Wishing everyone the merriest of Christmases. We are headed out of town and thus, erin nolen photography and all of its employees (all 2 of us...3 if you count Attie) will be taking a little break for the next week or so. Catch you on the flipside!
Love,
erin
I love this picture. This was a fabulous session in the middle of another fabulous day in Huntsville last month. I have tons of pictures to post from this day. For now, enjoy the Engles.
The Christmas craziness is upon us. For this craziness I am actually referring to the craziness that is the pile of wrapping paper and gifts sitting on my living room floor. Apparently the photography craziness has translated itself to mean that I am really behind with the rest of life... as in I wrapped my first gift yesterday. I also went to the grocery store for the first real time since well...I can't remember the last time. (I happen to be one of those people who actually likes to go to the grocery store. I have missed it.)
Some of you faithful blog readers may remember seeing sweet Sophia early last spring when she was not even a year old. You might also recognize her from the cameo appearance she made as the cutest pumpkin in town back in October. She is the daughter of our friends Brian and Grace. We are so thankful to know them and their story as we are on our own journey toward our family. Sophie is an absolute delight and the best part is...she totally knows it! This was another one of those photo shoots where I wished I had a video camera to capture the parents and grandparents behind me singing, clapping, waving puppets, whatever it took to earn some of these priceless smiles. (I am pretty sure Sophie would have given the smiles anyway...I think she just wanted to see just how silly she could get them to be!)
So, I got home last night from a really fun weekend in Memphis. It seems like the last of the leaves fell off while I was gone--it looks so wintry outside! I guess that's in perfect time. Here is another session from fall...The Fullenwider boys were so much fun to photograph. The day of their shoot was one of the most glorious fall days I have ever seen. The light was perfect, the reflection of the leaves in the water was unbelievable. Not to mention that the boys were perfectly behaved! I don't think I could ask for more in a shoot...
Also, stay tuned for some weddings from this fall that I am excited to post.
I'm running out of days to make my Christmas posts! Here is one that I love from this fall. One of the best parts of my job is getting to meet all of these families and see the way they laugh together. Enjoy the Blakes.
Here is one last picture that I love from this session...
I confess. I have been wanting to photograph Lily and Kate for a long time. I guess their mama and daddy finally tired of all my pleas and decided to let me! It was even more fun than I imagined that it would be. I have never really had the chance to spend time with them and it was so cool to see their different personalities. I love their sweetness and their silliness!
Sorry for getting that song in your head. I found myself singing Frosty the Snowman to Attie--our dog--this morning and realized I had no idea where I'd heard it. Signs of the season, I guess. Attie liked it better when I changed the words to include his name. He wagged his tail and gave me his best I really love you even though I think you're kinda crazy look.
Anyway, enough of that. Here is a really recent session of two beautiful girls with beautiful spirits to match. I hope you enjoy! (Click here for show.)
Okay, so my husband informed me tonight that it has been nearly a month since I posted on my blog. Wow. The truth is that we have been buried under Christmas cards, photo shoots, moving boxes, slideshows, uploading, downloading, and still more Christmas cards. It has been a whirlwind of a month! It would not be true if I did not acknowledge that there have been days when I really did not think it was possible to get it all done. My husband has worked countless hours on photography orders and editing all the while preparing a place for us to live. And though we are still trying to figure out why the plan was to move at exactly the height of our busiest season, we are more thankful every day for the home that God has provided for us and all that is ahead for us and our family to be. (That being said, no real adoption news to report. My fingerprints did finally arrive--awesome news--but now we are waiting for a couple of other things to get wrapped up. The chaos has definitely helped the waiting and I am grateful for the grace in that.)
So, I think that is the update on where I've been. I am excited to tell you that I am excited to launch "erin nolen photography's 12 days of blog posts" in anticipation of my favorite holiday of the year. I originally thought I would post for 12 consecutive days leading up to Christmas and though that is still my goal, I have decided to let this mean that I am vowing to post 12 times before Christmas. That gives me a little extra wiggle room and I am working hard these days to give myself a little more grace (is that sentence completely contradictory?).
I really want to enjoy Christmas this year. I always love it...I can't help it, I just do. Here are a few things I'm really looking forward to...
*Having our first fire in our new house.
*Finding the perfect present for someone. (I seriously have NO good ideas this year, which is really not like me. But I am hopeful that the flash of inspiration is yet to come. After all, I have not even begun my shopping.)
*Decorating the gingerbread house with Alex. (If you have ever bought a gingerbread house for a 5-year-old and then told her she has to wait to decorate it...just be ready.)
*Having people over to our new house. And being okay with the fact that it's not decorated exactly the way that I want it.
*the Andrew Peterson concert at church. I have been waiting to see this show for years. Literally.
*Going to see the Nutcracker with my mom. It's been a long time since we've been together and I cannot wait.
*Looking at Christmas lights.
*Just enjoying being with people that I love. I am so thankful for all that this year has held. I know it's cheese and cliche' but when it all comes down, it's just true. Our year has not been what we expected. There have been some tough spots. But when it all comes down, we are blessed beyond measure. Way, way beyond measure.
