The news of Harper Lee’s death this week sits heavy on my heart. You see, Ms. Lee, through her incredible book, To Kill A Mockingbird, changed me. I vividly remember digging into the words and images as the first book we read in 9th grade English. Her power with words and ability to create characters amazed me. Yet, beyond her skills as a writer, it was her courage to tackle real, difficult, powerful questions of race and social injustice that opened my eyes to our power to use our talents in the world. Her convictions, as embodied brilliantly in Atticus Finch, rooted themselves deeply into my heart. I found out…

I have a confession. Adele is my absolute woman crush. Seriously if I could be anyone it would be her. I admire how she is confident in her beautiful, curvy body, full of personality, able to write with feeling and emotion, plus a voice that moves mountains. I totally pretend to be her from the comfort of my car, windows rolled up and doing what I like to call singing at the top of my lungs. Trust me you are glad you cannot hear this amazingness. As I was having my daily Adele moment, I got a good listen to the lyrics of my new favorite, “When We Were Young”,…

There are certain times of the year that help us slow down and reflect. For me Thanksgiving is a perfect time to stop and be thankful, as the word implies. Usually, this takes place quickly around the dining room table in answer to the “what are you thankful for this year” question. I wanted to be a bit more thoughtful this year and was inspired by The Frugal Girl who publishes a yearly Thankful List with 50 things she is grateful for during that year. So often we rush through life and forget to reflect on all the amazingness it has to offer. So in the spirit of daring to delight…

Dare to Delight and Document – is the new mantra and mission I am adopting for my business. This comes from a deep belief that too often we hold back on our delight. I wrote in a previous blog post about how easily we hide as adults, especially women, based on our fears and insecurities. You can read more about that in my Dare to Delight and Document post. As I visit family’s and document their lives I consistently hear these insecurities at the beginning of the session. Things like “oh please ignore the mess” or “I’m not sure what you want us to do” or “does this look right”…

For many of us the thought of existing in photographs brings up anxiety. So often I hear from people, especially women, all their hesitations and fears. Insecurities tend to flow so freely from us, thoughts about our weight, our appearance, the cleanliness of the house, the behavior of our children, the opinions of others. We are so quick to define the parameters of acceptability and then carry them around with us like a box we must stay inside of. I am so guilty of this in my own life. I so often try to see myself through the eyes of my husband because my own eyes are skewed by the fears of my…

Today is my birthday! In a culture where we are told aging in not desirable I am going to fully embrace this day and all it represents. So Happy Birthday to Me!! I am so truly blessed! God has gifted me with 32 years of life in the beautiful chaos of this earth. It has not always been easy, there have been many struggles and falls along the way. Yet, He has surrounded me with love and hope, mercy and grace. A handmade sign from my little siblings is one of many things that made me smile this weekend. I am so thankful for all that the journey has been…

Let’s face it. Family is not always easy. Living side by side with imperfect people is hard. We mess up. We say things we regret. We lose our temper. We drop the ball. Family hurts sometimes. Being confronted with our own failures on a regular basis is so uncomfortable. I was reminded of this deeply this week as I watched my sisters for a few days. Life got messy for my family. Words were said, wounds were opened, yet, just like a seed has to die before a plant grows this mess will result in growth and healing for us all. The crushing of our souls often brings tenderness and…