We shot the pictures one random night last week when we were both free, and just showed up to campus with my Nikon, an extra outfit, and a borrowed graduation gown. (By the way, why didn't we have gowns this fancy before now??) We got really lucky with the weather-- we happened to reschedule the ONLY day of the week that wasn't super windy (we backed out the night before to avoid battling nature), and it turned out to be a great night to be on campus. We got there just before 6:30pm and shot until we ran out of daylight. The sunset created the most stunning lighting, and we were both really happy all the pictures. She was such a trooper-- she had some great ideas (the chalk!) and was so laid back and natural that it really made for a fun shoot. Thanks Shelly for letting me show off your pictures!!
Meet Shelly! You might recognize her as one of the original models for Redeemed Hearts, but I just know her as "Shelly Girl" from the office :) She's about to graduate from the greatest school in all the land (Whoop!) and I was thrilled to shoot some senior portraits for her. I told her I would only share a few, but they were too good not to share more!
We shot the pictures one random night last week when we were both free, and just showed up to campus with my Nikon, an extra outfit, and a borrowed graduation gown. (By the way, why didn't we have gowns this fancy before now??) We got really lucky with the weather-- we happened to reschedule the ONLY day of the week that wasn't super windy (we backed out the night before to avoid battling nature), and it turned out to be a great night to be on campus. We got there just before 6:30pm and shot until we ran out of daylight. The sunset created the most stunning lighting, and we were both really happy all the pictures. She was such a trooper-- she had some great ideas (the chalk!) and was so laid back and natural that it really made for a fun shoot. Thanks Shelly for letting me show off your pictures!!
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Last week I was feeling a bit under the weather, and I knew I was going to spend
my Friday night relaxing at home. I reviewed our Sunday School lesson plan a few days before, and was beyond excited to see that one of the activities involved balloon animals! Let me explain… our group of kids ranges from K-3rd grade, and we usually average about 50 kids a service. This is quite a bit different than the Sunday School classes we all grew up in, where you have 10 kids sitting in tiny chairs around a tiny table, listening to a bible story, but let me tell you… Brazos Kids are AWESOME! So I went to Hobby Lobby, used my 40% off coupon as always, and came home with 150 balloons and zero idea how to make any animals. Youtube, here I come. After watching a basic intro on “How to Make A Balloon Dog”, I felt pretty confident. Six popped balloons and a whole bunch of frustration later I realized this was not my forte. Back to the drawing board. Why did I buy 150 balloons again? What can I say, when I commit to something, I commit. Long story short, after some prayer and strategizing I made my first successful balloon animal. Whoop! Which quickly turned into twenty. And from there I landed at fifty the first night. I sent a pretty hilarious “selfie” to my younger sister of me, sitting in bed, surrounded by fifty balloon animals--- we got a good laugh out of it. The next night I went to an All Sons and Daughters concert (which was awesome!) with some friends, and I bragged about my new hobby. We laughed, but I really did have to head home that night and make more for the next day. That Sunday morning I showed up with seventy-five adorable (and unique) balloon puppies, with NO idea of if the kids would even think they were cool or not. Sometimes they surprise me with what excites them, and what is no longer cool haha. I started to get nervous that it would be a big dud, and I would have to walk-of-shame the three bags full of balloons back to my car after church. But when we sat down with the kids, and explained how Jesus changes our hearts once we are forgiven (just like how he changed Zachheus’ heart in the book of Luke) and used the balloon as an illustration that Jesus can change something that only serves ourselves (like the tax collector, using the balloon to point to the kids) into something we can give to others (the finished balloon), the kids’ faces lit up with joy! Praise Jesus that my ten minutes of “Clown College” tutorials paid off. We asked the kids if anyone wished they had a balloon puppy to take home, and every hand shot up. It was precious to announce to them that they would each get to take home their own balloon puppy, because the reactions included clapping, gasps, hugs, and a kiss on the cheek from the little girl overcome with excitement next to me. Melted my heart!! That afternoon I got to hang out with a few of the kids and taught them how to make balloon animals, and I have to admit that it is one of the neatest things to see the confidence and sense of accomplishment in a kid’s face when they learn something new. I know they won’t see this, but a special shout out to Graylen and Amaya for the ZOO of animals they learned how to make, which far exceeded my own creations! Here are some pictures of Sunday’s service! It is such a humbling and precious moment when the Lord speaks |
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September 2018
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