Today I sit here at my keyboard, trying desperately to find the right words.  How do I express it?  How do I let the world know that TODAY is a day to CELEBRATE!  How to I shout from the roof tops that I am blessed to know him, and beyond blessed to be his wife.  Today my dear husband, the love of my life, celebrates 30 years of life.  Today I want to celebrate him.

I have never known a man like mine.  9 years ago when we met, I knew it right away that he was different.  He is the perfect mixture of whit and humor, strength, love and compassion.  Each day I know him I fall more in love with him.  Each day I am with him is a day I am blessed.

I love so much about him.  I love the way he loves coffee like it is going out of style.  I love the way he is the world’s greatest cook and I struggle to keep my waist where I want it…cause his food is that good.  I love the way he works so hard and is so passionate about his job.  Although I rarely tell him, I am proud to be his wife.  I love the way he is incredibly patient with me.   I love his love for God.  I love the way he loves his daughter.  I love that he is a better dad than I could have ever imagined.  I love the way he makes us laugh.   I love the way he reminds me we are a team, and together we can take on anything.

Happy 30th Babe.  Wishing you 30 more and again 30 more.

This above picture is the outfit he was wearing when I met him. I just had to share it with you, and it’s awesomeness.

This is us before we were parents!

And Daniel as the world’s best dad.

Making a decision to have a child — it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.
- Elizabeth Stone

I usually start my blog posts with a hook. I guess it was my high school speech class that convinced me of it, and somewhere along the way it must have sunk in. “You’ve got to get their attention” my teacher encouraged us. “Make it crazy. Make sure you have them, and THEN tell your story.”

I have to confess, I don’t have a crazy hook this time. When I think about this photo shoot and how beautiful this family was, the word that comes to mind is “love”. So instead of being crazy, I might get sappy on you. Consider yourself warned.

When Lexi opened the door and let me into her home I was struck by her incredible beauty. But when her husband Tim and her daughter Adella came into the room, it was no longer beauty that filled the room with light, it was love. I know this may sound cheesy, but have you ever met someone and just saw it on them? I mean ON them. How do I explain it…like a coat they’re wearing, or no, like seeing a glow that radiates from them. I am not talking about the movie “birds-singing-hearts-flying” kind of love, but authentic love. The kind of love that lights up a room. And each parent, when looking down at their little girl Adella, looked like they were looking down at their heart walking outside their body. It was beautiful.

Here is my attempt to capture it. And also to capture Adella who is UNBELIVABLY cute. CUUUUTE.

And Lexi said she likes textures on photos and so I said, “yes please!” I had fun editing these!

Going for the “old time-y” look

Is she not SUCH a Gerber baby!?

I HAD to share this one. Um. Like right now. I want to blow it up all giant size and put it on my wall. I am just sayin. Is it just me or is she SOOO cute?

Okay two. I have to share two.

I am so blessed to say that business is keeping me so busy. So for now I am just going to share these. But don’t worry, I have a big ol’ blog post of this adorable family coming soon…..

I am not funny.  There are a lot of things that I am, but funny is not one of them.  I am okay with that.  I have surrounded myself with funny friends and a witty husband, so I feel like my laughter quota is met most days.

When I came home from this photo shoot with Lydia, James, and baby Ruby, there was a bounce in my step that had never been there before.  I was euphoric.  Something had changed in me.  I was sure of it.   I had suddenly become hilarious.  I mean, Lydia and James literally never took their smiles off the entire time I was with them.  I have never been around two people who laugh so much and who have such a contagious joy.  It was amazing.  Since I am NOT the great comedian, I laughed too.  It was a good time.  So it must have been me, right?  With my new confidence I decided to attempt some of my new found hilarity on my husband.  I have never heard so many crickets in one room.  It was deafening.

So it turns out that, still, I am not funny.  But I did have an AMAZING time hanging out with this family and they couldn’t have been more of a photographer’s dream.   Lydia and her jaw-dropping eyes, James and his contagious laughter, Ruby and her perfect demeanor.  And if that wasn’t enough, Lydia is this INCREDIBLY TALENTED artist.  I love being around talented people who inspire me.  If you are ever in the need of invitations you must go to her site, Lydia’s Pen and Paper.

Thanks guys for an amazing time!

Now, let’s get on to the pictures!