the monday personals | responsibilities

Responsibilities. It's a big word.  Not only to spell and pronounce but think about all the things in life that we are responsible for. This weekend responsibilities came knocking on my door uninvited. Ok, so they weren't completely unexpected, I was just hoping they would show up a day or even weekend later and that just wasn't the case. Living on a farm there is a lot of extra responsibilities to take care of besides just normal household life.  My husband has been reminding me all winter that once spring comes he has a list of a million things that need to get done. "I know, I know" I continue to tell him. And to be truthful, I really never expected anything to get in the way of what needed to be done.  Until the photography got in the way. I honestly never expected it to take off like it has since I've "went public" at the beginning of the year.  I am completely overwhelmed (in a fantastic, I'm so touched and thrilled way) at the response I've received so far. I know I have come a long way in the last year, but also know how much more I can improve and grow on and want it sooo bad.

On Saturday I was supposed to have the opportunity to tag along with a really great, amazing photographer - Rebecca Eby of Studio Noveau. I was seriously on cloud nine when she asked me to join her for a fun impromptu shoot. There was talk of cancellation due to rain, but in the end it was still on. I had been looking forward to it for days! Then the glooming cloud of responsibilities came up. I was reminded of everything he had been waiting to get done once the rain stopped and we finally got a gorgeous sun-filled day.  But I needed the gorgeous sun-filled day to do my shoot too. I set out to look for a compromise where we could both get what we wanted/needed but to make a long story short - in the end I just couldn't make it happen.  I admit I was completely bummed...even to the point of a few tears, but in all honesty the more I thought about it I really wasn't as upset as I originally thought I was. My first and foremost responsibilities will always be to my husband and my daughter. They will always come first.  And I have to give due credit to my husband...in the end after much debate he told me to go. He knew how much it meant to me but I was the one who decided I needed to cancel my plans for him because my family comes first. As my daughter and I went for a stroll later that afternoon around the farm while my husband worked on his responsibilities, I remembered that she always trumps the photography no matter how passionate I am about it. Strolling hand in hand with her, watching her dump the entire bottle of bubbles out onto the ground then wondering why she couldn't get anymore bubbles, exploring the old rusty truck I've been eyeing up for awhile to visit with my camera, it all tingled my heart with glee and at the end of the day it turned out to still be a great one because I got to spend it with her.

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” - Ashley Smith

.....thus,  I'm still crossing my fingers for another opportunity to spend time with the very talented Rebecca Eby! ;)

Clearly, not all of these shots were taken yesterday. Yes, we did get snow in MAY, but definitely not yesterday. This was taken over the winter.

What's a farm without a tractor.  Lexi loves her tractors!  Although this is an old tractor that just sits and looks pretty in the shed.

Although I would LOVE to have this much green already, sadly this was also not taken this weekend, but probably a couple summers ago.

Although my plans were cancelled, I still vowed to take some pictures that day. Finally, a few from this weekend.

Lastly, one of my favs :)

The Story

My first post had a lot of people commenting about how much my words and description of my love for my daughter touched them emotionally.  Their comments touched me in return, so thank you!  It also made me think back to how much I used to love writing.  In high school I used to think my stories that were beautifully scribbled in the maroon leather binder etched with random doodles for English class were the bomb diggity.  I'm weird, I know.  But I used to write all the time whether it be stories, journals, diaries, letters -- I once wrote my best friend at the time a 30-page (yes, I said THREE ZERO!) letter who lived only 10 minutes away just because I could. I've also been known with more than one boyfriend to write their name about 1000 times on paper. My emails are novels and don't even get me started with the amount of talking I can accomplish. I come from a long line of talkers.  If you know my mother, you'll understand. And if you had the privilege of knowing my Grandmother, you'll really understand.  {{Miss you Grandma!}} 

The plain and simple truth is, I like to talk, I like words, I like writing, I like telling stories. And even more so I like the details of the story. Anybody who has ever known me knows I tell stories in not just detail, but extreme detail. Emphasis on extreme. So extreme if you ask me a question, I have to rewind about two years to fill you in on all the details leading up to that specific story, which also triggers memories of other related stories which fill my mind and I just simply have to tell those in detail too. I can't help it. I like to tell stories: it's a fact.  So how do words and talking and writing all relate to "The Story" you ask?  Well, stories can also be told in another form - through pictures. Remember my snippet about starting way back and building up to the point and then having it relate to another topic and going off on that topic. Yup, I just did it again. I liked writing, I like words, they tell stories, stories come from many places, pictures are stories. I like to think that my mind just moves a mile a minute ;)

My passion for photography follows the same path as my storytelling: details! More specificially life in detail. Seeing life's amazing details through my camera lens, through my daughter's eyes, her characteristics and her personality she's gaining more and more each day.  I find myself taking pictures of pretty much anything and everything she does because I want to capture those details in her life so she has something to hold onto and look back at down the road and say "Mom, did I really do that?" Or "Mom, tell me the story behind this picture."  I want to do that for you too.  So what's your story?

Nothing swells my heart more to see my baby girl already so interested in books at such a young age.  She probably has at least 150+ story books and absolutely has to read them at least three times a day if not more. So much knowledge, creativity, and mind-enhancing details flowing into her little tiny brain. I love it!

     AGE: 5 1/2 mos

AGE: 9 mos

AGE: 10 mos 

Of course since we're talking about details, I can't forget my absolute beyond a doubt favorite detail of her: The Enchanting Blue Eyes ;)

Enchanting Blue Eyes

It seems only fitting to blog about my absolute favorite thing in the entire world for my first post. She is after all the reason I finally pursued my passion....and even better, she's my daughter!  To say I love pictures would be a drastic understatement. Call it an obsession, call it a passion, call it...well, just me. Anyone who knows me knows I always have my camera in hand. My husband usually says I see my entire life through a camera lens. But, this post isn't about me - it's about the most beautiful baby girl in the entire world. Lexis Elisabeth Schmidt - who just turned ONE YEAR old this week.

They say time flies when you're having fun and for us, it definitely has!  She has brought more joy to our lives than we could have ever asked for. The happiness and tingle of love that I feel in my heart everytime I see my daughter smile, or grab for Daddy's hand, or giggle that adorable laugh is like nothing else in the world. To hear my husband  - who is by far the least romantic person in the world - tell his daughter about 50 times a day how much he loves her is music to my ears. The way he looks at her, protects her, his need to comfort her, and make it known to her at every moment of the day that he is utterly and truly in love with her is something I have dreamed of since a little girl. She makes us want to be better, stronger, compassionate, exciting, loving and mentoring parents who can give her a world where she knows love and kindness and joy and the simple things of life that make it all worth while. It is truly this little girl's enchanting bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks that just scream Kiss Me!, glistening hair, and brilliant mind that makes me want to never put the camera down and capture every moment of her life so I always have those memories to look back at down the road when she's not my baby girl anymore, but all grown up and I can no longer hold her in my arms and rock her to sleep.  Happy Birthday Baby!

Of course what's a blog from a proud Mama without photos showing off her baby girl!

And what's a birthday without cake?!  However, Mommy's love of cake must have not been passed onto this little babe.  She would much rather eat pizza, cottage cheese, and cheese over cake any day :)