Listen to your kids... they know what they're talking about.

P-man (my 3year old) asked in the car today,

"Does Jesus love me?"

My hubby and I grinned at each other. "Oh Yes!!! Yes he does!" I said.

Daddy said, "So, so much buddy. Jesus loves you."

Later while driving home he randomly asked, "Mom, does God talk?"

I said, "Yes! He does buddy! And you can talk to him anytime, anywhere!"

A bit ago after nap my little guy came out and said, "mom, Jesus love me. You know that?"

Love it.

The faith and sincerity of a child blows me away! The ability to view things in black and white. Truth. It's beautiful. Lord, help me see as my children do!

^{Matthew 18:2-6}

² He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. ⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

My mom is cooler than Martha Stewart... for real.

I called my mom one day and was telling her about all these super cute crochet hats that I see in infant photography pics. LOVE them, but they're expensive! Especially to buy several of them. So I ask her if she can make one. "I don't know, I will try." She says... and then she BLOWS me away with making the CUTEST hats you've ever seen! Here are just a couple! Mom, you are AMAZING!!! Thank you for my first crochet lesson today and for being so willing to dive into helping your daughters with whatever we feel passionate about!!

This photo session got me thinking!

J&A engagement photo:

I had an engagement session today with a gorgeous couple. Young, beautiful and so in love! It reminded me of what it felt like to be engaged and the excitement! You know that time in life where you feel like you're floating in a bubble! A love bubble that only the two of you live in?? It also reminded me of the advice we got... some good, some bad. I remember people saying that the first year is awful, so much to adjust to, so difficult. We were constantly warned about getting married young... "can't you wait till you get done with college?!" "You're just so young! It will be hard!"

It scared me... not enough to wait on marrying the love of my life, but still! I remember a guy cracking jokes about how all the romance and fun is gone the minute you get married and even worse when you have kids. Some of the worst advice we got was from people from church and fellow believers. I think people's intentions are good... hopefully.

But the truth is this: (and I told this to J&A from the photo session) It DOESN'T HAVE to be that way. Marriage is tough, it's also AMAZING!! It's fun and silly and intimate and romantic (yes even after kids people!) It's sweet and safe and should be kept that way.

So, my advice to J&A is this, Seek your Heavenly Father, seek him FIRST. Share the love you have for the Lord with each other, passionately! Be kind (even when you argue... I'm not good at this but I want to be), LAUGH whenever you can, every day. Write each other love notes, even when he/she is only in the next room.

And tell those who want to give you their marriage horror stories to stay out of your love bubble!!! Just make sure that you include the Lord in there too! (that way no one can pop it!)

Mrs. Dash... more like Mrs. Dumb

Here's the deal. I've tried to give up the coffee..... I was not successful... I'm a little sensitive about it so let's move on. I was making a tasty cup of coffee the other day, added my creamer and added a bit of cinnamon.... only it wasn't cinnamon. It was mrs dash chicken seasoning. Holy Moly that was gross. Lesson learned. Keep the cinnamon with the coffee, not with the spices.

Following a Passion for Photography

So, you know when you get to that crossroads with something in your life and you need to either DIVE in or move on? (sounded better than "poo or get off the pot")

I love photography. LOVE it. More than my love for the camera (and all that I can do with it) is my LOVE for blessing people with it. To make getting family photos done an enjoyable experience, fun even! To play with little ones and photograph them being kids!! To allow a nursing mom to take time to nurse her baby between shots, no stress, no time constraint.

I see people differently than most do. I mean literally. I SEE people in a beautiful way. And my hope is to capture that person and give them a glimpse of their beauty.

So, my problem is the diving in! Finally setting up a website, figuring out some prices, things like that. I'm getting there! It's just hard to put yourself out there for everyone to judge, but hopefully to love and appreciate. I continue to learn everyday. That's one of the things I enjoy most about photography.

I'm diving in... I think! ;-)

Miscommunication

So when my boys (and their cousins) say the word girl, it comes out GRIL (as in grill) so when we were at a restaurant the other day my middle boy was trying to decide what to order. When the waiter came to us I said, "Hey! How about a grilled cheese sandwich?" To which he replied, "MOM! I don't want gril food, I want boy food!"

I tried to explain the difference... he gave up understanding and said, "ok, ok. I'll eat a gril sandwich!"

I love him.

Do you know what SHHHH means???

There are times when I'm on the phone or having a conversation and I will gently shush my children. Then there are times when I not so gently, "SSSSHHHH!!!" Especially when they are saying something or are about to say something that may sound offensive to some one. Like when a neighbor was over at our home and was staying to chat for a .... looong time and my kids were waiting to run errands with me and my oldest is saying, "Ok... BYE! ... Goodbye!" (all while waving in this person's face). Or when at the store a very large woman on a motorized cart was passing by and my child starts to say, "MOM! Can she not walk??"

Soooo... I had to laugh when I heard my boys chatting and my oldest said to my other son, "Can you please SSSHHH?? Do you know what SHHH means???!" It was an excellent impression of me. Big eyes, vein popping out on the forehead, SHHHH!!

Motherhood is like a mirror. Right there in your face.

HAHA!