Ryan & Amanda {Decada & Plymouth, WI Photography}

I met Ryan & Amanda a few years ago....they both stood up in the very first wedding I ever photographed (cheers to Brian and Kate!). I remember Amanda talking to her friends that day, as they inquired if she would be the next one to get married. "The boy's gotta get a job." she laughed...and yes, she's right, a steady job is quite nice to have as a prerequisite to getting hitched. :)

Well, fast forward a few years, and here they are....a gorgeous pair who's wedding day was absolutely perfect. (and yes, the boy has a job now. haha.) They picked October 29th because in 1949, on October 29th, Amanda's grandparents were married in the same beautiful, historic country church. It was such a special day, as Amanda's grandmother had just passed away in September. Amanda carried her grandmother's handkerchief all day, and we stopped at her grandmother's property to take a few portraits before the reception.

Their Wisconsin wedding was perfect...filled with family, friends and enjoyment. I say enjoyment because often times, couples are so caught up in the business of their day that they forget to relax and have fun. Ryan and Amanda had no problem with this. I will never forget arriving at the church to be greeted by a relaxed and smiling Amanda. The day started off quaint and quiet as we were serenaded by the sound of church bells. This is the way a wedding day is supposed to be, I thought. :)

Congrats Ryan and Amanda!

Everything about this church was beautiful...down to the weathered mirrors.












The portrait on the left? That's a replica of a similar picture taken of Amanda's grandparents on their wedding day. :)

I Miss my Little Miss {A Personal Post}

My husband and I have one child...a beautiful three (almost four!) year old named Addie. And not only is she our miracle (we have lost 4 children) she is also one of my very best friends.

And I've been without her now for a week and a day. I admit I'm going a little crazy over here without her, and I have to wait another 3 days to see my munchkin. In addition to cranking out a bunch of work while she's visiting her with her grandparents in WI, I've also totally cleaned, rearranged and overhauled her room. I've gotten her a few little prizes that are waiting for her on her bed when she arrives back home. I just...love doing stuff for her even when she's not with me.

It's so true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. And while a week and a half really isn't that long, it's definitely long enough for me to sit back and assess exactly how much she means to me. Some parents need that "me" time away from their kids. They enjoy leaving for the day to go to work because they need that time away from their kids to stay sane. While there's nothing wrong with that, that is definitely not how I feel. Maybe it's because we only have one child to enjoy...but I love having her by my side all day, every day.

The closest of our family live 8 hours from us. That means we don't have date nights to ourselves, (we honestly would both rather go on date nights as a family, with Addie with us. Haha!) there's no 'hey mom, can you take Addie while I do this or this' going on and there's really not many moments, outside of shoots, that I'm without her. And I'd really prefer it no other way. Not saying it wouldn't be nice to live close to our families (oooh man, how I wish we did!)...just saying that she is not a bother, not a nuisance, and not a chore. She's a joy....our laughter, a bright light in our lives. And when she's not with us we realize just how much she brings to our lives.

Maybe you're a parent who feels so overwhelmed by the task of parenthood. Maybe your kiddos easily drive you nutso. If so, take a step back and realize how blessed you are to have them. Life's too short not to enjoy your kids. Set aside all the business of your day (because in the long run, your long hours of work will not be what matters in life. Instead, time with your kids does matter greatly) and relax....breathe....and enjoy their presence.

All I know is, come Sunday night, I will be squeezing the snot out of my princess. I'll give her a million kisses and cuddle her to pieces...and then tell her over and over again how much I love her. :)