Do you believe God believes in you? January 16, 2008

Do you believe God believes in you?

2007 rang “This is your life. Are you who you want to be?” in my ears everyday, but a few more words that anchored me are “Make peace with God and make peace with yourself.” So this year I’m making peace with the caos. For those who don’t know or understand my last 12 months, here’s the breakdown of some strange and unusual circumstances. I had to deal with some stuff over my mom, I found a breast lump and have no insurance and had to have a biopsy (which luckily turned out great and fine) and the struggle between Brian and I was worse over the holidays. So as the year was quickly approaching the end, everything I felt that I had worked so hard for, all those late nights for, and sacrificed my time with my kids for was all for nothing now.
However, a tiny bit of hope lay on my pillow as I cried to myself late Monday night. I felt these words in my heart: let it all go.

Now only 3 times in my life have I ever truely known God has spoken to me in words. Once when I was on my knees as a teenager and wanted to end my life: I cried, screamed, and begged for comfort and before I even had the chance to do it, I felt this blanket on me. There was no one else there, but I knew God was. The 2nd time I knew it was God talking to me was 7 years ago when I went to church with my new husband (at the time), and I felt like I was being pushed out of the pew (awkwardly looking around to see who it was) and I heard him say ‘Come.’ The 3rd time I knew God was speaking to me was as I was trying to sleep in my bed Monday night thinking about Pastor Randy’s sermon on Sunday morning. One thing that just stuck out in my mind was Peter did’nt believe in himself enough to walk on the water, he cried out to Jesus to save him instead of walking with him. So as I can see all the waves crashing at my feet and the storms are heavy and the rain is falling hard. I heard God say to me “Let go!”
I’m letting go.
I’m letting go.
I never make new years resolutions because I can’t keep them and because I generally think it’s for people who think starting over is a challenge that doesn’t necessarily have to be accomplished depending on their daily mood. But I have to let go of the resentment, the hate, the fear, the finances and the pure fact that this is not my battle anymore. God is in control and I have LET GO!
So I made peace with my heart.
I made peace with my body.
I made peace with my marriage, my husband, and my anger against him.
I made peace with the past.
I made peace with God.
I let go.
As I put all this into context and think about the last year, I can’t beleive I’m right here, where I sit, I still have a roof over my head, I still have 2 beautiful girls, and though it’s not perfect, there is still someone to come home to. So many have nothing, nothing at all, I don’t want it all, I just want what I have. This was the most exhilerating experience of my life. I feel like I could run a marathon (though I probably won’t, that’s pushing it). We need some help still in our marriage, and I know prayers are always asked for, but I never have taken the time to thank those who have taken the time to put in an extra line in their daily devotions for me. So thank you, dearly, thank you.
As far as work goes, I know I can’t do it all. I’m taking it all in stride, and comes what may. The best yet is since Tuesday I have booked 3 Weddings for this year!!! July 12th, 20th and September 13th are all on the books, it’s super exciting. I know God had his hand in that, as well as all my life, isn’t it wonderful!!

“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Christmas pics January 16, 2008

Christmas and really the whole month of December was chaotic! Literally!!  But we had a pretty good holiday. I got a van, the girls got a drum set, and Brian’s wardrobe was overhauled with new Bear’s stuff. Hope your holidays were awesome! -E

One of my new scrapbook pages November 7, 2007

Here’s one of my new digital scrapbook pages that I love and I want to share it with you!

Prices!!!! November 5, 2007

Everyone is always asking me about how much I charge to take such beautiful pictures, so here are my rates. I know you will find them very afforadable, as I have to stay very competitive.

• Every month I will feature a discount or coupon
• My sitting fees are $55 for a visit to my in-home studio, or just an extra $10 to come to your livingroom.
• Individual portrait sheets are $15.99
• I have 2 great packages:

1. One pose, 1-8×10, 2-5×7’s, 4-4×5’s, 12 Wallets, for only $37.99
2. Up to 3 poses, 2-8×10’s, 6-5×7’s, 8-4×5’s, 48 Wallets, for only $72.99

• I do ORIGINAL personal insignias for only $20.00 that can be used on any or all photographs.
• Additional design work (Fairy pictures, etc.) is an additional $25. oo per photo edited.
• Zit and wrinkle remover are just $8.00 per photo
• EXTRAS: Digital Matting, Black & White, Sepia, Color, etc. is only $8.00 per photo
• Weddings: the sitting fee is $350 and the entire day is reserved for you. I will come and get photos of the bride getting ready, the ceremony and the reception (up to 2 hours for the reception, then just $25 an hour beyond that) Does not include any proofs and all fees are to be paid 2 weeks prior to date. Bridal pictures and pictures of the rehearsal dinner are an additional sitting fee of $55 each, and also do not include any proofs.

Families Photographed November 5, 2007

My family is the most important part of my life. I love thank God every single morning for my 2 beautiful daughters and my husband. Even when life is throwing me curve balls, my family is everything. I live to see my kids faces every day, but when they are not around (like when they’re with Gramma) I have beautiful pictures that fill my home with their loving smiles.

In a normal family sitting I take the family photograph first, then the children together with their siblings, then each separately. I also do the couples pictures. If the family has a unique home or would like their home photographed I can incorporate that into their family picture, as well as a favorite poem or scripture verse. There are a few examples of each of these options below.

I like to have fun when I am photographing a family. The best shots come from just playing around and letting the kids explore the equipment that I bring with me. I even love the best of the pouty faces!

High School Senior Guys November 5, 2007

Elementary School Age Kids November 5, 2007

These are some of the best kids I have had the opportunity to photograph. I hope you enjoy these smiles just as much as I do.

Jessi and Ashton November 5, 2007

This is my Godson Ashton and his mom Jessi. Jessi and I have been friends since 9th grade, and we adore each others kids like crazy! When Ashton was in Flag Football at YMCA, I made him his own football card.

Whimsybooks.com Logo November 4, 2007

Misty & EmmaLee November 3, 2007

This little girl is always so much fun to photograph. She has grown up right before my eyes! She also happens to have a very talented and beautiful mommy who works for Sears Portrait Studio. (But I took these pics!)

Something Profound to Ponder… November 1, 2007

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary. 

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don’t feel threatened. I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, “Merry Christmas” to me. I don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it’s just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren’t allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it’s not funny, it’s intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”

In light of recent events…terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s talking about. And we said OK.

Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with “WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.”

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Twin Babies October 25, 2007

Babies are always a blessing.

Anniversary Pictures October 25, 2007

I have done a couple of 50th Anniversary parties lately and here are some pictures from those events. While taking pictures of the parties themselves, I also took family pictures of the guests and with the couples.

What mischief can i get into? October 10, 2007

Fall Blues… October 10, 2007

I hate this time of year. Literally. Fall and winter give me the blues because everything dies and everything beautiful goes away and leaves me with a cold and empty world to look at. There are no leaves after the they’ve fallen off the trees and the ground is dirty brown. It’s too cold to be outside. Everything around town gets littered up with holiday lights and sale signs, and well, neither one looks pretty. I always slept in on Christmas, even though I knew presents were involved. Thanksgiving is just a house full of people competing over pie and relishing in their accomplishments. No one ever told me I did anything good. I remember spending some holidays with people I didn’t even know because my parents wanted to go to their friends. Literally, I hate this time of the year. I know I won’t accomplish much, and I know that the things I’ve worked so hard to create are going to slip by the wayside. It was cold this morni ng when I left for work, I cried all the way there.

My Family October 9, 2007

This week has been a difficult one for a friend of mine in a mothers group that I attend. Just sitting and thinking and praying for her and her family has brought me to my knees in my own personal struggles with loved ones. I will never truely know her pain, but I can bring myself to understand why God does the things he does, and why He puts us through these trials.

I look at my little girls and believe there is more to life than a pretty house, a new car to drive, and a yard for my children to play in. I look at my husband and see someone who hasn’t given up and walked away. And I look at the things in my home and think ‘These are just things’ and they would only be things if they were without the memories.

I love my family and I want to share some of the memories that we made this weekend. I sewed the cute little punkin dresses all by myself. Brian and the girls decorated the porch with chalk artwork. We loved turning up the radio and banging on instruments right before bed. And one more, which may be the most special: We tucked in the girls to bed, together.

Best Prayer I Have Heard In a long time… September 27, 2007

I got this from a friend of mine in my e-mail, and usually I don’t send them back out
because they are always something like ‘you have to do this or…’ but I thought this
was some good reminders of everyday life.

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in
traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is
rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few
precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man
who can’t make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student,
balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his
student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the
same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to
addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares .

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through
the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this
moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this
will be the last year that they go shopping together

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us,
the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those
we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but
to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience,
empathy and love.

If you send this to 5 people, then you have a chance to touch 5 people.

Working for God on earth doesn’t pay much……but His retirement plan
is out of this world

Barbie Madness September 26, 2007

I loved Barbie when I was a girl. Now I have 2 little girls who also love Barbie, but Lately, my husband has been dominating the computer and the television at the same time and littering them with football. Not that football is litter, it just ranks right up there with moldy cheese pizza. But because of this obsession he has with football, my girls and I have been spending an awful lot of time with Barbie lately.

We brush Barbie’s hair, she doesn’t complain much, just the occasional ‘o.k. you’re gonna pull my head off, oh! oh!…there it goes’ And there’s the undressing and fleshy fashion show (because my 2 year-old won’t leave clothes on her). Barbie either doesn’t mind the cold draft up her rear when she is sat on the air vent or she just grins and bears it for Hannah’s tender-hearted sake. She’s a trooper!

However, I think Barbie has it out for me, because sometimes When I’m not looking I get smacked in the head for no apparent reason. I look behind me and all I see is my sweet baby girl trying to shove Barbie into a drawer or pile her between books like a sandwich. I don’t know where we went wrong I thought that by putting a rather nice 3 bedroom 2 bath pink roof over her head was enough. I gave her a full kitchen and dining room and livingroom set, I even bought her a fancy canopy bed and a nursery for the little ones she wants to have. Quite frankly though, if she ends up prego, Ken is OUT! She shares a room with 2 princesses who don’t need to know about the birds and the bees yet.

So I don’t know where I went wrong, but I shouldn’t be afraid to be around Barbie. Unfortunatly, when you have been hit in the back of the head or tripped or been hit in the nose enough it brings a tear and the occasional drop of blood, you tend to turn the tables on your friend Barbie. I happened to notice that a pile of Barbie’s on the floor kinda looks like a massacre. I think I had it out for Barbie tonight. I really wanted her to dissappear!!!! However bedtime came without a hitch and so for tonight she’s off the hook. But tomorrow…

Smelly fart faces September 20, 2007

Check out the girls on each end. Who dunnit? Never can get a pic with everyone smiling. But I love these kind of pictures, it makes my heart smile.

Recent Sweet 16 pics September 20, 2007

These 2 girls were a great deal of fun to work with. Both of them brought several changes of clothes and we went with the flow that day. The pics were for their 16th Birthdays and they had been friends since they were 5! When I brought the pics to them one had told her mom we have to get them all!! They were super excited about thier pictures.