that spans many years and several continents.
On Friday, March 25, Natalie and Josh welcomed their third bundle of joy into the world.  I stayed with their other two kiddos Friday night and then went to meet Emory Saturday to celebrate his 1-day birthday!
Emory, I am looking forward to getting to know you as you grow up and can't wait to take WAY more pictures of you this Friday and for many many years to come.

This is a picture of Emory with his name sake.  Read where his name came from on Josh & Natalie's blog!

Adri and Cooper have "Big Sister" and "Big Brother" shirts they wore to the hospital to meet this little guy.  So cute!

Proposal | Rick and Tonia

So, last week on Facebook, I posted a status that said I was off on a top secret mission.  And now that they've told family and friends and the word has gotten out... I can share it too!
Rick contacted me about a week before this was to go down to see if I was available to help him out and said this was on the DL!  Let's see... I get to be on the inside of something really cool, I get to keep a secret (which I'm really good at by the way), AND I get to take pictures of the whole thing?  YES!  I'M IN!

Rick was taking Tonia out to dinner and then told her he was going to have to stop by the church to pick something up from one of the guys who was at band practice.  So, when they arrived, I was tucked behind a curtain on stage waiting for my cue.  Rick brought her in, introduced her to the two guys who were still hanging around and "goofing off".  So, Rick took the opportunity to "goof off" with them and started singing some songs from the 70s while one of the guys played the keyboard and the other one went upstairs to man the lights.

After a song or two, Rick started singing a different song... the lights dimmed... and we were rolling.

Baby i've been searching like everybody else
Can't say nothing different about myself
Sometimes i'm an angel
And sometimes i'm cruelAnd when it comes to love
I'm just another fool
Yes, i'll climb a mountain
I'm gonna swim the sea
There ain't no act of god girl
Could keep you safe from me
My arms are reaching out
Out across this canyon
I'm asking you to be my true companion
True companion
True companion

Luckily I had a job to do because I may have gotten emotional (what can I say... I can be quite the sappy one).  But, Tonia held it together...

Tonia... you are beautiful!  

Once Rick finished singing he walked down to her, got on his knees and asked Tonia to be his companion for the rest of their lives.

She said YES!

Tonia, I've only met you briefly (twice now), but I'm looking forward to getting to know you more!!

Seriously... are they not adorable??

Congrats again, you two!!!

Life in Motion

Life is always happening.  Even when you're sitting still, time is moving, things are being thought of, dreams are being made into reality... life is happening.  And I love capturing that.  Yes, portraits are fun and really nice to have, but there's a side of me that likes to be a fly on the wall and people watch and just observe things going on.  Sometimes I just take mental pictures while things are happening.  Other times, I have my camera with me and can capture it for others to share in later.

A couple of weeks ago, Ben's parents were in town so we spent as much time as possible with them and more of his family.  And whether we were bowling, cooking out, playing football in the yard with the boys, or just sitting together and talking, life was happening.  And I loved being a part of that.

Happy Monday :-)

Engaged | Elizabeth & Louis

I met Elizabeth for coffee one afternoon and as she told me about her love for life, her love of line dancing, her love for her fiance, and her love for the Lord, I couldn't help but feel like I was having coffee with an old friend... not someone I just met!  By the time we said goodbye I was not only honored to have become her and Louis's photographer but I was thankful for a new friend.


Elizabeth regularly went line dancing and enjoyed every minute of it.  The same was true for Louis.  As they met and got to know each other on the dance floor, they both realized there was more between them than just a love for scuffling, stomping, and sliding across that dance floor.  After dating for a while, spending lots of time dancing, and enjoying countless hours at the lake, it was time to take their dancing to the next level.  


Louis had the day planned for the lake.  The night before, while hanging out with some friends, Elizabeth invited them to join her and Louis the next day, to which they happily agreed!  Later that evening, she got a message from her friend saying something had come up and they wouldn't be able to make it.  She was sad they couldn't join her and Louis, but didn't think much about it.  As the two of them were out on the jet ski the next day, they were taking a break from riding around to cool off in the water.  As they were getting ready to leave, Elizabeth got in the driver's spot and opened the compartment to get the key.  Instead of pulling out the key, she pulled out a plastic bag with a ring in it (and some floaties in case she dropped it in the water!).  It was then that Louis asked her to be his dance partner for life... and she said yes!


Elizabeth and Louis, I am honored to be your photographer but even more honored to call you friends.  I can't wait for your wedding in April and for you to teach me a few dance moves!

I've said it once and I'll say it a thousand more times... I love downtown Greenville.

Y'all are fabulous.  I loved capturing your love.

Elizabeth has a fantastic laugh.  And Louis knows just how to pull it out of her!

It was a gorgeous day... so thankful spring was here in time for their engagement session!

Louis likes to make up stories for things he sees going on. I wish I could remember what this story was about!

Louis just adores Elizabeth.  And I adore her smile!

Elizabeth... you are beautiful.  Inside and out.

I. Love. This. Picture.

Ah! The cowboy boots are so them!

Our last stop was the church where they'll be married in April. The light, the steps, the columns...
it was a perfect place to wrap up the session.

Don't miss their slideshow here!