Life. Love. Lipstick.

Thanksgiving has long been my 2nd favorite holiday (behind Independence Day).  Since I was very young, my mom’s side of the family (super close to them) has held Christmas festivities on Thanksgiving.  It was a way to be able to combine the holidays, since our family is so spread-out across the US.  It was one week in the year when the entire family was together, and as a close-knit family, we relished in that.  August 2006, my grandmother, the epitome of a matriarch, the glue of our family, passed away.  The following two holiday seasons were extremely rough, and as we all kind of expected, our family traditions have slowly changed.  Without Grandma there to hold things together, things are changing, morphing, adapting.  It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just something I have to adjust to.  For the first time, this year our Thanksgiving/Christmas tradition has changed.  Really, it has been cancelled.  My uncle’s father-in-law is really sick, so the family went to Indiana to see him.  Since Thanksgiving is held at his house, and his large family is such a big part of us, we just aren’t doing Thanksgiving.  So for the first time ever, I am in Orlando without any family.  I am here with my fiance, which I’m so grateful for, but even my son is in Mississippi with my mom.  It doesn’t really feel like Thanksgiving.  But rather than focus on all this stuff that saddens me, I’ve chosen to reflect on the things I’m thankful for this year.  I’m thankful for so many things, that I’m limiting myself to 5.

I’m thankful that I not only do I have a healthy, dynamic, and intelligent son, I have a sweet and loving little boy in my life who will soon be my stepson.  As if those two weren’t enough, I have another life growing, to join our family in May.  So blessed.

I’m thankful to finally have a job that I love and believe in.  I work for Eddie Bauer, a company that truly exemplifies what it means to provide a quality product and unparalleled service.  I am so proud to be a part of that, and to work with such beautiful and talented people.  It doesn’t hurt that it allows me to have great insurance and a salary I can get by on.

I’m thankful to have a family that stands behind me no matter what, loves me unconditionally, and supports me in whatever I do.  

I’m thankful that I have THE ONE to spend the rest of my life with.  Not only do I no longer have to play the dating game, but I actually found the right person for me.  We love each other in a way I wasn’t sure was actually possible.  I can’t even describe what that’s like, other than so say I feel so complete and so fulfilled with Dustin in my life.  I look forward to years and years of raising our children and making all our dreams come true — together.

I’m thankful that in these difficult times, at least I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge, and a job to keep me afloat.  

My favorite wedding images are not the ones of little details like a custom napkin ring, not ring shots, not those images of colorful wedding shoes… the ones that stay with me for hours, sometimes days, are the ones that so perfectly capture emotion.  Once in awhile, I run across these breathtaking photos on photography blogs and want to do something with them.  I can see this will become a regular feature on this blog, much like ring shots used to be.

From the wedding of Miki and Joel, by Apertura:

God, the image of the groom, Joel, watching Miki come down the aisle chokes me up.  What a powerful photo.

And from the wedding of Liz and Josh by Anna Kuperberg:

oh, there are NO WORDS for the image of the hands.  That would be a huge canvas in my living room if this was my wedding.  So much love just there in the hands.

Oh my gosh, this wedding seriously set my heart aflutter.  It gives me the warm fuzzies.  A little vintage, a lot of small-town feel.  Bold paisley tie, tossed pom-poms, tiny white church, a bride in her mother’s wedding gown.  I LOVE it.  And kudos to the ever-awesome Millie Holloman for once again blowing my mind.

Images by the talented Millie Holloman, found on Once Wed.