Dear Blog are you there? It's me Candice.

I am in the process of having someone design me a new blog so I have been waiting to post on my much anticipated new blog. But tonight fills me with the need to process thoughts and life. Yes if you read this blog I am a photographer and this was designed for me to share my recent shoots of clients but now I enjoy posting shoots and sharing my thoughts on being a wife, a mother, photographer, business owner and attempting the status of "super woman".
My favorite part of being a wedding photographer is watching two people in love dedicating their lives to each other. I love the moment in the ceremony when they both give one another that special look that is meant only for them. Thinking back to my own wedding, my face hurt from smiling the whole day, but no matter how sore my face was there was nothing in this world that could take that smile off my face. I remember the dreams we shared how I wanted to go to nurse anesthetist school and Josh was applying for pharmacy school. We moved into our first house and sorta got the boot less than 6 months later right before Christmas. We even had to tear down our tree before we had the chance to unwrap a single gift. Our amazing friends allowed us to stay in their house since it was on the market but the only problem was they had taken all the appliances with them when they moved and I mean everything including the microwave. Less than 2 weeks into our stay the water pipes froze and we had no water for over a week so we had to get up SUPER early to find a place to shower before heading to work and school. For 2 months we ate fast food and meals that should never have been prepared with a crock pot. But even through it all we didnt have a care in the world because we had each other and we had love. Looking back all I can do is laugh at how naive we were.

Giving Praise through the storms

I love the moments leading up to a Spring Thunder Storm. When I was a little girl my mom and I would cuddle up on the couch with a blanket and open the blinds to watch as the storm would make its way to our house. All of my senses just become alive and stimulated. The sudden change in temperature, the breeze on my face, the roll of thunder, and beautiful lightning just makes me feel so alive. I could see the clouds rolling in so after putting Noah to bed, I just snuck out on the back porch and cuddled up in a chair and enjoyed the moment. Sitting there I began to think back on the storms I have faced in life. Many times I have prayed and just felt like God wasn't listening but now looking back I am so thankful for His unanswered prayers. During college I was in a very unhealthy relationship and used to pray for God to make it work but He had much bigger plans for me. As the storm continued to roll in, it begin to rain and as the drops of rain landed on my skin I realized how God uses the storms of our lives to bring us closer to Him and the rain cleanses us of our burdens. I am just so thankful that God carries our burdens for us if we will only ask.

Love Dare day 10- Love is Unconditional

Today's Dare: Love is Unconditional
Do something out of the ordinary today for your spouse- something that proves (to you and them) that your love is based on your choice and nothing else. Wash her car. Clean the kitchen. Buy his favorite dessert. Fold the laundry. Demonstrate love to them for the sheer joy of being their partner in marriage.

This book is so powerful! If you have been following along with the dares I highly suggest buying the book too. There has been so much change going on in our lives lately that has both stressed us completely out but at the same time brought us closer. We had made the decision to sale our house but then 6 days later realized this just is not the time. I am trying to cut back at work and have met some road blocks. At first it is so easy to become upset and let others get under skin but finally after a great romantic dinner with my fabulous husband I have come to understand that my God is great and I am not going to let people bring me down to their level. Today's reason discussed the reasons why we love our spouse and I can simply say josh just makes me a better person and I love him for just being Him.

Love Dare Day 9- Love Makes Good Impressions

Today's Dare: Love Makes Good Impressions
Think of a specific way you'd like to greet your spouse today. Do it with a smile and with enthusiasm. Then determine to change your greeting to reflect your love for them.
Today's dare seems simple enough but the reading in the book was wonderful. I am a smiler I always have been and i hope I always continue to be. I have laugh lines at the tender age of 27 but I have earned them and enjoy knowing they are there because I have laughed and laughed hard pretty much daily. Even when I am down I can usually hide it while in public and I keep that smile on my face, but the person who can see right through me is of course Joshua. He is the one person who sees me at my worst and continues to love me. When reflecting on today's challenge I thought of a hundred different ways I should be greeting that man of my dreams. When we first got married and I would hear his car pull into the driveway I would jump up along with our huge white furry dog and we would both run out to meet our guy on the porch. Now I don't think I even get up to unlock the door at times. But this will all be changing as of right now! I love when he calls me to just say I love you or those unexpected visits at work. Think back to when you and your spouse were just dating and the little things you did and lets start doing them again, place a card on their car window while their working or my personal favorite, show up with a nice hot beverage from starbucks. You know what they like so take 5 minutes to make them smile.

On your Mark, get Set, Lets Run!

Please hold me accountable! I WILL be running the Decker's Creek half marathon June 5th. If you are interested in joining in let me know. I am starting the 10 week traning in 50 minutes :0. I have a 10 week training program that I think looks pretty good so I am going to give it a try. I will keep everyone posted on how I am doing (good or bad). Time to get my run on!

Love Dare Day 8- Love is not Jealous

I am pretty much over a month behind and each night I would lay in bed thinking how I would restart my love dare journey but then the next day it would once again be pushed aside. So here we go again and I apologize to all of you who have been doing the dares with me but hold me accountable and we will finish all 40 days together!
Today's Dare:
Determine to become your spouse's biggest fan and to reject any thoughts of jealousy. To help you set your heart on your spouse and focus on their achievements, take yesterday's list of negative attributes and discreetly burn it. Then share with your spouse how glad you are about a success he or she recently enjoyed.

This is an area I struggle with, Last summer Josh joined a country club and played golf frequently. He loves golf and I knew that when we got married, golfing is actually how we met. But for some reason each time he wanted to go I would pout or throw myself a pity party and just wanted him to stay home with me. This chapter made me realize that at times I just need to put my big girl pants on and stop thinking about myself.

Always Remembered

Yesterday made 3 years since my poppaw went home to be with his Heavenly Father. I find it hard sometimes to focus on the life he lived while not being overwhelmed by how he left. He was truly the first person that I had loved that left this world and I just wasn't ready. Many of you know my Grandpa was the only Father I ever had an he was a GREAT one! We never really said many words but we just had an unspoken bond. My poppaw walked me down the aisle the day I married Josh and I remember right before the ceremony everyone else had already walked out and we were standing on the steps. I was so nervous and excited that I don't remember half the things he said but he just wrapped his arm around me and told me to calm down, don't be nervous everything is going to be fine. I just wish Noah would have been able to have those same wonderful arms around his shoulders and experience my poppaw teaching him how to trout fish. I know we will see each other again and that provides comfort during the pain. Here is a slideshow of images my mommaw had and I thought I would share the life of the most amazing man I know.