It seems like my time at the computer floats by so quickly these days!  I am so thrilled to use my work time to pull together gorgeous prints, products and galleries for all my beautiful clients, but when it comes to sharing my favorites with you…well, let’s just say the clock wins out.  I found a few extra moments tonight and wanted to post several of my favorite shots from two recent sessions.  I love springtime!!  I hope you enjoy a few glimpses at these very special faces…

I wanted to share two of my recent favorite images from my springtime shoots in the gorgeous gardens.  I love the colors of spring!  There is just nothing prettier…well, maybe until the reds and oranges of autumn.

My husband’s family still owns and lives on the land within the national military park at Shiloh, TN where the Battle of Shiloh took place during the Civil War.  Their land marks the spot where the first military hospital facility (tent) was stationed at the time, and the battle marker rests on the edge of the front lawn to mark the spot.  My husband grew up playing in those fields with a metal detector, searching for bullets and canon balls; meanwhile, I grew up just a few hundred miles north and had mentally “moved on” beyond the significance of this time in our national history.  I was pretty surprised to learn that Civil War reenactments still go on, to be honest, and I must admit that I had “Sweet Home Alabama” in the back of my mind when picturing this scene.

Embracing my inner Southern-girl and rallying my little troops all together, our family headed out to the battle several weeks ago.  The scene literally made me teary-eyed, as the “soldiers” in full woolen garb braved the sweltering heat of an out-of-the-ordinary spring day, and the “townspeople” dwelling in makeshift canvas tents waved them on with shouts of encouragement as they marched to battle.  Participants on both “sides” stayed in character beyond my wildest imagination, even as many of them were carted off after truly passing out on the front lines from exhaustion and heat.  Canons boomed and horses charged.  History played out right in front of my very eyes.  It really was amazing.

As I reflected on all that we’d seen at Shiloh (which of course means “peace”), I realized that there is a great deal of this battle still raging on today.  While I may have mentally moved on past all that was in question during the Civil War, many people immediately around me still struggle with the ugly reality of racism and inferior treatment in a predominantly white society.  I now realize that my insensitivity to this reality is really a form of racism in itself.  Here in Memphis, where racial tension is more heated than most areas of the country, I believe we have to go to battle with anything that remains within our hearts that would hinder harmony with our neighbors and the advance of Love among our fellow men.

Now take a step sideways to our spiritual walk here on earth.  For those of us in the Bible belt, and beyond, who truly seek to follow Jesus Christ and to be used in this life as a vessel of His love and healing, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus for the ultimate inspiration.  Scripture tells us how He laid down His life for each of us, dying to self in order that others would be blessed.  Whether this takes place in the context of marriage, parenting, work, service, giving, friendship or worship, there is no clearer presentation of the Gospel than me laying down my “rights” for the good of another.

There is always a fight for freedom.  On the battle lines of the heart, we must take up our cross and put to death our defense of self.  Others first.  Fight…then, the spoils of peace and joy are abundantly ours.  And the good news is that both “sides” win.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner!  Make hers sparkle with a gorgeous custom sterling silver jewelry piece…or perhaps an accordian mini-album, iPhone case or gift certificate are just right!  Contact us to get her picture-perfect gift going for that special mom (or grandmother) in your life!

I am feeling creative!  This is a dangerous thing, I think.  I am one of those entrepreneurial people who is always thinking up new ideas, and I am feeling inspired in the senior portraits area of my mind.  Just saying…dreaming up some really fun stuff.  I have two more senior sessions in the next couple weeks, and I’ll see if the ideas stick as I’m in the senior spirit mindset!

I really love photographing newborn babies – being amazed at all their little baby toes and fingers and sweet little faces.  I also really love having the opportunity to encourage and build up parents of newborns.  You just are completely deprived of sleep, usually beside yourselves, and I think it’s oftentimes easy to forget how absolutely wonderful your baby really is in the heat of the moments of bringing baby home.  Most parents really are doing a MUCH better job at caring for their babies than they feel they are, and it is so much fun to create beautiful and fun images that allow them to step back for a time and see from a different perspective how cute and sweet their little one really is.  I see it as part of my job to make parents fall in love with their babies all over again once they see their newborn portraits.

Bringing lots of joy to her mommy and daddy, Selah Joye entered the world just days ago.  This session was very special to me because of a great friendship with mommy and daddy, but also because they were literally so exhausted that they just fell into one another’s arms in hilarious laughter several times throughout the session…much needed comic relief!  Doing great again this week, this precious little girl is sweetly thriving, and her parents are doing a super job, as expected.   Here are a couple peeks at this little beauty…

This morning, I had a message just impressed on my heart about being intentional.  It is so easy to let the days come and go without being intentional, whether it be time with your family, time doing things that are really important to you in the bigger scope of life, time to make memories.

I started thinking about myself and how often I am asked if I just have thousands of pictures of my children.  The answer is no – well, at least not finished works of daily art – because so often I’m working on my clients’ images and otherwise have my arms filled with three little hugs pretty constantly.  Then I started thinking about many of you who I know feel the same way, busy running this way and that, who come to me and say something like, “It’s hard to believe, but we haven’t done family pictures since our oldest was born!”  Red flag…this is a common occurence!  I’m feeling challenged to set down distractions, scoop up my kiddos for memory-making adventures, and sling my camera around my neck to capture the time quickly passing by.

I don’t know about you, but it is seriously hard to remember just what my older two boys looked like just two and three years ago.  I look back at past pics and vids we’ve made, and I am so thankful for those!  My memory just seems to move forward with capturing newer and more urgent things, and the sweet ones of right here and now get somewhat blurry.  How about getting that camera out and just capturing something special about today?  Maybe just something ordinary.  Maybe just a sweet smile, a moment in the sitting up stage, a kiddo walking out the door to school, a bedtime story in that favorite pair of jammies, an exhausted spouse folding into the couch by lamplight.  I’m so thankful that so many of you choose to allow me to create those “picture perfect” portraits during special times in your life – and esp those who invite me in regularly to tell your ongoing story – but remember, those everyday snapshots don’t have to be perfect images, but they do have to be taken!

My thoughts crossed over to my inner life, too.  Where we have to be absolutely intentional in capturing life as it happens, we really have to be intentional in making those moments all they can possibly be, as well.  As spouses, parents, friends, workers, disciples…are we intentional today?  For me, this looks like encouraging words, backrubs and fun with my spouse; time in the Word, face and floor time, creative adventures with my children; getting up early for scripture study and memory, prayer, intimate and personal time at Christ’s feet…then out the door to run or bike as the sun comes up.  None of this happens, though, without planning, creativity, learning from others “doing it” well, etc.  Think about it…what might intentionality look like to you?

Here are a couple of snapshots from our house today.  Life here is so very sweet!

Getting all ready for little Selah Joye’s newborn pictures tomorrow morning, Jon and I (more Jon than I) stuffed my new baby bean bag tonight. It is awesome, and I can’t wait to let it do what it “do” so well tomorrow. Now for the millions of little bean bag balls all over our living room and busting out of our vacuum bag, we shall see how long they remain a part of life in the Sullivan household.

Last weekend, I photographed the children of the staff of Memphis Pediatrics here in Memphis, TN. We had a great time! Yesterday, the delivery truck rolled up and my FedEx friend unloaded six beautiful float wraps that will soon be adorning the waiting room walls of their office. How exciting!

Memphis Pediatrics is an incredible group of pediatricians and care providers where the doctors are all moms themselves, and I promise you they are like an extension of my very own family in working with our three children.

When our first child, Matthew, was just 6 months old, we had the awesome opportunity to go as a family to San Francisco, CA and participate in a BabyGap photo shoot. The newspapers here ran an article about Matthew and him winning this trip and related prizes, having been chosen out of 830,000 kiddos to get to go. We loved every minute if it and made such fun memories there, and Memphis Peds has kept that article up on the waiting room bulletin board ever since..more than 4 years later!

Now I’m excited to be able to add a few more images to the scene; and this time, it will be their children enjoying the spotlight! Please be sure to check out all the colorful fun we had next time you are there for a checkup or maybe when your little ones have the crummies (which, of course, I hope is not the case).