emmy

part of the reason for this photo shoot is because she turned 16 last thursday.

part of the reason is because i needed some subject matter.

but, whatever the reason, i enjoyed. thank you ems for letting me shoot you, for trying to understand my ridiculous directions/instructions, and for just being a pretty freakin' awesome lil sis in general. 

 interesting side note: even my mom has admitted that i look the youngest. not sure how i feel about that.

 interesting side note # 2: my bridesmaids almost hated me for making them wear these shoes throughout the ceremony. but, ladies, you must agree; you looked fabulous!! :D

 and ems, even as a "nerd" you're still pretty cute.

 and here is the gospel singer.

and my favorite. ooo laa lah! 

love you emmy! hope you enjoy them :)

sixteen

she turns sixteen today.

and i can't wait to celebrate this weekend :)

if there was an award.....

for the most delightful expressions on beautiful faces

photo credit : Alfred Eisenstaedt

i'm pretty sure this photograph would win.

i could have danced all night

i could have danced all night 
i could have danced all night 
and still have begged for more
i could have spread my wings
and done a thousand things i've never done before
i'll never know what made it so exciting
why all at once my heart took flight
i only know when he began to dance with me
i could have danced danced danced all night

there are moments when i love being a girl and friday night was one fo those nights. my friend lovely friend riley came over and we did our hair, make-up, and giggled as only girlfriends can do. it was so delightful. however, one of the most incredible parts of the evening was the salsa dancing, and my masculine, competitive, all boy husband enjoying it, even agreeing to take lessons with me so that next year we can rock it. 

i'm sure if my professor saw these photos she'd kick me out of the program. 

i don't really care though, i still love them.

it's friday, y'all.....

and i am so excited.
salsa dancing tonight.
saturday mornin' pancakes.
visiting a friend.
glorious weather.
and oh yeah, 100 fans. small;  i know. significant? absolutely.
thank you thank you thank you.

confessions of an art major 1.2

i was so mad i cried. which isn't very surprising for those of you that know me. the question that i hadn't allowed myself to ask, to think about, to dwell, the question i shoved to the very bottom, burst, erupted, exploded from my mouth. WHY OH WHY OH WHY OH WHY AM I GETTING STUPID THIS DEGREE?????? i don't like it. the classes i take really aren't going to help me. it's way too time consuming. there seems to be about a one in a millon chance i'll be hired in my field of training. my taste and my teacher's taste are about as opposite as they can be, it's costing too much, it hardly seems like a wise investment, blahblahblah, blahblah, blahblah.....

he responded: because i want you to.

i responded with silence.

i went to study and as i cleared off my desk, i stumbled across this image. i first saw the photograph either my sophomore or junior year of high school and i'd don't think there's been one more inspirational to me. i dream of taking photos as powerful as this one. and now, a day later (because it can take me that long to finish a post) i've realized why i'm getting this degree, maybe even why i want to. it's because i want to inspire someone with my work. but even more than that, i want to help someone with my work. how that is going to happen, i have no idea. i just hope and pray and believe it is going to happen.

image by Jerome Delay, found here

confessions of an art major

that would be the name of my blog if i could rename it, the reason being that i feel like i do some appalling things that no true art major would do. for instance, last week the art department drove to  to hattiesburg to go hear christo give a talk, making a quick stop in laurel to see the lauren rogers museum of art. as i walked around the first floor of the museum and was supposed to be admiring paintings from the eighteen and nineteen hundreds all i was really thinking was wow, these are so boring. i did feel a little bit better after seeing the drawings by christo and loving them but guys, old art is just not my thing. anyways, after about an hour there we hopped back on the bus and arrived at hattiesburg. a few things about christo: he is the ultimate cool dude. seriously. he's got a white halo of hair surrounding the bald spot on his head and it's awesome. only a brilliant, french, 70+ artist could pull it off. it's also the perfect hair style for his military styled jacket with jeans and white shirt look. the other thing to know about christo is that he is french, very french, as in still speaks in a verystrongdifficulttounderstandfrenchaccent. so, as i was reclined in the comfortable auditorium chair in a dark room, i suddenly found myself being woken up by the sound of a vigorous applause. i'd fallen asleep through the lecture. i am a terrible art major. and the best part it was that the head of the department who just so happens to be one of my professors, was sitting behind me.  i did stay awake for the q+a though. and seriously, if you ever get to hear him speak or see some of his work, do it. he really is a fantastic, intensely energetic speaker. just make sure you are sipping caffeine and well rested before hand; he accent is awesome, yet difficult at times. but definitely go. it's well worth it.

this is from a piece he's working on now. image from here

art by nature is illogical, irrational. - christo

the week the word was pandemonium

i was in third grade.
one of our spelling words that week was pandemonium.
i remember my dad crying as he prayed over our dinner, and for our nation.

i remember the terror
wondering what i'd do if my mom or dad had been in the chaos
and so thankful they weren't.

all images from Google. 

and i will continue to remember.
and to pray.

why is it doing that?

that's what the little girl asked.  "why is looking at the water like that?"
the lady answered "it's just like a kitten. it likes to play."

and all i was thinking was that if we ever come home with a kitten that has to be put behind bars so it doesn't eat us, we came home with the wrong kind.

labor day 2012

on labor day we had pancakes for breakfast, hopped in the car, drove to birmingham, and walked around the zoo. and, despite the heat and humidity, we had an lovely day.

oh how i love zoos.