Next on my list of amazing women is one of my best friends ever - Lisa Taguchi! She was my roomie in college and we just became closer after graduation. She now lives in Richmond, VA and I miss her so much. We have such fun together. Lisa has grown so much over the years and I’m so proud of my friend and the person she’s become. She’s a wonderful mother to her kids and loving wife to her husband. Lisa is one of those people who constantly cheers you on, but never seems to see the wonder in herself. She’s amazingly talented in so many ways. One that comes to mind is her creativity in writing. I used to love to read her letters and now I always look forward to her e-mails. They are so funny! She’s also a creative artist and she’s finally found her calling in life; which is teaching art to children. She’s great at it and I can tell that she loves it more than anything else she’s done. It’s funny that we both began to figure out what we wanted to be when we grow up, in our late 30’s! I love you and miss you Lisa! Check out Lisa with her youngest, Katie, who is also my God daughter. (Sorry such an old picture Lisa - all the more reason to come for a visit!)

I had the privilege to take pictures of my great friend Samantha and her fiance' Angus. They are getting married in October down at the beach. We had some fun doing an engagement shoot this weekend and it was so sweet seeing how much they love each other. I'm so happy for them! Congratulations to my friends!

Check out these pictures of my new friends Shannon and Jaden! We had a great time taking pictures and hanging out at the park. Jaden is obviously going to be a lady-killer! Check out those eyes!

Today, I was asked to fill in for a fellow photographer to re-shoot a picture of these dancers. Aren't they lovely?

Next up on my list of wonderful women is Mattie Burks. Mattie and I have worked together for over 12 years. She is like my family – I call her my “spiritual sister” because we are like kindred spirits. When I said earlier that I would want Dr. O’Neal to speak at my funeral, well, I would want Mattie to pray at my funeral. She is a strong, and sometimes stubborn, woman who has remained faithful to God and her family over the years. She’s raised and educated three strong women and continues to help raise many more nieces and nephews. She’s from a family of 16 kids! Can you imagine?! I love Mattie for many reasons, and one is because she loves me too. She’s been very good to me since we met many years ago, and I appreciate the warm welcome she gave me when I came to Decatur and Calhoun. Thank you Mattie for being such a beautiful woman inside and out, and for being such a great friend! I love you!

Donna is technically my step-mom, but she’s really more of a friend to me and a “savior of my family” of some sort. She’s been happily married to my dad for over ten years now. He/we were so lucky when she came into our lives. Even my mom thinks so! Donna has been a God-send and I’m so thankful for all the love she’s brought to my family. I won’t go into how she met my dad, but it’s very interesting and funny. Donna has a child-like enthusiasm about her that you can’t help but fall in love with. She can make you feel like a hero with her fervent compliments. I especially love how happy she makes my dad. He’s a different person since he met her, and it’s for the better. If I could have hand picked someone for him, I could not have picked a better mate. As you can see in these pictures of them, my dad loves her dearly. Thank you Donna for never holding back your feelings and always being honest and sincere with everyone you meet. I love you!

This weekend, I attended a bridal shower for my friend Rebecca "Becky," and her fiance' Brian. While I was there, we took advantage of the time and took a few engagement pix. I'm photographing their wedding at the end of this month down at the beach! I'm excited and can't wait to share in this exciting time with them! Thanks guys!