The day finally arrived. Baby girl flew da coop.

Yes, I cried.  As she was loading her boxes to the car, I sneaked off to the bathroom for a little boohoo session.  All I could think of was the day that I met her her.  I will never forget the way I felt when I saw those pink chubby cheeks-both kinds!  I heard...'ooooo...you have a big girl!'  My eyes were reaching out to see my brand new baby while the nurses cleaned her up.   I remember hearing the nurses & doctor take bets on who could guess her weight.  A few said 8 or 9 lbs.  But, my labor nurse who came back on her off duty to witness our delivery, said, "My guess is TEN pounds!"  When they put all of her little pinkness on the scale, I heard...."na, na, na, na Can't Touch This!"  Carmen (labor nurse) was on the money!  I gave birth to a 10 pound baby girl.  I love my sweet baby girl.  She has been a joy to raise.  From the day she was born, she has made me laugh & have not stopped laughing at her silliness ever since.  Karmyn has a great big wonderful heart.  I am very happy & proud of  the lady that she has become.  Also, I am glad that she is able to become independent.  I hope she enjoys this new step forward in her life journey.    But, I remind her often that she will always be my baby girl.  I plan to bribe her with homecooked meals so that she will come visit at least once a week. 

Even though I got kinda sad, I also got kinda happy.  I now have an extra room for all my photography gear.  Oh, man do I ever need that extra room.  My 'world' (as Terry calls it) is just about to push us out the backdoor.  TOO much!   But, before I can completely claim that room there are a few more boxes that Karmyn has yet to pack.   I borrowed Papa T's truck to help her move her bed and some bigger items.  We were not able to move her chest of drawers and tv so her daddy will have to help us asap. 

A few years ago, my brother built some custom cabinetry and desk area for her room.  Look what is still left on her shelves.   Homerun balls and Softball accolades and awards, Letterman Jacket and even a Homecoming Crown.   I was there for every one of those moments.  We lived it.  We enjoyed it.  We treasure the memories.  Karmyn moved into her apartment a couple nights ago.  She has not yet boxed up these things so I had to snap this picture. As the years go by, I am sure these High School  Treasures will eventually make their way to a dust covered box in storage.   Bittersweet.  

 And, The beat goes on....

...la, da, da, da, daaaa.....

Hey Mama,
I think the way I feel about this shelf of memories reminds me of what you said when I moved to my first apartment.  I heard you tell the story about what happened to you a day or so after I finished moving.  You walked into my bedroom that was completely, 100% empty of all things "Tootiefied" (that's me).   So, you were getting excited about how you were going to use the extra space.  When you whooshed open my closet door, the force of the wind made the singularly, solitary item left behind start swinging on it's hanger.  It was a pink velvet beauty pagent dress that you made for me when I was in the 4th grade.

So, now I know how you must have felt.   Did you have a boohoo session too?

Today is a new day.  No more boohoo!  Azaleas are blooming in my backyard. 

Good old hardy azaleas make me happy every spring. 

Jessica – Walker High School – Senior 2011

Jessica – Walker High School – Senior 2011
TommieAnn called and told me that her only child will be graduating this year! She is a sentimental mom and loves her pretty Jessica very much. When I drove up their driveway, Jessica’s dad, Mark, was rolling out a four wheeler. He had just put a spit-shine on that sucker. No joke. This thing was super detailed with amor-all on the tires and a mirror shine on the chrome wheels. I am sure that all the while he was working, he wanted to please his daughter and make her proud. I had met Jessica once before. It was New Year’s Eve. She is dating my 2nd cousin, Dustin. I did Dustin’s Senior Portraits so he recommended me to Jessica. Thanks man!

Mark, TommieAnn, and Jessica walked with me around their large property to show me some wooded acreage behind their house. Their family is the outdoorsy types. As a family, they love go to the fishing camp, ride four wheelers and all that kind of good stuff. So, today we wanted to capture that vibe. I really enjoy it when my client is in their element. Especially, for a High School Senior, I think it is important for them to be free to be themselves! It is so important for them to show their individual, unique personality during this very short WINDOW IN TIME of their life. So, today, Jessica’s unique vibe is exactly what we got. Jessica is a rubber boots wearin’, four-wheelin country girl for this photo shoot. In real life, she is also girly girl sugar and spice all things nice. She had a smile from start to finish. Speaking of finish, we finished with a change in gears so to speak. When we got back to the house, Jessica changed into a bright pink top which looked outstanding with her complexion. I set up my lighting situation which included a small portable beauty dish as our key light. Also, I went to my portrait lens to capture some close-up beauty shots.

Thanks to the Deshotels family for welcoming me in to capture their Jessica’s Senior Photo Session. Enjoyed it. Hey Jessica, tell all your friends about me! If they haven’t gotten their Senior Portraits, please send them a link to me. I would be honored to capture their unique WINDOW IN TIME, as well.

*p.s. Mark, how could we do a four-wheelin’ photo shoot without getting her back in mud? oops…It sure was a shiny mud buggy!

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