Alexa and Owen's Engagement Photos

 

MY BEST FRIEND GOT ENGAGED!

MY BEST FRIEND TRUSTED ME TO TAKE HER ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS!!!

   This is a pretty big deal as I've never been payed for photography before.  It's an even bigger deal when she knew the camera, memory card, and photoshop had to be borrowed from three different people.  I don't think there are many so trusting.  This is what makes her....THE BEST!  Our whole friendship is flashing before my eyes and there is so much I want to talk about, but I'm scared I'll need it later for her wedding toast.  I'm going to be safe and just go over the photos.

   Props to all you photographers!  I've taken photography classes, so I thought the only thing I've been lacking to go professional was a really nice camera.  Nope.  It is hard.  The following are only the tip of the iceburg of the hours and hours worth we shot.  I am sure there is WAY more editing that could be done, but unless Lexi or Owen can think of anything specific (and I know how to do it), I'm out.

   The first group of photos take place in Carytown, a cute little artsy area in Richmond.  (Reminds me of Five Points in Columbia.)  The Byrd Theatre is a historic landmark there.  It plays movies a couple months late, so tickets are only two dollars.  They also host Richmond's Annual French Film Festival, the largest french film festival in North America.  Owen is a big movie buff.  Since Owen moved to Richmond they've frequented The Byrd often.

 

 

Sorry but it would take me a year to change the letters in this sign and it come out realistic.

Love your face in this!

The next group of photos were taken at Maymont, a free and beautiful park in Richmond.  There's a small zoo and different types of gardens.  Alexa and Owen wanted to especially get pictures at the gazebo where they had a date once.

 

 This right here is why even Alexa had to pay me.  I'm not watching my best friend make out with a guy for free, fiance or not.

 I think this one would be cute and easy to re-do when y'all are old.

 

If you want to go the artsy route...

 This is a tree in Maymont where "lovers" carve their initials.  I thought it would be the perfect background.  Poor Alexa and Owen kept trying to appease me as I made them take shot after shot, even though Alexa tripped multiple times over the roots in her heels.  Unfortunately the lighting wasn't great and I couldn't get the camera to focus there well.  Maybe later with more editing we'll find some good ones.

 Downtown Richmond!  We got some really cool shots while the sun was setting, but I'll need to learn more about taking photos when the light gets really low.  Technology is tricky.  I didn't mean for the last shot to be a silhouette, but someone has to be the "cover photo".

 

 

 

   Lastly....SURPRISE LEXI!  I recently had to throw away the poster you made me in high school.  (You know, with all my moving and all...)  And actually that sounds like a terrible surprise..... but I took digital photos of the WHOLE thing!!!  Here is a little tribute to our beautiful friendship that started at 12 years old!!!  Love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

  

 

Cheers on your engagement!

Mural of The Whole WIDE World

2 Thessalonians 3:1

      
   I hadn't done a wall mural in a long time when this project came along.  It's always fun to color on the walls.  I've been going with Carrie to her church since about December when we met/moved in together with three other girls.  It's a good drive from Bristol, which I guess makes it kind of exciting since there's not one place in Bristol over a seven minute commute.  We drive up to Southwest Virginia through the most beautiful scenery.  It's always safer for me not to drive, as I can't keep my eyes off the mountains around me.  The church itself is on top of a mountain, overlooking a state park/national forest.  It kills me every Sunday that they only have a handful of the skinniest windows to see the amazing view, but I guess there wouldn't be as much room for a mural- so thankful for that.  I am always pleading they build a screen porch on the back, since we sometimes stay after for hours hanging out.  Still hopeful that one happens.
   Part of what attracted me to this church is the comradery that's there.  I'm sure part of that is the size of the church (by far the smallest I've ever gone to- with sometimes just 30 on a Sunday).  I think most of it though is the people I've met.  My first Sunday we stayed in the fellowship hall a couple hours talking.  So. Many. Amazing stories there.  I talked with our pastor's mom (she and her husband originally started the church) who was from England.  She told stories of smuggling Bibles into Eastern Europe when she was young, risking jail and who knows what else, and how God miraculously got them through security checks where soldiers checked their bags carrying these Bibles.  After church Carrie's friends (with four kids- so they probably could have really used a Sunday nap) had us over until long after suppertime, sharing the amazing things God's done in their lives and genuinely interested in what He'd done in mine.  We talked modern Christian theologians, world missions, listened to them play/sing some hymns, watched their toddlers be hilarious.  I don't think I've ever gone to a church and after the first day felt I really knew a good number of the congregation afterwards, that I wouldn't feel weird going by myself the next Sunday.
   The other thing that makes this church so great is they don't look at the Holy Ghost like It's the second cousin of The Trinity.  This was new for me.  Hanging out in the fellowship hall after the service, it's not weird at all to see a group of people talking one second, and then to see them praying the next.  It's happened to me.  We're standing in a circle, sipping on coffee while I tell some pastors and friends that I don't know where I'll be living at the end of the week.  Instead of going straight to their advice or saying, "I'll definitely be praying for you",  (Which, face it, how often does that happen?  If you don't see me write your prayer request down, put it in the calendar on my phone, or do something weird like take one earring out to remind me later, let me tell ya, you won't be prayed for.)  they say, "OK let's pray for you".  Right then and there.  I love that! 

"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”  
-Jesus; Matthew 18:19-20

I wonder how much we're missing out on by not praying TOGETHER. If anyone says we can't have the church of Acts in this day in age they are WRONG. We can. I'm going to it every Sunday I'm not out of town. The miraculous things that have happened to me the last year are nothing to what this church has seen. Y'all. I got to worship in the same room as a man who had been dead, and brought back to life. This man's body was so filled with cancer he hadn't even the strength to lift his head off his pillow for three months. His family and a couple from our church literally watched him die, but they prayed over him and he came back to this earth. Instantly there was no more pain. He could walk again. He came to our church days later standing next to his family singing, clapping, and praising God!!!  When people pray at this church they expect big things. Their God isn't this far off being whose attributes and personality are kind of fuzzy. They know Him. He is powerful.
He is loving.
He is merciful.
He is holy.
He is GOOD.
    When you see your God move, when you know He wants to dramatically change the life of anyone, if they'd only seek Him, you want to tell people. That's what this church does. They support various missionaries around the world, some who've moved away for life, some for short terms. I had the privilege of painting a map of the world in the fellowship hall. This is not just any map mind you. Underneath the land masses is CHALKBOARD PAINT! The church can now make magnets with the pictures of missionaries they're supporting/praying over and move them around as they move through countries themselves. I can't wait to get a picture of the mural with all the magnets up! (And one of these cute toddlers in front to show off how big the thing is.) If you're thinking you'd like something like this, it only took me around 30 hours. Oh, and let me tell you it was all free-handed. BOOM!  Actually, if you didn't know, I do everything free-hand. If that's not the Holy Ghost moving I don't know what is.
If you live here around Bristol and are looking for a church, come talk to me. If not, I really recommend trying out a Pentecostal-type church. (Obligatory Side Note- what makes a church is obviously the people inside. Many have corrupt leadership not following Biblical principles. Be decernful.) If you told me back in college I'd be going to a church like this I would have laughed in your face. I actually did a paper on Pentecostalism for a religion class because I wanted to learn more about these “crazy” people. Now I see I was the crazy one because it's the exact church I've read about in the Bible my whole life. 

For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
-1 Corinthians 4:20

****NOT Chalkboard Paint.  MAGNETIC PAINT!!!! I can not believe I did that again.  If you see me ask me about my Lowe's/Sam's Club paint story, ha.