Drew B Photograhy

I met the Carson family almost exactly one year ago.  It was a dark and rainy day.  Three awesome photographers from Arkansas came out to spend the day with me and get some California sun.  The Carson’s were our models.  Actually, they weren’t my first choice for models.  I had another family already scheduled and that same day I got an email from Julie with her family’s story.  It was an incredible story and pulled at my heartstrings so I cancelled on the other family, which I hated to do, but a family like the Carsons only comes around every so often.  The day of our shoot just happened to be what would have been their first daughter, Joy’s, 7th birthday.  I know that shoot and that day had a big impact on me and I know it did for the girls from Arkansas as well.

Over the past year, Julie and I have become friends.  She makes me laugh (a lot!) and she makes me want to become a better mom and friend.  While most of our talking is done via email and twitter I totally value her friendship and I feel so lucky to have her in my life!  I just adore her little girls!  And Jason is my biggest cheerleader on shoots.  I love it!  Although, this family does have one fault.  They are Trojan fans!

While planning this shoot she asked if I had a wish list or places I wanted to shoot.  I jokingly told her that I wanted a canopy bed in the middle of a field.  Note to self, don’t joke with Julie.  Julie went on Craiglist and got a canopy bed.  And she even painted it green.  And then she made bedding for the bed.  And then she sewed the girls outfits.  She is one crazy talented lady!  Jason and Julie’s Dad brought the bed down to the area where we were shooting and set it up.  Poor Julie’s Dad had to stay with the bed for over 30 minutes!  I’m surprised the cops didn’t come down to see what he was up to!

Thank you to Julie and Jason for going all out for this shoot!  You guys rock and have the cutest family I have ever seen!  I hope you know how thankful I am that we found each other!  Here’s your slideshow!

Missy and Jeff have been together since they were teenagers.  They fell in love young, got married young, and also had to deal with incredible hardships at a young age.  Seven months after they were married Jeff was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  They were told that he was not going to make it.  But, they didn’t give up.  Missy stayed by his side and helped him fight it.  And now, 13 years later, their marriage is stronger than ever, Jeff is healthy and they have a beautiful daughter Lily.  Lily just turned two and she is a beautiful little girl.  Missy warned me that she is very serious.  Having an almost two year old myself I thought I’d be able to get some smiles out of her.  I used every trick in the book and Missy is right!  Lily is a very happy little girl, just very serious  She loves her big, red ball and her George.  Lily actually likes to take pictures rather than be in them.  A budding photographer perhaps?

I love how through the struggles that Missy and Jeff had to endure early on in their marriage they were able to realize that they shouldn’t take life too seriously and really live in the moment.  Just through email correspondence with Missy I could tell that she is a very happy go lucky person and takes things in stride.  And from seeing the way they interact with Lily you can just tell how they love to be together.  To have the chance to be a family.  Lily is very lucky to have parents like that!

Here’s the slideshow!

The one great thing about rain…

Rainbows.  Caught the very tail end of this rainbow.  I saw it disapear right in front of my eyes.  Goodbye rain!  Here comes the sun!