Harper's First // Birthday

This, my friends, was a fun one! A couple months ago, Harper's mom, Kasie, asked if I would be available to shoot Harper's 1st birthday party. Of course I said yes - and that's before I knew how fun it would be! Kasie went ALL OUT with a Dr. Seuss theme - from Lorax decorations to a hand-painted Thing 1 & 2 face-in-the-hole to green eggs and ham, to the most perfect dress for little Harper, this was one adorable birthday party.

All of Harper's family came to celebrate, and between a backyard slip & slide (y'all remember those?), food fresh from the grill, and a ton of people who all love each other, I'm SO glad that Harper will one day be able to look back on all the pictures of her friends and family that love her enough to drive from Richmond and beyond. Their family is so blessed to be able to come together and celebrate, and I was so blessed to be there to have fun and meet each one of them.

Happy birthday, Harper! May all your birthdays be as joyful as this one. Kasie and Steve, thanks so much for letting me be a part of this special day. I know I will never forget it, and I hope you enjoy these photographs to remember it by for many years to come! 

New Mexico // Wedding Rehearsal

So...I went to New Mexico last week! My cousin Alex was getting married, and the whole family was able to go (minus three spouses, including mine).. It was so much fun. The wedding was awesome and filled with laughter and the sweetest moments...I cried the whole time. I'm so happy for Alex and his new wife, Heather. They're going to Africa in a few months with Overland Missions, and I couldn't be more proud! 

The rehearsal dinner last Friday was a ton of fun. I was strictly a guest at the wedding, but I got to take pictures of our practice - I don't really know how much rehearsal got done. So, enjoy a few pictures of my crazy family, and some of the happiest two people I've ever met. 

Oh, and if you want to actually see what New Mexico looks like (believe me, it's way different than Virginia!) just follow me on instagram (mariagracephotography) or click here. 

Lessons in Running // Personal

Last month was the 3-year anniversary of running for me. Today, as I was running, I was thinking of all the greatest moments - realizing the day I was a runNER as opposed to someone who just runs, running my first 5k, finishing my first half marathon, lowering my mile pace down under 8 minutes, and all the other little victories along the way. Along with that, though, I was thinking of all the dumb things I've done in the last 3 years, and I thought I should pass some of the lessons along that I've learned. So, for all you would-be runners, current runners (who may be far better than I am), or those of you who have never run and don't plan on it, enjoy some lessons learned:

- o not go running after eating a huge plate of pasta, 4 enchiladas, or something equally heavy, especially if you do not plan on quitting after less than one mile
- The phrase 'run through your cramps' is a myth, personally disproven dozens of time
- If your dinner involves high doses of anything acidic, do not run. I repeat, do not run
- Interval running is the worst. The absolute worst
- Running with a cockapoo does not make you look tough
- Do not run 5 miles on a trail by yourself. Especially if it begins pouring halfway through
- While running on a trail in the rain, do not get turned around and end up running 7 miles instead of 5
- Getting soaked for over 4 miles during a run causes a horrible, weeks-long cold
- Migraine + 3-mile run = the rest of the night on spent on the couch

Most of these seem like common sense. And really, they are. All of them are. But, that's where the runners and those who run are different. I learned none of these lessons in the first 1 1/2 years of running. t all started when I trained for a half marathon - I became a runner, and all common sense flew out the window. I know all of these things and yet today, after eating a vinegar-heavy coleslaw, I did interval running for 30 minutes.

And, besides the burning running from my stomach all the way up through my throat, and feeling like I was going to puke, it felt awesome. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. That, my friends, is because I am a runner.