I Have Loved You Beautifully...

When I look in the mirror you’re the only one I see, and I have loved you beautifully.

You know those songs you hear and instantly stop what you’re doing. For whatever reason, the lyrics stop you in your tracks and grab your attention. Yeah, that happened today.

I am always listening to the lyrics in songs and matching those lyrics up with different times in my life where they are applicable. I want songs to have a meaning – you know, an individual meaning to every person that listens to it. Song lyrics just twist, pull and yank at my inner core. Some girls swoon over the way love scenes play out in movies. Not this chica. Give me a random line in a song of someone saying something awesomely sweet and I literally get goose bumps up and down my arms, my nose starts tingling and my eyes water up like I’m going to burst with tears any second. They never fall though. Don’t worry. Almost every Sunday I stand in church and have this exact thing happen to me. I think it’s a mixture of watching others worship – lay their hearts out on the floor and how real the lyrics of each song are – I seriously fight back tears every week.
Just last week I was driving to work. 7:50 am – just like every other weekday, listening to Air 1 – I just love how they always tell the most gut-wrenching stories about families and how awesome our God really is. Well, they started reading a letter from a woman in Cali – she spoke of how her husband had gone through a really rough patch – he wouldn’t do anything around the house. No acknowledgement of their marriage, the children or anything that had to go on in order to continue the everyday flow of their household. She continued on about how she randomly came home from the grocery store one day, and everything changed. He heard Lead Me by Sanctus Real and the lyrics spoke so close to his heart that it God pulled him out of his funk.

This is what I’m talking about. Words have such an impact on the human being. If you combine the right words together you can ultimately change a person’s outlook on life. I love it.

Listen to something today. I mean closely listen to what it’s talking about. It just might change your outlook.

Let's Hear It For New York: Tulsa Engagement Session

She said it took her two weeks.  Less for Jared.  He knew almost instantaneously Lizzy was the one he needed to spend the rest of his life with.  Had to spend the rest of his life with.  He had to have her.  
She said two weeks, laughingly.  By the time she discovered the tattoo on his left shoulder it had been two weeks, and it was too late.  She had already fallen for him.  Fallen in the way that makes you smile, giggle, laugh... all at the same time and yet sometimes separately..  You know.  Like when you wake up thinking about that person.  Anticipating the moment they call you or even acknowledge that you exist.  You sit around hoping they feel the same way about you.  But yet you're scared.  What if he doesn't feel the same way.  You surely shouldn't let on to liking the boy for fear of utter humiliation if he turns out NOT to even be interested. But no.  Jared was interested.  So VERY interested that he may as well scream it from the rooftops.  That's how amazing Lizzy is when viewed through Jared's eyes.


It was New York - You know.  Let's hear it for New York.  These streets will make you feel brand new.  Big lights will inspire you.  Let's hear it for New York.  - Nobody knew.  Not even Lizzy.  Jared schemed the whole thing and decided to tell the family afterwards.  Literally.  Everyone.  


Lizzy & Jared.  I am so excited for this new, exciting chapter in your lives.  You two are just perfect together.  


There are so many yummy images from this session - I just wish I could put them all up here to show you!  Seriously.  Can't pick a favorite.

Striking Beauties: Anytime Tulsa Session

She walked in with confidence.  I sat across the room on my second day of the job thinking how beautiful she was.  She looked so confident; like the world could come at her and she could conquer it with her left hand.  No problem.

This is how my journey with this beauty began.  She has grown from the girl I admired from across the room into a young woman that holds an extremely special place in my life.  You know those people you just know God put in your path for a certain reason.  This is one of those people.  I feel like I learn so much from being around her, that she pushes me and allows me to grow - without judgement.  

God has truly blessed Amanda over these past few months. He's challenged her far beyond anything I could have ever imagined, and she's pulling through on the other side.  I admire her so much.

Amanda and I spent a very windy Saturday on the campus of TU getting a couple head-shots for her.  She doesn't even have to do anything and her beauty just radiates.  I love people like this.

Amanda you are gorg-eous!

Easter Bunnies & Golden Eggs

Green grass.  Pastel colors.  Gusting winds.  Add these things together and you have the formula for Easter.  My family always has an Easter egg hunt in our cul-da-sak for all the kids - too bad they don't count you as a kid when you're 25 - I still think I deserve a good egg hunt as much as the next kid.  Instead, I'm the kiddy wrangler.  And I'm OK with that.  When you have kids to wrangle as cute as mine are... OK, well, not mine exactly... but you get the idea.  They're pretty darn cute!

On to the good stuff - We have an egg hunt after Easter lunch every year and there is always a golden egg - yeah, completely forgot to document the awesome golden egg this year - That's the money egg.  Literally.  All the kids scramble to find as many eggs as possible + the golden egg because, well, everyone knows that's the one to have.  If you start throwing elbows - well, it's all in good fun.

These are my darn cute wrangle kids.  I don't get to see them nearly enough, so the times I do get to be around them makes my cup runneth over.  And in case you're interested, the adorably beautiful, cute, kind-hearted girls are my three flower girls.  Yeah.  They're that awesome.

What's Your Story?

It was a Tuesday night, I will always remember that. I spent almost every Tuesday night of my college career at Overflow. On this particular Tuesday night I fought back the tears. Saddened by the realization that I would soon be graduating; that this would be my last night of Overflow as a college student. I was scared as I looked down the long pew filled with those whom I loved enough to consider my family. You see, these people were my rock. I knew deep down that graduating would change everything. Some of us would move on to the next chapter in our lives; while others were being left behind to continue the journey they were currently on. It was in this moment God spoke to me. I knew that moving on and venturing to a new city would bring me to the person God intended for my life. This gave me comfort.

Three years later, it was Tuesday night. He handed me a letter & got down on one knee.

You see, it’s funny. We are so overcome with controlling our own destiny we forget that He already has it all written down. He knew on that dreary Tuesday night back in April 2007 that I would feel saddened and full of fear. But He also knew the joy I would experience by taking that leap & parting from everyone and everything I held close to my heart. He knew because He wrote it all. Everything.

So, now I sit here. I have my someone. I took the plunge that scared me all the way down to my core and I came up on the other side with my person.

Soon enough I will wake up next to him, go to bed next to him and God is even blessing me enough to share every laugh in between with him.

So trust Him. We have such an amazing god. He has your whole life planned out. But remember. He has the best seat to watch it all. My life – well, He made that one a comedy for his pure enjoyment – I know He gets to laugh at me constantly, which makes me so happy.

What story does He have inked down for your life?

Frosty's Misinterpretation

I will never understand how so many people love the cold.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I think it is absolutely stunning, but it so dang cold.  We've had quite the little storm these last few weeks... which, not gonna lie, has been perfect weather to stay in doors and snuggle up by the fire.  Love that part.  However, bad news.  We're expecting two more storms this week.  So, news flash Old Man Winter,  you've really misinterpreted my invitation to sprinkle us with a little snow.  You're now just being rude and inconveniencing me.  Go away.

Here are a few ice-cycles I captured on my balcony in the middle of our last 'sprinkling'.  These are baby ice-cycles compared to the daggers I pulled off the roof at Caleb's.  

Remember to love someone this week!  It's Valentine's week!  Give a hug!