This weekend’s wedding was beautiful! I’m having a tough time editing down the images because there are so many good ones! It doesn’t help that the bride has such a beautiful smile! …but here are a few to start…enjoy!
of course I had to post this photo of Nancy from Brideface taking a snapshot of the Pug!
I simply fell in love with this little gal. She is so lovable!
Meet Brit. She and Tony are expecting a baby on my birthday! If all goes as expected, I’ll be photographing the delivery as well. All I have to say about this is that if it’s a girl it better have a Stephanie or Angalieke in there somewhere (just kidding) or at least I should have a Gawd Mother title!
Something amazing just happened and I feel like I need to tell the whole world. Y’all know I have a dog named Duck and most of you know he’s a bit skittish. In short, if he hears a noise outside, he feels the need to inform me…just in case I need to know.
Ok…well on to my story. As many of you know, my mom had a stroke 10 days after my dad died. The stroke affected her left side. She can talk and sorta walk (with some help) but her arm still has had no movement. Nothing….well an ever so slight sorta thumb movement that you really need to focus on to see it. For the past two months, I have been watching that hand while she’s talking, hoping to see something. But nothing has happened. It’s been discouraging to watch. I can only imagine how she feels about it.
Well, tonight I sat down next to her to start her nightly arm therapy session. I’ve been trying different things, desperately hoping to find something that might work. So I started with making a fist with my hand, placed it inside hers and asked her to focus very hard and try to wrap her fingers around my fist. Nothing. Not a good start to the session. Her thumb was moving even less tonight. So I decided to try something else. I rested her hand on her leg, palms up and I asked her to focus on the hand and imagine making a fist. This is something we’ve tried before without any results, but it doesn’t hurt to give it another shot. We both stared at the fist and started focusing…and then….WOOOF!!!!!! Duck, who had been sitting at our feet, barked and my startled mother flinched her arm and it jumped right up off of her leg, flopped back down and before she even realized it, she made a fist! I quickly asked her to do it again and she did it again and again and again! My mother, who could not even slightly mover her hand 5 minutes before can now make a fist!!!!!!! Of course, she (and me for that matter) is totally giving Duck credit.
I’m not surprised. I have always believed the Duck had special powers. I know he believes he has special powers. I think he was listening and waiting for the precise moment to let out one of those fierce and deep barks. None of that matters. All that matters is that it worked.
This morning, my mother was the most depressed I had ever seen her, more so than following my father’s death a couple of months ago. She barely left her bed today. I’ve been really worried about her. I know the Duck can sense the sadness and I can see the worry in his eyes. All afternoon he did not leave his “spot” on the floor next to her bed, standing up every so often, to nudge her to let her know he’s there. She would give him a few pats and then bury her head in her pillow.
Now, after the “WOOF!!!” incident she’s chirpy, hungry (for the first time in days) and is happily making plans for her and the Duck moving back to her house. I don’t have the heart to tell her there is no way in hell he’s leaving my house. Anyone have a dog that looks similar to the Duck they might be willing to sell? 
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. I hope my little story brings you cheer and hope for the upcoming Holidays.
I love you all and will be back to blogging on Monday.
xoxoxo
Your Devoted Photographer
I photographed this little guys parents wedding a few years ago. He is so cute and cheerful!
a few weeks ago I shot a post wedding session…I love these things! Megan and Mike were super to work with again.
Meet Kelly. Kelly is amazing is so many ways, but what I find great about her is how she just keeps pushing forward. Before August of 2006, Kelly was doing great. She was single handedly raising two boys, had a beautiful new house, a great car and just seemed to be doing good all around. Then she had a stroke at the age of 32. Kelly does not smoke nor drink. The stroke just sorta came out of nowhere about 20 minutes after she had gone to a chiropractor for neck problem adjustments.
Even though this terrible thing has happened to her, she still pushes forward. She is still recovering from the stroke over two years later. As I am finding out with Mom, stroke recovery is a slow process. Keep pushing forward, Kelly!
We had a blast with this photo session. We decided to make the photos look like rock star shots. That was the boys idea. I love going to their house late in the day, right before the sun sets. They live high on a hill and the lighting is brilliant.
Here are her two boys…
Since August, I’ve been working on eating healthier. At first it was difficult, but as time goes by, my taste in food is changing. For instance, I cannot even think of drinking a soft drink. Yuck. I now crave apples, nuts and pears instead of chocolate and bread. While it’s been extremely hard becoming vegan, I’ve held my own…until today when the new Sitwells menu items came out. So I broke my diet, but only for today!
Take dance lessons! Not only for your first dance, but maybe some fun dances as well so you can show off your skilz throughout the night.
Just trust me on this. I won’t go into detail (do I really need to?). This is money well spent!
