The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

A snowflake fell from heaven

then two

then eleven

As they fell a sleepy little boy looked on

in awe of the wonderous white fluff

"Can i go play momma?"

he asked in an urgent tone

as though all it would all melt away in a matter of seconds

Just like the ending of a good dream

or a small piece of his favorite chocolate.

I can't believe it! Christmas is already here, and what a year it has been...One full of discovery, wonder, truth, surprises, and beauty. I am so thankful for all the many blessings God has given to me and my family! Speaking of blessings, I have been molded by some amazing people this year and I want to thank everyone who has encouraged me, taught me, and guided me with love, hope, and laughter. I will never forget you and my heart overflows with gratitude for all that you have done for me. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year full of new exciting chapters, happiness, and love!

xoxo

Brittany

The Little Prince is on His Way

I had such a wonderful time shooting this mommy-to-be and her sweet little family.

Although it will be a very long time before I get to experience this kind of joy...it was such a pleasure to get an inside look at what true beauty really is. There is something so calm and serene and breath taking about women who are expecting.

Roller coaster mornings, roller coaster nights.

Waking in the darkness, to make sure you're alright...

Little hearts beating, Little breaths breathing...

Remembering when I breathed with you,

for you....

Stroking baby rose's hair, smelling sweet & new...

Darling little angel face, can't believe you're you...

Tiptoeing into little prince's kingdom,

careful not to disturb his dream..

Of playing the play, and living the day of life...

In the sweetness of who he is...

And who he'll become, and what he'll make of me...

And as they breathe...

I breathe with them.

And as they live, angels among us,

I live with them.

And as they laugh...

My soul is soothed..

I laugh with them...

And when they cry...

My heart is heavy...

I cry with them.

And as they grow...

Part of me looks toward the future...I glow.

And a part of me yearns for the past...I mourn.

Yet, we move on together...

And as they sleep...

Night after night...

I look over them...

I pray for them...

I love them...

I thank God for them...

Thank you for a wonderful morning and for sharing your beauty with me!

Plant a Seed of Friendship; Reap a Bouquet of Happiness

When you fail to see the beauty within yourself let a friend take a photo of you. They capture the truth, the loyalty, the silliness, and the love of a real beautiful friendship. In the moments in between a gut bursting laugh or sarcastic banter...there is always beauty. A friend knows that exact moment, the one when a little ray of sunshine catches your eye, or right in the midst of a giggle when your eyelashes flutter and your smile is...stunning. So, the next time you are feeling crummy grab a camera, hand it to your best friend, and snap away. The results are breath taking!

Right now, you and me here, put together entirely of atoms,

Sitting on this round rock with a core of liquid iron held down by gravity,

all the while spinning around the sun at 67 thousand miles an hour,

and whizzing through the Milky Way at 600 thousand miles an hour,

in a universe that may very well be chasing its own tail at the speed of light,

and amidst all this frantic activity,

fully aware of our own imminent demise,

We reach out to one another,

sometimes for the sake of vanity,

sometimes for reasons you are not old enough to understand yet,

but a lot of the time we reach out and expect nothing in return.

Isn't that strange?

Isn't that weird?

Isn't that weird enough...

October

I went on a scavenger hunt for fall pretties the other day. I came upon the perfect little hiding spot!

October

"O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow.

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away."

~Robert Frost

I've been playing with textures...what do you think?

Everything I Hope to Be...

Out of all the blessings in my life…you are one of the greatest. Although another year has passed, and we are both getting older, I will always be that sleepy little girl asking for just one more story, and you will be that very tired daddy mustering out a few more tales before both of our eyes close.

The best parts of my life involve you, and you always make your way into my favorite memories….from the teddy bear picnic to “bumble bees flying in the trees,” and from tea parties to birthday parties…even to proms. Although, out of all these memories, my favorite times spent with you were the days you drove me to school. Every second of those car rides were spent talking, laughing, crying, or learning….For me, mostly learning. I owe all that I have become to you because it is you, daddy, that laid the foundation for me to chase my dreams, to have a humble heart, to love myself and others, and to trust God with all that is in me…It is you who held my hand when I got scared, but let me walk on my own when I had to…It is you who dried up my tears and stitched my heart back together when it was broken, but rejoiced with me through every achievement.

I am so proud of you for all that you do, and for the amazing example you set for our family and our community. Everyone who knows you would say that you have been a blessing to them in some way, from the people you help with your job to the kids you coach during your free time. You work so hard for others without wanting praise or recognition, but every time you do something and think it goes unnoticed just know that you are wrong…because I notice. I am so very proud to be your daughter, my loving and humble father.

Today, on your birthday, I want you to pat yourself on the back for once, and know that who you are is everything I hope to be. I love you soo much!

Happy Birthday Dad,

Xoxo

Brittany

First Client Shoot

Family is the sweetest thing on earth. I was so blessed to spend the day with this fun loving crew. Thank you for opening up to me, and for letting me capture your beauty.

Oh how I love little hands and little feet...Easy going guys and three generations of beautiful ladies.


"What Greater Thing Is There for Human Souls Than To Feel That They Are Joined For Life-To Be With Each Other In Silent Unspeakable Memories." ~George Eliot
Thank you for sharing your love and laughter with me!

I Just Can't Wait...To Share My Journey

Not a million words could describe what I have found over the course of this journey, so to put it simply I have found me. The real me, the soft, compassionate, emotional, silly, and messy me…and you know what, I am beautiful.

Beautiful was such a hard word for me to say before I started this journey, and complimenting myself was an even harder task. These obstacles are not easily overcome by any means, I still struggle to pat myself on the back or to look in the mirror and say the words “you are beautiful” but I can actually do it now. I can do these things now and actually believe them…I can do them without sarcasm and sadness, without pain and ugliness. I have found my place and my self-worth, and most importantly JOY. I am able to love deeper and live stronger.

I think my journey most resembles that of grapes in a vineyard. It took time to grow, a very long time, and any little frost or discouragement could have sent me right back to where I started. I was blessed because the weather cooperated just enough to nourish me. Now that the seasons have changed my heart is ripened and ready for the harvest.

I was asked two questions today-If you could be anything in the would what would you be and If you could live anywhere in the would where would you live? Here are my Answers:

If I could be anything in the world I would be a little kid again. Inspiration was so easy to find then, and a simple “hey, I like your shoe strings,” or “Will you play with us,” made my day. Love was easier to give then to…from the smallest kitten to the biggest person it didn’t matter. I miss those days.

If I could live anywhere in the world I would live In Asheville….not in the city, but in the mountains because I feel closer to God there. I don’t know what it is, but the mountains have made me feel that way ever since I was little. I fell in love with the creativity, the architecture, and the people of that city as well.

1 Samuel 16:7: “The Lord Does Not Look At The Things Man Looks At. Man Looks At The Outward Appearance, But The Lord Looks At The Heart.” I feel as though my heart has gone through an extreme makeover during this process. I have started a new chapter. As I was clicking away finding the beauty in the world something wonderful was happening to my heart. As I was meeting new people and finding the beauty in them, something amazing was happening to my heart. . As I prayed for God to open my eyes, to let me find beauty hiding in unexpected places he was opening my heart and helping me find the beauty within myself. Now, as I reflect on this blessed journey my heart is exploding with beauty. I want to share it with the world, and that is exactly what I am going to do…through my heart and through my lens.

xoxo

Brittany

Eyes of a Child

Discovery is apart of everyday life. Many times, though, we look right over the beauty that is before us. The wonderful thing about children is they never miss the beauty. It is like their eyes are wide open all the time, always stopping to examine the plain river rock, the wilting flower, or the small frog hiding in the grass. These simple items of beauty never cease to amaze them. Today I made a promise to myself- to have the eyes of a child, to see the beauty in all the simple things, to stop and take a minute to thank God for all the small (beautiful) blessings that I find hiding in unexpected places. Will you join me?

Autumn Treasures

As the leaves begin to change so does my spirit. There is something so warm and comforting about Autumn. I find this the best time of year to reflect on my soul, to see how much my heart has ripened and matured. You see, just because the leaves are turning and falling off of their branches doesn't mean they have been defeated by death. These distinguished leaves are just growing, maturing, and fulfilling their purpose here, just like us! To dwell on an ending is bitter and depressing, but the start of a process, reflection, and discovery is astonishing as well as full of wonder. I hold dear these treasures of autumn!