Friendships....

This blog is a bit personal and allows you to take a look into who I am and how I treat friendships.  I'm not a writer so bare with me as I attempt to get my feelings and emotions out in Black and White.

 

First off I have many friends from all over the country and I appreciate all of them. 

However I only hold a few people near and dear to me. 

I have a good handful of women that I would truly call "FRIENDS" 

I LOVE these ladies with all my heart and would do anything to be there for them! 

 

My love language is "acts of service"....if you know me this totally makes sense.  I'm not one for gifts or time or physical touch (although they all have their place and are welcome) but any act of service done for me or to help me is when I seem to perk up and realize that this is a good friend!

I'm not one for being shallow or having superficial friendships with those closest to me.   

When I meet someone and have a connection with them I immediately want to invest in them.

 Meaning I put my heart on the table and want to dig deep into a meaningful friendship. 

I think this is a strength of mine as I give it my all BUT it can also be a weakness as I have been burned and hurt by many because of this!

Some friendships stick and some fall to the wayside.  

Some have hurtful endings and others it's just not meant to be that 'type' of friendship. 

 

I hope I'm making sense here??!! 

 

Anyway.....friendships are easy to me if the other side is 'all in' like me ....if not then it can get tricky.....(even among family members.)

 

I've been through some MAJOR ups and downs this past year. 

Enough to swing me into a depression. 

Yes I said it allowed....I have been the happiest in my life this year and I've been my saddest.
I've been through the birth of my son, the lose of my grandfather, painful stabs from family both in-law and paternal. I've been through the most amazing summer yet the most difficult summer.  I've gained some friends and lost some friends. I've been through being a Mom and letting my daughter go a tiny bit into the real world. 
That's all just grazing the surface. 
It's been quite a year and I've stretched, grown and became (hopefully) wiser on the other side
 

Many of you know I've announced I'm taking some ME time and closing down shop for awhile. 
One thing I want to do for me is....I want to capture more personal portraits!

 

I recently had the opportunity to capture a good friend in a journey of her own. 

She is one of 10 contestants for the Steele Fitness Challenge

She is working her butt off and doing an amazing job joggling, her husband, 2 kids, work, church, and herself!!

(VOTE now if you are reading this ...go BERT) 

 

When I look at these images I see MY journey, right in front of me, in black and white...the struggles, the pain, the laughs, the sweat, the joy of the outcome from hard work!!
I have chosen to surround myself with those kinda like this personal trainer of Bert's. 
Friends (and Family) are suppose to make you a better person, to push you to go farther, do better, to dig deeper, to laugh with you, to cry with you, etc. 
These are the people I choose to surround myself with. 

 

Thank you to those friends that let me cry on their shoulder (or over the phone)
Thank you to those friends that offered to watch my kids so I don't get overwhelmed with work.  Thank you to those friends that made me laugh.
Thank you to those friends that just called to say hi.
Thank you to those friends that even from a distance I feel close with. 
Thank you to those friends that understand me. 
Thank you to those friends that are truly my friend!

 

ENJOY

 

 

Baby Greyson....

Oh Baby Greyson!!! 

You are oh so cute and oh so sweet! 

I most say I LOVE when wedding clients of mine come back to show off their new additions!! 

This wonderful couple deserves such a sweet boy! 

Congrats you guys!!

 

ENJOY!

 

Senior Smiles....

Another Senior Session and it couldn't have been any easier AGAIN! 

This handsome young man met me in Anoka and I promised him that I didn't bite! 

At the end he said it wasn't that bad and I even got some small talk and a few good smiles!! 

 

ENJOY!!

 

Easy Peasy....

What an easy peasy session this was! 

This senior is a member at the Minikahda Club and what a PERFECT place for his images.

Classic and Clean.
He came prepared with ease and great smiles! 

Thanks Sam....Congrats to you and a bright future ahead!

ENJOY

 

People I love....

After yesterday's sad NEWS I decided to post a HAPPY blog! 

These two little chitl'n are the off spring of one of my favorite people. 

We met at a Mom's Club a few years back and our friendship has kinda stuck!! 

She is just full of whimsy! 

She is kind, fun, stylish, and has her head on straight! 

She has been there to listen to me laugh or even cry sometimes! 

She is truly a best friend to me....I hope I am just as good a friend to her! 

I think I have some big shoes to fill! 

 

I LOVE you Katie!!

 

(OH and Katie, just so you know if Rob and I go before our kids are grown you are who we

TRUST to raise our children!!)

The END.....

Well folks this is a difficult post to write and I'm not even sure where to begin or how many of you will actually read it?!

  After 7.5 years of being in business as a professional photographer I'm saying "goodbye"

Don't cry just yet...there is still time to get in one last session with me as my doors will close November 20th 2012.

This is something that has been weighing on my heart for awhile now and I think it's finally the right time to bow out!

I could go on about the market being over saturated with photographers BUT in all reality I need to take some "ME" time.

 I am a Mother of 2 now. My whole mom career I have been running a company AND juggle everything else in life. (some of which I've handled OK and others I've failed at)

I want to just be a Mom, a Wife, a Friend, and a Family member!!

I also want to actually do the 'other' things in life that interest me! 

(crafting, home decor, party decor, floral arrangements, jewelry making, upholstery, etc) 

 

I'm keeping my studio, blog, website and Facebook page so please please please still leave me some love as I will need allot of it on this next journey in my life!

 

I hope to blog about my likes, dislikes, boring things going on in my life as well as deep things. I hope to blog about projects I'm working on, friendships I'm building, and most of all ME. 

 

It may take some time to get my thoughts out as I don't consider myself a writer but there is MORE to me then just a 'photographer'! 

Although you wont see me far from my camera as it's pretty much how I see the world.

 

Thank you to all my clients and friends that have supported me along the way! 

I've learned so much about people, business, the arts, and most of all myself on this journey as a photographer! Thank you to those that brought me out of my shell....thank you to those that treated me like their best friend even thou we just met!  Thank you to my husband for being there through it all ...thick or thin!!  You were the one that pushed me to start this photography journey in the first place!!  You believed in me when I didn't believe in myself!!  You are truly an amazing person!  Thank you to my daughter who lite up every time I would come home from a session and who grew to be patient during HER sessions!!  Look at you now sweet heart...you are a ROCK STAR!!

 

Thank you ALL!! 

 

A post wouldn't be complete with out a picture, so here is one that I did NOT take but it depicts what my next adventure will be all about!! 

Black & White.....LOVE

Alright everyone I'm show casing something new....I'm only posting the Black & White images from this adorable session the other week! 

Two brothers ....worlds apart but oh so fun! 

I LOVE their blue eyes and red hair BUT there was something about the absence of color that captured me this time! 

So I decided to feature only the b&w images from this session. 

The last image is in color for fun!! 

 

ENJOY!!