Pregnant Bellies Are Beautiful -- AZ Maternity Photo Shoot

{ Pregnant Bellies Are Beautiful }

Gilbert, AZ

There seems to be nothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman's belly. It holds life inside it and it seems to be shouting out the word, "Anticipation!"

Mommies find themselves wondering who the little person inside of them is going to be and what their personality will be like. What their hair color and eye color will be. Whether they'll like this or that and what they'll be when they grow up.

Pregnant women have this beautiful glow about them--as if they carry the world's most secret and wonderful beauty secret. They shine from the inside out and there's a sparkle in their eyes.

Life is growing inside of them.

Another person.

It's such an overwhelming and amazing thought when you think about it!

I love when Mommies finally have their little ones and they get to meet face-to-face the one that they've been carrying inside them for all of those months!

{ Newborn Session -- AZ Photographer }

{ Newborn Photo Session -- AZ Photographer }

Today I fell in love with a beautiful newborn baby named Eli.

I can't wait to do more newborn photo shoots!

The photo shoot didn't start off well. He woke up from napping and was a little camera shy. I don't think he liked the clickety-click of my camera because he started crying.

We tried moving him around in the bean bag I'd brought to position him, but that wasn't working, so I had Mommy scoop him up in her arms with the blanket prop I'd brought and swaddle and cuddle him that way instead.

{ It worked. }

Soon he had fallen fast asleep in his Mommy's arms and was dreaming.

I brought some wooden letters to include in the picture with him.

"E" is for Eli.

I think that Eli is a perfect name for him because it's a part of the word "Delightful" and that's exactly what he is.

A delight.

A treasure.

A joy.

Babies are so precious and this little guy is no exception.

Babies have a way of capturing our hearts and making us melt from the inside out.

You want to protect and cherish and nurture them.

They have a way of making you love them and want to care for them.

Even dogs know how special these little people are. Their dog, Tino, was ultra protective of Eli and wanted to know everything that was going on with the photo shoot. He wanted to make sure that he was guarding his little brother. Thankfully, I soon made friends with Tino (lots of puppy licks) and he approved of the photo shoot....while still keeping a watchful eye on his little friend. 

Whether at rest or in tears, Mommies seem to instinctively know how to care for their little ones. It's something that seems to be inborn and written on a woman's heart.

Children have a way of bringing beauty into our lives. They bring out the very best in people: Self-sacrificing love. Looking out for the best in someone else. Putting ourselves aside to care for someone that cannot care for him or herself. Laying ourselves down to build this little miracle up into something strong and wise.

"Children are a heritage from the Lord...."

{ Psalm 127:3 }

...and such a joy for those who know them.

Why I Celebrate and Love Christmas { 2010 }

People celebrate at this time of year for many different reasons and each reason is special.

I love that we can each celebrate something special and have a reason to smile during this time of the year, whether it be Christmas, Hannukah, Kwaanza, etc.

The joy of sharing with others, spending time with family and friends, the smell of yummy goodies cooking in the kitchen, the birth of hope for a good year ahead and goodwill shared between people during this time of year is enough to bring a smile to anyone's face! : )

My family and I have a very special reason for celebrating during this time of year too. 

We choose to celebrate at this time of year to honor the birth of Jesus and the love that God poured out on the world through Him.

We celebrate Christmas because we believe in the love expressed by a Father who's heart passion is to fellowship with His creation.

My family and I love to celebrate by decorating a Christmas tree, sharing gifts, baking a yummy meal and spending time with one another. This year, we'll also be going to a special Christmas church service. It's important for us to spend time with each other and to remember what God did for us.

My favorite song this year is, "Bethlehem Dawn" by Christian artist, Todd Agnew. It left me in tears the other day because it was such a powerful reminder of how very much I am loved by my Savior, even though I am so undeserving of receiving it. Yet, He continues to pour it out on me.

As I wrap gifts, I find myself feeling excitement on the inside, wondering if the recipient's face is going to shine alight with joy for what they are receiving.

And that thought makes me stop and ponder....

...I'll bet that's how God felt when He gave His Son as a gift to the world.

How His heart must have been thrilled to share His very best and most thought-over present, wrapped up with the bows and ribbons of love.

It's a thought that makes me stop for a few minutes admist all the flurry of wrapping gifts and hustle and bustle of the last few days before Christmas...and makes me....

Thankful.

Thankful for everlasting and unconditional love.

Thankful for the reason why I celebrate this time of year.

Thankful for all of the blessings that have been poured out into my life.

In the simplicity and quiet of the season, I see a star shining in the sky and it's shining for you and for me. It's lighting the way to the best Christmas present ever.

And His name is Jesus.

Merry Christmas from my heart to yours! : )

To read more about why my family and I celebrate the way we do you can check out the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus at:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201&version=NLT

Christmas Card Designs -- { 2010 }

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I love the reason we celebrate Christmas (my family and I celebrate the birth of Jesus) and I love the sights and sounds that bring you back to feeling like you are a little child again (twinkling lights, old fashioned songs on the radio, gifts being exchanged, the smell of Christmas trees)

I also love designing customized Christmas cards for my clients.

Here are some from this year, including my own card:



{ The Jennings Family }

When do adorable dimples and a sprinter have something in common?

When they both come neatly wrapped in a pint size little package of baby fun! I was given the wonderful opportunity to photograph the amazing Jennings family. Right off the bat, I knew that it was going to be a memorable photo shoot and that I was going to walk away a happy photographer. : )

They were welcoming and warm and made you feel like you've known them for years. It felt more like photographing some old friends rather than photographing someone I'd just met. They also had some pop to their step--some energy. This was going to be fun!

When Mama and Daddy Jennings stepped out of their car, they were all full of big, warm smiles and there was a light dancing in each of their eyes. Mama Jennings would tell me that this was their first "real" family photo session and I was delighted to capture their family with my camera lens!

{ By the way, um, yeah! I feel like one blessed photographer!
I keep getting THE nicest clients EVER! }

       

Baby Jennings, the little guy of the family and sprinter of the family, looked at my camera lens for a few moments, then decided that he was determined to give me a workout! ; )

Almost 2, this little guy was full of energy...and FAST!

ZOOM! His little feet were scurrying away at the speed of light!
I can almost hear his thoughts:

"You think you're fast, photographer lady? Come catch me! Come catch me!"

Thankfully, Big Brother Jennings was there to come to the rescue and catch him for all of us. You can tell how much Baby Jennings loves his Big Brother Jennings. He's already looking up to him and loves him.

Big Brother Jennings was definitely mature beyond his years and you can tell that he's responsible in the way he acted and took care of his brother. : ) Such a great kid!

As we walked around a little bit, I asked Mama and Daddy Jennings to spend some time with their kids while I shot from a distance and captured what I saw.

Here is what unfolded--can't you just feel the love oozing between this family?

I love moments like these because I cannot create these with my camera. Each person, each family does on their own. I love to see families interact in their normal environment without me standing right there with my camera intruding on beautiful moments like these.

Commence the family love!

Families are made for being together and celebrating the love that each person has for one another. They're the bread and butter of life and bring some of life's greatest joys! I'm so glad that I met the Jennings--they are full of life and full of love for the little boys and for each other!

Families are made for sharing love....and the Jennings do. : )

"In truth a family is what you make it. It is made strong, not by number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help family members create, by the memories you share, by the commitment of time, caring, and love you show to one another, and by the hopes for the future you have as individuals and as a unit."

- Marge Kennedy






The Berlinger Family

Can I just say, I looooove the Berlingers! : )

I love those photo shoots you walk away from, feeling like you've known the people for forever, when really it's just the first time you've met.

That's how I felt with this family--they are AWESOME!

They asked for me to come photograph their family at a park here in AZ and when I arrived at the location, I was totally blown away. Where (in this dry and overheated desert) do you find lush green hills and weeping willow trees? I was in hog heaven! There was even a lake.

J'adore with a capital "J"!

We started off taking group pictures on one of the soft grassy knolls.

But soon, the boys discovered a playground nearby and zoom, they were off!

(I mean really, what kid CANNOT resist a playground?)

The older Berlinger boy kept saying, "Watch me! Watch me!" and then he'd pull this adorable cuteness out and melt my heart--what photographer does not absolutely love this? ; )

The playground was beckoning both boys....heck, if I were still a kid, I'd be hanging off those monkey bars and climbing the rope bridge too!

These little guys are full of energy, leaving me thinking, "Oh, to be young again!"

I was amazed at the strength of the littlest Berlinger--he's got the strength and grace of a gymnast and kept lifting himself up and pointing his toes like he was a little athlete...and he's still less than a year old! I can only imagine the strength he's going to have when he's older! Look at him go! Wheee!

Dad got into the fun by turning his littlest one into SuperBaby! Clear the launch tower!

I must say, my heart lept up into my throat when I saw him get this high!

But SuperBaby was loving every minute of it!

The boys loved the slides...

....and Daddy Berlinger did too! ; )

I was able to sneak in some portrait shots of each member of the family. I love how portrait shots can capture each person's unique personalities.

I love this shot of Mama Berlinger--I think she looks absolutely beautiful and shines beauty from the inside, out. 

I chased the boys around the play yard and started to notice something very special.

Love.

Love from Mama and Daddy Berlinger for their little guys.

You could sense it.

You could see it.

Love, when showed on the outside, is so beautiful.

It makes you stop and take notice and have that warm and fuzzy Hallmark greeting card feeling on the inside. It makes you thankful for those you love. It makes you thankful for goodness that's still in the world, lighting it one candle at a time until each area of it shines brightly.

There was no exception with this family. Look at these love-filled moments I witnessed and got to capture with my camera lens:

Haha, just kidding, that last one was a love tap! ; )

The legacy you leave your kids is what they'll carry with them through their lives and what they'll share with their kids and grandkids. It's totally evident that the Berlingers are leaving a great one for theirs.

Now and forever.