I was just told by my volunteer coordinator that one of my little hospice patients passed away last week. Her family stands out to me as so strong and so determined to help other families battling the rare disease that their daughter fought.

This is one of my favorite images I have ever taken, and I wanted to share it in Bella's memory...
God bless you Stringer family. You are in my thoughts and prayers!

Lots of animals wallow to escape the heat of the sun. My animal expert 4 year old could probably ramble off at least a dozen. I will spare you that list, but here is my shorter version:
1. Elephants
2. Pigs
3. My sons and nephews

As I am sure those of you who know me know already- this was all my idea. Anything for a picture for my kitchen wall collage!
But really, what boy on this earth wouldn't jump for joy at being TOLD to have a mudfight??

you know... sometimes there are no words needed... :)

Those of you who know her well know how unbelieveable this shot is. She is the epitome of everything that is a photographer's child. Joe doesn't know it, but this one will be BIG in my house soon...
she said she was Cinderella ...
sometimes, for jsut a second, she is a mama's girl! :)

My car windows will never be the same. It was Spring Break here last week, and me and the hubby and some great friends took the kiddos down to the Arbuckles for a drive thru safari and hiking about. I can now say that I have had contact with all kinds of wild animals- and more of their oral mucus than I ever felt the need to. But man, how cool is it to feed a giraffe and pet a zebra (shhh.. don't tell! we weren't supposed to do that- apparently they bite...) Our resident 4 yr old animal expert and zookeeper-to-be refused to get anywhere near his future charges, so I am thinking there might be a career change ahead :)
As for me, I am just glad I didn't fall out of the car as I climbed out the windows to capture my safari images... I think Joe tried to get me to fall out a few times when he took a turn a little fast...gonna have to watch him!
here's some of the "wild beasts" we encountered...

I should be scolded harshly... It has been a month and a day since my last post. I could make excuses, but the fact is, I have nothing to blame it on other than old fashioned mommy brain... I wish I had some really humorous or exciting reason. I did finally upgrade my computer which should dramatically decrease the time I spend editing, and therefore speed up the delivery of your prints! Woohoo for a bigger screen,too! Check back soon for exciting news about changes in the ordering sessions. (hint, hint: it involves a trip just north of Edmond!:) )
so, in order to redeem myself for not being timely in posts, and because I was gently chided by a good friend today about it (thanks K.!) here are some of my most recent babes...in no particular order of favorites, but I will point out that the little man with ginormous eyes inherited them from my mom~her lasting legacy to her grandchildren.

See you soon!- no, really, I PROMISE!!!
Carrie

Aww man.. why can't they stay like this forever?...

see you soon Mister J.!



Carrie

HeHe... I have a knack for putting them to sleep.. most of the time. This little man never did totally fall asleep, but you can se he wasn't all that impressed with my presence. That's ok... next time I see him he will be 6 mths old and at that age they find everything hysterical- especially obnoxious photographer ladies! :)

Have a blessed day!
Carrie

Yes, I know it has been done a gazillion times, but so what.. I love this shot...especially when babies show a little personality. This was the last shot of our session, so what do you wanna bet that she was thinking, "Hey crazy photographer lady... I have my eye on you... no more of these crazy daredevil poses..."
See you soon Miss M.!
Carrie

We have been back a week, and with sick little one and now an ice storm to boot, getting back into the swing of things has been a little rough! If you haven't heard from me, don't give up!! I am limited to working when Clara is sleeping~kind of hit or miss right now! I should have everything back on track by the end of this week, when I get to leave town AGAIN! This time to welcome my new little nephew into the big bright world!!! YAY!
For now, here is a pic of my sweet nieces, and a couple of other squirmy friends we met at the National Aquarium...Hi Ryan!!!

Wow... I am speechless. I have just been told that one of my new friends from hospice has passed away about 30 minutes ago. She fought so strongly, but her body was tired.

Fly home Amy, and soar with heavenly wings like you were never able to do here on Earth...

you know, I had a whole long post all typed out when I realized that a single quote said it all:
"families are a lot like fudge; mostly sweet, with a few nuts."

Love you guys!
signed,
the cuter, oldest sister.. ;)
heehee

My cousin, her husband and her 5, yes folks, I said FIVE, kids came down a few weeks ago to do a session. The big kids tried to steal the show, but this pic of little man is one of my favs...I only wish you could have seen the mayhem BEHIND the camera trying to get his focus away from the cool grass... it was a regular circus I tell ya...
Stay warm Mister G. !

Hehe.. she was SO much fun to shoot... all energy and all girl! Watch out Tyra, this girl has style!
..and how does she do that with her tongue???
:)

See you soon, G!

Sometimes, you have to make the shot happen. Sometimes, that means cheating...just a little though. Like in this shot. Do you really think I had my camera in the right place just at the moment that butterfly landed on her fingers? I wish I was that talented....

This butterfly had already gone to butterfly heaven when we found it and created our own sweet shots...look for this picture BIG at the new display I am working on in a fabulous new educational and imaginative toy store called Kidoodles!
Thanks B.!

Wowsers... this girl had some amazing lashes! This is another one of my special friends who I have gotten to meet in working with hospice, and her family was just plain awesome. I wanted to share this one, because I think every woman out there wishes she had lashes like these! :)
oh, and little man J....
thanks for being a super helper!!! ;)

God bless!

hehe... can't you just feel their pain? Mom and Dad kissing like a bunch of kids...how gross!!! LOL, I loved this shot, and thought it was a great example of a really cool family I had the privelege to meet. Mom is a yoga instructor and hopefully she will help me tame the flab and get in touch with my fit-self that used to reside where my flabby self now sits and munches tater chips....;)

I want a picture like this with my kids some day....

I want to tell you about a day that occurred recently, that changed my life. I have been prayerfully considering whether to tell the story, and how to approach it, and realized I just needed to tell it how it came out. So here goes.
There are two events that occur in the world many times every day, and at some point, every person in this world will experience them both. They are, I believe the most sacred events there are, yet common. Birth and Death. On Wednesday October 26, 2006 at 6:56 a.m., I witnessed both- and I have been forever affected. I was honored enough to be present for the birth of an amazingly beautiful little girl, who because of a medical condition that her parents found out about during the pregnancy, never took a breath in this world. The first vision her eyes saw were those of her creator. Her mom and dad seemed comforted in the knowledge that she never felt the pain and cruel coldness of this world, but went from growing in the warmness of the womb to walking in the brilliant lights of heaven. I spent 3 hours with her; helped bathe her and managed to stay in control enough to take pictures for them to have as remembrances. As I kissed her forehead and left the room though, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had been part of something bigger. I felt it as soon as it happened, and as trivial and childish as it sounds, the closest thing I can use to illustrate the feeling is the scene in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", when the grinch's heart turns to good.
I don't know yet exactly how God wants me to use this feeling. I have an idea, and each day in prayer He reveals more, but it is something the selfish sinner in me is afraid of. So for now I will be still and know He is God, and listen to what He wants me to know. He will work out the details that make me nervous, and if what I think He has for me is indeed his will for me, than who am I to tell God it can't happen?

Hehe...sometimes, no matter how hard I try, I have to realize, I can't make them all happy. This lil guy was obviously bored with his photo session. But then, at 5 days old, what does he know anyway?! ;)
See you soon, Mister C.

I know, I know.. I have been MIA for the last month. Moving with a flu-ridden family is not so much fun- I don't recommend trying it for kicks! We are finally all settled, and my office is still unpacked, but I have been feverishly editing sessions to get caught up for the fall!
I wanted to share a few images this time. They are of one of my hospice patients who is an amazingly strong woman. Yes, I said woman- not girl. This session was a special arrangement I did with my friends from Good Shepherd hospice to bring a little sunshine into a life filled with cloudy days. Little does she know how beautifully bright her light is and how much it filled my heart with joy.
A., you are a vision of what beauty and strength can do with a little faith...
Keep shinin'!
Carrie