It is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend and our family photographer, Jessica! Be prepared, this post is loaded with family photographs and full of love and admiration for Jessica.

I LOVE photographs. I’ve been behind the camera since I received my first as a gift in fifth grade. Taking pictures is the ONE interest I developed in childhood that carried through all the years into adulthood. Others are empty handed in moments I wouldn’t think of being without a camera. Others wax and wane with pictures, years missing from the photo album, or just a few strays here and there. I’m the obsessed one, the one with camera in hand capturing every moment. I frame up pictures in my mind when I’m empty handed, and my day is thrown off if I show up to an important event and discover I have a dead battery. I keep albums for our family and each of our children, and my negatives, discs and memory cards are the only possession I’d grab in a fire (family an obvious first!). Writing and photography two careers I’ve always aspired to, but for years never thought realistic. This space, a welcomed outlet for developing both.

There are just a few things that remain of us when we pass from this world…

Our legacy.

Our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren if we’re lucky to live long enough.

And photographs.

Sure there are rings and heirlooms, and a rare few have published books and composed and performed songs that live for generations, but ultimately any given life is narrowed to a legacy and some photographs. With that reality in mind, I value and prioritize professional family photographs.

So you can only imagine how elated I was to discover Jessica was a photographer when we first met five years ago! Today, I honor Jessica for taking those photographs, capturing those beautiful moments in time, for me, and for my family.

For the freedom I experience every time I look at this picture from my daughter’s 4-year photo shoot, thank you Jessica.

For walking with us into the deep, capturing a photo that was one of my favorites from the second I saw it, thank you Jessica.

For a special pregnancy shoot with my sister and the picture that brought me to tears, the one in which I saw hope amidst so much uncertainty and fear, thank you Jessica.

For setting up great family photos – this will always be one of my favorites, thank you Jessica.

For taking the only picture everyone on Twitter has known me by for two years, thank you Jessica.

For a photograph that signified a fresh start after six+ years of trauma and chaos, thank you Jessica.

For this bittersweet photo, my last pregnancy and the last photograph of us as a family of four, thank you Jessica.

Today I’m grateful for you Jessica, the woman behind the camera in every one of these photographs, the woman responsible for capturing moments that will last a lifetime and beyond, the woman who has the courage to do what she loves. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Amy

I asked Jessica to share a few words about her love of photography and she greatly exceeded my expectations with this. From Jessica, in her own words, with much heart…

I’ve always been a true extrovert, a REAL people person. I’ve always had a knack for talking and talking to anyone. What I didn’t know until maybe five years ago is that I also have a knack for photography. What started as a love for others’ work has turned into my career.

I feel so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to capture and document the lives of my friends and family. I say “friends” because of how close I feel to a family after spending just a session with them. I know all their faces, their laugh lines, their kids’ eye sparkles, giggles, who hides behind daddy’s legs, and who is a complete ham in front of the camera. I see “my families” (that’s what I call my clients) through my lens while smiling at them. Capturing their moments warms my heart. I’ve had the opportunity to spend the day with so many different families bouncing from one feel to the next. Crazy, spunky, spirited families, to soft, gentile, emotional families. Children that LOVE the camera and those that I have to work with, sing songs to, tickle, and play peek-a-boo.

Photography has spoken to me over the years and has become something I am so proud of. It’s been a blessing for my family. I get to stay home with my boys, but when I go to work my kids know that mommy LOVES what she does. My boys peek over my shoulder while I’m editing and say “I didn’t know you took Cooper’s pictures today,” or “Wow mom, that’s a good one.”

My goal with every family is to document the real moments. The way those parents looked when they were “parenting” their children. Mom’s big smile, her soft hands, squinty glimpses, the way she looks at her babies with such love. Dad’s muscular arms, big shoes, his tight embrace while he throws his little boy in the air and catches him, and his scruffy face. One day all we will be left with is the memories of our parents. Our minds can only hold so much without a visual reminder. Photography gives us what we are missing in our memories, it fills the void, fills our walls with the smiles of our children, it fills up social media sights with what we are most fond of, and photography literally fills my heart with happiness.

Jessica

*NOTE: If you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and would like to hire Jessica, please send me an email or message and I will forward you Jessica’s contact information. Jessica has not paid me to speak kindly of her photography business, and we have compensated Jessica in full for every photo session you see in this post.

It is my honor to introduce you to Shawna whose actions served as inspiration for this blog!

I first met Shawna at a Home & Garden show early March 2011. I was strolling through the exhibits with my family and we happened upon Shawna’s booth which featured handmade flower clips. The beauty of the flowers caught my attention. My daughter who is very much into fashion was right behind me. I remember picking up many flowers that day, gently handling each one, viewing them from all angles, admiring the artistry within each creation, and taking special note of the fabrics I found to be most beautiful. My daughter followed suit and began begging me to buy her one. Being the practical and sometimes frugal person I am, I told my daughter “no” gently but as firmly as I could, took a business card, and promised we could call Shawna if we needed flowers for my daughter’s flower girl debut at a wedding the following month. I smiled, said “thank you” to Shawna, and began walking away. Shortly after we left, Shawna came after us with flower in hand. Clipping the flower on my daughter’s boot, she said “this is for you” with a big smile. My daughter broke out in a grin from ear to ear, as did I. We thanked her for being so kindhearted and promised we would be in touch. I couldn’t believe that a complete stranger would be so kind as to give my daughter this beautiful fabric flower clip…just because she had a big heart for a little girl passing by.

Needless to say, when it came time for flower girl preparations later that month and the bride gave us free reign to find a flower for my daughter’s hair and for the flower girl dress, I embraced the opportunity! I contacted Shawna and she advised me to pick out an assortment of fabrics that would match the dress. I poured over all of the options and landed on four or five fabrics I found to be beautiful and matched the color scheme for the wedding. I met Shawna at a local bagel shop, fabrics in hand along with a picture of the flower girl dress for inspiration. For some reason, I vividly remember the large container of fabric flowers Shawna brought that day as samples. She picked up each delicate flower as if it was a masterpiece worthy of great care, just as I had earlier that month at the Home & Garden show. Ultimately, we agreed I would need Shawna to make two flowers, one large for the flower girl dress and one small one for her hair. We parted ways and Shawna promised flowers in one week.

One week later, Shawna and I met again at the bagel shop. This time Shawna had a box of flowers in hand, a beautiful gold box with silver tissue paper lining. Let me be clear. I expected Shawna to bring TWO flowers that day. Instead, she brought SEVEN. One stunning large flower for the flower girl dress, two flower trios for my daughter’s hair that were beautifully arranged miniature bouquets, one “extra” flower she “just made up quickly,” and three little purple hair clips for a cute added touch. I was absolutely stunned. As Shawna pulled each flower out of the box to show me, I could not believe that not only did she meet my expectations, but she exceeded them far beyond most people have ever been able. I remember experiencing such joy that I felt like I was on the edge of tears the whole time she was presenting me with the flowers. I noted, too, that Shawna was glowing with excitement as she shared with me her creations. It was so clear to me that Shawna had a very special gift and she did not hesitate to use it to bring joy to others’ lives. I left, flowers in hand, feeling blessed beyond belief. A week later, I experienced the joy all over again when the stylist chose one of the flowers for my daughter’s hair, and I pinned a flower on her flower girl dress just hours before she walked down the aisle.

To this day, I have kept the box of flowers in a special place in my closet. I never threw away the box because I want to always be reminded of the special gift Shawna brought to me that day. Those flowers were so much more than fabric pieced together for a flower girl’s hair and dress. They were a reminder that there is always beauty to be discovered in this world, that God has endowed each one of us with special gifts that He longs for us to share with others, and that I need to be much more intentional about seeing and experiencing the joy others bring to my life. If I enter each day having an extremely high set of expectations, I will ALWAYS be disappointed. If I enter each day asking God to give me fresh eyes to see what is often unseen, my expectations will always be exceeded far beyond what I could have imagined.

Today I challenge and encourage you…

Are you living life slowly and intentionally enough so that you can truly see people?

Do you accept the gifts others bring into your life, or do you overlook or disregard these gifts because you are too busy to notice or don’t feel worthy?

What special gifts do you possess? Are you using your gifts to make a difference in others’ lives?

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:6-8

Amy