Sweet Sarah and Baby Spencer

I can't believe it!!! My baby sister is going to have a baby! Of course, I've known for nearly nine months, but I guess it's really starting to sink in! Spencer will be here in just a few days! I am beyond ecstatic and cannot wait to be an aunt!

A few weeks ago, I took Sarah's maternity portraits! We started out at Loy Lake Park and finished up at Austin College. It was a beautiful day, and even though the sun got pretty warm, Sarah was a trooper! We got some great shots! Here are some of my favs!

This was one of my favorite shots because I took one of her brial shots in the exact same location and pose! This time, she was holding her belly instead of her bouquet! --->

Lay It Down

Yesterday, we had an absolutely beautiful service at The Crossroads. Pastor Shawn began a new series on worship. This week, he spoke about the cross. We did things a little differently than normal. We opened with "Made to Worship" and then we left the stage and Shawn talked for a few minutes about the cross and how we all have things we're holding onto - guilt, worries, sins - and he reminded us that God already took care of them all. One of the verses that he shared really stuck with me.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed."

Isaiah 53:5

It's a verse that I've read and heard for the majority of my life, yet I can't seem to get one line of it out of my head. "...the punishment that brought us peace was upon him..." Punishment and peace. Two words that I typically do not associate together. Peace. It's so hard to find peace these days, and yet so many people are looking for it. I know I have been. God and I have been working through some tough stuff lately, and I find myself ecstatic when I make it through the day and realize that I feel a sense of peace, even if it's just for that day (or even that hour).

After Shawn spoke for a few minutes, he asked us each to take the slip of paper that was in each of our seats and write some of the things down - sins, guilt, worries - that we had been thinking about and invited us to nail them into the cross. Sadly, I had no trouble at all filling up my entire sheet of paper. And quite quickly, too. I walked to the front, and as I knelt down at the cross, I literally felt as if I was kneeling at the feet of my Jesus. The sound of the hammer hitting my nail made it so real for me.

Next, I took communion from the table and knelt down beside a friend who was praying. She turned to me and prayed a Jewish prayer over our bread, then said it in English for me. Next, she prayed Jewish and English prayers over our juice. It was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever heard. It took me completely by surprise. This unbelieveable feeling came over me and it took me a minute to figure out what it was. It was peace. In that moment, God reminded that I didn't have to search for peace every single day. He already took care of it. He already gave up his Son so that I don't have to carry around my guilt or pain or worries. I can experience His peace instead.

Yesterday, God spoke His love over me. He filled me with His peace. He reminded me that even though I have nothing but filthy rags to offer Him, He accepts them gladly, and restores my soul.

Lay it down...

Camp Kindergarten - Top 5

Wow. It's been over three weeks since my last post. Time flies when you're having fun. Or more appropriately in this case... time flies when school starts and you've got about a bazillion things to do!

Well, we have survived the first few weeks of school. I've got a pretty good class this year. Very sweet kids. A few little turkeys. One that's really going to keep me on my toes. But we're going to make it, and it's going to be a GREAT year! It's hard to believe that I'm already in my sixth year of teaching. One of my favorite things about teaching kindergarten are the simply hilarious things that my kiddos say. I'm so thankful for all the laughter that happens in our classroom (mainly because it keeps the tears at bay!) I'd like to share a few of my favorite things my students have said during these first few weeks of school. Here are my top 5...

5. It's the second day of school and our class is playing outside on our brand-new, beautiful playground. The sun is shining (it's HOT) and there's not a cloud in sight. My sweet little "L" comes up to me and says... "Ummmm... what's your name again?"
Me: "Remember, I'm Ms. James. Don't forget me."
L: "Oh yeah, Ms. James. Hey guess what?..."
Me: "Yes, L?"
L: (While looking up to the sky) "Well, according to my calculations..." (Then makes a "beep-beep-boop-beep" sound on his pretend weather-radar machine) "...it's not gonna rain today! So we can play outside!"
Me: (While thinking, 'Thank you, Captain Obvious') "That's GREAT!!! Thanks, dude!"

4. In the middle of a Language Arts lesson the second week of school, C raises his hand and says "Ms. James, if you ever need me for anything, and I mean EVER, you don't need to worry. I am Superman and I can go and change into my Superman clothes if you need me to 'cuz I've got a special secret room in that gym over there and I can change. So you just let me know." Totally out of the blue and completely random. The only response I had was "Ok, thanks. I'm glad to have you on my side."

3. One day during the first week, one of my little girls wore a dress that looked very much like a fairy princess dress (think Halloween costume). After dancing around on the playground for a few minutes...
Me: "O, your dress is very pretty."
O: "Thank you. I take my style with me wherever I go, ya know?!?"
Me: "Yep. Me, too."

2. While walking back from a restroom break one day, one of my little boys had a terrible cough. After catching his breath, I asked him is he was ok. He said, while patting his chest and shaking his head, "Well, I think I'm coming down with some homesick." LOL!!! I couldn't help but chuckle!

1. During Circle Time one morning, J asked me if I had a certain book that she wanted me to read to the class.
Me: "No. I'm sorry, but I don't think I have that book."
J: "Can you buy it and then read it to us?"
Me: "Well, books cost money, ya know?"
J: "Maybe you should get a job!!!"
Me: "Yep, maybe I should!"


I hope these made you laugh as much as me! I know our year in Camp Kindergarten is going to fly by! I hoping we're still laughing this much by Christmas! :)

A Blessed Summer

It's early. I'm at school. T-minus 20 minutes until it begins - a week of meetings, training, and prep time to get ready for our kiddos to come back to school. It's hard to believe that summer is already over. Last night as I was winding down from the day, I started to feel very sad. Sad that it was over. Sad that I had to go back to school. Sad that I had spent the majority of my last day of freedom alone. But, pity parties are not very much fun. I was heading to take a shower and get ready for bed, but decided to sit out on the patio for a minute. God timed it just right, because I got to see the most amazing sunset! As I sat in my rocking chair, soaking up the last few moments of summer, God reminded me just how blessed I am. I have a wonderful life. I have a family who loves me. I have loving friends who are like family, who support and encourage me. I am so blessed to have an education and a career that I love. I teach at a wonderful school with some amazing teachers. I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, gas in my car, and air in my lungs. I am rich. I have no need to be sad. God has been more than fair to me. Needless to say, my pity party didn't last long. My tears turned to tears of joy and thanksgiving! I serve a BIG God who loves to show up in the detail of my life. And I am blessed beyond measure!

Alexa & Baby Daylie

Alexa is a close friend of mine who I get the priviledge of working with at school. I have had both of her older kiddos, John and Rileigh, in kindergarten. I'm so excited that she is pregnant with their third baby! Daylie is scheduled to make her arrival in September! I can't wait to love and spoil her!

Alexa and I chose a local ranch to shoot her maternity portraits. It was early evening, so the colors were amazing! Bright yellow flowers, beautiful blue sky, and the blazing sun. It was HOT! We were both drenched by the time we finished. I had so much fun playing with the colors. I was very pleased with how they turned out.

Here are a few of my favorite shots --->

Rediscovered Passion

Photography has been a passion of mine for quite some time. My "eye" for it comes from my dad. He discovered his passion for photography when he was in college. Before the digital age. You know, back when they used film. He even developed his own photos. His shots are amazing - mostly wildlife. Which, for those who knew him... would you expect anything else?!? He, of course, shot some of my sister and I when we were growing up, too. But life got in the way - like it does for most people - and he put his camera down.

When I was a senior in high school, two close friends and I had our senior portraits taken together by a local photographer. He was phenomenal. I was completely awed by him. I can clearly pinpoint that moment as being the one when my love and passion for photography was born. However, I could not afford a "real" camera until I was in college. I got my first Canon SLR (film camera) for Christmas my freshman year of college. I played around with it for a few months, learning what all the fancy buttons did. I had photo shoots with my favorite model (my baby sister, Sarah) quite often. We would shoot several rolls and then rush off to Wal-Mart. We would find something do to for an hour, all the while dying with anticipation of what they would look like. I always thought they were SO good. Looking back at them now, I was such an ameteur (they are pretty bad!)

During my junior year in college, I asked for a Minolta Diamage A1 for my birthday - my first digital camera! My parents and friends had a surprise party for me and my new camera was the last gift I opened! I was stoked! I had been helping my former yearbook sponsor from high school with sports pictures and couldn't afford to waste film and prints anymore. So I walked into the digital world and fell even more in love. In exchange for helping with yearbook photos, I was given a free ad in the yearbook. The free advertisement, along with some of my own in the local paper, filled my appointment book. I was super excited to learn more and more with each photo shoot.

Fast forward to my 4th and 5th years of college (yes, I squeezed 4 years of college into 5!). I was beginning my education classes for my major. And just like it did for my dad, life got in the way of photography. I graduated and began teaching. Sure, I still had a photo shoot or a wedding every once in a while. I even bought myself (another) new camera - a Canon Digital Rebel - and loved it. But it wasn't like before. Other things took precident over my time - family, teaching, the passing of my dad, the worship band, church planting.

Fast forward again to just a few months ago. I'm not sure what it is, but there is a new stirring in my soul and my passion for photography is creeping back up to the surface! I have had several photo shoots in the past few weeks and I find it hard NOT to sit down with my laptop and edit photos for hours at a time.

I'm still teaching, still in a chuch plant, and still love to spend time with my family and friends. It's not like I've got tons of extra time on my hands, but I'm excited to be taking the steps toward my passion again and I can't wait to see where God takes me!

Here are some shots from a recent shoot ----->

I'll be posting more photos from my other shoots soon!

Goodbye Polka Dots!

For those of you who know me, you know that I could never say goodbye to polka dots forever. Even my kindergarten students know that polka dots make me happy! :) However, it was time for a change. Over the past several weeks, I've been collecting new decor for the bathroom in my apartment. I need to say THANK YOU to my sweet ladies who helped me out. (You know who you are, and I love you so much!) We decided on espresso, gold, and coral. Who knew I'd like them as much as my precious green?!? Here are the before and after shots: