The Streetpoet

Despite the gloomy days before and after their wedding day, Saturday May 10th became a beautiful day with delicious sunshine that matched the joy radiating from Becky and Danny. They fell in love slowly at her dad’s church and he married them in that church. Becky and Danny, may the Lord bless your marriage all your days and may you find Him to be your center and source. Congratulations and thank you for the honor of photographing your wedding!

A big thank you to Noel for helping me out during the wedding and praying for me! Peter was able to come to the reception and put on the slideshow so everyone could see wedding pictures, and then we got to drive home together just the two of us, what a treat! Also a big thank you to Mom and Abby for keeping our boys all day.

Here are my favorites from the day:

With three boys.

Peter has finals next week and I haven’t seen him in two days, the boys haven’t seen him in three. This week hasn’t been very much different from earlier weeks, though, as it’s been a seemingly gradual increase in his school load. I’m not going to say much more about it right now as it’s the end of the week, my perspective is obviously tired and I don’t want to complain. We miss Peter, but are also thankful that summer is just around the corner!

Erika came for lunch yesterday with her little girl and little boy whom my boys thoroughly enjoyed playing with. Thank you for your afternoon, Erika!

And today Jenny brought her kids over with lunch and treats for everyone and spent her whole afternoon sharing with me. These precious women have made my week seem not as long and so much richer! When Jenny left with her daughter, son, and baby this afternoon she had let us keep the treats and chips she had brought, and as we walked back into the house from waving them off Seth asked me “Is the baby for us, too?” 🙂
In other news: Gigi and I are flying to Georgia next week with the boys to see Mema and Memama! Peter might meet us the end of that week, and there’s also a possibility of seeing Pete and Sarah while on that side of the country, so I’m stoked about that! And it’s all because of the generosity of the “Delta Man” who has sold us four buddy passes that we all get to fly for the price of one ticket. Yay!

I’m shooting a wedding tomorrow. It will be the first wedding I’ve done without Peter’s help since the film age. I could list all the other ways that he helps me at a wedding, but really what I value right up there above his digital and techy skills is his moral support. I’ve always said I couldn’t do a wedding without him, yet here I am. I’m hoping he can still come and put the slideshow up on his laptop at the reception, though. Pretty please? 😉

One of my greatest dreams is to someday play the cello. I don’t mean perform or even be any good, but I would love to feel the instrument reverberate beneath my hands and make it sing. I love the sound of the cello and I can see myself playing one, but I suddenly realized with a sinking feeling last night that I don’t read a note of music. How disappointing that realization felt! Yet I wake up this morning and somehow feel that I cannot lose this dream. Maybe someday I will learn, maybe I can learn along with my boys. maybe someday I will play a cello.

All week I had been looking forward to her coming. We don’t see each other nearly as much as we would like, but ever since our first introduction our relationship has been that which doesn’t feel time or know distance. Laura is a very creative and giving person. Her heart yearns for God and she is incredibly in love with her man and little girl. It is an honor to call her friend.

Laura, thank you for spending your afternoon with us and for bringing lunch Friday! What a treat. I love your food, and my boys do too! 🙂 Lets do it again soon!

It was Thursday. I had forgotten it was going to be Thursday. Peter was supposed to dress business casual and I didn’t have anything of his ironed. He drove home before lunch to change, and with him he brought the 28-70 2.8 Nikon zoom lens that he bought for me! So now we won’t have to rent the lens for every wedding. I am still floored that he bought it, and humbled that he invests so much into my business/hobby. Thank you, Peter!

I also couldn’t be a photographer for anyone but my own children without the wonderful help I have in my mother-in-law who kept all of them for three hours Thursday evening! She even brought dinner for everyone! But as I was leaving Ian choked on a piece of dog food. (That’s not what she brought for dinner.) He could get air but he was wheezing and coughing and clinging to me. I didn’t have a panicked feeling, but I was wondering how I was going to leave him not knowing if he could breath easily! I had gone down to Misty’s and asked her for any tricks in front of her newly arrived out of town relatives when he finally coughed it up. Nice introduction. And just as I’m making my embarrassed way back to my own house, Marcy comes looking for me in her pretty white skirt and espadrilles and trying to avoid my slobbery dog. So we’re finally on our way and I’m thoroughly enjoying listening to Marcy tell me their story when she and I both break out in a sweat and try not to get sick. We were on the 23 down to Malibu through the mountains making our may to the ocean at a modest 30mph. As we crest the highest curve we are amazed at the “wall of water” and the beautiful view is almost worth the drive. But as we get down to the PCH the brakes didn’t agree and started smoking. The poor car revived and after missing the entrance and turning around to find it we finally get there.

It was a delight to photograph Jonny and Marcy together. The connection they enjoy was so fun to watch and catch on film and they seemed very natural. I had a great time and took far too many pictures. 🙂

But first I want to say THANK YOU to Mom. When I got home she had the boys helping her clean up and organize their room! And she not only kept them busy but made it fun, too. It has been such a delight to see a clean room. Thanks.

OK, here are a few engagement pictures!