Happy Birthday, Hubby.

Warning: Mushy post below... if you hate this stuff, move along.

Well, it's still your birthday in the states; as a matter of fact you were born about 15 hours ago, east coast time, at 6am-ish.

It's an age I won't give away here (but most of our friends know what it is.. it rhymes with "shorty") - and I know that for whatever reason this turn of the age odometer has been tough for you. I know the reasons, but I'm in denial because it's only 3 more years away for me and we all know how quickly that will go!

In September of 1998, nearly 10 years ago, we met on the Internet. The www was still quite young at the time, and so were we. You were sweet, funny, had good taste in music, and you were darned good-lookin'. (You still are all of those things and more.)

Since then we've been through a lot, not the least of which were plenty of days enjoying each other in San Diego, San Fransisco, even Mexico...a kick-ass wedding, a delightful honeymoon traveling up the coast of California, the birth of our daughter, three deployments to a war zone for a total of 2 1/2 years spent apart, a couple of fun family vacations, and a move overseas to enjoy our current adventure. We've spent a quarter of our lives together so far. And it has flown by. Except the deployments, of course.

As you eloquently said last night over the birthday carrot cake - I'm "the happiest I've ever been right now". With you, Mia, our amazing time in Okinawa, and the experiences we've had and continue to have.

I'm so happy we're together as a family, and we're all thriving on that. You support and encourage me in so many ways, you've made me a better woman. I love going out and taking photos with you - and even though I whine about it, your opinions and encouragement You are the most amazing man who I respect, admire, learn from, love more than anything - and more each day, and am so lucky and proud to call my husband. My soul mate. The incredible father of our (mostly) perfect child. My better half.

Happy birthday, honey. Here's to at least.. um, shorty more years.

Happy Father's Day, Doody.

I'm not really sure how it started, but my father is Doody to me. I was at least a teenager when that became the norm. Of course - I was Stinky after that. What a nice family. And of course, when I had a kid - his name became Granddoody. I've read that terms of endearment are good things for kids - I hope they're good things for fathers because I always mean "Doody" with the utmost respect and admiration.

The term "Daddy's Girl" is thrown around quite a bit in our family. In fact - after I gave birth to one and she started growing up to be beautiful and smart and funny and her father was deployed 3 times - I got sad. I know she's going to get to the point where I'm not her favorite person and Daddy can do no wrong. She is his biggest fan that's for sure. So happy slightly belated Father's Day to my hubby too, you're a fantastic father, honey bun.

As for my father - well, he's strong and funny and loving and supportive and always the life of the party. (I do get that from him.) He (acutally, my Mom too) has the most contagious infectious laugh and I LOVE making him do it! He was born and raised in THE City (NYC) and truly loves it and knows it like the back of his hand. He enjoys a good dirty joke, a vodka gimlet now and then, he knows how to spend money to have fun (you deserve it!), plays one mean game of golf, is always up for an incredible meal, if it's dessert - make it TART, and even though he chose to be a Nikon shooter, I'll still keep him! I'm so happy we share photography talk now among so many other loves.

I value your opinion and your praise, Doody - I remember that whenever I felt the worst was when I disappointed you. Thank you for everything, and each year on both Mother's Day and Father's day - and every day - I do know how precious you both are and how hard I work and hope to live up to the amazing parenting examples you have set. Thank you, Doody, and enjoy your day!

I'M AN AUNT!

Well, I was already an aunt - to my gorgeous nephew.

But as if today I'm an aunt to beautiful Brooke Morgan - my sister-in-law's baby girl. (Is she not GORGEOUS!?) She was born today/yesterday (depending on if you're in Japan) 6/7/8 (nice!) at 12:57 pm. She's 4.3 lbs and 5 weeks early, but thankfully doing great so far. I couldn't be happier today! Congrats Mommy Court & Daddy Jake! We already love her!

I'm feeling the distance - they're in Seattle and I want SO badly to come with gifts and lasagna. Send all the love and quick-to-be-out-of-the-hospital prayers & vibes their way! And Jake - good luck on those finals. I hope after they're over you have a couple of days to enjoy your new little girl.

Isaac & Rachel Sitting In A Tree

Like I said - STILL working on Ohio pictures (I took a LOT - and there are a lot of family members, and a lot of GOOD ones!). Allow me to share.

This is Isaac (one of Craig's first cousins) and Rachel, his lovely wife. (Doesn't she TOTALLY have a Kiera Knightley thing going on? She totally does.) They're so sweet, and they have never had any portraits or anything done - and Rachel requested I take a few photos and I happily obliged. This little pose? This was Rachel's doing. I love the look on her face when Isaac is kissing her cheek! That's why they call it "cheeky".


And THIS is Violet. Their daughter. Who was almost exactly one year old in this picture. With her eight teeth. What a smile, huh?
More of those - with aunts & uncles & such - SOON. I PROMISE, Rachel & Carol and everyone. Almost done.

Neglectful. Again.

No excuse. None. Except that I have lots of plans and not much time to just play with the camera - and things are happening, but not really in a bloggish sort of way.... quite. Here's what I have for you. A couple more Ohio pictures - yet more to come, for those who care.

Left: Terri (old old friend of Craig's and his brother Ridge's). Middle: my father, eyeballing Terri's Muffaletta sandwich at Crave restaurant in Akron, Ohio. Right: Valerie - Terri's wife. Who I guarantee has taken better pictures.
Ridge (Craig's brother) leaning up against that awesome old Ford up on the hill by the farm. I think this is a great shot. Though I do rather wish I'd had him take off the sunglasses.

Uncle Ridgie with Mia, in the Ford.
A REALLY cool shot of Craig & Ridge leaning on some kind of farm equipment. And yes, the moment he reads this he'll remind me what this thingamabobber is called, but I'm a city girl and I don't need to remember that sort of thing. I just know the picture makes them both look pretty darned cool.

I just love this picture of Mom with her sons... that's Aine, my mom-in-law, beautiful inside & out. Not sure how I got lucky enough to get TWO amazing moms (and grandmoms) in this life, but I did. And Craig & Ridge really love their mom too, if you can't tell.
Ok - that's it for sharing today.... talk to you soon!

Rest In Peace.

The phone rang this morning, and it was Craig's brother. I could tell by the crackle in his voice that I needed to get him out of the shower immediately.

We got the news that Craig's father was in a car crash today and passed away. We are quickly planning a trip home as we speak.

Mia's doing amazingly well - when we told her, she started crying with us and said, "I want to go HOME, I want to go HOME!" - she meant to San Diego. Poor thing. We all want to go home when something awful happens.

I'm very happy she got to spend the time she did with her Grandpa before we came to Okinawa. I'm also glad he didn't suffer. We should be on our way to Ohio tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest.

I also have to mention how very lucky we are to have the family we do - both at home and here in Okinawa. I can feel your amazing vibes and prayers, and not one person who found out hasn't offered their help or anything at all we need. Thank you, from all of us.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIA!

You're six. Technically, you're still 5 because you were born at 11:45 am PST on October 4, 2001. But I suppose that's splitting hairs.

You bring us so much happiness and laughter and FUN. You're a beautiful, smart, sassy and STUBBORN (shush, people, I know where she gets that) little, I guess I mean big, girl. And though we wish we could stop time to hold you at this amazing age of discovering and learning and lovey doveying - I realize the age where I'm not your favorite person rapidly approaches - we can't.

So here's a picture of you this morning in your new skirt that Grammy got you for school (that I still had to cinch in at the waist with those elastic/button thingies - and why did it take so long for someone to figure out to do that, because it's the best thing EVER for skinny kids) and with your big strong hunka hunka Marine Daddy who loves you more than Rubio's fish tacos. And would probably give up his right arm, the Wii and the PS3 if you signed documents saying you'd never become a boy-crazy teenager.
I have to admit, even though it does make me cringe a little, your recent discovery of how "cute" boys are makes me smile. Last night we went to Chili's after your request to go there (Dad has a 10-mile hump at 6:30 tonight so he won't be home to celebrate with us), and the Turner family joined us. The Turner family is made up of beautiful Hawaiian mom, Kanoe and Marine Dad John and 3 gorgeous kids, Cole, Natalie & Ella (almost 7-yr-old Cole & 5-year-old Natalie are on Mia's soccer team, Ella is 2 and ADORABLE). Mia sat at a 2-person booth with Cole and behaved like quite the young lady. I couldn't help but get a flash of things to come watching her & Cole talk and color together at the separate table. Eventually Ella & Nat joined them, squeezing into the little seats they were on, because they didn't want to be left out & sitting with - ew - grown-ups.

We had such a nice night, and Mia declared, "Cole is so cute!" and the immediate, "HEY there, easy on the 'cute' - he's a nice boy and all but I don't know that you need to go and start with the 'cute' and everything there, kiddo..." came from her father like a recording.

Yep. The prediction stands. About eight years from now he'll be on the front porch polishing his rifle and wearing a wife-beater and his camouflage pants when her date comes to call.

It's All Good

The critique was so great last night, I'm truly giddy. I think I was so giddy last night that I probably talked their ears off - I left the house and I'd predict they looked at each other and said, "Whew! Well that was exhausting." It's happiness and excitement - and it's up to level 11 at this moment, so it's hard to turn it down...it's all so FUN. Such an amazing experience, and as I had mentioned before, I'm honored and happy to even be considered by an established artist.

My shots came out well (it was very satisfying to get to see them all, and there were a lot of really precious ones in there), and the criticisms were all things I truly knew were coming. Nothing came as a surprise, except the amount of positive feedback. (You're always your own worst critic, right?) I mean while I was there, I cringed at some shots with orange construction cones in the background - but with 15 minutes I knew I couldn't run fast enough, I'd lose the moment. Next time, I won't even set myself up for that fall. I was especially happy because it was Shelia's family that I shot - and that's Serena Nicole's right-hand girl. She knows better than anyone what works and what doesn't, so it could have made or broken me.

My friends and family know I have no confidence issues, I'm proud of the things I do and I know when I do well. (Thanks for that, Mom & Dad!) But because I went into it all not knowing, and not having the real experience in that field, it added this "doubt" factor - kind of like after a regular job interview when they give you no indication of whether you're right for it or not.

So - I'm more excited than ever for Sunday's shoot, wherever it may be. I want to use every bit of advice & critiquing to take it to the next level. And really, "criticism" isn't even the right word - I was a design/art major in college, and when they put your piece on the wall in front of the class and everyone has at it - wow, you really develop a thick skin. I definitely felt the positivity in the room last night, and it was a wonderful thing. An environment that is positive and fun while being professional. Sounds like my job at the credit union, really. And that is high praise.

Anyway, here's a hilarious shot of Mia jumping into her dad's arms off the sea wall - something I think both she & her father would do over and over again forever.
Lastly, a very VERY excited YAAAAAY! Jake (my Army Offcer brother-in-law) is now back in Baghdad awaiting a trip home to his wife after (groan) 15 months away from her. In a few more weeks they'll be reunited, and Craig, Mia and I - not to mention the rest of our family - are so excited and happy that they'll be together again soon to enjoy the amazing city of Seattle together at last! Safe travels, Jake. We miss you and we can't wait to hug you too!