Maternity

In December I did my first maternity shoot. I admit, everything I had planned to do went right out the window once I arrived. My nerves got the best of me and I couldn't remember a thing I wanted to do! I learned a valuable lesson in planning ahead and writing things down. Which has nothing to do with the fact I turned 35 six weeks later ☺.

But the mommy to be was super sweet and allowed me to keep shooting until I found my groove. She had the really cool idea of shooting in the lobby of a hotel in downtown Chattanooga and I was curious and excited about trying something so out of the box for me. Here are some of my favorite shots from that day:

The back lighting made this almost useless but I loved the silhouette

5 months...

That's how long it's been since I promised to keep my blog updated! I'm slapping my own hand right now and hanging my head in shame...

Here's my quick recap:

Chad was unemployed for just 6 weeks, thank God, and now works for Amazon (can you say "discount!"). It, and God, are getting the bills paid but barely, so he is still planning to go back to school this fall. We figured it up and he can go to school to be a physical therapist assistant and bring home almost the same amount, thanks to the G.I. Bill. It is NOT going to be easy. I already dread how hard it could get. But, we've faced tougher situations and somehow God always provided.

So, for now, that's the plan. I'm still praying God sends a really awesome job that doesn't keep literally running all day long, something that brings home a little more money...without college. He said I have not because I ask not, so there it is!

Photography business is still going. We got really busy for a while and I lost some of the joy of shooting and editing. But right around my birthday (ugh, not going there), I picked up my camera and fell in love all over again. It's now my "4th child", but not I'm telling who slipped a notch ☺ I'll start posting some pictures of each session we do, some of my faves, since they are not always the client's favorites. And Louise told me I post too many on Facebook. I don't think that's possible, but she's not the boss of my blog so I'll put them here instead. I totally hope she is reading this right now!

We've been working out, getting ready for D Day, also known as Beth & Clifton's wedding...so excited! My mom thinks I'm living vicariously through Beth for the wedding of my dreams, but I just like weddings, period. They are fun, romantic, and feel like a celebration of life & love. I have great respect for the institution of marriage that God set forth and I believe it deserves an entire day of celebration and honor. And food. Lots and lots of FOOD.

My 2nd to youngest sister got married last week, I've helped plan two separate wedding/bridal showers for Beth, plus February is the month of birthdays in our family, so it's been crazy busy. But I've missed writing so I'm coming back. I hope.

This is me getting my feet wet again. Pray God keeps a fire burning in my fingers! And happy Tuesday.

Clay & Melissa with Mom & Dad ~ married

I just had the following conversation with a Direct TV customer service rep. No lie.

Customer service rep (from here on in, referred to as CSR - CRAZY service rep):  

"This is Crazy Service Rep - how may I make you a satisfied customer today?" 

(PS, she mostly failed on that one.)

Me. Otherwise referred to as AA - Aggravated Amy: "Hi! I'm interested in your $29.99 a month package. How much total will I pay after adding a dvr and 2 receivers?"

CSR: "Okay, thank you for your interest in become a Direct TV customer. I will need your full name and telephone number that I may better serve you today."

AA: "Uh..okay. Amy Smith. 123-456-7890." (NOT my real number, so don't call it or you'll end up with a suspicious call to China on your phone bill, totally forget you dialed a crazy fake number you read on a blog, and blame your poor hubby for calling one of THOSE numbers. Or something like that.)

CRS: "And may I please have your address, including zip code?"

AA: "Um, you know I'm not actually ordering your service just yet, right? (awkward laughter) I mean, I just want to know if I should switch from my current company or not."

CSR: "Yes ma'am, but I can't give you an accurate quote until I see what area you live in."

Which begs the question, are there areas that get better deals that *we* do?! And what is the deciding criteria for that decision? Hmmmm... But I will not go there with poor, crazy service rep person. Focus.

So I give her my address and zip.

CSR: "Okay, now if I could get your email address, to further find credits I can give you."
AA: "You can't give me a price without my email address? This paper says $29.99...is that not the price for this package?"
CSR: "I will let you know what I can offer you once I get your email address."

AA: "You're saying you can't move past that screen? Is that what you mean?"

CSR: "Yes ma'am, I cannot get to the next screen until I get your email address."

Which begs the question...what about those without email addresses? Guess you don't get Direct TV. Sorry.

2 minutes later...

CSR: "So I see I can offer you the package you want for $64.99 minus the promotional $14.99."

AA: "Okay, how much is that, then?"

CSR: "Well, that would be $64.99 minus the $14.99 credit. So, um, yeah. That's the total."

What?!

AA: "Okay, I'll do the math. That's $50.00, without the add ons so far. So, where is the $29.99 deal that I'm seeing on this paper you sent me? How do I get that price?"

CSR: "Okay, I will now need your social security number and I will run a check to see if we can give you the equipment for free."
AA: "You're going to run a credit check to give me the receiver to watch your channels?"
CSR: "Well, it's not like a real credit check, like when you buy a house or car."
AA: "Oh, okay, good. So what kind of credit check is it?"
CSR: "Um, well, it's just, well, you know, it's not like the one where you buy a house or car. It's just to see if we can trust you with our equipment. Like, if you ever kept one before."
AA: "Oh, so a background check then?"
CSR: "Well, no...I mean, really...it's just like a credit check. But not."
Yeah, thanks for clearing that up, crazy sales rep!

I'm going to have to summarize, because I was on the phone with her, and eventually one of her coworkers, for 45 minutes. This is the last few minutes of the call:

AA: "Can you tell me the total I will be charged today, for delivery?"
CSR: "I think we said $42.99." I write this down in my register.

AA: "But wait, I thought it was $19.99?
CSR: "Oh, yes, it's $19.99." I scribble out $42.99 and meticulously pen in "$19.99".
AA: "Plus tax?"
CSR: "Uh, yeah."
AA: "So that would be....?" Long pause.
CSR: "Okay, yes, that would be $36.99." No, I did not even attempt the why in the world is there $17 taxes on a $20 service charge question. Or the even better, you advertise NO START UP fees...but just charged me a $19.99 shipping fee. To get me started. No, that would have extended the conversation another 30 minutes. 

I scribbled out the wrong price for the 2nd time and added the correct, I HOPE, final price for today's non service charge. Or whatever.
AA: "Now can you tell me about your internet service deal with AT&T?"
CSR: "Yes, I can give you a number to call and they will give you another number to call and get help with that question."

Great. Thanks.
And that's exactly what she did. The 3rd woman was not an original English speaking person and at one point I heard myself saying to her: "Well, that was totally confusing...."
What's your crazy sales rep story? Cause you know you have one too....

Jobless

So, I haven't posted this on Facebook or on the blog till now, but almost 3 weeks ago Chad lost his job. We were given a 2 week warning, which is just long enough to stress & freak out, not long enough to save any money worth mentioning. 

During those two weeks leading up to his last day, I worried. I prayed. I tried to find my faith that this was for the best, but to be honest, I couldn't find it. I was worried he'd end up working as a cashier at McDonald's and we'd lose our house, etc. And through all that, I kept on reading my Bible, praying, teaching Sunday School. Because that's the worse time to give up and let up...it's when you need your help the most!

Three days after he was let go, we went to Sunday School then to mom & dad's for our weekly family dinner. I hadn't felt anything special during the service, no one prayed for me and told me it was all going to work for our good. But we were driving home after dinner and I realized that I was happy. More than happy - full of JOY. I was so content, relaxed, the very opposite of worried. And for the first time, I just KNEW it was going to work out for our good. 
I don't know how. I don't know when. But I know God has better things in store for us. I do not see them AT ALL. This is a crazy bad time to be unemployed...in the world's eyes. But I'm a child of a King, the King, and we're going to be okay!

So, as it stands, we are job hunting, praying for direction, and expecting to receive it in God's time. Right now he has accepted an offer to train as a manager at Taco Bell, but it doesn't start for another 2 weeks. We have applied for unemployment but haven't received a check yet.

And yet, we are totally fine. God has already sent money in from two unexpected sources, JUST when we needed it. Just like He always does!

I decided during those two weeks leading up to his last day that I was NOT going to worry & stress & cry my way through this. God has proved me over & over that He can and will take care of me, regardless of how bad it looks. Who am I to ask Him to prove it again before I just TRUST Him to do it again?!

So, there you have it. We are jobless (the photography thing isn't paying quiet yet) but loving it. It feels like a vacation, actually. Without spending money, lol

Please don't feel sorry for us. If you want to do anything, just pray for continued peace and direction. God is guiding us, but sometimes we get in our own way. He opens the door we are to walk in, sometimes we just need a good shove. :)

The Eyes of the Lord...

I discovered one of my top favorite verses of all time just last year. I was in the middle of 2 Chronicles when I came upon this story:

Asa, Kind of Judah, received word from the Lord saying if he would seek after God, God would be with him as long as Asa was with God (2 Chronicles 15:2). But if he forsook the Lord, the Lord would forsake him. 

Verse 4 says that "But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found of them."  (speaking of times past)


Over and over again, Israel had walked away from what they knew was right, away from God's laws & ways. Then, they would get into deep trouble and, over & over, cry out to God for help.  They didn't listen to Him to stay out of trouble, but every time they got in a mess, guess where they went. In the middle of their trouble, they called on God and asked for His help and, time and time again, He delivered them.

That says SO much about God; how gracious and forgiving He is! These were not good people. They were whiny, disobedient, head strong. Yet He loved them so much that He couldn't stay mad at them. Couldn't leave them in their mess. Oh, He let them for a little while, just like a good parent will at times. But He always brought them back to the land of promise, cleaned up their messes, fought their enemies off. 


So the people cry out to God, making a new covenant to follow after the one, true God ONLY. They tore up the altars to false gods, kicked out the sodomites, burned down the idols (1 Kings 15:12). 

And God gave them peace with their enemies, until the latter part of King Asa's reign.  


To condense the story, basically Israel attacked Judah (the nation was split at this time) in the 36th year of Asa's reign as King and instead of calling on God, this time he made a pact with Syria for protection from King Baasha of Israel.

God was MAD. He sent a seer, Hanani, to Asa saying, Did I not deliver you out of the hand of the Ethiopians & Lubims, a much larger host of people?! And now you pay some MAN to help you?


And then He says it.

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect [complete, friendly, full] toward Him."

He goes on to tell Asa that because he relied on man to help him, from then on he would have war with his enemies. 

All because Asa didn't ask GOD for help in the middle of his trouble! I'm thinking He still feels that way. That if I would just ASK him for help, no matter how worthless or undeserving I feel, He is just waiting, in fact LOOKING for the chance to step in and help me out.

He tells King David, in Psalms 50, If I were in hungry, I would not tell you. And I do not want your blood offerings and your sheep. This is all I ask for:

"Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me." (Psalm 50:14 & 15, NKJV) 


Does that sound like a God that doesn't want to help you? It sounds to me as though He's sitting on the edge of His seat, searching the whole earth, just looking for a chance to do something mighty in someone's terrible situation! And all He asks is that we, first, CALL on Him. And second, have a heart toward Him. Friendly, full, complete, perfect. Just a heart for God. 


Try it. Invite Him into your mess. I have a feeling He's just been waiting on you to ask, ever the gentle God.

Busy Little Bee

I've been crazy busy trying to finish up the edits on the wedding we did last month, plus the shoot we did two weeks ago on two little adorable girls. Editing is fun but soooo time consuming. And actually, more stressful than fun right now because I'm still finding my "voice" in the process.

Like, am I more of a natural light type of photographer? And what does that even mean?! Then, do I like the "obviously edited" pics or prefer the more natural, straight off the memory card look? And does it even matter what I like?!

So, I'm finding my way and in the mean time customers want to see their pics! So, here's a couple from the wedding that I really like. Not sure I'm sticking with these edits, but at least you'll see what I've been up to. 

Abstract photos are not my best, but this is one of my favorite shots.

 This is the cream look - like it?

I love these kind of shots - can you feel his nerves?!

 LOVE this moment! I can hear them saying, Whaat?

 This was right after he FOUND the ring on the floor, behind a chair:

Those are smiles of great relief! 

To be honest, I don't feel satisfied with the editing I've done. Also, I prefer b&w or creamtones, aged photos, to color...but not sure if the bride does. I should have asked before I did all this work, huh.

So, that's what I've been up to. You?

For Angie

Recently I was really struggling with my faith in God to provide for our financial needs. He always has, eventually, but there have been times I've paid my bills late or had to borrow money and those old fears were trying to return and settle in my heart.

The truth is, looking back, I was not serving God like I should when I couldn't pay my bills or had to borrow money. I can see now where I was going my own way, doing my own thing, then asking God to deliver me when I got into trouble as a result. And, being the smart parent He is, He let me feel the pain of my wrong choices.

Once I began to fix my relationship with Him, to go HIS way, ask for wisdom making hard decisions, and then follow the path He lead me to, THEN He began to deliver me out of the mess I was in. There is a confidence in God that comes when you know you are doing your best to follow His will for your life. Then, you can say, God brought me to it, He's going to take me THROUGH it!

So, in the particular case, I was praying as I mowed the grass, with my headphones on. I giving God a list of all the stuff coming at us, telling Him how I needed Him to fix things - :) And suddenly this song came on my mp3 player:  

I've had many tears and sorrows

I've had questions for tomorrow

There have been times I didn't know right from wrong

But in every situation God gave blessed consolation
That my trials come only to make me strong.

So I thank God for the mountains

and I thank Him for the valleys

I thank Him for every storm He's brought me through

For if I never had a problem

I wouldn't know that God could solve them

I wouldn't know what faith in His Word can do

Through It All

by Andre Crouch

Needless to say, I busted out crying and sobbed for 15 minutes as I mowed the yard and played this song over & over. I had church on my riding lawn mower.

He simply reminded, again, that every time I face something, He's right beside me, walking in front of me, and guarding my back. He's taking me through it all!