For all you've done...

Thank you veterans!

I am honored to have several men in my family who bravely served in our military. I am especially proud of these dashing young men. :) <3

Stanley Ray Maggard

b. May 6, 1942 - d. Nov. 2, 2011

-Served in the Vietnam War-

(Armed National Guard)

{My paternal grandmother's maternal uncle...known to many as "Uncle Stanley"}

Royce E. Brunson

b. May 3, 1930

Was in the military for many many years,

 -Served in the Korean War-

(Air Force)

{my dad's paternal grandfather...my Gran-Poppy :)}

Happy Veterans' Day, Everyone! If you have a vet in your family, go talk to them!! Ask them to tell you all about their experience and don't forget to thank them and tell them you're proud...cause you should be, they're pretty special.

~Through Christ's Love ♥

P.S. It's 11/11/11!!! Only one more year of dates like that...in this Millennium...weeeeird! Sorry, I just had a split second thought...carry on ;)

Fall Party...Girl Style // gilmer, tx portrait and lifestyle photographer

Let me tell ya 'bout some of my faaaavorite girls.

{Some new favorites and some old. ;)}

We had this fall party at Sarah Jarvis' house...cause Sarah Elizabeth is the sweetest, most awesome party hostess ever. :)

She planned a delightful game where we all exchanged gifts. {This was the gift I brought}

And she made some yum food and adorable decorations.

We went for a walk as the sun shined through the trees.

We stopped on the side of the road to wave at the passing cars from time to time. We either looked like an over-grown band, a group of practicing beauty pageant contestants {we brought out the Miss America wave for several fortunate drivers}, fellow runaways, or perhaps we just looked like girls that were very inconveniently blocking the road {for this we must assume that one or two of the passers-by were having a very bad day because really, how could anyone think such rugged heartless thoughts about these lovely ladies? ;)}

They might have thought we were slightly crazy...but...that's relatively normal for us, right girls? :D

Hopefully they saw our more amiable qualities as they rushed by...like the angelic ringing of our melodic laughter.

Much laughter was certainly involved.

More than likely the truly melodic thing they heard were THESE girls singing in three part harmony...the best everrrr.

 Oh! Dear me, where are my manners? I haven't introduced all of the girls yet! I'm sure you're dying to meet them. :) 

You've met our hostess, so next on the roster is

Susanna Joy

 Rachel Leigh...you all know her very well by now, I'm sure. ;)

Three of the Covey girls...good grief Charlie Brown, these girls are sooOoo great! :D

There's Clara...sweet, happy, and cute...P.S. Her hair color is the coolest...just sayin' ;)

Then Sophie...curls, giggles, quick wit, photographer, great sense of style and purty to boot...what can I say, she's a girl after my own heart. ;)

The lovely Lydia...expert at scarf tying, and harp extraordinaire...she has the most infectious laugh and garsh, she's just precious that's all.

And let us not forget my new friends, the Ramsey sisters. Fell in love with 'em in a heartbeat! 

You've already heard my testimonial about their singing {mellllt}...would you believe they're also kindhearted, funny, and adorable to be around as well? Some people are triple threats...these girls blow that waaaay out of the water. ;)

Grace...beautiful, refreshing, way tall, and  way younger than you would imagine...it was shocking to find out she's only 16! Besides all that, she is ridiculously amazing on the piano...ridiculously. 

Johanna...I knew I was gonna like her ever since I saw pictures of her at a similar party a while back. She just looks and IS soooo sweet and bubbly!! 

She's also an amazing photographer!

 And last but not least Emma...great smile, gorrrrgeous singing voice and she's a writer, i.e. deep thinker, clever, interesting, and precise. Love it. :)

I love friends...they make things inconceivably better...God is so unfathomably good to include such charming and beautiful threads into the tapestry of my life. :)

~Through Christ's Love ♥

The Big 4-0 [Personal]

No, I'm not 40.

I'm sure you knew that.

But my mother...my dear mother is 40.

Today.

Because 40 years ago {yes...way back when in 1971}

She was born.

And then she lived...for 40 years.

Let me tell you how it all happened.

~

Mam-maw was pregnant with her fourth baby.

Second girl {but she didn't know that.}

It had been ten years since she had a baby.

Maybe that affected her judgement - let's give her the benefit of the doubt.

She was playing Scrabble with her best friend/sister-in-love and she didn't want to stop. Even when the labor pains hit. She kept on playing. When Pap-paw finally convinced her to get up and leave, it was TIME to have the baby. 

They made it to Mt. Pleasant just in time to meet their new baby girl.

They named her Darla.

Darla Dawn.

{To match all the other "D's" before her: Donald, Dana, and Dale}

She completed their little family.

"This is the story of a girl...

And though she looked so sad in photographs ^

I absolutely love it when she smiles."

| Nine Days |

She was indeed a very happy child with a very happy childhood.

{excuse her chipped fingernails...but check out how shiny her hair is!! Seriously, is there like some amazing 70s shampoo that I can get on eBay that will make my hair shimmer like that??} 

She had parents who spoiled loved her.

And family that adored her.

{A big brother and a big sister that got married waaaay too early, and another big brother that was determined to scare her half-to-death every 5 minutes. *ahem* You three know who you are. [cough] ;)}

She was indeed the ultimate baby with siblings that were much older than her, but when she was 2 she had a chance to be a "big sister" of sorts to her cousin Lana 

and then, two years later, Clay.

Ok, so maybe everyone thought when he was born Clay was slightly...um...what word should I use?? Let me put it this way; direct quote from his own mother in his baby book: "He sure is ugly, but he's getting prettier everyday." :D

Birthday after birthday

 She grew into a beautiful young woman...

Who was mischievous

 and had a great sense of humor. {That certainly hasn't changed.} :D

She fell in love with this crazy long-haired guy from Paris ...much to her family's dismay. ;) 

She actually married him!

God knew just what He was doing. :)

She was already a mother to one and soon became a mother of two. 

So, we're wrapping up this story, cause you know I wasn't born that long ago. ;) 

And yet, a lot has happened, a lot has changed...for better and worse.

Mostly better.

Somethings haven't changed.

She's still madly in love with this guy for instance. {Turns out he wasn't near as crazy as everyone a-feared.;D} In fact he turned out to be the dearest person on earth to her. And she couldn't imagine what these past 40 years would've been like without him being there for a whole half of them.

For sixteen years, 5 months,  1 week, and 4 days I've been able to watch my mother live.

I've watched her laugh, cry, smile, reminisce, be beautiful {and hilarious}. 

I've watched her struggle in storms both big and small and I've watched her realize that the Lord brought her through them all. I have watched her trust in Him with all her heart and be a blessed daughter of the King, a godly wife, and an incredible mother.

 I wasn't there for the first part of her 40 years...

but I can't wait to experience the next 40.

Because I love her

with all my heart.

She doesn't look near 40, does she?!?

~Through Christ's Love ♥

P.S. Check out the new bracelet in the Button Bracelet tab! {Hint: It's black and white.}