Milestones

So I took out all the scrapbooking junk materials to begin John's baby scrapbook. Yes, I said BEGIN. So far I've only got the first page done. Julian's is very close to being finished. I decided to do a book of their first year and then one single page for each year until they're 5 years old. Hey. A girl can be optimistic, right? Well, big mess up on mommy's part. I took out the calendars from 2009-2011. Looking at them this morning I discovered that I have plenty of milestone information in 2010, but I have virtually nothing written down for 2011. Awesome. I am so thankful for digital images today. I'm pretty sure that whatever milestones I missed writing on the calendar I've captured with my camera. I have little John's whole life on my computer, which reminds me that I need to back it up. Please back up those precious memories or better yet, print them out. You won't be sorry you did :) Have a happy Friday!

You've Come a Long Way, Baby (part 2)

Yesterday I shared a little piece of my photog journey. I included links to a few of my very first sessions. If you didn't catch it, you can right here.
Today I'd like to flash back even further. Let's go back to the school days. I often find my thoughts in my past remembering where I've been and the journey I am on. My journey is not just a journey to find myself, but to find out who God wants me to be and what He wants me to accomplish according to His plan.
I went to a small Christian school in South Florida. My love for all things Art started a very young age. When I had an assignment to write a book report and to draw a picture of my favorite scene in the book I would spend more time on the drawing than on writing down the summary of the book. Art was my favorite and still is. Then music came in to my life. I loved to sing, but didn't sing very well so I picked up an instrument. I started playing the flute in 5th grade and continued until the 10th grade. I was in countless concerts, solos, trios, and even marched in the band for one year in high school. You're impressed aren't you?! lol!

Moving on :)...after high school I was so over school, classes, etc. I didn't even really know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So, I went into the banking business hoping that having a full-time job with benefits would afford me some form of grown-up responsibility and respect. I took college classes here and there at the community college in town. Can you guess what kind of classes I took? Yep, Art classes. I took all the ones that interested me at first and then with the advisement of some of my favorite Art professors I went on to finish my degree at the local University. I was 27 years old when I graduated from college. You're going to laugh, but I'll tell you anyway. My concentration was Pottery. I love Pottery. 

The very last class I took in college was a photography class. My photography professor was very impressed with my work. He made references to it through out the semester. I didn't really think much of it because I was bound and determined to be a successful potter. After the photography class was done, I felt a tinge of longing for it. I had taken a photography class as a freshman in high school as well. I still have some prints from both photography classes. I'll have to share them at a different time.  

Well, this is just another part of my journey. I am thankful for each detour and each bump in the road because it brought me to where I am today. The Lord has blessed me with people who have counselled me and others who have criticized me. God is able to use both for your good (Romans 8:28). Your journey probably looks a lot different than mine. That's cool, man. If we all looked the same and had the same ways then I think the world would be boring. God likes uniqueness. Embrace yours! He is going to use your uniqueness for His glory. Don't be discouraged when things aren't happening in your time or in your way. The Lord has a plan for you and it is good. Believe it! Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I love to hear feedback. Your sweet comments are welcome!

You've Come a Long Way, Baby!

Karrie Drake Photography will be 3 years old, officially, on February 10th. I am so excited that the Lord has given me the determination, strength, and encouragement to continue on this journey. There have been many times in the course of these 3 years that I've wanted to throw in the towel. It is so easy to get discouraged in this business. Mmm, in any business really. Dealing with and fighting against the forces of the world and the opinions of many is no small feat. I struggle daily with resisting the magnetic force that are my eyes to compare my myself, my business, and my images with others in my field. The reality is that there are always going to be people in my field who are better than I am in certain areas, in all areas even. I am okay with that because I am exactly where God wants me to be.
I look at my oldest son, Julian, who will be 5 years old in a matter of months. My journey began when he was less than 2. I remember coming across a photographer's website in middle Georgia where we were living at the time. Her work was widely known in the area. She photographed every stage of life. I was so inspired by her work and by the public confession of her faith in Jesus. It moved me. I wanted to take better pictures of my son. So, after the prompting of my friend, I contacted Kyle Hitchcock. She was instantly welcoming. Kyle invited me to her home studio to talk shop and to take some pictures of Julian. She answered all my questions and replyed to every e-mail. Kyle encouraged me to practice, to shoot in raw format and maual mode so that I could learn my camera. She also suggested that I start a blog. Documenting your journey through a blog is so eye opening. Looking at my very first images under Karrie Drake Photography is quite humbling. If I am totally honest with myself I will admit that I had no business starting a business when I did. It has been slow. I knew next to nothing when I started. I continue to be a work in progress. My journey began in Georgia and God sent me in the path to meet Kyle. I am so thankful for the wealth of knowledge she shared with me. She was and continues to be a great inspiration to me.

I'll be sharing more of my photog journey tomorrow. Until then, please take a look at where I started and where I am presently in my work.

Want to see my very first newborn shoot? Look Here!
Here is the most recent newborn shoot...Look Here!

Want to see my very first maternity shoot? Check it out!
Here is the most recent maternity shoot...Check it out!

Want to see my very first birthday party {event}? Mira. Mira.
Here is the most recent birthday party {event}...Mira. Mira.

Motivation for Monday

Good Morning! I hope y'all had a nice weekend with your family & friends. I sure did. Aside from little John getting sick with the sniffles and a bit of a cough, our weekend was great. We were celebrating Beau's first win of the season. Go Warriors! The football season is coming to a close. One more home game left. I feel like the little engine that could. I think I can. I think I can. {I only say this because we love having Daddy home}. Above is a pick of the boys' sandy feet. The weather last week was so beautiful. We went to the beach twice in our sweatpants to play in the sand. We had the whole beach to ourselves. It was lovely!

I was flipping through my Bible this morning. Do you ever do that? Flip through the pages and want the Word that you need for the day to jump out at you. Anyway, I was flipping the pages of the New Testament paying close attention to the dates. You see, I write in my Bible. I also underline and date of my findings. I do this because I want to remember where I was. When I remember what I've gone through in my past, it helps me to also recognize how God worked in me & through the situation. The verse that got my attention this morning was I Corinthians 16:13,14 ~ Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave and strong. Your every action must be done with love. This verse was stared, underlined, and dated {10/20/10}. Almost a year to the day. I wanted to really remember this one. Only my husband and very close friends know where I was spiritually a year ago. Heck, my husband was right there with me going through the same thing simultaneously. It was happening to us, to our family. We were being attacked by the enemy. I have to remember that being alert, standing firm in my faith, being brave and strong, and especially acting in love is something that is not only beneficial to me, but also to my husband and my sons. They watch me, how I act, how I respond to stress, how I spend my time. I have found that sometimes it's not just what we go through, but how we go through it. Our children will learn from watching us. They'll respond to life's difficulties similarly to how we've showed them. We are their model for everything. This is no small duty.

I started Motivation for Monday to share my faith and a little piece of my personal journey with you. Now, I don't think that I am better or holier than anyone else. Please forgive me if ever you read something that sounded preachy or condemning. That is not my intent. This is my story. The Lord has called me to share what He is teaching me and what He has done in my life. I didn't come up with Motivation for Monday on my own. This is the Lord's idea that He breathed into my heart. Sharing my story, encouraging others, and praying for others is just something that I desire to do for the glory of God.
I hope your Monday is a blessed one!

Giveaway at Confessions of a Homeschooler

Confessions of a Homeschooler is a blog that I've been following since this summer. I discovered that I'd be homeschooling my 4 year old when we moved to a new location in June '11 because we missed the registration deadline for the preschool we {my hubby & I} intended to send Julian to. Even though homeschooling was not something I anticipated on doing, I now feel that the Lord allowed this for several reasons. Since having our second son, John, I really struggled with the lack of time I was spending with Julian. I prayed for God to show me how to be a better mommy to him and to provide quality time that we could spend together. It has been a blessing for me to teach Julian the thorough curriculum that Erica provides through her blog. Most importantly though, I am blessed because God chose me to be Julian's mom, to teach him about Jesus. What greater blessing is there than to have the privilege to introduce your child to your Savior? I get goosebumps thinking about that visual.
We are on our fourth week of homeschooling. Julian loves doing "school work". One day this week, I was late in starting our day due to some extra chores around the house I couldn't let go of. I walked by the couch where Julian was sitting; he let out a deep sigh as he put his fist under his chin. "What's wrong Julian?", I asked.
"I'm ready to do some school work mommy." Julian stated with furrowed eyebrows. I laughed inside. The fact that only after 4 weeks of being at home with mommy to be homeschooled, he desires to learn.
Our morning routine is the boys' favorite. Even lil' John gets in on it. Julian knows the Pledge of Allegiance by heart now. He counts out the calendar date. Resights his Bible verse. He was just marching through the house this morning chanting,"I am the way and the truth and the life." It's amazing. If I were to send him off somewhere, another teacher would have the privilege of teaching him. Another teacher would have the opportunity to watch his delight as he discovers & masters new things. I want that privilege. I am very thankful that God saw fit to allow Julian to stay at home with me. And who knows, maybe this homeschooling thing...will be OUR thing.

P.S. I went off on my soapbox without announcing that there is a Giveaway on Erica's blog. Go check it out and enter!

Motivation for Monday

I love this little man. He is enjoying a cookie from The Pink Panda. These cookies are amazing. I highly recommend you order some for your next special occassion. Amber is so sweet and easy to work with. All her cookies are custom & homemade.
While we are on the subject of sweet things that taste good, I thought I'd bring up God's Word.

Psalm 34:8 ~ Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Proverbs 16:24 ~ Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

God's Word, the Holy Bible, is to act as food for our spirit. {I am speaking to myself here} I don't know about you, but when I don't spend time with God I tend to totally wreak of bad attitude and sour spirit. Being a busy mom, a football coach's wife, teacher, housekeeper, the lists of duties for all of us add up and then there is no time for reading anything. Even if we really do need it to uplift our day, the Bible just sits on the shelf or in the bag that we bring to church with us on Sundays. I think of the women in my life whom I know for a fact wake each morning purposefully to spend time with Jesus before they start their day. Me? I covet sleep. I want to get in as much sleep as I can because I am a sleep deprived woman. I will share a little Christian Mommy trick though. Devotions. They are short. They are sweet. They are a nibble of God's Word to tide me over until the next little nibble. One that I have used recently is Beth Moore's Audio CD. This is a compilation of excerpts from her various Bible Studies. I have listened to this many times recently in the car while the boys sit in the back watching The Wonder Pets :)  Since we live in the country now it takes about 20-30 minutes to get anywhere, so I get a little bit of God's Word and it is so meaningful for my day. Another one I loved using was an actual devotional magazine called Journey. This is a monthly magazine that you can subscribe to. It is filled with daily Scripture verses and a story by an author. It always touches me and I often find myself texting the verse to various people in my family or circle of friends because I want to share what I've just read. Journey also displays a pretty photograph on the front cover along with photos on the inside that are pleasing to look at. That's a bonus for me :)
Despite your busy day, week, life, you can still be filled with the goodness of God's Word. It's not the quantity of time, but the quality of time. The Lord knows you and all you have on your plate. He wants to help you with that plate. He wants to take the heaviness off of it so that it is light to carry. He will meet you right where you are; He will give you all that you need for the coming day. Be Blessed today Sweet Friend.

Who is ready for Fall?

Hello All! I am SO looking forward to Fall. Those of you who know me well, know that I go a little overboard {maybe/maybe not} with my home decor around the holidays. This is a domestication credit that I'd like to give to my mom. {APPLAUSE!} She taught me everything I know about making a house a warm cozy home that looks lovely and lived in all at the same time.

Why Fall is my favorite time of year:
pumpkins
autumn colors
cooler weather
fall leaves
Pumpkin Spice Latte @ Starbucks
fall baking
ripe red apples
the smell of the fresh air
AND football!

I will be posting a Fall Session Special very soon that will be good through October. So if you're looking to update your family photo this is the time to do it. Among many other things, I have LOTS of Fall Photo Props. *See photo above* Family, Couples, Siblings, Children, Babies, Newborns, Maternity...I'd love to hear from you.

Long Time No Post!

Hey everybody! I haven't posted in a while. It has been crazy around here with football practice starting, making the new house our home, and keeping up with two very active boys...er, make that three very active boys. I have to count my hubby too :-}
So, the football team is looking great and coming together. Go Warriors! Our house is definitely feeling more like Home. And my boys are still very active, but I wouldn't change that for a minute. I love to watch the 3 of them outside digging in the dirt, running in the backyard, talking to each other, it makes a mama proud. They are actually doing just that while I sit here at the computer updating you and posting one of our recent pictures taken at Chowan University, my hubby's Alma Mater. It was very hot that day. We didn't last very long outside walking around campus. We found the bookstore/giftshop pretty quick to cool off and strategize our next move, which was to lunch at Andy's.
All in all, I've been enjoying our new home, surroundings, scenery. The view out here in the country by the river is amazing! God is good. He is definitely here. I am so confident that the Lord has a plan for our family and that it is good. We are all looking forward to what He has planned.

ROMANS 8:28~ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

North Carolina is Home!

This is the view from our deck. Beautiful! Everyone who knows me knows that purple is my favorite color and has been since I was a little girl. When we rode up to our new house for the first time I was overwhelmed by the beauty of God's creation. This is just a little reminder to me that God's plan is best. He knows what He is doing. He intimately knows those who love Him. I say this because timing is everything. Waiting for something to happen or waiting for a break through is tough. Patience is a hard characteristic to embrace and practice. If you are waiting on the Lord, your wait is never in vain. I can't stress that enough. We live amidst the farmland in North Carolina, surrounded by fields of various crops. Those who know about farming know that the crops rotate each season to keep the soil good and fertile. The crop in my backyard view could've been stalks of corn, tabacco, or peanuts. It wasn't though. It was this beautiful purple sage. This is what God planned for my welcome home. A beautiful view of purple sage. He knows me. He knows my favorite color is purple. I love that and I love Him! Be encouraged. Waiting on the Lord is worth it. He'll wow you and give you the desires of your heart when you seek Him.

Psalm 27:14 ~ Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Little John is ONE!

Happy 1st Birthday Little John. I love you my precious baby boy! En route to North Carolina, we stopped at my friend's house for a few days to break from driving. It was a lovely time out from our road trip. The weather was beautiful. The boys played outside all day. We stayed up late and slept in. It was wonderful. I brought along a couple props just in case John was in the mood for a mini-shoot. I had bought some of those Huggies jean diapers, which are adorable by the way. They went perfectly with the tie and sunglasses, don't you think? John loved being free to roam on the front porch. He also enjoyed swinging on the porch swing, so I thought it was fitting to take his pictures there. So much of him reminds me of Beau, like his facial expressions, his ears, and his build. He does have brown eyes though, and those he got from me thank you very much. Ha. ha. Love you John. I pray that as we begin our life in a new location that you will be blessed through and through with all that God has planned for you.

Moving...

Thank you to all my clients, family, and friends in Florida. We are so grateful for your love, support, and prayers for our family. The Lord has blessed us tremendously here. This experience is one that we will never forget. Farewell South Florida.

Psalm 33:11~ But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Motivation for Monday!

Psalm 20:4,5 ~ May He give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose. Let us shout for joy at your victory and lift the banner in the name of our God. May the Lord fulfill your requests.

Whatever you are praying for today know that the God of heaven hears you. He loves and cares for all that He has created; that includes you! Trust in the Word of God and the promises it brings. May the Lord bless you & keep you.

Have yourself a Merry "Little" Christmas!

Today is known as Little Christmas. When we went by the Julian Calendar, Christmas was celebrated on this day, January 6th. Today is also known as the celebration of the Epiphany, a celebration of the revelation of the Son of God as a human being. It commemorates the visitation of the Magi to Baby Jesus and the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. I hope you will have a Merry Little Christmas! I put together a couple collages from our Christmas in Florida with the family. Cheers to a New Year full of happiness and new adventures!

Mine!

Merry Christmas! These little men are the treasures of my heart. It was difficult to find the right time for both of them to have a photo shoot, but we finally did it...only days before Christmas I might add. Nana baught these precious matching outfits for Christmas pictures. I love matching outfits! My mom did the same thing for me & my sister, Kendra. It makes life easier for me, but the bonus is that it looks so darn cute too! The location of this session is so beautiful. I discovered that I {Love} Sunbursts. The time of day is so key for natural light photography.
Thank you to those who visit my Blog; I appreciate your time. Looking forward to what God has in store for Karrie Drake Photography in 2011!