Susan

So almost five years ago I met this cool girl, who asked me what my favorite thing household chore was... "cooking, cleaning or laundry?" :-)

She was a photographer, and even though she was quite a bit older than me, she treated me like a friend. And she came into my life at the perfect time, when I was just starting to dabble in photography. She's the one who told me to check out books from the library to expand my knowledge, helped me buy my first DSLR, took me to PWP {which is fabulous... check out the button on my side bar... you know you wanna go!} and was the answer to *lots* of my questions.

We got close. She felt like a big sister.

 

Then along came...

Brett.

And they decided to get married.

On the beach. In South Padre Island, TX. Brett is a pretty cool, and Susan is soooo cute and happy with him but the best part about them getting married?? {well, not really the best, but close}

Susan asked *me!* to take her pictures. It meant so much to me that Susan wanted me there. And I wanted to be there!

It was a lovely gorgeous day, but then Brett took my friend to... Louisiana, and then... the Bahamas. :( And I didn't get to see her very much. I *did* get to hang with her one day in Portland this summer when we both happened to be there at the same time.

Happy Day! {Later that day I was talking about how much my sister [real sister] and I looked alike, and someone said, yeah I could tell she was your sister when she came to visit... hehe}

Anyway, this ended up being a long post to say.....

I'm going to visit her. in the Bahamas. For ten whole days. Tomorrow.

I *will* keep up to date, and you'll get to see all the fun we are having....

Later!

Inspirations

{My brother Mark on the shore of Lake Superior}

I was sitting with my sister in Culvers helping her do a paper for her interpersonal communications class where she had to observe two strangers in conversation and record their non-verbal communication. I was trying to work on some assignments at the same time, and felt absolutely no creativity what so ever. 

So I did what I usually do when something like that happens. I wrote. This is what I ended up writing.

____________

I feel like I have no creativity. What happens when I don’t, when I’m not feeling inspired, and I have to go to a shoot? I just go, and don’t worry about it, and I start to get excited about the people I’m shooting, and as that happens I become creative with the things that I have. Even if it’s at a playground, and even if it’s not my favorite people ever. 

People inspire me.

People inspire me because stories inspire me and each person has their own story to tell.

People inspire me to write stories.

Stories inspire me to visualize images to go with them.

Old things inspire me because they once belonged to another person and, to me, they represent unknown stories. 

Vintage things inspire me to imagine the people behind them.

And people inspire me to write stories. 

_____________

I'm not sure why it was such a revelation, but it was. I'm also not sure why it took me this long to realize it. I've always been a very imaginative person, and when I was little my favorite thing to do was make up stories in my head. I was terrible at telling them because, although I didn't realize it at the time, they weren't stories made of words, they were stories made of pictures. :-) 

{If you're interested in having me tell your story, shoot me an email..... believe me, I'd be more than happy to meet another inspiring person! kelleyjo@kelleyjoimaging.com }

Ellie

I have this young friend named Gabrielle. Yesterday I got to do one of the things that make me love my camera, and makes me feel so blessed. I got to show Ellie what a *gorgeous* young women she's becoming, and not just on the outside; she starting to bloom into a lovely person.

Sometimes we need to Stop and Smell the Snow

 { We got our first snow today.... and my little sister made this snowgirl... Isn't she the cutest? }

Sometimes we need to stop and smell the roses. Or the snow. ;) [for those of you who aren't familiar with snow.... yes, it does smell... and it smells good.}

This month I've been doing the Business Mentorship program that I mentioned before on top of working two jobs, and family and friends, life. And I'm beginning to realize that you can't *always* do *everything. Sometimes you need to stop and smell the snow.


This week I think I was finally starting to become ok with everything not getting done. It's some issues on my part, always needing to have everything completed, and to not let people down, but sometimes you need to stop. Realizing that you don't always have the energy, or the time, or the brain power to finish everything on your plate. You have to let some things go. And to wait and see what happens.

Before my call with my instructor I was reading and came across this verse [Lamentations 3:25-27] "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

Sometimes, in my pursuit of what the Lord showed me I forget my pursuit of the Lord, and that's the MAIN point of life. MAIN, as in capital letters, as in the most important. Yes, it's very important to *do* what the Lord is telling you, but you'd better not lose sight of the One who told you it.

I know God has given me my gift of photography, and He's told me to pursue this as my life, but what He's called me to do *before* that is pursue Him. And if I'm so caught up in the things that need doing I don't have time to seek Him, let alone enjoy Him.

And He's the most important part of my life.

Mr. and Mrs. Grinets

Just had to share a *couple* ;) more of David and Leah's gorgeous day. Too much amazingness going on here to pick just a few. lol

 { Leah had the most rad personal attendant every... if I was getting married in the near future ;) }

 {gorgeous, yes? yes.}

 

 {just lovely}

 

 {so cute. SO cute}

 {one of my favorites}

{little sigh when I saw this one... }

 {they rock this pumpkin patch, don't they?}

 {pretty, pretty girls}

 { "Leabs look" }

 {pocket watches? oh yeah.}

{ poor Paul's was pinned to his pants ;) }

{like the little smirk going on here} 

 { Mr. and Mrs!!! }

{ to see more of the Grinet's pictures check out my facebook page }