this song is so real for me.  so simple...and touching.   i heard it for the first time back in college, (a time when life was raw and reflective) laying in my bunk bed at young life camp.  ryan long was introduced to me at camp (summer of 2000) and i fell in love with his songs.   one song in particular really stuck out to me and i could not help but imagine my own daughter in it.  very strange because i did not know my daughter... but i would dream of her. don't most girls dream of their life with a family?!

friday afternoon (summer 2009) we were out taking photos of my sister and her belly.  stella wanted to put on her new dress on that my mom had bought her and tag along with us.  she was a sight to see.  my little princess had her shoes on backwards, her face was dirty and she wanted to be in on all the action!

it was not this day that i remembered my thoughts about stella and this song - but something did feel real when i snapped this photo of her running with flowers in her hand while she held her dress up.   to finally know my daughter...and remember this song.  very moving for me.

for the past couple of weeks my sister has been in town visiting from north carolina. we had her down for a baby shower earlier this month and it has been good to hang out with her before she has a baby.  we get to meet her baby bane in 6 weeks!  before she headed back home we thought we would grab some shots of her and her belly.  i wanted to do something besides the pull up your shirt and smile shots. :) imagine that!  here are some fun ones that we grabbed.

i can't wait for stella to have a boy cousin to play with!  she will need one to play with for those holiday's together cause we all know i am not having one any time soon! :)

i notice that i never get a chance to post bridals.  it is not that i don't do bridal photos, cause i do!  but i don't post them prior to the wedding due to grooms being tempted to grab a peek!  here are a few from chrissy's session.  she has the most beautiful eye's ever!  brides, do you like seeing bridals on the blog?

have you ever seen the movie rat race? it is about a group of people all racing to win a prize.  i loved this movie and the challenges that people had on their way to the final destination!  if you have not seen this movie, you should! here is a fun shot from the film.





so, i entered paige (my sister) and ellis to win the  2010 wedding giveaway for wedding photography!!!!  i hope that they win!  if you are reading this and have 2 seconds, can you please vote for them!  i really would love for them to have an amazing photographer at their wedding....and i can't shoot their wedding since i am in it!  so help me out too!  :)  thanks for all of the support.  muah!

click here to go and get your vote on!