Gripe Session

WARNING!!!  Lots of self pity ahead...


Everyday, for the past four months, as I get ready for the day I tell myself to give it a little more time.  "It" being weight loss.  Well, I'm an inpatient person.  I always have been.  And everyday is getting old.  Will I ever feel pretty again?  Will I ever look like myself again?

I love being a mother and I love Emmalyn so much, but I hate what having her did to my body and the camera does as well.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not complaining about my body without trying to change it... However, I could be doing a lot more, but I'm not doing nothing.

I have a wonderful husband who still loves me and tells me that it doesn't matter if I was 800lbs he would still find me attractive - psh!  Yea right!  If I can barely stand to look at myself, how could this amazing man want to look at me?

I want to blame it on the breastfeeding, but I know that's not it.  I know what I have to do.  I just needed to vent.  Then I think about all of the other things in life that are so much more important and I'm humbled.  Instead of getting angry at how I look I should be thanking God for the fact that I have the ability to use my arms and legs and change it.

I guess I'm sill the same person inside, just a bit more squishy on the outside : )

Prayers Please

Today, I am thankful for my brother's life.

Last night my brother and his friend, Amanda, left a chinese restaurant where they ate with my dad after hunting for deer, and found themselves upside down, beat up, and in need of emergency personnel.

On the way back to their dorms at the University of South Carolina Aiken campus, my brother lost control of his truck and as he was trying to correct it, the truck rolled four times and finally stopped on its hood.  Both my brother and his friend walked away from the scene of the accident.  They are currently in the hospital.

My brother will have surgery on his left hand from a shattered bone and he will be put into a back brace for three months due to a L4 compression fracture in his back.

His friend Amanda, will undergo spinal surgery tomorrow morning due to broken vertebrae in her neck.

Although they are both banged up a bruised and not to mention very shaken up, they are in good spirits and know they are very blessed to be alive and not have any worse injuries.

Through this upsetting incident, God has shown his love in many ways.  Amanda's step-father has come to Christ after practicing Judaism his whole life.

We are hoping that the testimony of these two spared lives will speak to others and show God's blessings.  However, they still need prayers for their health and the wisdom of the medical staff working on their cases.  Please pray for my brother and his friend as they recover physically and mentally.

 My brother, Justin and his favorite (only) niece. 

a photo for today

NEW BLOG!

I have a new blog specifically to showcase my latest photography work!  I'm so excited!  Check it out and be a follower!  It is brand new, so please don't mind the un-organization of it!

http://kaylawilkesphotography.blogspot.com

A Challenge for Me

Well, I'm sitting at home with my Emmy watching netflix while I should be packing for our trip to SC.  I'm also a bit nervous.  Caleb and I looked at our budget and decided that I would attempt to take our Christmas pictures this year.

For the past two Christmases of our married life, we have had our pictures taken by Sara Parker and she did an amazing job both times and I didn't have to worry about how they would turn out because I had all confidence in her.  However, with us in Alabama and her in SC it is hard to get together for pictures.  So I set out to search for a photographer in our area.  There are some great photographers in AL but we cannot travel far because Caleb's schedule is so busy!

I finally found a girl and we set a date, but on the day of our shoot, she canceled.  I will admit, I was a little heartbroken.  I have been looking forward to getting some pictures done of our family that I wouldn't have to worry about.  I'm always the one with the camera capturing the special moments, and in all honesty, I don't trust anyone else to do it.  I don't mind it.  I actually love it!  But this does pose a problem when it comes to needing photos of all three of us.

So, my search began again.

I searched, and searched, and searched.

I didn't like what I found.

So, Caleb and I discussed our options.  We came to the conclusion that I should at least try to get the photos I desire.

I. am. so. nervous.

I did tell Caleb that he will need to be very patient with me on the day that we decided to take the photos.

We shall see how this goes.  If my husband still wants to be my husband :)  and if we even get one good picture of us I will consider it a success.

This may not seem like a big deal to some, but for an aspiring photographer pictures mean a lot and having good ones mean even more.  There are so many things that are constantly going through a photographer's mind when they are shooting that other people don't even know to consider.  Things like shadows, composition, background, white balance, ISO, focus, light placement and the list goes on and on and on...

This will definitely be a challenge for me, but I'm totally up for it.  I will let you know how it goes!

Until then, I'll be taking photos for some South Carolinians which I'm much better at!

Life has been extremely crazy lately!  Emmalyn has been rolling so she is becoming a little more high maintenance and it will only get worse with the new things she'll be learning.  In my free time I'm editing like a mad woman in order to get caught up for upcoming photography sessions.

This weekend was especially busy.  On Friday night we asked the Skellys to be Emmalyn's Godparents.  They were thrilled and said yes.  On Saturday we went to a baby shower and then to Aplin Farms with our Bible study group.  After the pumpkin patch we headed to the Skellys house to grill out, watch some football and have a bonfire.  We had so much fun - we are not going to mention the part where the Gamecocks lost.  It was really great to be outdoors and with friends.

Emmy and her Godfather talking to each other.

The girls goofing off at the pumpkin patch (Aplin Farms)

Emmalyn.  I wonder what she is thinking.  Maybe "why am I sitting on the ground" or "why are my pants almost up to my arm pits?"  or "will this lady ever put that camera down?!"

Since I'm usually the one snapping all the pictures, there are a ton of photos of Caleb and Emmalyn, so when someone else offers to take a picture of all of us I jump at the opportunity!  This is one of the only family pictures we have.

I love this picture!

The men

Picture of the day

Apparently she wore herself out.

161.  Coming home to my smiley daughter after work

162.  trying a new recipe that my husband loves!!

163.  my pampered chef apple and pineapple cutters (Even my husband thinks they are worth it!)

164.  waking up to Emmalyn's sweet voice as she talks to her lovies

165.  Baby footie pajamas - I love putting Emmalyn in them because she looks absolutely adorable!

166.  Finding CDs that I thought I had lost forever!

167. a free Jenny Lind high chair for Emmalyn

168. Being asked to take the class photo for the current chinook class (its a helicopter)

169. Having my alma-mater, the Carolina Gamecocks, win against #1 ranked Alabama

170. My Jesus, who never leaves me

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today I decided on a whim to take a pregnancy test.  Not thinking it would actually be positive I took the test and laid it on the counter and went to grab some lunch.  After eating lunch and doing a few household chores I remembered my test and went to look at it before throwing it in the trash.  To my amazement this is what I saw. 

I stood in the bathroom for a moment staring at the word by myself trying, but not yet, comprehending all the realizations that come from this one word.  

Then I called my husband.  He was busy packing for training so at the moment he really wasn't interested in what I had to tell him, but he came anyway and all I could do was hand him the test with a big cheesy grin on my face.  

He was equally excited and bragged all that night about his amazing "super sperm"  (too much?).  We sat down together just taking the moment in.  Thinking of how drastically our lives had changed in one split second.  About 5 million questions about the future came to our minds.  

And now, a year later, I love this man so much more for the husband he is to me, but also for the father he has become.  And all due to God's amazing grace we have been blessed with the sweet sounds of baby babbles and the joys of toothless smiles.

Photos Galore!

A lot has been going on lately.  I've been busy with photo shoots, editing, fall cleaning the house, telling army friends good bye. and trying to find fall clothes that will fit my petite child.

I bought these adorable shoes for Emmy from Etsy. 

They are so cute!!

I'm in love with this new body wash for Emmy.  With fall apon us, this is just the right scent!

I did find Emmy some jeans and this pea coat.  Now I just need to find some pants for her that won't fall off her itty bitty body.

This is our front door fall decor.  The ribbon is from Wally World and the rest is from the Dollar Store.  Cheap and easy!!

The Waldo family has left us.  Yes, they've heard all the Where's Waldo jokes.  Adam graduated, packed up and left for North Dakota all in the same day.  We miss them already!  

This is what I found the other morning...maybe she got hot?!

Also, on Saturday I had the privilege to shoot this little man.  He is turing one year old this week!  He was so good despite being sick and not to mention the camera loved him!!  I'm so excited to start editing the pictures from this shoot.  

Again, I'll be in SC October 22-25 if anyone would like to book a session for family pictures.  Contact me for times and prices!

Ode to MAX

My family found out today that our dachshund, Max, pass away in his sleep at the kennel while my parents were on a cruise for their anniversary.  It was a shock.  He was not acting sick at all.  Granted the full bred pup was twelve years old and getting a bit slow, he was still the same dog I grew up with whenever I would visit.

My parents got him when I was 13, a few months after we lost my grandfather.  My brother and I loved having the puppy inside.
I remember my brother, who was six years old at the time, would grab a handful of dog treats and lay them in a line from the kitchen to his room in the mornings so Max would follow him and hang out.
I remember cuddling with Max on my bed while I studied or watched tv.
I remember my brother and I play wrestling and Max getting worried and barking until we stopped.
I remember getting up early one cold morning and sitting outside with him while it snowed - it was so peaceful.
I remember coming home from college on the weekends and seeing Max so excited that he wouldn't stop following me around
I remember him cuddling all day with my brother when he had the flu
I remember him killing the bat that got into our house one October - random, I know


My family has so many memories with him.  Pets become such a big part in a family and I big part of our daily schedules that it is hard not to be upset as if we lost a family member.   I will miss him.

Be the person your dog thinks you are.

Yes, this poor dog let me dress him up like this!

Posing!

Again, he was so cooperative.