With life comes fleeting moments, memories and often lost loved ones.  As I stay busy with my wifey duties, motherhood and of course my photography business I am often reminded to “STOP COLLABORATE AND LISTEN” (oh wait that’s Vanilla Ice).  As I felt completely under overwhelmed yesterday I decided to stop, breathe and go deliver some photos to our long time friends who we don’t see nearly enough of!  As we sat & conversed, shared stories of trips and different life experiences…although tired…I left feeling a sense of refreshment (like a slightly sweetened iced tea).  Mike & Dorothy are so easy to be around and their ever gracious compliments gave me the boost I needed to hold my chin high and head into another busy week.

When I returned home I finished up another set of families photos of uber importance!!  Johnny & his 5 boys lost one of the main women in their lives 2 years ago.  Judy was an astounding  woman…a beautiful wife & mother…loving, forgiving, humble, gentle and kind.  I’ll never forget at her funeral they played a song she would always sing to her boys “I love you, a bushel and a peck” and as I choked back the tears  it made me smile cause that’s the song my mom taught me and I now sing to my girls!

Johnny has since sold this property and they aren’t sure how much longer this barn will be there.  So many memories live here so doing one last photoshoot there with all of the spouses and little ones seemed only appropriate.  Judy would be so proud, I know she is looking down from Heaven and smiling.

These are the kinds of stories that make up LIFE!  It makes me stop and breathe just at the right time I need to.  And it makes me pick up the phone and call my mom just to hear her sing ‘I love you, a bushel and a peck’!