where does my strength come from?

For many of us today was just a random Tuesday and we are just thankful it isn't Monday, but to a friend of mine today will be a day she never forgets. She will play each and every detail of this day over and over again in her mind but it will never make sense. Today is the day my friend lost her husband after an extremely short battle of an unbelieveable aggressive cancer. They only had a couple of weeks from the day of the diagnosis til today. This just hits home so hard because she is my age and they have an amazing little girl that is 2 weeks older than Noah. When you here of sorrow such as this you just want to run home and wrap your arms around your family and NEVER let go! I have no idea what is going through her mind and I am sure she is just numb right now. I know when I lost my grandpa (he was the only father I have ever known) i went through numerous emotions. The whole time he was ill there were certain songs I would play over and over just because they reminded me that my God is still my God even when I'm at my lowest and you want answers when there aren't any. While I was running today i was just praying for Jess and her family and i kept thinking "where is she getting her strength from"? and the words of this song came to mind. It is so easy to trust God when we are ontop of the world but when we are hurting sometimes it is just as easy to blame Him for our suffering. I can't say if I were in her position that I would be as strong with my faith and I am sure at some point I would question and possibly blame God but fortunately He never leaves our side. If you could please just take a moment and pray for my friend even if you don't know her and just lift her and her family up to God.

Rob & Christina are Engaged!

I just love this couple. Rob and Christina are the perfect match for each other. I had so much fun doing this shoot down on the Waterfront. We arrived to a band playing some very dark heavy metal music that was definitely not setting the mood for a romantic shoot. They were troopers so we headed on down the trail and ended up with some wonderful pics. I can't wait to capture their amazing wedding in April. Congratulations you two!

Introducing Baby Brooklyn

Here is the follow up of the photoshoot with baby Brooklyn Wine aka my future daughter in law :) She is growing each day and I know its hard to believe but she just keeps getting even more cute. Hope you enjoy the slideshow.

Hold the emails

If you are trying to check out my website or send emails, I am in the process of launching a new site so change back in the next day or so. For right now please send emails to candiebennett@hotmail.com
thanks
candice

twin teaser

If Jenny and I were any closer we would be joined at the hips. Jen and I met our very first day of our freshman year at WVU, she was a cute little innocent girl and I was just plain clueless. We automatically hit it off and even after I went back home to finish college we would always pick right back up as if we had never been apart. When Josh and I moved back to Morgantown I was thrilled to be so close to Jen again but after her husband graduated they moved from Morgantown, to New Mexico and now reside in Pittsburgh. Josh says he can always tell when I'm on the phone with Jen because we laugh nonstop which is completely true. Other than my husband this girl knows me inside and out (actually she can probably read me a little better than Josh can). When I was pregnant with Noah and past due I couldn't stand the thought of just sitting around and waiting so I got up grabbed some coffe from Panera's and headed to Pitts to hangout and make the time go by. On the way up I felt some cramping but seriouslly when you are that big EVERYTHING hurts and cramps so I figured oh well and kept on driving. Needless to say after spending 600 in Ikea, Lunch at Bucca, and a trip to Gap i decided I needed to head home. Thank God for cruise control cause I don't know how I would have made it back. After reassuring jen she should go on to work and that it was nothing, I ended up calling back at 11 to say we were having a baby. Be the amazing friend she is, Jen quickly faked being sick and was at my side in no time. She never left my side, literally she was there the whole time giving me strength and encouragement. When I needed advise on being a mom, I would ring up Jen even though she was not a mother yet herself. Fastforward moths later I had a dream that jen was pregnant so i call her and stated, "just wanted to let you know your knocked up" the best part is she had just found out THAT day she was pregnant...see how close we are? In July Jen gave birth to two of the most amazing little boys at 31 weeks. It was an honor to be there with her when she first was able to touch her boys. She is such a natural at being a mother. Now that both boys are home I couldn't wait to get my camera on them so here is a little twin teaser and the rest is soon to come.

Change is Hard

I have always thought of myself as being spontaneous and have often stated, "I love changes", but that is all coming back to haunt me now. Josh is getting to the point where we have to make a decision on where we are going to live once he graduates. Up until now I was ready to pack my bags and head out, but now the reality of having to move is settling in and it scares me to death. The worst part is I have let the decision literally control me, it is the first thought when I wake and the last words we mutter before bed. After contemplating every possible scenario and how life is going to work out over the next year, I realized once again how hard it is to not be in control. The most humbling part of this is how God has let me try to fix it myself and then right before I breakdown He is always there to pick me up. I have been so worried about leaving my friends, Noah's Daycare, starting all over with my photography business that I have not given consideration to God's plans for me and my family. The comfort of knowing no matter where we are we are the there for one reason only and that is to be used by God. Throughout this week I have blasted this song in my car daily. I have repeated The lyrics "Jesus Your Name is Power, Breath of Living Water" over and over in my head. If there is a situation in your life and have tried everything you can possibly think of to fix it, just sit back enjoy this song and whatever is burdening your heart hand it over.