Duff McDuffie

Duff was my best friend in High School.  I had moved from MI to NC right as my Freshman year had ended.  I was devestated at the change.  But then I was put in a Geometry class with this kid named Duff.  Duff was a spoiled only child and mama's boy...and he adored me.  The feeling was mutual.  I felt so safe around him, there were no underlying motives of why he wanted to be around me, he was simply my dearest friend.  I have this one memory of running across a railroad trussle on someone's private land and feeling so completely free and childlike.  Safe, really safe.  I can't find Duff on facebook or google...my mom used to run into him every now and then but hasn't seen him in years.  Anyway, he's been on my mind a lot lately because my son who's almost 14 has a best friend who's a girl.  And I'm proud of him and how he is such a good friend to her.  He's safe for her much like Duff was for me.  I think it's important for girls to have that from a guy friend.  Looking back, I see how he kept me out of a lot of trouble and I'm thankful!  I married Freddy 2 weeks after HS graduation.  And I just didn't keep in touch with Duff like I should have.  I guess I just got too busy.  I wonder about him though.  I wonder if he's as happy as I am, if he's found someone to share his life with who adores his friendship like I did his and Freddy's...  Here's a pic of Isaiah and his best friend, Payton. 

my friend Shawn.....

Every once in a while God drops someone in your life that you just know in an instant that you will have a friend for life.  Not just a friend, but a companion...someone who understands your heart without you having to say a word.  I've been blessed in my life to be surrounded with solid friendships everywhere that I've lived.  I have Debbie who is my closest friend from childhood, we can go months without connecting and then just pick back up when we do connect.  I think about the time of our life when we had our first child and the friends that I made during that time, so many young navy wives who befriended this pastor's wife even though I didn't have a clue what it must be like to stand at a pier and watch my husband leave for 6 months with a toddler at my feet and a baby on my hip.  And I think of Charlotte in Alabama who helped me so much to not take myself too seriously as a wife, mother or Christ follower.  She taught me so much about how down to earth God is and how much he wants me to enjoy his company and how he gave me my kids because he knew I'd enjoy them more than anyone else.  Then Jeannette who just became my role model, this is the kind of wife, mother and friend I want to be.  The way she loves my children, even from 1000+ miles away now, is just like Jesus loves them!  I can call her at any time and talk to her about anything and she'll give me the most encouraging feedback!  There's Tonia, Missy and Donna who pray for me daily and love me so completely!  Stacey & Stacy who I just laugh so easily with but remind me who created me and believe in who I was created to be and encourage me to stretch myself....  And then there's Shawn.  Shawn is my newest friend but one of the ones I feel the the most "like"!  She and I are so much alike in the way we love our husbands who are both pastors, the way we parent our children, she has 5, I have 4....talking with her feels as if we have known each other our entire lives!  She's precious. And I'm honored to have gotten to know her this year!  And I'm looking forward to all of the things God's going to teach me about myself as we journey through life as friends...good friends.... 

Kailee and Marley

Kailee and Marley.....Oh how I love being able to do what I love!  And Kailee made it SO easy to capture such cute shots!  Marley's flower headband was all Kailee's dad's idea by the way... he was really proud of his dog in a headband!

All dogs go to heaven

This is Lily.  I had the honor to capture her with my camera before she had to be put to sleep because of cancer.  She was the perfect dog!

The Stedmans!

Another Sneak peek for my friend Rebecca and her family! 

The Denton Crew

I should totally be getting ready for church but I'm not feeling very well and I'm too excited about the pictures in my Lightroom to just leave them there and not play with them....  I have come to the conclusion that I had more fun with my frame than I did with the Easter Basket full of colorful eggs! 

Easter Pictures in the Park

I am so excited about this particular picture! I'm not done editing all the photos from their Easter shoot but I wanted to post at least this one before I call it a night!  It's been a fantastic day doing one of my favorite things, capturing life thru my camera lens!!!