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Category Archives: Minneapolis

Adoption:: The joy of walking with friends and a new endeavor

Jenny and I have been friends for a while now, probably five years or more.  Its hard to remember because she showed up with her sweet family at our church when I was in the trenches of parenting littles.  We slowly found each other and connected over our boys who were around the same age and were into the same thing (and still are, can we say Wii and Mind craft?!)  We started doing life together and joined the same small group.  It was here that we were able to get more connected and I heard her heart for a little girl.  Even though she was able to conceive and carry two wonderful boys, there were complications.  The doctors strongly advised that she not have any more children biologically, and this momma who loved painting fingernails, doing hair, and the color pink, was at a loss on why the Lord would give her such strong longings for a little girl, but not allow her any more children.

She then began praying and asking us to pray for a child.  Because her husband, at that point, was apprehensive about the cost emotionally and financially of adoption, she prayed for his heart and a baby girl.  As an outsider looking on, I prayed along side her watching and waiting for a miracle.  Even though it probably seemed like forever to her, it was amazing how quickly her husband’s heart changed and he was on board ready to move forward with her.Now that they were united, they made their intentions public. In the process, a friend of theirs sent them to Cosa Rica not only for a vacation, but with the name of a contact that could possibly help them get connected to a baby girl.  Trying not too be too hopeful, they headed away and came back with heavy hearts as they both knew that it wasn’t going to work.  So instead of working through contacts, they registered with a domestic organization.  This process began in the spring by putting together a book of photos for potential mothers to see and praying for their baby girl.  The agonizing process of being chosen was so hard for me as a friend to watch.  The ups and down’s of almost being chosen and then not.  The tears of the why’s still ring in my ears. The heart wrenching sorrow of the question,”Will we ever be chosen?” still play in my head as I wondered why the process was taking so long.  All I could do was sit on the sidelines in prayer and cheer them on as we all waited.Then the day came.  It was a Sunday after a sermon on Hannah’s prayer in First Samuel 2 (yes of all sermons!) In the middle of the night, or maybe it was early morning so it must have been Monday, I got a text saying they were on a plane headed to get their baby girl.  Tears of joy and elation filled my soul as I rejoiced with our sweet friends.  Sitting on the sidelines watching God do a miracle by bringing this baby girl into a family that already loved her before she was even thought of was a true reminder of the love that God has for us all as He continues to adopt those into His family All this said, in the year of 2016 a dream of mine that I have wanted to pursue for a long time is coming forth.  It has been a dream for a while, but having small kids and other responsibilities has made me put it on hold.  Thankfully this is the year.  I love adoption.  I love the heart of adoption and I want to bless those who are going through it or been through it.  I can not financially give to all the families who have needs, but I can give back with the gifts God has blessed me with.  If you, or someone you know, plans to adopt, or has adopted in the past year, would you let me bless you or them with a full session and images.  Weather it be for a look book, a homecoming, or a session after your child is in your arms, I want to bless you.I will try my best to accommodate you, and if I can’t there is another organization I can send you to that I have become a part of.  I want to work with referrals as friends and family members have been like me, on the sidelines as cheerleaders and prayer warriors not exactly knowing what to do, but wanting to help in any way they canSO, would you help this dream of mine become a reality?  Already in this past year I have been lucky enough to bless four families, and can’t wait to bless more!  Thanks for considering, I can’t wait to hear your story!

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    So you want to outsource… hiring a nanny!

    In the past few weeks, I have done a mini series on outsourcing to help you grow your business.  So far in the past few weeks on I have discussed some how’s to help manage your time and editing.

    Today I want to talk to you about hiring a nanny, baby-sitter or mother’s helper.  When my kids were small there I had all three at different times.  Our most consistent nanny was still in high school and needed her for the bulk of the summer. Eventually when she went to college, she worked for me when she could and I was able to work around her schedule.

    Now that my kids are in school, I am choosing to outsource to an editor and spend the summers with them, but when my kids were little, I chose to edit my own photos and hire a nanny/ baby-sitter when I was in the busy season.  Yes, this meant that I watched her play outside with my kids, but because she was only part time, she was a much needed break for me and for my kids!

    When/ if you choose to hire out a nanny, I have found that it is so important to work with someone your kids mesh with and a person that actually likes kids.  I know, hand to the head as in of course shouldn’t this be a given? But let me tell you I had to learn as I went.  In the past I did trades for people, baby-sitting in return for photo sessions.  While this seemed like a good idea in theory, I found that different baby-sitters had different ideas of what watching kids meant, and I felt like I was getting the cheap end of the bargain and so were my kids.

    I would recommend setting up clear boundaries and goals for your nanny’s.  When my kids were little it was pretty obvious; keeping them safe, feeding them, putting them down for naps, and keeping them away from me as I worked.  As they grew, I had to make it more clear boundaries to nanny’s of what I expected.  Some of these included making sure they had a plan for the day, some creative ideas for crafts and outside play, making sure that my kids weren’t watching too much TV, and staying off their phones for personal use unless an emergency.

    Just some thoughts for you as you tread the waters of outsourcing.  Feel free to e-mail or comment below with questions and I will do my best to answer as I know.  Who knows too, maybe one day your kids will be walking down the aisle to celebrate the marriage of one of your nanny’s! (Below is one of our favorite nanny’s who started watching my kids right after Ben was born! We are still good friends to this day!)

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      Wedding Details… thoughts on why they matter

      Are you planning a wedding?  If you are, I am sure you have seen them all over blogs, publications, and posts.  They are the wedding details.  I’m not going to reinvent the wheel; wedding details are all over publications and many other photographers and vendors have written about them.  I am sure you can find other posts written on why details are so wonderful and relevant, but in my small corner of the internet, I will try to give you my take on details and why they matter so much.

      In the past years of photographing weddings I have seen details as a growing trend at weddings.  Where once, really not that long ago, photography was based solely on the alter photos and the groupings around them.  With the influx and slant toward documentary photography there came the challenge to photographers to not only capture the groupings and candid moments of the wedding day, but also tell the entire story of the day… thus the idea of storytelling of a wedding in photos was born.  

      Not only will the photographer capture the people of the day, he or she will also be capturing the elements that make the wedding day unique to the couple.  Gone are the group shots on the alter, now couples are in fields with flower crowns and at barns with livestock roaming about.  Hay bales are used as seating and outdoor furniture under tents are widely accepted.  Food trucks and patio seating are considered just fine and as unique and interesting as the couples hosting them. The details of the day not only tell your story as a couple in what you love doing together, but they make the day completely your own.  They are also shots that editors want to see (and if you want your wedding to be published somewhere) things you need to inform your photographer to shoot, but most likely if you have them, they will be shot.  

      One of the things I have made the change in doing in the past few years, is showing up early to a wedding and documenting the small details before my contract begins.  I have found it super helpful because I have the time to shoot these beautiful details without feeling rushed, and also because my brides love them and they are ordering these shots to go in their albums.  It also gives me more of a portfolio to give to editors and also just gets my creative juices flowing.  So there you have a few thoughts on detail shots, any other ideas/ thought feel free to comment below!

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        Twin two year olds

        This past fall I was able to see one of my favorite families.  Not only do they have twin two year olds that make life a lot more amusing, but they also have a four year old that adds her spunk to the mix.  I adore being with this family-even though by the end of the sessions we are all sweating profusely!!  Last year we did two cake smashes and this year we just… ran.  Like all over.  (And that is completely fine with me, because I must tell you that I do count toddler sessions as my workout for the day!!)

        Super special thanks to Grandma and Auntie who helped rally the troops and were great entertainers throughout the session!!

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          Monday Sneaks!

          Agh, it was a wonderful weekend and great getting back into the studio to photograph these two sweet boys in two different sessions!!  Can’t wait to share more of these smiling faces!

          Ari turns one

          Six month old Andrew

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            FK

            Minneapolis Wedding and portrait photographer for the Modern & timeless

             

            Based in the Twin Cities area and available for travel worldwide.

            Get in touch with Karen for any questions.

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