Sunday, November 20, 2011

Hello, Hello!


Hi.


I've been missing y'all.


I shot that wedding I'd mentioned. It was a family wedding.


I was so, so nervous. I kept dreaming someone knocked my camera off the tripod and broke it and I didn't have a backup and we didn't get any pictures of the wedding day. Seriously, dreamed that a few times.


I prayed and prayed God would help me think through every click of a dial, through every adjustment, that I'd use my equipment well, and that I'd capture it all in a way they'd be thrilled with.


I sweated a LOT. I learned a LOT.


A word about The Engineer...I couldn't have done it without him. He toted everything, held the camera when my arms were exhausted, chased the sun and bounced the light right where I needed it. He was amazing. Indispensable. He was my biggest fan, my encourager. Definitely my better half.

I am so thankful to the Lord for the results and I hope, hope, hope the family feels like we captured the day well.



I'm going to give you a running update between wedding pictures.


I have zero pictures of my own children from the last two weeks of our lives. Every camera card I had was full...full of wedding pics. I was terrified of deleting them. I have since burned them all to disc and cleared off the memory cards.


We spent a week in Vidalia. The Engineer led his assessment and he kicked rear.


He completely rocked the entire thing. Got only positive comments.


The kids and I bedded down in the hotel...


Sister spent the first night throwing up. I literally got on my knees and pleaded with God to spare the rest of our family. And He did. And we gave thanks.


On night two, Little Bit ate a tube of toothpaste. I felt like a great mom. Poison Control was most helpful. Thankfully, it was a travel tube and she hadn't consumed enough to be "toxic." A little milk and a lot of tears later (because I took the tube away and used a towel to scrub out her mouth) and she was just fine.


Day three brought an exciting morning thanks to a horrific sound in the walls...like every pipe was going to burst. Little Bit was up and has taken quite an interest in the potty. She had just flushed it when the noise began. And I hadn't been in there with her.


I wasn't sure what, but I was sure she'd flushed something...so I called the front desk.


Maintenance was already on the way. Only, they couldn't find anything wrong in our bathroom.


I was relieved to learn it was the man upstairs. Not us. Whew.


Day four had it's own excitement. We'd just finished drying off after a long afternoon at the hotel pool when Little Bit declared she was going swimming again. I, of course, told her "no."


She looked me in the eye and walked right over to the pool steps. I was standing across the pool from her and told her again, "NO."


Without taking her eyes off mine she defiantly stepped into the pool...only she lost her balance and though she was on the steps and could touch, she couldn't right herself. She just thrashed, face down. I ran and jumped and cleared almost half the pool and swam the rest of the way to her. It was scary. Really, really scary. She gasped and threw up some water.


As soon as I could see she was breathing and would be fine I looked her in the eyes and said at least five times, "I told you not to get in the pool."


We got to spend some time on a farm feeding and petting horses. The same sweet friends who took us to the farm treated me and the children to dinner twice (The Engineer worked some loooong days) and enlisted the children's help decorating their Christmas tree.


We've been home for a week and my every spare moment has consisted of finishing freelance projects.


And I've been reminded afresh of why I quit freelance and why I just need to say "no."


Nausea has set in and I am so thankful for God's gracious provision. It hasn't been nearly as bad as with the others. I think the fact that we waited so long for this precious baby has made the sickness more bearable.


Last night, at 10:30 I told The Engineer I was super hungry. He went to Krystals for chili cheese fries and a cherry slush. That is so gross, I know. It tasted SO good to me. That's the first just, disgusting choice I've made food wise. Hopefully the last.


I cried a few nights ago. I felt rotten. Nauseated. I told The Engineer I felt like a terrible mother...no energy for playing with the kids...I felt like I was doing everything halfway. I was grumpy during homeschool. Just kind of a punk in general.


He held me and reminded me this is only a season. This too, shall pass. And he has been so supportive. So sweet. I love that man. With every pregnancy his compassion and love and kindness seem to grow.


I'm re-reading The Mission Of Motherhood because it was like a balm to my soul the first time I read it and my soul needs some balm right now.


It's the kind of book that reminds you why you're doing what you're doing...why this whole mothering thing is eternal business. That God is glorified in what feels like the mundane.


Right now, I need to be reminded of that. That God is glorified in the mundane...in the washing of dishes and clothes.


He is glorified in the vacuuming and the mopping, in correcting the umpteenth math paper...in reminding Little Man for the millionth time that there is only one Q in the alphabet.


So here's to a new and fresh week. Here's to living life in full color. Here's to noticing and seeing. And here's to washing dishes and pouring milk and even bouts of nausea - to the glory of God.

19 comments:

  1. {{{{hugs}}}} Jenn! Oh how I can relate to the pregnancy nausea thing. Yuck! But still so seriously happy for you guys and the little blessing growing within!

    I think your wedding photos turned out *fabulous*! I don't think I'd ever be brave enough to shoot a wedding. Seriously! *Love* how they all turned out! Nice job!

    Get some extra rest if you can! Perhaps it will help with feeling so "ucky." I do hope so!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have to say, as I read all that you have been up to and so busy with I just kept thinking, "She is pregnant! How is she doing all this?!" Then when you talked about your break down, I was like, "Okay, this is so me!" I have been there too not so very long a ago, only weeks ago, feeling like such a loser of a mother, doubting that my children were getting any good thing from me.
    How blessed we both are to have such loving and amazing husbands, mine did exactly the same as yours and continually affirms me and encourages me.
    I hope you get to feeling better, it will come, but it feels so slowly when your daily fighting nausea and fatigue.
    Gorgeous pictures! You look like you rocked the external flash! :) I'm working on my external flash skills too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jenn, so proud of you! The pics are fantastic; you deserve every bit of praise for getting through that! I cannot imagine! I took some pics for a friend recently and can relate to the sweat. Oh, my! And, love the MoM book. Good for me, too. In fact, after the week I had last, I may need to pick it back as well :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Big huge applause to you and your photography skillzzzzz! I especially love the one of them holding hands and you her pink ribbon showing from her dress. You captured it all beautifully! So glad y'all are back and I hope your nausea gets better as the days go by. Feel free to text me, if the kiddos need some playtime here and you need a rest. :) love ya, friend!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The pictures from the wedding look great...what a good job you did! I'm sure they will be so pleased!

    I also love the funny face picture of your stairstep children in their sweet clothes. So cute!

    I felt the same way about not being a good mother when I was dealing with nausea all the time. But God's plan includes the nausea, and I think that must be for a reason. Probably to make us sit down for a spell and rest. No, we won't be the most active and energetic mothers to our children who are here with us for that time, but we are being the very best mother we can possibly be to the baby growing inside of us. It's that baby's time to shine!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You did an amazing job on the photos!

    Congratulations on your new little baby! I don't know if you've read my blog recently but I'm expecting our first baby!!

    I would be thrilled to hear of any other books that you just love! I just googled "Mission of Motherhood" and plan to order it.


    Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pictures are BEAUTIFUL. I'm not surprised. I'm sure the couple is thrilled.

    Glad to hear an update. Everything about your hotel stay gave me a laugh. Sounds like our life these past few months. One thing after another -- including a call to poison control.

    Glad to hear you are managing despite some icky moments. I'm still just so excited for y'all!

    Oh --- and I can totally relate to making random gross food choices. Growing a baby ain't no joke.

    ReplyDelete
  8. WONDERFUL photos Jennifer!!! LOVE...LOVE...LOVE them! They cannot help but be pleased...can. not. help. it! :)

    So sorry you have been feeling yucky....BUT...how AMAZING the reason!! SO excited for you. :)

    Love you!
    Camille xo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Absolutely beautiful! Just gorgeous pictures! You are awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your photos are gorgeous! I particularly love the color in the one where they are kissing in front of the stained glass at the church. Such a beautiful shot! You are so talented!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jenn, your pictures are AMAZING!!! I could go on and on, but I just have to say that they are amazing. GREAT job!

    It is wise to say no when you are pregnant. It sounds like your plate is full. One more thing piled on and the plate is going to drop to the floor. Ask God to keep you balanced. Your hubby can tell you when you are doing too much, too. He probably knows exactly what stresses you out the most.

    Your food selection does sound weird. I never ate anything weird, but I would crave anything with potatoes.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, and praise God Little Bit was all right after falling into the pool. Talk about a mother's worst nightmare!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The pictures are A.MA.ZING. Honestly, I think the wedding looks even better in pictures than it did in real life! Maybe that's bad to say, but I'm not saying the wedding wasn't beautiful -- it was -- just that the pictures are THAT good. Looking at these just makes me want to get married again. {To the same guy, of course!} And no one could tell you were sweating. You handled it like a real pro. Great job!

    Oh, and BTW, I think my little bit is the same child as your little bit. If you have any tips or find anything that works -- please pass it on!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ok...I didn't know you were pregnant!! That just made my not so good day SOOO much better!! I'm beaming for you! Praise God!
    And the wedding pictures are perfect! They will love them!

    ReplyDelete
  15. So glad the wedding went well - I would have been so nervous too! And so glad you're all Safe and Well. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lovely words! And fantastic pictures too! I am impressed!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am so, so impressed that you took on a wedding! So scary! But you did a marvelous job.

    And the M of Mhood book ... I have been wanting to read that!

    ps-take heart, friend. your dear husband is right. it is a season and you are doing a beautiful job with all that you have ... punk days included.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lovely photos. I'm sure they will be so pleased. Thinking of you and wishing you only good things during this month of anticipation of the birth of Christ as you anticipate another child to love.

    ReplyDelete
  19. the one with the sun flare of them sitting in the car should be blown up on a canvas. love it.

    ReplyDelete