{Night} and [Day]

On the surface, my BFF and I are complete opposites. At one time in my life, I did not think that people who have such opposing viewpoints could possible find any common ground. But Heather is extraordinary.

Truly! She is. I know a lot of people probably say that about their best friends. But mine really is the best. As I have just written and then deleted this paragraph a few times, I have realized I can't even make words of it. Extra. Ordinary. Should really be BeyondOrdinary. Or AnythingButOrdinary. Or maybe SuperiorToOrdinary.

This time of year is always very hard for Heather. Her daughter Ariya was born in November, diagnosed with terminal cancer right after she turned one the following November, and went in for her first emergency surgery on Thanksgiving day. December was a blur for Heather, and I know every holiday season is very very hard on her, remembering those months when Ariya was first diagnosed. Ariya lost her battle 6 months later, in June, at the age of only 19 months old.

Well, every month is hard for Heather. Every holiday. Every milestone. She lived through the unthinkable.

Amazingly, Heather continues to be the most incredible friend to me, even during her sad times. Sometimes I wonder if I could be half the friend to her. Sometimes I want to dig so deep inside myself to find ways to let her know just how awesome she is, and sometimes I tell her, but sometimes I don't know that anything I could do or say could really let her know how much I just appreciate her.

On Christmas, I was determined to find this picture that I knew I had taken of her and all four of her kids. It was taken when Ariya was briefly home from the hospital right after Heather gave birth to her son Jaden, only one month before Ariya died. I knew I had this picture. I can see it in my brain. Heather was sitting on the floor, holding newborn Jayden in her arms, Ariya was looking down at him, Carissa and Adrianna were standing up behind them.

I searched my whole computer. My entire album on Photobucket. All the CD's of pictures I had from that time period. And I couldn't find it. I wanted to give that to her for Christmas day, but I could not find it anywhere. I think it may have gotten lost when I got a new comp last year, as many of my pictures did.

I did find this picture, though, and its past Christmas now, but here it is. I <3 you, my friend!!

I Can Tell That We Are Going to be Friends

Tonight I'll dream while I'm in bed
when silly thoughts go through my head
about the bugs and alphabet
and when I wake tomorrow I'll bet
that you and I will walk together again
cause I can tell that we are going to be friends
I can tell that we are going to be friends

-White Stripes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZGHTkmhxgQ&feature=fvw

And shots I've been re-editing for the header of my blog.. I've worked on this all weekend long! Why? Who knows. I have never learned HTML in my life, but suddenly felt inspired to do so the past two days. Feeling quite proud that I was able to
- create a blog
- change the blogs HTML to create a format that supports large size photos.. and..
- make a header, and make it rotate!
- make a navigation bar, with links! That work!

Honestly, I am the most unsavvy computer techy kinda person, so I am so impressed with myself. Right. This calls for chocolate.

My very first paid photo session. Only 6 days old here.


The amazing Adryanna, my beautiful best friend's daughter.


And can't have a post without my handsome guy!

A foot of Snow

We got a TON of snow last week. Caleb has so been looking forward to it. I woke up not feeling so great that morning, though, so we only went out in it briefly! I'm glad I brought my camera though because I caught the above gem as well as some outtakes that I'd love to share. Mainly, Caleb throwing snowballs at my camera and me running away, trying to keep my camera dry.

And following that, me attempting to get one solid picture of him in the snow, actually looking at the camera. There is something that happens when your a photographer and your child is your main subject, that the child becomes resentful of any picture taking and does whatever they can to make your photo taking experience a very miserable one. So, I did what any sane mother would do and held him down and forced him to smile. :)




Oh, don't worry. He got me back.

Diary of a Mad Womann

I guess that's me? I had to give up my website- just not enough hours in the day for me to keep up with it. So I ended up here! With the great help of my good buddy, Kevin, who wrangled with GoDaddy and an expensive blog designer to finally come to the conclusion that I made an impulsive blogging buy that would not come to fruition, and that my money would have been better used by throwing it in the fireplace instead of with this designer.

Thank you for your efforts Kevin and thank you un-named designer for providing me with a beautiful blog that I will never use! :P

Well, maybe I will use it, someday. It's a professional photography blog type that I got on a GREAT deal, more than half off! You know how when something comes up on your computer screen with that big slash mark over the original price, something in your mind ignores fine print and other minor details, and your finger starts clicking happily? Yes, well, I would like to say it will be the last time I make that mistake, but things on sale are too captivating for me. I buy things I don't NEED all the time, just because they are on sale. Someday I will need them (that's what I tell myself, don't burst my bubble.)

Anyway. I wanted this blog to get going so that I could post my photography, but not only post my photography, but tell my story and share my life. I made sure to title the blog "Only the Good Stuff." and that is to be sure that I only post good things. Good stuff happens on a daily basis. Even when bad stuff happens. So, I think its pretty healthy that I find Good Stuff on a semi-regular basis. Hopefully, it works out :)

Now, to share! I have been dying to share. I'm totally inspired lately and am processing my pictures in a new, different way. I don't know how I feel yet about them. Would love to hear any and all thoughts!!