Maternity Photography in Castle Rock, CO

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend, frolicking in the snow!!  Isn't that what we do... frolic in the snow?  In fact... I would venture to say all our lives could benefit from a wee bit more frolicking!! 

Our weekend was jam packed with activity!  Friday night Rod and I enjoyed a night out and in, dinner out and a movie in.  While Saturday and Sunday were filled with the kid's friends.

But before our weekend began, I had the sweet pleasure of meeting Kendra.

WoW!  What a story this beautiful mommy to be has.  I really just wanted to shove her in my car and take her to Starbucks and talk for a while longer, but something told me that might be a little weird or end with me being arrested for kidnapping, so I thought better of it. 

 I did, however, ask Kendra if I could share a bit of her story here with you and she graciously agreed.  We have so much to learn from each other.  

 Kendra is 21 years old and expecting her first baby, a girl... Aspen Grace.

But here's the twist.

4 years ago, while skiing in Switzerland (her mom is in the military and stationed in Germany) her skis got crossed and she dislocated her knee.  While at the hospital they discovered a tumor... bone cancer.

 She received treatment, the cancer was gone... but it came back.  Not once but four times.

Four times it came back and four times it has been treated and gone away.

Kendra has never made it a full year with out it returning.  

Two months before her 1 year anniversary, she found out she was pregnant. 

When she told me this, my mind was reeling.  How does a 21 year old girl, face a pregnancy and becoming a first time mom wondering if her cancer has come back?

 I share Kendra's story because I want to ask you to join me in praying for Kendra and for her baby Aspen.  Kendra needs to be wrapped up in the arms of The Prince of Peace. 

Dear Heavenly Father,  I bow at your feet and ask that you would be Kendra's Prince of Peace, that she would rest in your arms as she faces these final weeks of her pregnancy.  That you would hold her close and bring her comfort in this time of uncertainty.  I pray that your would bless her  and keep her that you would make your face shine on her and that you would be gracious to her, that you would turn your face toward her and give her peace. In Jesus' name. Amen

(Numbers 6:23-26)

Baby Photographer in Castle Rock, CO

Another sweet baby went and turned ONE!  

Why do they keep doing this to me!!!  They pull me in with their squishy little piggies, make me swoon with their precious expressions and then WHAM!  They turn ONE!

Emily!!!!  How could you!?!?

I can't stay upset when she is wearing those pink little puppy ears!!

And to that, the sweet expressions galore!!

I had a very difficult time choosing the photos for this sneak peek, Emily was turning out the cute expressions left and right!!!  So I had to go with a small sampling of all her cute little faces.

Oh my mercy!!!!  I just can't take the cuteness!!

And the award for "Best Boo Boo Face" goes to...

EMILY!!!!

It's hard to believe when these kiddos are so cute they can grow up to be 8 and 9 year olds that really know how to push your buttons!!!  Yesterday afternoon, the girls and I had a less than stellar time.  They had made some bad decisions with the help of some persuasive friends that lead them straight down the path of direct disobedience.  I discovered the "evidence against them" while they were at school.  They had dishonored, disrespected and disobeyed me and I was loaded for bear by the time they got home.  It did not go well, I was... mad.  And I made sure they knew it, pointing out each and every indiscretion, they had broken my trust, they had hurt me.

 They screwed up.   

I screwed up.

Later that night after the turmoil had died down and my kids were in bed, I was left with a great sadness...  when I looked at my reflection from that afternoon with my kids, I did not see the reflection of Christ but rather the reflection of someone who modeled anger in my life.  As I confessed my anger and lack of self control,  I prayed that the Lord would continue the work He is doing in my life and root out every unclean way.  

Today, after Bible study I was chatting with a precious women who was struggling with her own kids, grown adults with kids of their own.  Our conversation set me on a journey of thoughts concerning the subject of parents and kids this afternoon. 

I Peter 4:8 says "Above all, love each other deeply for love covers a multitude of sins." 

I realized I must learn to love deeply, be willing to risk every bit of me to show my girls the love of Christ who risked it all for me. 

As I pondered this I began to think about how God pursues us, He is relentless in how He never gives up and always runs after us.  Then it occurred to me that He has to run after us because we are running away.  We turn our backs on Him, heck, even go as far as to deny His very existence and yet, He is still there running after us.   Our kids will break our hearts, disobey and break our trust just as we have broken and sinned against the heart of God, but like Him we must never tire of running after them.  Imagine the comfort that comes when they look over their shoulder and see us running after them, even after they have behaved so badly.    Last night my kids choices hurt me, my hurt turned to anger,  I yelled... I screamed... but by the Grace and Power of Jesus Christ I will pick myself up, dust myself off and I will run after my kids always and forever because I want them to see a picture of Jesus Christ chasing after them when they look over their shoulder to see if anyone cared enough to come after them.  

To be a great parent we must never stop praying and never stop risking it all for the sake of our kids, we may stumble into Heaven's Gates battered and bruised from the hurt of chasing after those who are running away but great will be our reward when our Savior who gave his life in place of our's says 

"Well done! My good and faithful servant!!"

XOXO, Cija

www.3wishesphotography.com

cija@3wishesphotography.com

Children's Photographer in Castle Rock, CO

Finally!!!  I was back out taking pictures yesterday, it seems every time we scheduled this shoot... it snowed!!  But the 3rd time was the charm and we had simply lovely weather!

I am very curious to see what Katelyn is like when she grows up with all these brothers.

With she stand in contrast and be a girly girl or will she fight to show them who's boss and be a Tomboy?!?!

Leading this band of brothers is Jack 

(yep, I am going for it... I am going to try and call them all by their names!!)

Next is Sam (ya gotta love that smile!)

 And last but not least... Max! 

And of course, sweet baby girl... Katelyn

 Well, I am off to work on Emily's sneak peek...

See you again tomorrow!

Cija

www.3wishesphotography.com

cija@3wishesphotography.com

Fool Proof Solution

This would be one of those entries where it's more about what's on my heart than what's on my camera.

I have a nasty little habit.  One that drives me absolutely crazy! I have found the solution to my feeling worn out, stressed out and overwhelmed.  I have tried it over and over again and have a 100% success rate and yet...  I will go days with out taking advantage of this fool proof solution.





I will feel maxed out, tired and anxious and try every other thing I can think of before I will turn to my tried and true solution.
What is that?  Seriously?  What... is... that!!!!





Yesterday a friend and I started a Bible Study together, we curled up on my couch plugged in the CD and listened to the lecture as we filled in the blanks.  Ah...  there is just something about the Bible.  I could feel all the stuff that had settled in the bottom of my heart start to stir, I was feeling energized and hungry for more!  After the girls left for school, I couldn't wait to find a cozy spot to open the pages of God's word and just soak in it for a while.

When I take the time to turn my eyes back to the cross, on to the indescribable act of mercy and grace that Jesus preformed when He paid the penalty for my sins, my life is different.  In every single moment it is different!  To view this world and the circumstances that make up my day through the filter of Jesus's work on the cross changes everything!

As I sat in my chair, with my Bible on my lap and pondered my redemption, I remembered something that I wrote almost 4 years ago while reading through the Gospel according to John, and I felt compelled to share it here, with you.  Some of you are my friends that come here and read my blog because you love me, others are customers  who have become more than just client's who come here to follow my work and see what I am up too and other's of you may be here for the very first time.  Looking for a photographer, someone to take pictures of your family or your new little addition and you are wondering what in the world I am going go and go about. I read in my study this morning that "God blesses one to bless many" and yesterday my friend read a quote from a book to me that said something like "please! use what you do for the glory of God".  I am who I am and do what I do only by the grace and mercy of God, I want always for my focus to be on HIM and His Cross and I want you to know this wonderful Savior too!  So tucked between the photos I want to do what I do for Him.

August 12, 2009

I was reading in John about the crucifixion the other night, when I finished, I thought, why is it I read that like it's not a big deal, I wonder why it doesn’t move me like it should.  After journaling about it for awhile, I believe the Holy Spirit gave me the following thoughts. Ya know how when you hear on the news about a kid drowning  and you think "oh how terrible, I can't image" and then you go right back to cleaning... but when you hear about a church member's child that has drowned you spend more time pondering what they must be going thru, you might send a card or make a meal for the family.  But if your best friend's child drowned you would get in your car, sob the whole way over there, and cry out to God to help your friend.  You would hold her, help her make phone calls, help her plan the service, sit by her at the funeral, and be with her in the weeks and months ahead, you would call her on birthdays and holidays to support her in her grief.  Now, what if it was your child that drowned... your whole life would be devastated, you would be sick with intense grief; and yet the theme of this story is always the same... a child drowned.  Why did one impact you more than another... it's the relationship. The closer the relationship the more it moved you.  And then I realized how much more relationship I have to experience with God and Jesus, this is the closest I have ever been to God and Jesus and yet I realize how much more there is to experience in my relationship with him.  I as grow closer to him, I can expect the story of the crucifixion to move me more and more.

Newborn Photographer in Castle Rock, CO

Meet Briar Christine.  She is 3 weeks old and little sister to McKenna.

She is also how I spent my morning yesterday... I know, I am probably one of the luckiest people on earth, getting to plan with all these little lovelies!

 What a precious child!!  That face was meant to be in pictures!

Do you think I could get away with wearing one of those headbands?!  

I really do think I could rock it!

 It's a good thing I was never a "Rock Star" I would have been, oh what's her name...

Super eccentric, showed up to some awards show in an egg...

Oh well, you know who I mean.  

 But not little Briar, she had a classy understated fashion flair.

I love the picture below, just what do you think she is pondering...

My shoot was easy breezy, she was definitely ready for her first photo shoot!

PIGGIES!!!!

 There were extra bonuses for me.  Briar just so happens to live mighty close to my sister, Wendy and my brother Mick.  Now Wendy was at work but Mick was at home and it just so happened that my mom was on her way over to Mick's. So.... I got to have a very fancy lunch at the Taco Bell/KFC combo restaurant with my mom, my brother and my niece, Madison.

Well, I hope you are doing well and gearing up for the snow, do you really think we will get any?  The bummer is I really need to go to the grocery store, really, really bad but now it is going to be PACKED and the shelves will be bare!  Why oh why, didn't I go yesterday?!?!?

Let's see....

Photoshoot

Lunch with Mom and Mick and Madison (look at all those M's)

Bible book store (Steph and I are going to do The Patriarchs Study together)

Meeting with the tax lady, who just happens to be the girl's Sunday School Teacher

Dinner with the peeps

Homework

Ben's Sneak Peek

Oh... that's why!

Wish me luck!!!

XOXO! Cija

www.3wishesphotography.com

cija@3wishesphotography.com