a beautiful image

i've moved to a different blog!

2010-11-05T16:44:00.003-05:00

I have a new blog, please click here to go to it! http://abiruth.blogspot.com/

love and art...makes me happy!

2010-07-13T20:54:00.004-05:00

I remember it clearly...my hands shook just a little as I filled out the form. I had been attending LifeChurch.tv for awhile, at least a year or more, but at that time, I still wasn't really involved. It was a new campus, one closer to my home. I had no excuses for not volunteering. The pastor had preached about being involved in the church, in helping with the ministry, and quite simply, I was convicted. So I filled out the form saying I wanted to start volunteering. Someone from the church called me. I explained that my weekends were usually pretty full, and asked if they needed any help during the week. The first day I went in to help, I met Deidra. A beautiful blond with a very cool personality, Deidra was easy to talk to and easy to like. We hit it off immediately! At the time, she was the LifeKids director, and I volunteered under her until she switched over to Campus Admin. Still, every Tuesday for the past two-plus years, I have seen Deidra in the office whenever I was there. Over time, I got to really know her and her story, and see what an amazing woman she is.
At the beginning of this year, I started volunteering in Switch, Lifechurch's youth program, every Wednesday night. One night, I was talking with Deidra after Switch, and she pointed out this guy. His name was Matt and he also volunteers in Switch. She told me they had gone to high school together. And that she thought he was cute. :) And that maybe there was something starting between them...Next thing you know, they were dating, then engaged {and now married, but that's another post :)}! I could not be more overjoyed for any two people! Deidra and Matt both have a heart for God, and a strong and apparent love for each other!
Matt just happens to be a super-talented artist, so when they got engaged, I wanted to come up with a unique and artsy location to do their engagement session. Well, I knew the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts was coming up, so I suggested that we shoot there. Deidra and Matt were thrilled with the idea. The Festival of the Arts is one of my favorite things each year here in OKC, and Matt and Deidra are beautiful inside and out, plus they brought some serious style with their outfits for the shoot...so you can only imagine how much I loved doing this shoot! :)

But I'll stop chatting {finally} and show you the photos!

cool sculptures + pretty light + hot couple = gorrrgeous! :)

Thank you, woman, for walking by, cup in hand, at exactly the right moment--the other shots in this same spot without you are just not as interesting. :)

Love-love-love!

so clever, haha. ;)

Deidra, you are stunning! And Matt, you are handsome! :)

Matt & Deidra~
I have probably gushed enough to you guys about how much I loved your engagement session, but just in case you didn't get it--I freakin' looooooved this shoot!!! :) Thank you for being fearless with your pda among the crowds. :) You guys are THE BEST and you have renewed my faith in love. ;) Thank you for your friendship, which means the world to me! I love you guys!

~abi~

it's a fabulous life i lead!

2010-07-07T16:52:00.005-05:00

Hello, my lovely friends! I just had to do a blog post and share what a wonderful past week I had! The week of June 27th through July 3rd was a pretty fabulous one for me! It started in Vegas, one of my very favorite cities, where I was vacationing with three other girls in celebration of my friend Brandie's birthday. It was my fourth trip ever to Vegas, second this year--but the previous trips have been for a yearly photography convention held there. This one was purely for fun, so I was stoked! We stayed at the Wynn, which is so nice! As I mentioned, I looove Vegas! Everything there is so crazy and fun and extravagant and, in my opinion, pretty! Anyway, I remember after my first trip to Vegas several years ago, I remarked that if I were rich, I would go to Vegas every three to six months, just for fun. Well, I am certainly not rich, but I thought it was funny that I was going to Vegas this time just three months after I was there last! Sure, I might drive an old, crappy car that is losing it's air conditioning and sounds like it has cowbells attached to it, but I will travel, dang it! :) Here are a few photos from my trip...

Brandie sitting in the window of our room at the Wynn...

the view!

ahhh, the pools! *sigh*

A couple of point and shoot pics of myself and the birthday girl! On the right, you can see the Bellagio fountains behind us. :)

After coming home, I was a little deflated. You know that feeling you get after being away on vacation, right? Like, back to reality. But I couldn't stay down for long. You see, my family had been contacted about being in the Freedom Festival parade here in Bethany, OK, in honor of my brother Jack! He graduated from Bethany high school, and they wanted to honor his memory by having my family be the Grand Marshalls of the parade. Very cool! Obviously, I had never been in a parade before, so I was a tiny bit nervous about the whole thing. But I figured if I had my camera as protection, I would do fine! :) And when I saw my sweet ride, everything was cool! ;)

Here I am in the 2010 Corvette...

Have I ever mentioned that Corvettes are my favorite car? :)

It was very cool getting to ride in the parade in honor of Jack! When people cheered and clapped and waved their appreciation, I definitely had to swallow the lump in my throat a few times!

The night before the parade, I made these t-shirts for us to wear. The photo is one I took of Jack at his Special Forces graduation ceremony. I simply created the design for the shirt in photoshop and then printed it out into iron-on transfer paper. My sister Amber helped me iron it onto all those shirts!

Here's my family, plus my cousin Caleb who is visiting for a couple weeks from Iowa...

The skies opened up right as we were coming to the end of the parade route, so we sought shelter in a tent for a bit, then headed over to my mom's house for the afternoon. We came back up to the festival that evening after the rain stopped.

My nephews had fun riding the carnival rides...

I have always loved carnivals!

After it got dark, we sat and listened to the band play off in the distance...

We ended the day by watching the fireworks show, of course! :)

Overall, I would say that's a pretty fab week: I started it in Vegas and ended it by being in a parade! :) I am blessed!

~abi~

...and one for my niece!

2010-05-14T14:59:00.003-05:00

My niece Laila is an awesome girl! There are so many things I love about her, but in honor of her 18th birthday today, I thought I would list
"18 Awesome Things About Laila"
1} She loves Jesus
2} She is a good listener
3} She is very smart and makes good grades
4} She appreciates my really dumb sense of humor :)
5} She is a wonderful daughter to my sister Amber
6} She loves penguins :)
7} She is a great basketball player
8} She is also a great runner and jumper :)
9} She is a cool cousin and good example to my nephews
10} She loves her niece and nephew
11} She is a bit of a homebody
12} She loves the Twilight movies--especially Jacob! ;)
13} She drives a motorcycle!
14} She got a memorial tattoo in honor of my brother Jack
15} She lets me shop for her! :)
16} She is an adventurous eater and loves sushi :)
17} She has really pretty naturally curly hair
18} She is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!

Here are some of my favorite senior portraits I have taken of Laila this year.....

And here are a few photos from homecoming and prom.....

{Laila won homecoming queen!}

Laila/LaLa/Lailers/La/and all my other nicknames for you :) ~
I love you so much!!! Thank you for opening your heart to me over the past few years! You have enriched my life and been a wonderful addition to our family! I know that God placed us in each others lives! Happy birthday!!! I hope this year will be amazing for you! I am so proud to call you my niece!

~abi~

a birthday post about my sis in law!

2010-05-13T14:11:00.003-05:00

I fell in love with my {at the time future-} sister in law, Ashley, before my brother Jack ever even laid eyes on her. :) Fortunately for me {and Jack}, Ashley played basketball in college with my sister Amber. Amber and I lived in a tiny apartment just off campus. Our place was the hangout spot for the girls on Amber's basketball team. Ashley is one of those girls who is just cool and hilarious and fun to be around! When I met her, I liked her immediately, but I clearly remember when she actually took over a big piece of my heart. :) You see, Amber tore her ACL in a basketball game and had to have surgery to repair it. If I remember correctly, it seems like that was right before the Christmas break. For some ridiculous reason that I can't recall, I had the best idea ever to have a Christmas party for the girls on the basketball team at our apartment right after Amber had her surgery! {Needless to say, I am not always the best planner.} At that time, I already considered Ashley to be a really good friend, but the night before that party, she proved her friendship to me. :) I remember that she and I stayed up until about 4am cleaning and decorating the apartment. We were cracking up the whole night! Amber slept peacefully through all the commotion, thanks to her medication from the surgery. :) I honestly don't remember a single thing about the party the next day, but what I do remember is bonding with Ashley that night.
A few months later, Jack met Ashley for the first time. Their love story belongs in a novel or on a movie screen! To sum it up for you {and I hope Ashley doesn't mind my sharing}, Ashley had sort of fallen for Jack before she ever met him. Amber and I {along with the rest of my family} were always extremely proud of Jack! He was just so handsome and funny and determined! At the time, he was away doing his Special Forces training. We had several photos of him up in our apartment and we talked about him all the time. Ashley was clearly intrigued by our tall tales ;) and his cute pics, so she claimed him as her boyfriend, sight unseen. We would all joke about it with each other. One weekend, Jack surprised the family by coming home to visit. That fateful weekend, on the day after Valentines Day no less, Jack & Ashley met for the first time. Naturally, since Ashley had already claimed his heart, he immediately and happily handed it over to her. From that day on, he and Ashley committed themselves to each other and they didn't look back! I can honestly say that I have never been around a couple who enjoyed their relationship more! Observing Jack & Ashley, I learned so much about happiness and love! Every single time I think about their marriage, it warms my very soul.
Today is Ashley's birthday, and I just wanted to honor her and the amazing woman she is. Because of her, my brother's all-too-short time here on earth was made beautiful and complete! Because of her, I have laughed and cried and seen what it means to survive. Ashley has taught me so much about goodness toward others, toleration, peace, and living life to the fullest! I will forever be grateful that our lives and hearts have intertwined.

Here is one of my favorite photos I shot of Jack & Ashley on their wedding day in 2005...

And one of me, Ashley, Mandi, and Amber: my sisters, my best friends...

Ashley~
I love you and admire you so very much! Thank you for giving me your love and friendship! I am happy to celebrate your life today on your birthday!

young love in a small town

2010-04-19T15:36:00.003-05:00

Casey & Tara are one of those adorably cute couples who are just fun to photograph! They make you think of a really good country song about young love in a small town! :) I drove down to Marlow, OK, for their session. I have to say that I have really enjoyed shooting in and around Marlow! We started out on Tara's parents' property, which is a perfect setting for photos! After shooting there, we headed into the heart of downtown Marlow, which is full of cool little spots to shoot! Casey & Tara were absolutely great in front of the camera, and they didn't blink an eye even when people who knew them drove by and honked! :) Gotta love a small town!

We did a morning session, and the light was so pretty!

Casey suggested we do some photos by this old house, and I just loved it!

Love the shoes, Tara!

Seriously, how cute are they??

Casey & Tara~
I am so looking forward to your wedding next month! You guys are awesome! I enjoyed our session so much! Thanks for making my job easy! :)

~abi~

gifted

2010-04-14T16:33:00.002-05:00

After posting Eric & Taryn's wedding {see it here, here, and here}, I remembered some photos I had on my computer that I had never shared. You see, way back last fall, after tragically losing my younger brother Jack, I had to reschedule Eric & Taryn's engagement session. They were so kind and understanding, and Taryn explained that her family had also suffered a tragic loss of her cousin a few years ago. So after I made it down to Marlow to do their engagement session, Taryn handed me a gift bag before I left. Inside was this gift, which touched me beyond words...

The fact that Taryn would be so thoughtful and sweet to me, her photographer, was so indicative of the type of person she is! I love my brides!

Around that same time, a couple of my lovely friends, Tina and Casey, took me out to dinner to lift my spirits. They also brought me a gift. It was this beautiful box that I now use to hold letters from and photos of Jack.

So I just wanted to publicly thank all three girls, and say how much these gifts mean to me!

<3
~abi~

country elegance

2010-04-09T14:49:00.003-05:00

{{{If you haven't already, take a minute to check out the previous two posts from this elegant country wedding! Oh, and if you missed their engagement session last fall, check it out, too!}}}

The ceremony part of Eric & Taryn's day was very special and sweet! I really wanted to share a few from that and their reception. One of my favorite parts of the day was during the ceremony, when Eric, Taryn, their wedding party, and guests all joined in singing "Our God is an Awesome God." It was a quietly powerful moment demonstrating the heart and soul of this group of people!

Eric & Taryn were married on her grandparents' anniversary. Here is that sweet couple coming down the aisle...

Did I mention that i loved the candles the girls carried?

How fabulous is this beautiful lady??

AND this one!! :)

Gotta love the dollar dance money being collected in a cowboy hat! :)

Sweet little things...

At some point the shoes have to come off.....

.....And then you get this!

Take a good look at this hot couple, 'cause I will be posting their engagement photos next week! That's right, I get to head down to Marlow again next month to shoot the wedding of Eric's sister, Tara! Yay!!! :)

As the evening came to an end, Taryn's best friend bid her a tearful goodbye...

Eric & Taryn exited under a shower of fake snow...Loved it!

You know it's a country wedding when there's an old boot tied to the getaway truck. :)

Oh, and there might or might not have been some fireworks tied on as well! Do these guys look suspicious?? :)

They made an exciting departure! :)

Well, I guess that concludes Eric & Taryn's wedding posts. I hope you all enjoyed viewing this beautiful Oklahoma wedding as much as I enjoyed shooting it!

~abi~

ps Taryn, I would have to say that you definitely achieved your goal of "country elegance" for your wedding! :)

cowboy hats, green high heels, and polka dot fingernails

2010-04-09T13:40:00.003-05:00

Well, even after narrowing down my favorites from Eric & Taryn's wedding, I still had too many left for just two posts, so I am doing three! In this post, I will share some of my favorites from the "getting ready" time, as well as some portraits.

But first, I just have to chat for a second about Eric & Taryn......These two are just good-hearted, kind people! I can honestly say that every interaction I've had with them was completely comfortable and all-around great! :) When I first met Taryn, I liked her immediately, and I was so happy for her once I met Eric and saw the two of them together! They both have wonderful families as well!

When I got to Marlow on the morning of the wedding, I met the girls at Taryn's aunt's amazingly beautiful home! They had spent the night there and were eating a relaxed breakfast to start the day off right. I'm telling you, this home looked like something out of an interior design magazine!

After the meal, someone pulled out some old wedding albums that everyone enjoyed perusing...

Then we headed over to Taryn's grandparents' house, where Taryn took a few moments to write a note in her wedding day gift for Eric...

I also went down the road a bit to where the guys were getting ready at another aunt's house.

Taryn's mom with her two girls.....I love this one!

Check out those adorable lil' polka-dotted fingernails! :)

Taryn's grandma fastened her own watch onto Taryn's wrist as her "something borrowed", then she did this {melt my heart!}:

Preparation of the shoes...

Love, love, love both images in this next set!!!

See, brides, your girls can carry something other than bouquets, and it can still look stunning!

Hello, gorgeous! :)

So dreamy...

And so handsome! :)

I loved it when Eric let his little sis wear his hat...

I always enjoy seeing couples interact so joyfully on their wedding day!

Awww, I love everything about this last shot of the bride and groom! :)

Eric & Taryn~
Thank you for allowing me into your world for a little bit--it's a lovely place to be! You guys are the best! It is so refreshing to see a couple with so much love for each other, for their families, and most of all, for God!

~abi~

give me the details

2010-04-08T13:06:00.002-05:00

Back in January, I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Eric & Taryn's perfect wedding in Marlow, OK. I loved it so much that I had a really difficult time narrowing down images to post. So, I am doing a two-part blog on their wedding. First up are the details, and oh boy are they gorgeous!!!

Eric & Taryn got married right in Taryn's parents' backyard, under this awesome tent! I was thrilled when I arrived and saw this setup!

I believe it was Taryn's mom and maybe aunt who did all the decor... {Let us know in a comment, Taryn--but look out, 'cause people might want to hire the decorators! :)}

Below on the right is actually Taryn's aunt's house, where the girls had breakfast on the day of the wedding. I'll show more photos from that in the next post.

Taryn's colors were black and white, with splashes of green and pops of orange provided by...oranges! :) Loooooved it!!!

Oh, and the food was delicious--in appearance and taste! :)

I just adored all the nature-y elements in the decor!

I'm sure I don't need to tell you how much I love her shoes, since they combine my favorite color with my favorite accessory! :)

Didn't the tent look dreamy at night?

Check back tomorrow for the rest of Eric & Taryn's lovely wedding!

~abi~

my privilege

2010-02-24T16:01:00.005-06:00

Years ago, I was working as a receptionist at a snooty office suite. The {rich} people who had offices there were nice enough, the office manager was and is a great friend, but I was not content. Everyday, I answered phones, transferred calls, and read books and magazines. I didn't even have a computer at my desk! Unimaginable! :) Really, it wasn't too bad...but I wanted something...more. More stimulating, more creative, more me.
I had always enjoyed doing my friends' makeup and hair and then doing "photo shoots" of them, so I checked out a few beauty schools and finally a photography school. As soon as I walked into the photography school, I knew that was where I was supposed to be! I completed the course and went on to teach there for several years. By far, the number one thing I loved about working there was forming relationships with a lot of really wonderful people who came through the doors!!
One of the lovely people I had the privilege of getting to know there was Roberta--Rob to her friends! :) Not too long ago, Rob contacted me via Facebook and asked me to do a shoot of her family. We met up recently at the Myriad Gardens in downtown OKC and God blessed us with some really pretty weather {in the midst of all the cold lately} for our session!

I haven't used any textures on my images in awhile, but I like how it added a little something to this one...

By the way, in case you are curious, I shoot all my own textures, but there are plenty you can get online.

Rob has been in the Air Force for I think twenty-two years, so she wanted some photos in her uniform...

Aren't her boys so handsome??

Roberta~
You are a beautiful person, inside and out! Thank you for asking me to do this shoot! I am so glad we got to hang out! :) Thank you for being willing to invest so much of your lifetime in service to our country! It is an honor to know you, and I felt so privileged to document your family together!

~abi~

JeRayle, downtown Dallas

2010-02-18T15:56:00.003-06:00

Several years ago, I lived in a house on a college campus with my sister and a couple of other girls, including one of my best friends, KC. We had so much fun and so many crazy times which I will never forget! I was living the good life...still am, for that matter. :) But I look back on those carefree, fun days {when the biggest worries and drama in my life had to do with silly boys or what I was gonna wear out on the town that night} with some nostalgia. It was a fun time for sure!
One of our neighbors at that time was a cool guy named JeRayle. He and KC were good friends, so I got to know him through her. At some point, I noticed some modeling photos he had posted on Facebook. With his height and good looks, it made total sense to me that JeRayle had gotten into modeling. I messaged him and told him I would love to do a shoot with him sometime. Luckily, he was just as into the idea! :) A few weeks ago, we did a shoot in Dallas, where he lives now. Here are some favorites...

Doesn't he have such a killer smile? :)

I really can't take credit for capturing this great laugh -- a crazy bus driver lady who pulled over to yell at JeRayle {"Smile! Smile! Smiiiiile!"} gets all the credit here! haha

Two of my absolute faves!!!

This is possibly my favorite from the whole shoot. Love his expression here!

My friend Brandie came along and helped on this shoot! She was great entertainment!! :) Thanks, Brandie!

JeRayle~
Wow, I am so glad we made this shoot happen! I had a great time hanging out with you! You have what it takes to make it big-time! Remember me when you are famous! ;)

~abi~

TAPS

2010-02-08T20:28:00.003-06:00

This weekend was my first time to attend a TAPS event. TAPS=Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. They had a Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp at Fort Riley, Kansas, this past weekend. I attended along with my parents, siblings, niece and nephews.
It is a bit difficult to describe the weekend. Since it involved a lot of tears and many emotions, I hesitate to call it a "good" time. But it was good. As I was driving back to Oklahoma afterward, I was trying to think of an adequate description of what the weekend was like for me...And I think I came up with one. Please bear with me as I try to explain..... Have you ever cooked a microwavable entree? You know, the ones that come with clear plastic tightly sealed over the top? The ones you are supposed to jab a few times with a fork or knife to perforate before you start to cook it? Okay, so you know what I am talking about. I feel like those microwavable entrees are a pretty good picture of my grief. How? Well, first of all, anyone who knows me at all, or even reads my blog, follows me on twitter, or is friends with me on facebook, knows I lost my brother Jack just a few months ago, on September 29, 2009. So, much like a microwavable dinner with the clear plastic covering, my grief is visible to those who care to check. And there have been "perforations" - such as the memorial for Jack at Fort Lewis, his funeral, a song on the radio, a conversation that did or didn't happen, etc.; these perforations allowed some of my grief to seep out here and there. And this weekend? Well, it was like when you take that dish out of the microwave and first peel back one corner of the clear plastic. You know how the steam rushes out? This weekend was like that for my grief. It rushed out a bit. And it was somewhat of a relief. I know that it was just a small "corner" that was peeled back, and there's lots more grief where that came from, but it was a release of some pressure. So, maybe my eyes were swollen for the next twenty-four hours...That's a small price to pay for finding some relief, a bit of a release, from the grief I carry inside.

Here are some photos from the weekend:

My nephew Daxon on the bus-ride to the base; my dad and mom...

My nephew DJ, my brother Abe, my nephew Jace, me, my sis Amber, my niece Laila, my sis Mandi, my dad, my mom...

They had essential stuff for us on the tables, including these, of course...

We all made name signs so it would be easy to get to know one another...

There were also pipe cleaners, candy, and play-doh for us to fiddle with/enjoy. Smarties were some of Jack's favorite candy, and I twisted his name while listening to one of the speakers...

This is Darcie. She led the seminar, and she was awesome! She said some things, out loud in front of everyone, that I thought I had only felt in my heart. And she was hilarious!! {Sorry I caught you mid-sentence here, Darcie.}

This guy was pretty cool, too. Now, I know nothing about medical stuff, so I might have jumbled this in my brain, but I am pretty sure he told us that he had technically been dead for something crazy like fifteen minutes before he was revived! He offered to answer any questions from us about that whole experience.

Here is Abe molding some play-doh while listening intently...

And here's a little dude I shaped...

While we were doing our seminar, the kids were all enjoying the Good Grief Camp. Here's a pic Laila snapped of DJ writing a note to Jack. They tied the notes to balloons and let them go.

We did the same thing. I liked that our notes were written on tissue paper, since I figured that would disintegrate before it would end up in a stranger's hands. Here are some images from our balloon release, which was perhaps my favorite part of the day.

They had some old school Cavalry horses and tents there to show the kids...

Jace made a new friend, and got some signatures on his arms: one sig was the K State mascot, the other was a K State football player! TAPS and Fort Riley really went all out to make this a special, healing day for the kids!!

DJ and Laila met football players and hung out with soldiers also. And they made this very cool collage all about Jack. Didn't they do an awesome job??

Here are some of the great soldiers who volunteered their time that day to hang out with the teens and kids!

I'll end with an image from the slide show of fallen heroes...

If you are still reading, I just want to say thank you! You might have noticed that this blog has taken a subtle change in direction lately. I have been posting more personal stuff than I ever shared before, and I am really loving having this outlet to share and record my feelings. I appreciate all of you who will stick through this change and growth with me.

Love,
~abi~

denice rocks the dress!

2010-02-04T20:50:00.003-06:00

I believe I mentioned here in a previous post the fact that after my brother Jack died this past September, some amazing ladies/photographers/friends covered a few weddings for me. One of those weddings I was unable to shoot was for two very cool people, Buckshot and Denice. My friends Heather and Lindy kindly agreed to shoot their wedding, which was just three days after I found out about Jack. Now, I hope you can all comprehend how much their {Buckshot, Denice, Heather, and Lindy!} understanding and compassion meant and means to me! I will be forever grateful!
Even though I missed out on shooting her big day, I told Denice that I would love to photograph her in her wedding dress, if she ever felt like slipping it on again. And during the holidays, after I tweeted a photo of a Christmas light display, she suggested we do a fun session with the lights! The idea made me ecstatic, of course! Not only would I get to hang out with Denice again {she really is a very cool chick!}, but I would have the chance to shoot a completely different session than anything I had done before! Which is saying a lot, since I have been doing this for eight-plus years now!!
As we were discussing the session, Denice told me that a friend had suggested she do a "Trash the Dress" session, which she had never heard of...So, she looked it up and was a bit horrified at the idea of actually trashing her gorgeous dress! I happen to feel the exact same way...even though I would shoot the pictures if someone actually wanted to trash their dress! haha! So, we decided that we needed to come up with a name for post-wedding bridal sessions that don't involve dress destruction. And Denice suggested "Rock the Dress" which I think is perfect! As she put it, it gives the brides a chance to "rock" their dress with different/funkier hair, makeup, accessories, etc.
So, I am excited to present to you Denice's Rock the Dress session!!!

I absolutely-completely-freaking loved all the fab accessories Denice brought along for the shoot!

Denice~
Thank you!!! For being so cool , for being so understanding, for talking with me even when the conversations were difficult! YOU rock! :)

~abi~

the tens...?

2010-01-25T21:21:00.004-06:00

Well, hello friends! Welcome to the New Year, the fabulous 2010!!! What's that you say? Huh? That happened like three weeks ago?? Oh well. So I'm a little late here...that doesn't concern me too much. What does concern me is this: In the future, how are we supposed to refer to this decade?!?!? Can someone please help me out here? Anyone?? It's been bothering me, in the back of my mind, for quite some time now! See, I was born in "The Eighties"...I was a teen in "The Nineties"...I became a photographer in "The New Millennium"...So where does that put us now? "The Tens"?? Really??? We've got to come up with a new defining phrase for this decade, peeps. :)

Okay, now that we have that out of the way, I thought I'd share a few pix from my Christmas, since that was a month ago. :) In 2008, I gave only handmade or used {thrifted, ebay-ed, or etsy-ed :)} gifts. This year, I pretty much stuck with that, but I also chose a "theme" for my gifts, and gave mostly books, with a few games thrown into the mix. I did buy a few new books, but only a very few. I ended up finding some great used books at great prices! I seriously enjoy reading, so I was very tempted to keep most of the books I bought for my siblings and parents--but I knew I would be able to borrow them eventually! :)

Here are some of the presents before I wrapped them...

Obviously, I cared more about the content of the books than the condition! :) But seriously, less than a dollar for The Boxcar Children?!? I loved that book when I was a kid!!!

I wrapped all my presents in this brown paper...

I think my family enjoyed and appreciated all the books, even though they were teasing me halfway through opening presents, having noticed my theme: "Hmmm, wonder what this one from Abi is? A book, maybe?" Ha.Ha. ;)

My nephews gave their gifts in paper bags they decorated themselves {they're cool like that--oh, and my ex-hippie mother gave them the idea :)}. Here is my present from Jace. He colored a camera on the bag!

But perhaps The Best Gift Wrapping Award goes to my brother, Abe.....He wrapped his presents in the dark, using a pocket knife to cut the wrapping paper. And I am not lying!!! Ohhh, Abe! Hahahahahaha! :)

And speaking of brothers, I would be lying if I didn't say that we all got rather sad at one point or another throughout the holidays, as we thought constantly about Jack, who is no longer with us. But we held his spirit close.

So, that was my Christmas here in Oklahoma, at my parents' house. A blizzard on Christmas Eve kept us from going to Iowa and celebrating Christmas with my extended family. It was the first time in my entire life that we were at my parents' on Christmas Day!! I didn't take pictures of all the snow, I stayed in the house where it was warm. Oh, and I did go sledding and took my little p&s camera along, but we shot mostly videos except for literally three photos. :)

I want to say that I am excited about this new year; and I guess I am a bit, as it has had a great start for me. But to be honest, I have been doing a lot of seeking {that's the best word I can come up with to describe my thoughts and feelings lately}, and I am praying for direct, clear answers from God soon. :) Perhaps He is teaching me patience. I have a lot of conflicting emotions going on in me right now, which is why I hesitate to say that I am truly excited about this year. But I can honestly say I am entering this year with a lot of prayer, and I am spending more time with Jesus than I ever have before, so that is exciting to me!

Now, if only I could figure out how to refer to this decade........ ;)

~abi~

happy birthday/happy new year!

2009-12-31T00:00:00.002-06:00

It is 12:01am as I begin this post, which means it is officially my 29th birthday!! I thought that I would start off this year the same way i used to end/start a lot of my teen years...sitting on my bedroom floor, writing.....Only now, instead of writing, I am typing on my macbook pro. :) And instead of a journal or diary, it's my blog. Oh, and instead of myself being the only one to read it {and feel ridiculous years later when I read it again}, I'm just putting it out there for the world to see! So I guess that means no writing my first name with cute-random-boy's last name...and no gushing about my huge crush on whoever-the-lucky-guy-might-be! haha!
So anyway, back to the whole writing as a teen thing: See, every year I would decide -the night before my birthday- that I needed to start journaling. Only, I knew in the back of my mind that I would never keep up with it {it's just not my nature}, so I would decide that at least I would write about my whole year on that one night. So I would start off, going into lengthy detailed descriptions...hmm, sort of like I am right now. And I would get caught up in the memories...and never once did I manage to really tell all about my year! But, I loved the reminiscing. {What? Like you guys don't reminisce with yourselves!} And I loved that MY new year was also the start of a New Year, so it was always a great time for self-reflection and evaluation! That aspect hasn't changed at all. And how funny that now, I actually do a way better job at "journaling" {blogging} than I ever thought I could. Okay, so I know I need to get like way better at it, but that's what twitter is for, right? haha! Well, I just read back over this post, and there really is no point to it. I had some profound thoughts in my head when I started writing...I think...But I have decided to spare you all! And I will spare you the overdone review of my year. After all, if you follow this blog, or my twitter, or are my friend on facebook, then you've probably already caught the highlights of my past year. I guess I just wanted to share a little with you about myself today, on my birthday. Oh, and I wanted to say HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Here is a photo from one of the best times of my year, my beautiful friend Cassie's wedding...{shot by the oh so talented Kelly Beane}:

And here is a verse I am claiming for this year:
Psalm 31:16 - Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
Or, as The Message puts it - Warm me, your servant, with a smile; save me because you love me.
Isn't that great?

~abi~

happy birth-month to me!

2009-12-21T16:56:00.007-06:00

Well, over a month has flown by since I last posted...and I thought I would give you a peek at what the month of December has looked like for me so far! December is my birth month, so I always have high expectations for it in general, and this one has been packed full of great stuff! :) Hope you enjoy the photos, many of which were snapped with my trusty little point and shoot, the Canon PowerShot {other than the ones from actual shoots, of course}. :)

Things started off with a wonderful date with my nephew Jace! We hung out at Incredible Pizza, then headed downtown to run around Bass Pro Shop {he loves all boy things like hunting and fishing!} and check out some cool lights! I have a million adorable pix from that night, but I narrowed it down to a few...

My nephew DJ and I also had an awesome date night! We ate some pizza and hung out at the local Hastings before heading to look at Christmas lights...

And then we snapped pix of each other in the Moore Warren Theatre while waiting for New Moon to begin {he's read all the Twilight books!}...

Should I care that the pic he took of me is sharper and has better composition than the one I took of him?? :)

I also celebrated my sweet friend Kelly's bday with her...

...We enjoyed seeing our favorite local artists in a live show! Here's my fave: Ali Harter!!

And I've seen beautiful light displays with my fam...

...Done family portraits for several awesome families...

I've also attended a few Christmas parties...{at my lifegroup party, enjoying a treat made by my talented friend Brandie!}...

...{at the photographers' Christmas party playing a mad game of Jenga!}...

...{at my super-fun work party with my gorgeous sis Mandi}...

I shot a sweet maternity session for my cute-as-can-be friend Cheri...

...And did a shoot of some of my FAVORITES!!! My precious niece and nephews...

My last official shoot of the year was this past Sunday evening, and boy was it a great one--if I do say so myself! haha. But really the credit goes to my lovely subject, Denice! She saw a pic, which i had posted on Twitter, of the above Christmas lights; and she messaged me on Facebook about doing a non-trash-the-dress session there! :) I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will post more soon, but I couldn't resist giving her and you all a sneak peek!

So, from the bottom of my heart, I am wishing you all the very best and happiest holidays!!! Thank you to everyone who has been a support and encouragement to me, especially over the past few months! There is a lot more still to happen in this lovely month, and i hope to squeeze in at least one more post before the end of the year! :) For now, I hope you have enjoyed this update! Leave a comment and let me know what you have had/will have going on this December!

~abi~

throwback thursday: a best friend's wedding!

2009-11-19T16:47:00.004-06:00

When I was thirteen years old, I was just trying to be cool...you know, like all thirteen year olds. Except I was trying to be cool while being raised in an ultra-strict environment...while only being allowed to wear long skirts {no pants! no jeans!}...while not being allowed to listen to any music other than hymns...and limited contact with boys. Needless to say, it was somewhat difficult for me to be "cool." :) But oh, how I tried! There were a few times and places back then when I had a little more room to spread my wings. At church camps and youth conferences, yes we were watched closely, but with hundreds of other teens around, it was easier to push the boundaries a bit.
The summer of my thirteenth year I was living in Iowa, and I attended a church youth conference here in Oklahoma. It was a week long conference, and during that week, I made some cool new friends! I remember it like it was yesterday....There were these cheesy "Get to Know Each Other" surveys in our welcome folders. My friend and I spotted some cute boys that we wanted to talk to...and since I was the always-bold, never-shy one, I made the approach with a survey in hand. I asked them a ridiculous question off the sheet, and one guy came back with an even more ridiculous answer! His name was Michael, and if I was bold, he was {and is} absolutely brazen!! He had us laughing from the minute we met him, and we hung out with him and his group of friends {from Omaha, NE} for the rest of the week. When we left at the end of the week, we all exchanged addresses {no cell phones or emailing for us at the time}, and surprisingly enough, it didn't end there! We kept in touch throughout the year, and saw each other again the next year at the same youth conference. And so it went for the next few years. Each year, our friendship deepened, and we found more times and ways to see each other. Over fifteen years later, Michael and his best friend Nathan {who I also met that first youth conference} have become two of my very best friends! And through them, I have met and developed some of my other very best friendships! We have attended each others' graduations and been a part of each others' weddings--well, not mine obviously. :) We have comforted each other, supported each other, and unconditionally loved each other! I am so thankful for this strong group of very cool friends I have. :)
As I read over what I have written here, I feel slightly melancholy as I remember the carefree days of our teen years. We thought we had it difficult then, but God knew we would need each other as we grew older and experienced some serious heartaches in life. Still, we are so very blessed to have this friendship that cannot be explained through mere words, but can only be felt with the heart!
Earlier this year, Michael got married, and I had the absolute privilege of shooting his wedding! Now, I always love my job, and I truly enjoy shooting weddings...but there is something very special about shooting a dear friend's wedding! I remember telling Michael and Vanessa on their wedding day: "At this moment, on this day, there is honestly no other place I would rather be, than right here, doing what I am doing!"

Here are the photos...

I love this pic because Michael looks so happy, and also because of Nathan's silhouette on the left...

Vanessa's mom adjusts her veil...

Vanessa and Michael are both so expressive! Love it! :)

I would like to nominate these two for The Cutest Ring Bearer and Flower Girl Award! :)

Michael's mom looks on with pride during the ceremony...

There were tears during Vanessa's dance with her dad...

...And there was laughter when Michael danced with his mom...

The toasts also brought moments of laughter...

...And lots of tears {including the ones streaming down my face!} as Michael talked about his amazing mother and all that she means to him!

{Mrs. Sayers, I love you!!!}

After all that, a full-on dance party broke out! I had trouble narrowing down all the fun dancing shots!

There were sweet couples...

These two couples are part of the amazing group of friends I rambled on about at the beginning of this post. Left to right, they are: Shane & Bre, Betsy & Nathan. I love these people!! :)

...And there was lots of fun dancing!

Michael & Vanessa~
I love you guys so much!!! Your friendship means the world to me, and I am thrilled that I was able to capture your awesome wedding day! I am truly blessed to have you in my life!

~abi~

a breath of fresh air

2009-11-13T15:02:00.002-06:00

As I have mentioned before, my grandparents live on a farm up in Iowa. It is beautiful and serene, and it just feels like home! Whenever I am there, I feel a calmness and a sense of peacefulness.
Several years ago, I shot a wedding in Wyoming, and a couple of years ago, I shot one in Montana...Both times, I had that same feeling come over me as I do when I am at my grandpa's farm. Recently, I drove down to Marlow, Oklahoma, to shoot this lovely engagement session for Eric & Taryn. Once again, I experienced the feeling of being "at home" even though I had never been to that area before. We shot all around Taryn's family's land. As I was going through the photos, I experienced that inner peace and happiness--like a breath of fresh air. I hope you enjoy this glimpse of the beautiful countryside Oklahoma has to offer! :)

Taryn's grandma scouted out locations for us to shoot! Didn't she do a great job?? :)

This is the barn where Eric proposed to Taryn!

shadow play...

Thanks to Taryn's niece for letting us borrow her horse for this pic! :)

So romantic!

I <3 sunset light!

Taryn & Eric~
You guys were a joy to photograph! I really loved every minute of your engagement session, and I am looking forward to your winter wedding! You both demonstrate love, faith, goodness, kindness...and some more fruits of the Spirit! :) Can't wait to visit Marlow again!

~abi~

family ties

2009-11-03T16:14:00.003-06:00

So, I have been struggling with how and what to blog...I don't want to just go back to "normal" like nothing ever happened, like losing my brother has not changed my very being...But, on the other hand, I do believe mine is an overall joyous occupation, celebrating individuals, families, and love. I don't want to cloud all of my posts with my own sadness. So, like I said, I have been struggling. This post is easier, because it is of a family so close to my heart, a family interwoven throughout my personal history.
My family has always lived farther away from my grandparents' farm than most of our other relatives do. When I was younger, I always loved get-togethers at grandma's for so many reasons, not the least of which was getting to see my cousin and one of my best friends, Kayla! We would always beg my parents and her parents to let me spend the night over at her house. Now, in case you don't know, I was raised very strictly, so I didn't get to spend the night with very many people, but thankfully my Uncle John and Aunt Becky were on the list of approved chaperones. ;) I have so many great memories of fun times with Kayla!

When I was up in Iowa recently to attend the annual family hayride/bonfire out at my grandparents', my Aunt Becky asked me to do some family portraits for their entire family. I really enjoyed the shoot, as I have recently been so severely reminded of the importance and preciousness of family photos.

{A fun fact: my Aunt Becky is one of my mom's nine siblings/one of her seven sisters! :)}

Here is the entire Engle family...

my cousin Kayla, my Aunt Becky, my cousin Keith, my Uncle John, and my cousin Kim...

Kim is the oldest of John and Becky's three. Here is her adorable family... {I got a few where they were all looking at the camera, but I just loved this one with the boys messing around. :)}

And here is Kayla's beautiful family...

{Funny story about the above photo: When Kayla and Jason started dating, I bet her a Mountain Dew {yes, the pop--we were obviously mature teenagers} that the next time I saw her she would have a different boyfriend. Over ten years and five kids later, I still owe her that Mountain Dew! :)}

John and Becky with their grandkids...

the boys... {awww!!!!!}

pretty girls...

sibling love...

"Okay, everybody lean in clooooose!"

the couples...

The girls wanted a pic of ALL the girls in the family...

John, Becky, and family~
You guys are so special to me! Thank you for trusting me to document your family! Also, thank you for being a tower of strength, love, and support for my family to lean on!

~abi~

jaded

2009-10-30T15:25:00.004-05:00

Well, it has been a while since I have posted some pretty photos, so I wanted to come back with a bang. I needed something to lift my spirits today, so I decided to work on these portraits of my lovely friend Jade. Jade goes to my church, and she is such a sweet girl with a heart for God! Since I first met her, I have been so inspired by Jade's awesome fashion sense, so I asked her to pose for me sometime in a fun, stylized shoot! When the fair was going on a month or so ago, I thought it was the perfect place to do our session, especially because I had also been wanting to do a fabulous shoot with all the fun lights at the fair.

I played around with some off-camera flash, which I don't use very often...

Jade~
Thank you for humoring me and agreeing to do whatever I asked in order to produce this shoot! You rocked it like a pro! :) You are the COOLEST girl!! :) Also, and more importantly, thank you for your friendship and for sharing your kind heart! Love you!

~abi~

De Oppresso Liber

2009-10-14T15:03:00.004-05:00

The words do not come easily for this post. My world has changed...The days and hours and minutes pass differently now...Priorities have shifted. I am choking back the tears as I write this. Two weeks ago today, my mom called me and told me I needed to come to her house. I knew something was wrong, but was in no way prepared for the sight that greeted me when I opened the front door to my parents' house. My dad was straight in front of me, his face wet with tears. As I felt my mom's arms close around me, I saw out of the corner of my eye two men in military uniforms. They didn't have to say anything, but they did...As I cried, "No! No! NO!" they simply shook their heads and said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." One by one, my other siblings, along with my niece and nephews, arrived to learn the news: My brother Jack had been killed the day before, September 29, while serving with the Special Forces in the Philippines. It was horrible and sad, the worst day of my life.
There is so much I could write, but right now I just want to touch on a few things...
First, I want to give thanks. I am thankful, so very thankful, for having had Jack in my life for 26 years! He was a great man. I am thankful for the lives he helped and touched, and for the difference he truly made in this world! I am thankful that he married Ashley, and for how they changed and grew together into an amazing team with a love so apparent and strong! I am thankful for my family, friends, and church family--my amazing support system, who have helped me survive these past two weeks! I am thankful for my faith in Jesus Christ, Who has made this bearable. I am thankful for God's Word, which comforts me.
Second, I am hurting. I am hurting for Ashley, my beautiful friend and sister-in-law, who lost her world. She and Jack were amazing together, and my heart breaks all over again each time I think about her loss! I am hurting for my parents...Oh, how it hurts to watch them go through this unnatural process of grieving the loss of their youngest child. I am hurting for my siblings, as each of them had their own distinct bond and relationship with Jack. I am hurting for my niece and nephews, whose young minds and hearts are struggling to comprehend this loss. I am hurting, period. For myself. Wishing I had more time with Jack, that I could see him again, hear his voice, laugh at his jokes, feel his arms hug me. I am also hurting for his brothers in the Green Berets. Oh, and I am so thankful for them, too! Thankful for what they were to Jack, and for what they are still doing to help this world!
Which brings me to the third thing I want to touch on today..."De Oppresso Liber"...It is US Army tradition that the phrase is Latin for "[to free from oppression]" or "[to liberate the oppressed]". {Wikipedia} It is the motto of the United States Army Special Forces. It is what Jack gave his life for...to free the oppressed. I can find comfort in knowing that he was helping people, serving as a medic and ministering to the needs of those around him.
I realize this is an unusual post. I write it simply to share my heart and my emotions at this difficult time, and to ask for prayer. Also, I write it for myself, to try to begin to heal, and to be able to remember my feelings.

Here is the last photo of Jack and I together:

John 11:25 and 26 -
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

~abi~

life-changing moments, both good and bad

2009-09-11T08:54:00.004-05:00

A few years before 2001, my life was forever changed and marked by September 11. I was 16 years old as I walked into a hospital room on that date. The year was 1997. I was not there for any sad or tragic reason, actually it was quite the opposite. I was there to meet my first nephew, Devon Justice, who was just a couple hours old. He was an adorable, chubby-cheeked newborn...seriously! :) He weighed in at 9 lbs 9 oz! Of course, it was love at first sight for me! Twelve years later, I love him more than ever, even with his preteen attitude. ;) Today, I just wanted to start this post off on a happy note about something wonderful that happened once on September 11.
Of course, a few years later, on Devon's 4th birthday, the horrible terrorist attack occurred, and it changed our great nation forever. I was staying with my wonderful friend Kristina in Virginia Beach the week before her September 15, 2001, wedding. I had just dropped her off at work {so I could use her car that day} and was driving back to her family's house on September 11. I had the radio on, listening to a morning talk show. When they said a plane had flown into the World Trade Center in NYC, at first I wasn't even sure if they were serious. After a few minutes, I realized it was for real. By that time, I was back to the house, so I went in and turned on the tv. I sat with Kristina's grandma and we watched in horror as the second plane flew into the Tower. I remember feeling so scared, and wanting to be with my family, who were so far away in Oklahoma. I called my mom, looking for reassurance. All we could do was pray. As an American, I had never before experienced the emotions I was feeling. It was another life-changing moment. I realized for the first time ever how vulnerable our country was, and therefore how vulnerable my life is and the lives of my loved ones are. I saw the effects of evil, and felt the very real fear it brings.
My younger brother, Jack, was in the Army Reserves at the time of the attacks. Like so many others, he was activated and prepared to go to war. Through various circumstances, he didn't end up being deployed for a few years. I never thought that the war would still be going on all these years later. But, like thousands of other Americans, I too have now experienced having a loved one gone to war. My eyes are filled with tears at this moment as I think of the soldiers and their families whose lives have been profoundly changed by this war. My brother is alive and well, but others were not so blessed. I think of one personal friend who did not suffer physical injuries, but he has changed so much as a person since being deployed. People have lost faith, suffered hurt, and find it hard to trust others as a result of war. My thoughts and prayers are with those who are still out there defending our great nation. Please pray for my brother as he is one of those soldiers.
I know this is not a typical post for me: one filled with pretty pictures and happy emotions. But this is what was on my heart, so I wanted to share. I would like to leave you with a passage of Scripture to reflect on...Whenever I am feeling a bit down, I turn to Psalms for comfort. I love reading from the King James Version, because it is like poetry with the old fashioned wording. This is Psalm 11:

1 In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.s3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.s7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

throwback thirsday: a change is in the air...

2009-09-03T21:12:00.003-05:00

The weather here in Oklahoma this week is starting to feel a bit like fall...You know, the cooler breezes, leggings instead of bare legs, back to school, and dare I say it, longing to watch a football game, type of weather. At the beginning of every season, that particular one is my favorite! I just love the feeling of change, of a new season. Funny thing is, I also fear change, and sometimes I even dread it...This is something I am working on.
There has been a stirring in my heart lately. A longing for change. God is at work in me, and as much as I fear the changes He is bringing about, I also welcome them. I would love to have your prayers for guidance and clear decisiveness in my actions. I really am not trying to be cryptic, I am just not quite ready to share what's on my heart...but I'm almost there!
Someone else who has experienced a lot of change, and is facing even more, is my lovely subject in these photos: Wiebke. You see, Wiebke was a foreign exchange student last year at Yukon High School. She came over from Germany to attend her senior year here in the states...Only, it wasn't really her senior year. She explained to me that the schooling system is different there, so even though she was a senior here in the US, she will be a senior again when she gets back home to Germany. In fact, she might have even said she has two more years of school, but I can't remember for sure. So anyway, she obviously made a brave decision to go to the other side of the world and live and experience something totally different than the norm for her. Wiebke told me that they don't do senior portraits in Germany, so she really wanted to do them here as part of the whole "senior year in America" experience. My sister coached Wiebke in tennis, so she convinced Wiebke to have me do her pictures, and I am so happy she did! I was thoroughly impressed by Wiebke!! She was very well spoken, cultured, and kind! We had great conversation as we shot, and Wiebke was genuinely excited about the photos as I showed them to her on the back of the camera. She is such a sweetheart! Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about her!
We did this session after the end of the school year last year, so really this is a "Throwback Thursday" post. Wiebke is now back in Germany. Anyway, on to the photos!

Bam! Thought I'd start this off with a bang. :) This sorta reminds me of a Gap ad or something...

I just love the tension Wiebke is portraying in this shot! She was sooooo good in front of the camera!

Love the shot on the right, when I caught Wiebke blowing her hair off her face!

It was suuuper-windy that day, which made for great windblown supermodel hair! :)

Not only is this one of my favorites from Wiebke's session, but it is perhaps one of my fave portraits I have ever done! :)

Wiebke~
I hope you are having a great time being back at home in Germany! Thank you for choosing to have me do your portraits! I know that you have a great future ahead of you! You are a beautiful person in every way!

~abi~

coming soon to a blog near you...

2009-08-21T16:43:00.004-05:00

Well, I told myself I wouldn't get behind on blogging again...but that's what has happened. So, in order to motivate myself to get caught up, I am posting a preview of several awesome shoots I will be blogging soon! :)

An adorable little girl...

A very cool mommy-to-be...

Another little girl who I love! :)

The lovely Anna's fab bridal session...

...And her love-filled wedding to Cody...

Micheal and Vanessa's sweet wedding...

Hai and Kelly's unique and totally cool wedding...

And the unbelievably gorgeous Weibke's senior portraits...

Are you excited to see more??? :)

On another note, I will be leaving tomorrow night to make the long drive up to Syracuse, NY. I will be gone for just over a week, and I am so excited to be shooting a wedding there, as well as having a little time to relax! :)

~abi~