Brence & Monica

This was the second time I have had the opportunity to work with Brence and Monica. I love repeat clients because you already know each other. It's kind of like hanging out with old friends rather than work. This session was no different. They are such a sweet young couple and when they look at each other you can really tell they care about each other.

We met up in Lenoir City for a session by the lake and it was beautiful. They were so much fun and so easy to photograph. Be on the lookout this fall for another session featuring Brence and Monica, as we head to the Tennessee Valley Fair!

*20 comments = a FREE 5x7 photo*

The Belcher Family

I had the awesome opportunity to meet up with the Belcher and Duncan families at Lenoir City Park and do some family photos. I love photographing all types of sessions, but I especially love when I get to photoraph a large family unit. Within the first moments of meeting the familes I knew who the center of the family was ... the grandson, Zach. He is one extremely loved young man. It was so nice to meet a family where there seemed not to be "in-laws", they were just all family.

Zach shares some precious memories with his grandparents and I had the priviledge of documenting some of thos memories during our session. For example, the torn dollar bill.

When Zach was just a toddler he tore one of his Grandpa Duncan's dollar bills. Since that day, Zach and his Grandfather each carry one half of the dollar in their wallets. As Grandpa Duncan was reliving this memory with me I asked him what he would've done if it was a one hundred dollar bill and he laughed and said he would've ran and found some tape! This family was full of laughs and I loved that I got to go down memory lane with them for awhile.

Here are a few of my favorites from the Belcher/Duncan family session.

Zach gave his grandmother's the rings they are wearing when he was much smaller.

*Remember, 20 comments = a FREE 5x7 photo for the family!*

God's Love Story :: The Burnham Edition

In exactly four weeks I will celebrate my fifth wedding anniversary with my husband, Scott. Our love story may not be as dramatic as the past "God's Love Story" couple - but it was definitely orchestrated by our loving God. I hope you enjoy, as I take reminsce about our meeting and courtship days and finally as I look back on our wedding day.

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I had a plan. I was going to meet my Prince Charming and be married by the age of 21. For some reason, in my mind, if I wasn't married by that age I felt I would never get married. In pursuit to fulfill this dream, on my own, I was dating a young man who wasn't the right fit. We dated for awhile and began seriously talking about marriage. Then things hit a downhill spiral - and fast. He became mean to me, disrespectful to my family, took me from my church and most of all I had allowed the Devil to use him to pull me away from God. I had to get to my lowest point before we finally broke up and with God's help, I began to mend the broken pieces. This was all due to the fact that I had a dream and I was trying to fulfill that dream by myself. There came a point after the break up that I finally "let go and let God". I decided that if God wanted me married by 21, I would be married. If he didn't that was fine too. I was going to let God write my love story. It was only until I had given up full control that my God began writing.

June 30, 2006 was a normal Sunday. My whole family loaded up and went to church Sunday morning, we came home and I'm sure we ate a great lunch and had an even better Sunday nap. We then loaded back up and headed to our church's evening service. I can remember every detail of that service (except the preaching, lol) just like it happened yesterday. We walked into Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church and sat in the same pew that we always sat in. However, on this particular evening a man sat in front of us who heavily smelt like smoke. We didn't want to be rude and cough throughout the whole service, so after our choir sang and it was fellowship time we moved to the back of the auditorium and sat in some overflow seats.

However, I forgot to mention that while we were sitting in the pew a couple of young men all dressed up sat in the overflow seats in the back of the auditorium. They were late and we all know that after the service begins and the doors open everyone looks back and sees who didn't make it on time :) I recognized the one guy as Jon, our Youth Pastor's brother, but didn't recognize the handsome guy who came with him.

Now back to the story ... we just happened to sit right behind the two young men once we moved from our pew. The service continued and all was well. After the service ended, my parents left and I hung around to chit-chat with my friend Leah. Leah, our Pastor's daughter, felt it was her duty to meet all the young men who were visitors ;) This time I decided to tag along. Knowing Jon, we both went and shook his hand and he introduced us to his friend. This was the first time I met Scott. He had the sweetest little smile and all was great in the world. After meeting we all left and headed our separate ways.

The next morning, I arrived at work after not being able to get Scott of off my mind. Leah and I worked together at a daycare and she could tell something was up. I began to tell her that I thought I would like to get to know "Jon's friend" and wondered how I could do that if I didn't know anything about him. That's all Leah needed to hear. She immediately got her cell phone out and began texting Jon for more details.

You must understand that going out of my way to talk to a guy was not normal for me. I was beyond shy in front of boys and wouldn't dream of talking to them first. All I can say is that it was God working. That whole day was filled with texting and giggling. We found out where he was from, what his major was and a whole bunch of minor details. Then the big moment came ... Leah asked me, "Do you want me to give him your number?" Remember, I had never done anything like that in my life! I softly said, "Ok" and she sent it to Jon. He said he would tell him and that's the last I heard ... at least for that day.

Be a Blessing

When I first began Memories & Blessings Photography I knew I wanted it to be more than a business. I wanted it to be a ministry. A ministry that served others and a ministry that I could use to be a blessing to others. I pray that over the past two and half years I have been able to be a blessing to at least one person.

As I was reading posts in a local photography group's forum this morning, I was deeply touched. A local church is giving a couple a dream wedding - just giving it to them! The couple is part of the church and simply can't have the wedding they've dreamed of and this church is showing their love to the them by giving and preparing the wedding - and it's even going to be a surprise! What an awesome way to show God's love to someone. After all, God gives us things that we simply can't give ourselves. Does salvation ring a bell? Entry to Heaven was something we could not do on our own and in God's loving way he sent His Son to make a way for us to have the ultimate wedding in Heaven one day.

I began to think what can I do? What can I do to be a blessing to others? I also wanted to be able to share this experience with you. Here's what I came up with ...

You will have the opportunity to nominate a family, a couple,a person, whoever, to have a FREE photo session. There will be absolutely no cost to you or them. The deserving recipient will receive an hour long session, a Photo CD and a print release. You can nominate anyone you would like. All you have to do to nominate someone is send their name and why you believe they deserve the session to memoriesblessings@yahoo.com. All entries must be sent in by Wednesday, June 27th. Pretty simple right? On Thursday, June 26th I will have someone read all the entries and pray about who should receive the session. The winner will be announced on Saturday, June 30th, once I get home from the Summer Mini-Sessions. I promise you will receive a blessing by trying to be a blessing to someone else.

I also want to do something for everyone who participates. All entries will receive a $20 gift certificate and all those who send in entries will receive a $10 gift certificate. Again, the winner will receive a FREE session from Memories & Blessings Photography. The person who nominates the winner will receive 50% off a session.

I'm sure you immediately thought of someone to nominate. If not, pray about it! God will lay someone on your heart. Don't forget to send all your entries to memoriesblessings@yahoo.com by Wednesday, June 27th. Don't miss out on a chance to be a blessing!

Twice Blessed

"We prayed for a miracle and God gave us two!" If you visit the White family's home that quote will greet you as you enter their newest additions' nursery. Korey and Myranda, along with big sister Kylee, welcomed Khloee Allyson and Kinzlee Inez into their family on Monday, June 11th. The two precious baby girls' middle names were chosen to honor their parents' grandmothers. I had the honor of knowing Korey's grandmother, Mrs. Inez, and I know she would've just loved these two little angels to pieces.

Myranda and I talked at her maternity session (which can be seen here) that we would need to make sure the girls had different colored hairbows or different outfits on so I could tell them a part. Well, there was no need for that! Kinzlee has a head full of dark hair and her older sister Khloee has lighter and not as much hair. Both of them however, are equally beautiful! Kylee is a wonderful big sister and helped so much during our session. She did so awesome holding them and kissing each of them so gently!

Thank-you Korey and Myranda for allowing me to capture these sweet memories for your family. I hope that I get to see much more of those sweet babies and watch them grow!

Here are several of my favorites from their session. Don't forget to leave a comment on this blog post - 20 comments and Myranda will get a free 5x7 photo of her choice. Also, make sure to watch for their video, featuring a sweet song by JJ Heller, on the Memories & Blessings Facebook page!

Khloee Allyson

Kinzlee Inez

The Bradford Family

The Bradfords came down to Tennessee all the way from Claymont, Delaware. I am so glad that each summer they make time for me to do some family photos for them while they are on vacation. Jonathan and Sarah, and sweet Emma, moved about 2 years ago and have since then added baby Jackson to their family.

We met up at Campbell Station Park in Farragut. Even Emma and Jackson's Poppa came and joined in on the fun! I love doing generational photos and it was neat to get some shots of the three generations together. Thank-you Jonathan and Sarah for taking time to let me have the honor of photographing your sweet family.

Here are a few of my favorites from the Bradford's session.

*20 comments = a FREE 5x7 photo*

Daddy & Me :: Eddie & Emily

Happy Father's Day - better late than never! I hope everyone had a wonderful day celebrating with their fathers and with their children's fathers.

Last weekend, I met up with one of my favorite little girls for a Daddy and Me mini-session at Melton Hill Lake. Emily is a Daddy's girl through and through and we had no problems getting smiles out of her for this session. She loved the location too! Emily and her Daddy did some sliding and swinging at the park and then they found some ducks and fed them!

Hanging out with Emily and her family is always so much fun and this time was no different. Take a look at some of my favorites from Emily and Eddie's Daddy and Me mini-session!

*20 comments = a FREE 5x7 photo!*