My Way of Giving Back

Ok, my heart is pounding and I am stepping out of my blog is for business box! So it is November and that means Thanksgiving and the things that I am thankful for.  And I have sooo many wonderful things that I can say I am thankful for- my family, my career, my amazing husband, my dogs (even when they eat a hole in my leather chair).  But I am extremely thankful for our friendship with Alison and Josh.

Nick used to work with Alison and would always tell me how awesome she was.  Then she suggested we have a couples date with them.  Of course I was late.  But they forgave me and we had a blast with Alison and her husband Josh.  It is so rare that couples get along, usually the guy likes the guy and the girls hate each other or the other way!  But with Josh and Alison we just gelled.  We discovered that we had tons in common- the love of college football, traveling and we started hanging out all the time.  From vacations to emergencies their friendship became a constant in Nick and I’s life.  Then in August of 2008 at the age of 37 Josh had a seizure at work and the doctors discovered a brain tumor.  It was crazy to think that the guy who the day before was moving a couch in my house had a brain tumor.  After the diagnosis they decided on surgery, chemo, radiation to fight the disease.  It was a difficult and emotional ride for them but they have remained strong and today he is doing amazing!  

There are really no words for what their friendship means to Nick and I.  We do not have kids so our friends are our family and I could not ask for better family than Josh and Alison.

As my way to give back and help others that are faced with battling brain tumors, for every person that leaves a comment on my blog posts or becomes my Facebook Fan from now until the end of the month, I will donate $1 to the American Brain Tumor Association.  So if you leave a comment on every post until the end of the month that will be $1 a post with 11 days until the end of the month that would be $11 donated to the American Brain Tumor Association just for writing a comment.  And on Facebook you have to become a fan, if you are already a fan start leaving blog comments.

On December 1, 2009 I will post the total amount and maybe get one of those big cardboard checks.  

Now I am going to post some personal pictures!  We have had such an awesome time with Josh and Alison in the past few years that I dug into my archives for these gems.  

This is March 2008 with my uncles in Philadelphia.  Nick, Alison, Josh and I went up there for a weekend.  There are some other awesome shots from this weekend but they will remain hidden!

This is Memphis in May, in 2008

This is December 2008, about 4 months after diagnosis Josh and Alison came to Tahoe to spend New Years with Nick and I out there!

I love both these shots.  The one on the left bc it is soooo Josh and Alison.  The one on the right because Josh is holding his ticket to go skiing! 

Lori Beth and Jared Engagement Session-Sneak Peek

On Saturday Lori Beth and Jared and I met up in Cabbagetown for their engagement session!  I photographed Lori Beth's sister, Jenna's wedding about 3 years ago and for their full post I will put a shot from that amazing wedding!  But for now here is a few that caught my eye- the full post will be coming soon!

Meet their adorable dog- Denny!

Kim and Scott Engagement Session - Sneak Peek

This morning I forced Kim and Scott to meet me at the unholy time of 7:30am to start their engagement session.  I was fully prepared for Scott to throw rocks at me but he was really nice about the early morning start and the fact that I am a Gator.  Here are 2 shots that I grabbed while downloading the images!

How gorgeous are they!!!

Casey and Dan's Engagement Session in Richmond, Virginia

Casey and Dan are getting married in Maine on May 30, 2010 but are currently living in Virginia while Casey finishes up school at UVA to be a doctor!  So next year she will graduate May 23 then get married May 30 then start at a new hospital for her residency which will be in a new city in June!  I am exhausted just thinking about it!!  I had never been to Viginia, which apparently is for lovers, so when we decided that doing their Engagement Session in Virgina would be awesome!

The shoot started at a super cute area of Charlottesville-

Then we headed to the UVA Campus!  How gorgeous was the fall colors!!

Casey and Dan are big Red Sox fans!

Casey and Dan are big fans of wine and so am I!  We headed out to a local winery that they like for a tasting and some more pictures.

Haley and Rajiv E-Session

Haley and Rajiv are getting married at the Westin here in Atlanta in July of next year and we shot their engagement session around the Highlands and Piedmont Park on a very chilly day!  I love shooting engagement sessions because it allows my clients and I to get to know each other outside of my office.  We have a blast and really just relax.  So the day of the wedding they are not worried about posing or me, they know what to expect from my crazy antics.  Haley and Rajiv were AMAZING to photograph!!!  First of all they are totally hot!  And they have a wonderful history!  They actually met in high shool then went to separate colleges. Rajiv to Georgia (BOO- just kidding, I love my UGA people) and Haley to the best school on the planet Earth - The University of Floriday (GO GATORS!) 

Here are a few favorites from their session!

And I have a new logo over the images - Thanks to the fabulous Alysa Story!  If you need any logo or graphics, she is super talented!  Email me for her contact info!

They are GORGEOUS!!! Look at Haley's eyes! I did not know eyes came in that color!

This shot was Rajiv's idea but the frame the second after is my favorite shot of the day.

This one is my favorite.  This image to me IS Haley and Rajiv, laughing, having fun and just being together.