Tangerine Trees -

When I shot my Project 52 photo on Saturday, I took several, not knowing which one would catch my fancy until I got home....but then I got home and loved them all. The dusky greens, the mottled leaves, the bright tangerines, the globes of orange, the light bokeh, the slight sunflare. I can't stop looking at them...in fact I put my favorite up as my desktop and it is oh, so distractingly calming. 

I couldn't not share the rest of them. There is something so cheerily winter-oncoming spring about them. 

I'm so glad February is here! It seems like January swept by in a flurry of weddings and sadly, funerals too. I'm constantly reminded of how much joy and sorrow are intertwined in the Christian's life.

Here's a few things that went down recently & are going on:

1. I spent a wonderful, crazy-fast, super-blessed-love-stuffed weekend in NC with my dear friends for my friend Meredith's wedding....my cheeks hurt from smiling, let me tell you. I had the fantastic opportunity of not 2nd shooting, but given free reign of being 2nd hand....so I videoed quite a bit of it on my camera, which I've always wanted to do, so I LOVED that. So that's my next project to get out...their wedding video! I've got to edit and splice and put that all together. I loved being there and missed it all instantly when I left. I love love love Meredith & Graham and I love love love April and her kids.

2. Gabi & Abi are getting married in 3 weeks, and I'm so delighted to be 2nd shooting their wedding with our dear Shannon. I'm so excited about this that I start inwardly screaming every time I think about it. It's going to be on the beach - and I've never shot a wedding on the beach, so I'm stoked. Plus, duh. It's Gabi & Abi. Everything about them is so laid back and wonderful. And plus....I'm pretty sure this means I'll get my photographer's dream of shooting a wedding barefoot = WIN.

I'm also 2nd shooting a wedding with EmilyBrower for friends of mine who are in our daughter church....and I'm SO stoked about that. That one is in March! I love shooting with Emily, because I anticipate her needs and moves, and I love being the go-for person. Gopher. haha. My Daddy called me that growing up, and it has stuck, but I love doing that....which is why I love 2nd shooting!

3. Back to school! I took a break over the wedding and that week coming back, since I was editing pictures from shooting Darby's wedding shower the night I got back from NC - crazy week! I'm a little bit into Unit 2 of 6 units of my schooling from NYIP, and I'm feeling the burn to get back into it. I love it and I'm excited to start back....I've missed it!

4. Still teaching Sunday School! I've taught for almost 3 years now. I teach 3-5th grade, and I have 3 5th graders, 2 4th graders and 1 3rd grader! And man, they really keep me on my toes. They are all exuberant, enthusiastic, competitive, story-loving, dramatic, extroverts. And then there's me. HAHAHAa. Yeah. I love them, even with all our crazy and "ohmyword" moments. ;)

5. Planning fun things for my photography business! Think: fundraisers & giveaways. That's what's on my mind lately, at least!! I'm hoping to think up some fun ideas and share about that with y'all! And I've got to post lots of pictures from photoshoots on my business website - being behind is my life. haha.

Alright. I've got to study now. I wanted to catch y'all up on life!!
Love you. *hugs*
~ Jean Marie ~