1. I am going to LA for a bit and she has to wait that much longer to see her images.

2. She is such a great sport that she was willing to jump high in the air on a tiny trampoline over 20 times to try to get a cool airborne shot! If any of you think that modeling is easy and watch America’s Next Top Model and think that you can do those crazy poses, please call Emily and she will let you know that it is much easier to do these in your mind while sitting on the couch watching other people do it!:)

Thanks for a great day, Emily and Sue! See you when I get back from LA…

And this one is for you, Emily, as I know that you were excited to see one of these. You are so beautiful!

Time helps our wounds. Last year on our annual Boundary Waters trip I had a big pity party (see post here). It was my first trip there since my mom’s sudden death exactly four years before. This year I was better able to just think of her. Better able to remember my mom whom I loved and miss dearly. Her heart was always up in those wonderful woods where we grew up camping. Oh, how she delighted in our annual trips there. And what a blessing it was for me to feel her there this year rather than just feel the pain in my missing.

Of course I still felt the pain. I cried for one entire 260-rod portage just wishing I could have one more day with her. I bargained with God to please give me that one day. To play a game of cards. To be able to ask her for parenting advice. To let my kids meet her. To hear her call me sweetheart one more time. Oh, how I begged God for this. I know it wasn’t logical. But grief never is.

I am crying now just thinking about that bargaining portage. It was so intense and the pain is still raw to me now.

And as I have said before, I know that that pain is one of the things that makes me a better photographer. The deep pain of losing someone you love helps you to appreciate what you still have. It has helped me understand the value in my relationships. I see them as treasures and I feel the same way about my clients’ relationships with each other. I work so hard to capture the true funny faces of a child, or to get the look of a dad on his daughter’s wedding day. To get that kid to give me a big belly laugh for the camera, or to capture a tender moment between mother and child. To have the mom of a high school senior to see an image of their almost-grown child, and feel without a doubt, that they are seeing into their heart.

And just now as I sat here with tears in my eyes while I was finishing this post, my little Bella just came into my office asking if I would do a puzzle with her. Time to go treasure what I still have.

{I wrote this post when I first returned, and was waiting to publish it until I could include an image of my mom and I. Well, I am not a scanning expert, so all I have electronically is a very poor quality image to include. Rather than hold up any more posts waiting for a great image, I am just posting this one knowing that you will see the importance of the meaning and ignore the terrible scan quality!}

Lisa and Mike have had full lives. They have been married before. They have children and step-children. They have their own quirks and hobbies and interests. They are not new to life. But they were never home. They were searching.

Like Dorothy.

Lisa has loved Dorothy for a very long time. You know, the Dorothy. The midwest girl who gets thrown into a situation and has some crazy monkey-witch battles. The girl who stands tall and strong and keeps on the path, hoping to go home in the end. The Dorothy, who, along the way, meets some of her best friends. The kind of friends who help each other on the path only to discover that they were helping themselves too. And all the time she has a little dog under her arm. Her constant companion. Yes, Lisa loves that Dorothy.

And let me assure you that this is no coincidence. This is Lisa’s story too. This is her core and she is wonderful for it.

And now she headed home to where her heart is. Where Mike is. Where they both can laugh freely and rest their souls without fear. Where Lisa can hang her fancy red shoes and her barn boots.

Welcome home Lisa and Mike.

Mike is a talented piano player who worked hard for months before the wedding playing and recording all the music for the big event! Lisa did her part too – she wrote the entire ceremony.

You may recognize the little pumpkin in the images below as she is my little Bella! Lisa is a dear family friend of ours. I was so honored when she asked Bella to be in the wedding and me to photograph it. It was a blessing. And fortunately Bella didn’t do too bad for her first wedding.

Lisa and Mike, we wish you many blessings over the years. It was so wonderful to be a part of your day and feel the love between you two. It has also been my pleasure to work on all the wedding images and re-live your wonderful day. It was beautiful.

Here is their slideshow if you would like to view it…