note to self.

sometimes i leave notes for myself. love notes. or quotes that make me think. here's the note i left for myself today.

life is but a dream.

i wanted to remember how it felt to stand here. 

to hold this. 
 
& to honor and say farewell to two people who inspired me to remember what really matters in life. my aunt vickie had the brightest smile and the kindest heart. no, seriously. she was the most selfless person i've ever known. mawaw (my grandmother) was the sweetest woman and the biggest fan of her entire family - and especially her 7 children. my aunt vickie found out only a few months ago that she had terminal pancreatic cancer. she fought long and hard but eventually passed away peacefully in hospice having spent her last days surrounded by people who loved her. mamaw was in the midst of recovering from a surgery to restore the use of her arm. she was doing well but the news of vickie's passing really broke her heart. they were inseparable. for as long as i can remember, vickie took care of mamaw. they lived together. they ate together. they traveled together. they were best friends. five days after vickie passed away, mamaw had a heart attack and passed away unexpectedly. we all felt the loss. i traveled to florida with my dad for the double memorial and family service of spreading their ashes on a beach they were fond of near their home. they were together, like always. 

the outpour of support from family all over the country and from their church community and beloved friends was a testament to the kind of friends they were and how they lived & loved. my dad and i, and a couple other relatives stayed in the house that they shared while we were in florida. vickie collected angels that filled the house with a reminder of their spirit and their beauty. family and friends made the void that now existed a little less empty. i wanted to remember how it felt to be there, remember the little things that reminded me of them and the little things that made them who they were. so i brought my camera along and when i saw something i wanted to hold on to, i captured it. here are a few of those things. 

this one really looks like vickie.

this brought a lot of peace. music, the great communicator.

vickie had 6 brothers, many of them musicians. she was always their biggest fan.

i love this.

this little one kept us all smiling.

at the end of the family gathering we had on the beach, we released monarch butterflies in their memory. it was beautiful. this particular one wanted to stay a just a little bit longer...

as my dad and i were leaving on the last day, i looked up into the sky and these two trails looked like they were coming right out of the top of their house. pretty cool.

until next time vickie & mamaw - you are loved and remembered in the brightest of lights. always.

i want to remember this.

my friend cassandra is... a light, an inspiration, a belly laugh, a soulful cry, someone who makes me dream for more, and the most comfortable of friends. she just finished traveling all over the world and stopped back 'home' for a visit (that was far too short!). she had this glow about her and she was just so beautifully happy. maybe it was all of the experiences, to realize how small we really are, to release ego and vanity, not being able to rely on common language and trendy ways, but on eye contact, intuition, and energy. hearing the haphazard collection of stories from fiji to new zealand to south africa to argentina to hawaii to the mountains in california (and a lot more), there was a silver lining of true connection, a way of living that abandons what is comfortable and embraces what is real. you could see it in her eyes, in her grown out natural hair, in her sun kissed skin, and her humble swagger. 

 i kept forgetting she had to go away again because it all felt just like before, no rush to make any big plans, no expectations, no forced entertainment, we just were, and it was sweet. until i realized on the last day that she was moving across the country again. i wanted to freeze time and bottle up how i felt at that very moment. i wanted to remember her infectious smile, her bright eyes, and the way it felt to just be goofy, be real, be us, and laugh - a lot. so, i proposed that we go chase the setting sun and let me take some pictures. she obliged. this is what i will remember. 

until next time!

more of baby ivy!

There is something so indescribable about watching someone you really love and respect create life. I got to visit 10 day old Ivy again today :) I think I will start trying to get pregnant again starting... immediately. She is so perfect. She's an old soul baby - so content, so aware, alert, alive, & beautiful. I got to hold her and feed her and stare at her for a couple hours and it was pretty awesome. It amazes me every time I see a beautiful pregnant belly turn into such a perfect little life. Introducing (again) Ivy Margaret Kline...

this makes me laugh. she's like "say what?!"

how most babies spend a lot of their first few weeks...

Thank you for letting me take photos of such a special time in your life. I'm so excited for you guys & can't wait for our babies to be friends! All my love.

anonymous goddess: boudoir session.

Here is proof that boudoir sessions are not cheesy or trashy. This beautiful girl shows that they are everything but that. I've done a few boudoir sessions for some awesome women, and am so excited that she allowed me to share some of the pictures on the blog so that you all can see how fun they are. Now I want one of my own! It's a great gift idea for your husband on your wedding day, a valentine's day gift, anniversary gift, holiday gift, anytime gift, or... just to document yourself looking lovely.

For her, it was a gift for her high school sweetheart turned husband, father of her child, and love of her life on their wedding anniversary. I'm pretty sure he'll love them, don't you think? She is stunning, classy, and just plain lovely.

You are awesome; I'm so glad I could make you feel comfortable and capture just how beautiful you are - inside AND out.