I did this today

and I loved it. :)

(in draft, it's not showing my edits and special effects. grrr)

If you know who's in these pictures, don't tell her you saw them till she posts some. :) Thank you.

A Tribute to a friend

These are all the pictures I could steal from the Internet of my friend Mehgan Porter. I would like to call her my friend, even though that's a stretch. More accurately, I could say I am an admirer of hers and a friend to her Mom. Mehgan is only maybe 32 years old, the oldest of 6 kids and after battling stage 4 colon cancer since the fall of 2010, died tonight surrounded by all her immediate family in California. Her mom emailed everyone just now with the news. Just last week their family was told Mehgan had 6-8 weeks left. I know they used this week wisely to help her know their love for her to make her transition smoother.  I can't go to sleep without documenting my own feelings about it all.
Her mom, Mari, was my Young Women's leader in my youth. I even got to babysit their then, 3 kids a couple times. When I became an adult, we became friends and when Mike and I were living in California with my parents, Mari was my Visiting Teacher (the best one I've ever had in fact) and Aldric was our home teacher. Mari has been sending updates on Mehgan's set backs and triumphs for the past few months and I'm so grateful as we were really able to help pray and send our love and support. The kids even sent a 'hug' to her of their hand prints to help cheer her up after a round of especially tough treatments.
Mehgan accomplished much in her life that I am aware of. Somehow, she had alluded marriage-maybe cause she was sort of a no nonsense tom boy lol but she is, what I know, so smart-hard working, passionate about life and her family, funny and kind among many other traits I'm sure. I'm not sure how long she practiced but she worked hard and earned a law degree and passed the bar. She was working as an Attorney at her diagnosis I know. I was told she also enjoyed helping her dad Aldric Porter work on the films he was working on. She got to go to the North Carolina set for Hunger Games for a month or so and on her blog said she loved the experience. I think she also wrote her own screen play, finishing it up despite her treatments. I don't know what it was about or if it's intended for t.v. or film but I admire that she was dedicated to write.... Anyway, I want to remember her here on my journal so I don't forget that I loved her and love her family so much. Her parents have always been generous with Mike and I with their friendship and our hearts hurt for the earthly life they have lost but are grateful to know they are at peace that she isn't suffering anymore. They have an amazing resiliency in this hard time, including their understanding that she is in a perfect place, free from pain, with loved ones and because she had a strong faith in God, they know she is with him too.

"She brought out the best in all who knew her, and she will continue to inspire us to be our best selves. We know she is being joyfully welcomed by those who have gone before, and is wrapped in the arms of our Savior, who will easily say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." - her mom Mari"

This is an article I found written about her this year: http://www.californiaysa.org/featured/it-doesnt-take-much/
I'm sorry I will not be able to go to the services but I have a great mommy who will send our love and report back to me on what will be, I'm sure a beautiful service this Saturday. Bless you Porter Family, we are praying for your peace. xo Mike & Lila


...And on her farm she had a Horse... and a Dog...

e- i, e-i, ooooooooooooooo

hehehe. This is my friend Jodi who lives in Nashville but was down this weekend at her parents farm. They have some horses that I hoped the kids would like. I did not get a picture of Cora Grace's reaction but let's use our imagination of what, she did NOT like the horses, looked like. :) Evan trusted Jodi so he pet them but they were pretty big animals and both kids had an ingrained respect that they could be squashed if they didn't behave. :) Both horses we met were sweet hearts and very patient with 2 toddlers near by. Jodi's dog Gizmo was a gem. Poor thing was constantly trying to escape the kids but in a way, I think he enjoyed their youth and energy. he he he. At least that's what I tell myself. ENJOY! xo

Story of Evan's life these days: A shadow of cuteness behind CG's gorgeous curls! :)

Photographing Friends

I love my hobby!! I am so grateful we could afford to get a nice camera this year. I want to still learn to use it better but I'm so happy with what my ammature self produces. :) Here is my good friend Linda and her family who recently added some more estrogen to the mix with their first baby girl. Congratulations and thank you for letting me invade your space to capture some memories. :)

Photoshoot with a friend

Next door to me at Salon Suites is an AMAZINGLY talented hairstylist named Laketra. Anyone who's been to my shop knows I have a 'little' shrine to my family esp my kids of all the photos I take or my friend Shannon Hairr Photography takes for me :). One day a few months ago she she said how much she liked all my pictures and asked if I ever take anyone else's pictures. I was all spastic cause I LOVE taking pictures and was excited about a compliment such as this... I was like, "why, do you want me to take your pictures!? Please!?? I would love to!" She's way too nice but may have been thinking... 'these white people are crazy'. lol. Anyway, she totally wanted me to take pictures of she and her daughter and I was excited. As time got closer to take the pictures (we were waiting for the shed to get finished cause we were using my back yard), he cute daughter couldn't be there, but next time! So, July 18th, I took these pictures in my back yard of just Laketra for my first official amature photo shoot! Whoot woot! I had such a fun time and she totally threw me off by how gorgeous she showed up at the house. I don't know what I expected but she glowed. I felt honored to take her pictures and she loves them so that's all that matters (she also has asked if I want more 'clients' cause 4 of her friends want me to take theres! engagements and pregnancy... i'm thinking about it but have a lot on my plate right now. but SO so SOO flattered). With no further adieu...

Laketra

{personal favorite}

Our big Week... End. Before our new beginning.

After the already documented day of court on April 25th, C.G. was out of it...

... but still oh so good and cute. Daddy didn't mind lending her a shoulder. :)

The kids totally earned a little swim party after naps. They had the best time together and Evan figured out how to make the squirt toys squirt water for the first time ever:

um... yes. this IS the cutest bathing suit you've ever seen. ha ha. it was a gift at her baby shower that is finally fitting her. I couldn't bring myself to putting a big ol' diaper on her cause her buns looked so adorable in it! Thankfully she was potty free.

 Fast Forward to Saturday, April 30th, We are at the temple to FINALLY be sealed to Cora Grace. Ahhh... What a beautiful day it was by the way.

 And the friends and family that were able to make it to the ceremony are below (minus Chuck Scott who had to get home to Freda who wasn't feeling well. Sorry we missed getting your picture!). It was fun to take everyone's picture individually with Cora Grace. She loved it too? :) ha ha ha.

2nd couple: Amy and Asher, we had only met through the phone and computer through Tennessee FSA and we invited them to come, partly so we could finally meet them! Thank you guys so much for coming to our sealing, it was very special to have you there to celebrate the joy we share in Adoption.

 Here's the girl of the day... Cora Grace. Her dress was made by my sister in law Jennifer who is married to my brother Bennett who came to the Sealing and Blessing with my mom. Ben and Jen are the parents of Juliet (thier #4) who is 4 hours older than C.G. and just as cute. Let me just also mention that Jen made this dress while caring for 4 children, one being a nursing 6mo old and a husband. She hurried the job too because we thought we would be doing this 5 months ago. I am so happy her dress still fit after being made in December. That is a little blessing cause she worked so hard on it and I loved the design so much. Thank you Jen, you know we love you so much, we wish you and the kids could have made it out but we'll plan another time for you to make a trek to Tennessee from California. ha ha ha.

Our friend Rachel took many of these pictures of us. Thank you so much, we really appreciate your generosity and we got some good shots!

don't worry, that's Rachel's shadow to make sure she didn't fall while I took this picture. whew.

see! ;)

Not only did Jen make the dress but she made this bracelet for Cora and she even made it the whole day before riping it off and losing it. I found it later near her crib. Thankful. :)

My Mommy, Karla and my brother Bennett (6th of 11 children) were the representatives for my 10 siblings. :) If only airfair wasn't so ridiculous right now, more would have been able to make it but we were happy that anyone could come from California and we definately felt the love of all my family who wanted to come. I'm working on a transporter for any future events ya'll want to come to so you won't have to miss so much work or spend so much money to come see me (and vice versa). We enjoyed the 2 of you. We aren't used to that little of family around when we're together are we? ha ha ha. Usually we have around 30 people minimum at our family get togethers... homesick for California all the sudden.

Our local temple here in Franklin/Nashville Tennessee. We feel so blessed to have a temple so close to our home.

Sunday, May 1, 2011 was Cora's blessing. Michael gave it and was assisted by Bennett W. Spencer O., Stephen J.,  Christopher W., and Joel R. (maybe missing someone? hope not, sorry if I am). It was very nice: blessed that she was surrounded by love by parents, family and ward family. that many prayers were given in her behalf that she would be here. blessed to be strong, healthy, happy and that she has a sweet spirit. she will have a strong bond with her brother. blessed to recieve an education where she will seek knowledge and share it with others. she will be blessed with a love of the scriptures and the words of living prophets and testimony of Jesus Christ that she will share with others. blessed to choose a worthy husband who she will go to the temple with and be sealed as a family and to have children. At the end she was blessed again to know she is loved by all those around her.

When Bennett came back to sit down he said she was doing gymnastics in their arms, ha ha ha. Michael said she did a 360. :). Normally babies are around 1 month and sleeping when they recieve this blessing but Cora's couldn't be done until finalization and she was practically a toddler. Good thing they were all strong men. :)

4 others besides myself took notes of the blessing, thank you so much. Not only will I keep it for her but now my family who couldn't be there can 'hear' it. :)

Papa George and Grandma Jennie came from Nashville to hear my blessing.
 (although I'm not sure how much they heard as they were graciously entertaining Evan so I could hear and write what I could. Thank you!)

Evan showing some love to his official sister. It couldv'e been worse. ;)