Animal parade

She made me move over so she could put her little farm animals on the table. Right in front of me. Right at that very second. And it made me smile so I let her.

December 2003

Picture taken days before he proposed to me. December 2003. I love that I still wear John's Air Force hoodie to this day, so many years later. I love that scrappy was about a five year old dog in this picture and now she's gotta be around twelve. I love that you can see John's tattoo. We weren't even thinking about kids and the freedom was amazing. I still got my nails done every two weeks in those days. I can see they were red in this picture. I love that I know my mother-in-law took this picture. And this would be why I love photography. This one image made me feel so much.

Good times. Really.

Introducing...

Quintin Todd

Born: March 20th

Where: Babyland General Hospital

Cleveland, Georgia

This is Emelia's first Cabbage Patch Kid. I still have my first one at my moms house. Grandma bought this one for our daughter too but Emelia picked it out all on her own. Good job kid.

First ballet shoes

Aunt Britt got Mela her first pair of real ballet shoes. My daughter will start ballet this year. I can't believe I even have a daughter old enough to start such a thing. Just to see her in her shoes and tights and dress, my heart melts. Oh my, this girl really does hold my heart in hers. She drives me crazy and is so intense but then I can hardly discipline her properly because as soon as she starts to cry or get sad I can't stand it. I have to hug her and make it all better. She has all of us wrapped around her little finger. She is strong spirited and doesn't take no for an answer. She is tall for her age and knows it. She loves her brother more than anyone else in the world. She loves our dog and feeds him way too much of her food. She is going to be three years old next month. Um, where the heck has the time gone?

I love you my Mela.

A long, long, year...

Because of so many reasons, this year will be the year that I always will remember as the year that made me who I'm supposed to be. The year that beat me down and confused me and made me crazy and made me sane and made me happy. The year that my first born started school and my daughter and I reconnected. The year that I truly embraced my photography and really fell in love with it because of this shoot and how it made me feel about my children. The year I finally got to be with my Brittan. Finally. The year that reminded me of the love I have for him and oh yeah, this year the hubs finally did turn 30. I now know, without a doubt, I am where I'm supposed to be. I'm home. I'm who I'm supposed to be.

I'm a mother.

I'm a wife.

I'm imperfect.

I'm good.

I'm selfish

but not always.

I'm hopeful.

I choose to forgive.

I will let go of the past.

I will welcome the future

with an open mind,

with strength.

I will love the

people that deserve it.

And let go of the ones

that don't.

I will love myself.

I will love my family

fiercely and unconditionally.

I will be loyal.

2011, I'm so ready for you.

Bring it on. I will make the best of you.