Tis the season!

Santa Hats have been making a regular appearance in my sessions lately. Christmas Red has been showing up quite a bit lately. Ornaments? Holiday Card designs? It's all there as well.

It can only mean one thing! Christmas is almost here!

This adorable little girl with her loving big brother is in for a treat. Her first Christmas. She has a wonderful family, full of loving grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. It is always a pleasure to do a session for a family who so obviously loves one another.

Just breathtaking

I had a session this past weekend, and it's gorgeous outdoors this time of year. The trees are starting to turn, and everywhere I looked on the drive to the client's home was a reminder of how much I need to really look at our surroundings more.

I've had a busy couple of months, and with the changing weather I'm looking toward the rest of the calendar year. I'm seeing how busy my own life is going to be, and I think that I really should slow down and appreciate this season. The radio was off, the sun was going down, and I was really having to pay attention to roads and my surroundings. I was forced to see, to actually see the landscape. See the cows, the goats, the fields that have been harvested, and I realized just how much I have become a city girl. My soul needs nature.

I think I'm going to take my kids this week, and we're going to go on a walk (or a hike if I feel industrious). We need to be in nature more. We need to be out in the fresh air.

I am so very thankful for the session this past weekend, the session that made me realize that I had not stopped to appreciate the breathtaking surroundings we have here this time of year.

His smile is contagious

When he smiles, everyone smiles back at him. It's almost impossible not to smile at him return. Nothing special about this shot, just one that I like. We were sitting in the van, waiting on big brother to finish piano lessons. Just us two, having fun on a rainy day. I can hear his giggle when I see this photo.

Isn't that what it is all about? Remembering, capturing, and celebrating this moment. Nothing special, just an ordinary day.

Wonderful family session this fall

Such beautiful children, don't you agree?

I like to play

Sometimes during a session I like to play around with the kids.

When is a session done?

When the kids go from this:


to this:


I take that cue, which is not hard to miss, that the session is done. Okay, not all sessions end in tears, and honestly, this session did not either but I had to show it because it does give you the feel of how I decide when we are done. It is totally dependent on each child how long we can do a session. Some children love having their photos taken, some do not.

*I can not remember what she was crying about, but it might have been that she had to leave the swing that had entertained her while I took her brother's portraits.*

Adoption update

So many of you have asked for updates on our adoption, and I really appreciate how excited you all are for me! The emails, the phone calls, and constant remembering when I see you just amazes me.

We are still waiting. It seems like forever, but it has only been 112 days since we sent in our paperwork asking to be Katie's parents. We have been skipped over, but since there is not much we can do about it, we are just waiting. We have checked into things, and nothing appears to be wrong. It's really just a matter of processing paperwork. Lots and lots of red tape!

We had hoped to be traveling next week or the week after. At this point, obviously, we will not be. This also means that we will not have her home by Thanksgiving, which is sad. We are hoping that we will our approval next week, but with our track record of late I am just not sure it will happen. If we were to get it next week, we would then have a chance to travel November 15th. If we get it by Halloween Day, travel could be November 22nd (yes Thanksgiving Day!). If we were to get it by Election day, then travel could be November 29th. Middle of November puts us traveling the first week of December. It just gets more depressing after that!

Many of you have asked how long we will be in China. We will be there for roughly 15 days. I will have limited access to email, but remember China time is 13 hours ahead of us. I am not planning on addressing work issues, but if I see something that needs to be answered I will! :) I doubt I could help myself.

Once we are closer to travel, I will be sending out a link to our family blog. The one we will update as we travel, and show off our beautiful daughter.

Aren't these two girls beautiful?

I fell in love with their dresses, with their smiles, with their laughter, and their love for each other.



I remember talking to their Mom during our paperchase for adopting Katie, and due to what we talked about I started considering other aspects of China adoption. Mainly Special Needs, and how really what I consider special needs and what is considered special needs in China adoption are totally different things. Thus, that conversation helped to lead us to Katie.



To say I have a soft spot for this family is an understatement. Okay, so I have a soft spot for any family that has ever adopted or is adopting.

Such a graceful young lady

She's waited too long for her sneak peek!

I think I'm back up!

After hours of screaming at the computer reliving Computer Science 202 memories, I think I have my online ordering system back online. It's not in the same place (I fixed that small problem while I was at it).

It only took:

1 screaming fit of frustration
2 bouts of tears
3 frantic looking attempts for the foam ax I used in Computer Science 202
4 pleadings with Dh for help
5 phone calls to friends to commiserate over my misfortune
6 hours of updating, uploading, and configurations
7 cheers of happiness that it is working
8 email checks to make sure I answered all the emails asking where the galleries were
9 distractions from the kids
10 big slobbery kisses to Dh for all his help!

By jove, I think we're back in business!

Shopping cart?

Check!

I got it re-installed, and upgraded. I merrily went in to start re-uploading everyone's galleries and imagine my surprise. I can't re-register it! OOPS!

I have an email in to tech support, and we should be up and running tomorrow so I can start the data entry again. I will hopefully have updated links for everyone by the end of the weekend. If you know you have a gallery out there, and you do not hear from me please contact me and I will make sure you get set back up! I think I know who all I have to re-upload.

What a mess!!!

Don't Panic!

If you are trying to reach the online ordering gallery, please don't panic. I still have images on my hard drive, but I did accidentally delete the entire ordering gallery. I have all orders that had been placed by 5pm October 4th, so nothing is missing there.

However, I'm going to have to re-upload everything and restore settings. It will take me a few days.

That's what I get for trying to update software at 1am, right? I even broke the cardinal rule my computer science professors drilled into my head:

"Always make a copy of the folder you are working on BEFORE making changes and BEFORE deleting files."

Oops! I know I can fix it, but the time involved is my biggest concern at the moment. If you were working on orders, or had questions, please contact me directly and I will do my best in this situation!

Wonder what the secret is?

I know, but can you guess?

But it could be that the Mom of these two beauties is going to be thrilled. Why? I'm having a tough time narrowing down her session for the gallery. I like to narrow it down before I start proofing and doing the sneak peek. I had to do things out of order for this session.

Be on the lookout for MORE of these beauties soon.

Meet Mr. E

This Mom commented on how much she loved the close up of the faces, and that was her one big request besides the family shots.



Don't you just love those eyes and that sweet sweet smile? He was so much fun during our session.



This one is for you Mr. E! :) I thought you would like one of your silly faces on the blog. I'm glad we got a chance to play some!