Thankful and Blessed
Yesterday was an incredible day! Now that Natalie and Dillon are married, we have new extended family. This was our first time to spend a holiday together as this new family. It was a wonderful time! Words cannot express how blessed we feel. This is a family that loves our daughter as though she were their own...something that we had prayed for our girls their whole lives. Ann, Jim and Lucas Banning are precious people.

We have a Thanksgiving tradition that before we pray the blessing over the meal and then eat, we go around the table sharing something that we are thankful for. Always, it is more than one thing for everyone and it can be a bit emotional.

Thank you to all of you who are friends and new clients who have become new friends! You have enriched our lives by just being you.

Ashlie & Jonathan E-session
Monday started in downtown Conway with Ashlie and Jonathan's engagement session. We met these two at the August Arkansas Democrat Gazette Bridal Fair. Ashlie is about to graduate from UCA with her degree in dietetics and Jonathan is a surgical nurse at Baptist Med Center.

They were great fun and willing to just show off!

...and climb buildings...

Ashlie & Jonathan will be exchanging vows July 4, 2008 in celebration of that being the day they met two years ago, and then getting engaged on that same day, this year! Thank you guys for sharing such a great morning with us!

After lunch, a young lady that had been corresponding with us since mid summer was home for Thanksgiving from Dallas. Taryn McGhee and Rodney Echols brought Taryn's mom and one of her bride's maids to check us out in person. We came to an agreement, that we were a good match for each other to document this coming year, leading up to their nuptials next August. Taryn teaches 7th grade Science in Dallas and Rodney teaches and coaches in Pine Bluff. Teachers are some of my favorite people in the whole world. They hold the future of our young generation in their very hands and you can tell in both of them that they love what they do and they take it very seriously.

We could not have begun our Thanksgiving week in a better way! We are very grateful for the families that have come into our lives through our photography. They each leave fingerprints on us and we hope to leave very positive fingerprints on them. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Madison's Birthday Bash!!!
And what a bash it was. We began this morning with Mandy and Madison to get birthday and Christmas card shots...what lovely ladies...inside and out.

Then on to the party! And party is exactly what happened at Hippiti Hoppiti in Conway. Madison had chosen Ooh La La Spa as her theme for this year, along with the Moonwalk/Bounce House. Karen Bernard does an excellent job so, if you want a care free party with lots of fun...

Madison did a great job of greeting her guests...

A few of the activities...every young lady must have custom flip-flops!

Then we move to the spa treatments...after getting into robes and turbans, the hands were first...

then the feet...I have to admit...I was a bit jealous!

and then the face...

girls could be friends for life with treats like this...

It was time for pizza, but some were not ready to give up the cucumber treatment...so...they did both!

Themed cupcakes for all!

Making a wish...

What a fun day in which to participate. We visited with several old friends, as well. Happy Birthday to YOU, Madison! We hope you had a superb day and it looks like you did.

Jennings Family
We met the Jennings' in 1997 and discovered that both of our families were Missouri transplants! They moved into the house across the street from us and it didn't take long for us to become friends. When we built a new house and it was time to move, they not only fed us on moving day, but helped us move! Now that is friendship! They have since found a beautiful place outside of town. Here are a few of our favorites from today. The rest will be posted at our Event Link.
Caleb is a senior this year. He has been visiting colleges in Missouri and checking out their engineering programs.

There is a cabin on the edge of the pond and it had the coolest door...Mackenzie is a natural!

John is a forage specialist at the U of A Division of Agriculture and Chris manages Make A Meal just off of Prince street. If you need a quick home made meal, they are certainly a place to try!

Mackenzie and Rascal had to match in each picture. They were inseparable! :)

Caleb achieved the rank on Eagle Scout this summer. This is quite an accomplishment in that only a minute percentage of Boy Scouts make it this level. Congratulation and excellent work, Caleb!

Then, on the way back to the house, this is who we found on the hood of our car-Patches!

Thanks Chris and John for such a fun afternoon of catching up and sharing in your family again!

Ott Family
It is our blessing to be involved in Ott family in several special ways. We have taught both of these young ladies in JAM and we have also had the privilege of working along side Tray and Deanna in this children's ministry at Antioch. We couldn't be more fortunate to be to call them genuine friends.

It was time again for fall family portraits, so we meet them at their house to begin the fun! They make it so easy because the love that they have for one another shines with every smile. So, here is a sneak peak with the complete event to come.

Meredith and Casey wanted to take pictures in their swim coach's car...with the anticipation of the day when THEY would actually be driving. :)

Meredith imagining the fun and excitement....

...and Casey thinking..."I told you not to come this way!"...

Thank you, Tray and Deanna for such a fun afternoon! We will have the rest ready for viewing, soon.