a picture's worth

MY NEW BLOG

It's finally here! I've been working on redesigning my blog for a while now and it's pretty much ready!!!! There are still a few changes and updates to make, but I wanted to get it launched before wedding season kicks off for me this weekend.

Without further ado ...... APWBLOG.COM

Make sure you change your bookmarks to the new blog. I will be leaving this page up for a bit until things are fully transitioned over, but once the changes are made this page will be history.

dailey family • slideshow

I have just loved reading the sweet comments people have left on here for the Dailey family on the adoption of their sweet little guy, Saxon, from Korea. Here is a slideshow with some more pictures from the big arrival! :)

View larger version HERE.

rachael + nick • coffee table book

I'm always so excited when an album arrives on my doorstep. Rachael & Nick's coffee table book arrived yesterday and it looks fabulous. I love seeing the design in print and I know they are going to LOVE it! :)

I snapped a few pictures before I boxed it all up for them. Laid it on this sweet afghan my mother-in-law crocheted for me this past year for Christmas. Made in my business colors. How sweet is she. :)

A few layouts:

my favorite picture from their wedding!

And a slideshow of the entire design:

View larger version HERE.

Enjoy!

florida 2008

As promised, I posted a bunch of pictures from our family vacation to Florida over on my Flickr page. We had so much fun! Our first big family vacation! I took many more pictures than I shared, but I'll be working on a little vacation album soon, so I'll share that when it's finished, too. :)

Hope everyone's having a wonderful week! The weather here is gorgeous! In the high 70's today. Almost as nice as Florida was. ;)

wesley (and big sister, too) • babies

Last Saturday, I was so happy to see my dear friend, Cherish, and photograph her 3 month old, Wesley. He is the cutest little guy with such wonderful expressions. And I really didn't have to do much more than smile at him to get him to respond. It was great!

I love how his little fingers look like he's signing "I love you". hehe!

Big sis, Maggie, playing peek-a-boo with him. So cute.

Getting tired of the camera

Maggie loves to dance. :)

This was one of those shots that you get when you're trying for something else. I wanted her to look up at me with her cutest smile, but she would only look up briefly and then lower her head again. She had her hands all clasped together and as soon as she glanced down, I snapped this one. Looks so sweet, like she's praying. Love it.

It was so good seeing you guys! More coming soon! :)

a saturday has opened up!

Sadly, I've had a wedding cancellation for

May 17, 2008
two weeks from now

This date is now available. Very last minute, I know, but I thought I'd put it out there anyway.

dina + andreas • engagement - slideshow

Here's a slideshow with some more pictures from my Florida engagement session with Dina and Andreas a couple weeks ago. :)

view larger version HERE

welcome home, saxon • babies

This was by far one of the coolest things I've ever photographed. I got to capture this sweet family of three ...

... becoming a family of four.

This was such a blessing to be a part of. Kathy and Tim (fellow photographers from the Boston area) contacted me early last week to tell me that they just learned their son would be arriving from Korea on Friday in Detroit and they wondered if I could photograph the arrival for them. I was so thrilled that they called. We have known people who have adopted from Korea, Vietnam and Russia, but we've never been there when the babies arrived. So it was really interesting as well as one of the most special events I've photographed thus far. Here are a few pictures:

waiting patiently

getting anxious

Finally, the much anticipated moment. Baby Saxon arrives. I love the pure joy on their faces as they see their new son face to face for the first time. Such incredible love.

first kiss :)

daddy's turn

and, of course, big brother wants to hold him

One of the coolest things about this is that he really is Saxon's big brother. They have the same birth mother, which is so special and unique. To be able to adopt one child and then adopt his brother three years later. Very cool.

LOVE his chubby cheeks :)

Congratulations, you guys! It was such an honor to share this moment with you. God Bless your sweet family. :)

dina + andreas • engagement - clearwater beach FL

While on vacation in Florida, I was able to meet up with Dina and Andreas, whose wedding I'm shooting in Naples, FL in October. :) I told them I'd be in the Orlando area for vacation with my family and we worked out a time to get together. We met in Clearwater Beach on the Gulf side of the state. Jake and I had vacationed there several years ago so I was familiar with it. Unfortunately, the cute, quaint beach town I remembered was overtaken by construction of a big hotel right in the middle of the strip. All the cute shops and restaurants were demolished to make room so it wasn't exactly as I remembered it. But despite all that and the crowds that were there for a craft fair on the pier and for spring break, we managed to find some great spots for pictures. Dina and Andreas are the sweetest couple. So nice and easy to talk with. I'm so looking forward to their wedding and visiting Naples, which sounds really beautiful. Here are a few more from our evening together:

Thanks again, you guys! I had such a fun time with you. :)

the happiest place on earth

Did you miss me? I spent the past week in sunny Florida with my family. We took the kids to Disney for the first time and they loved it! It will take me a few days to recuperate and get caught up on things. I'll be sharing some pictures from our trip, of course, as well as a fun engagement session I shot in Clearwater Beach, FL on Friday. :)