Behind the Scenes in 2018 | Business

Behind the Scenes in 2018 | Business

I think I often come across as serious and thoughtful in my online home. I try to make my blog and social media posts worthwhile and thus, they often result in a less-than-complete representation of my life. The truth is, Nathan and I love to have fun, especially around each other. On wedding days we can be intense and goofy from one minute to the next. When I get too serious or too stressed about timing, Nathan strikes a pose for light testing so I can’t help but crack up. When we get to the reception and everyone is a little more relaxed, we follow suit.

This blog, more than any others, is an accurate picture of the highs, lows, and hilarity of a wedding day. Our goal is to photograph the most joyful people on the best day of their lives with as little stress as possible. This results in a lot of shenanigans, laughter, joking, and some sarcasm thrown into the mix. It also results in both of us competing to capture less-than-flattering pictures of each other, all in the name of joking and an epic end of year blog post!

Enjoy a laugh at our expense and if you think this is funny, I can’t even begin to describe what the actual wedding day is like…

Finishing Our Home Study (Foster Care News) | Personal

Finishing Our Home Study (Foster Care News) | Personal

A few weeks ago I made the nervous announcement that we are getting certified as foster parents! The reason I am nervous is not because we are unsure of our decision, but because it’s a big one - and it will, I think, change our family forever. On top of that, I don’t know how it will turn out. This could be a lifelong adventure, or it could be something we do a handful of times before closing this chapter of our journey. It’s so unknown, and I hate feeling out of control, yet I wanted to share what’s next for our little threesome.

The whole process began in July. I contacted a few different DSS localities, but had trouble getting in touch with the right people. Then one day I saw a flyer for a foster agency called Braley and Thompson - and lo and behold, they answered my email immediately…

Christopher Newport University Family Portraits | Murray Family

Christopher Newport University Family Portraits | Murray Family

This family is so very near and dear to my heart. We met them right around the time we started attending our current church, just as they were moving here from North Carolina. I saw Brittany by herself and actually thought she was a college student (yes, she looks young and acts young at heart!) and introduced myself to welcome her. Little did I know that she was married to our new families pastor, with three children of their own.

Fast forward almost two years, and these five have become fast friends. Brittany has walked through so much with me - life, marriage, and motherhood - and I am truly thankful for her friendship. Edward has been a fixture both at church and in our lives, and we are grateful for him as a friend and current Bible study leader. Together, their family is fun, kind-hearted, and just a little bit crazy in the best possible way…