Any time now...

Sarah and Scott are just 17 days away from the due date of their beautiful baby girl. (I don't even need to see her to know she will be stunning.) Yesterday, while my hand was on Sarah's ever-growing belly, I felt the baby hiccup and kick. It is incredible to watch her body transform as this life grows inside her.

I have known Sarah since my first semester at San Jose State University. We met because our boyfriends (well, her boyfriend, and a guy I was "dating") were roommates. We let go of them eventually, but never of each other. The first time we sat and talked it was for three hours on a bench in Dwight Bentel Hall after a photojournalism class. Now, nine years later, we can still sit that long and talk when time allows. We've been fortunate enough to both end up in Florida for now, and I am eternally grateful for her unending love and support. I'm equally grateful to be able to take pictures of her and her husband at such an important time in their lives.

We Are the Waiting

Yesterday I photographed a neighborhood clinic that offers free dental care to residents who don't have insurance. Coincidentally, I had to go to the dentist this morning for fillings. I pretty much felt exactly like Hector, pictured below, as I waited in the chair for the dentist to come.... ugh.

sometimes....

less is more.

unless you are my friend Christina, who thinks More is More.

Therapy

I went to the beach tonight to try to breathe. I needed some fresh air and decided I would go without my camera. No distractions... just me and a book or my journal.

Well, the light and the sunset were just too amazing. I ended up walking down the beach kicking myself that I hadn't brought my camera so I broke out the camera phone.... a sad replacement for my Canon, but it was fun and kind of therapeutic after a day where I took two mediocre (at best) portraits and made an enormous amount of personal blunders.

Here are a few...I know I know, mostly silhouettes.... but.. hey, it's a cell phone camera. :)

This is how I feel...

After The Fire

"Picture everything you had in your life, now it's all gone," said Donald Steinheiser. "I just thank the good Lord for not taking my family with it."

Walking into the future....

How's THAT for a graduation cliché?

Spring Football

One more game before the school year ends.

Olympic hopeful

Dayana Octavien was raised in the United States but her family is from Haiti. This summer she will competing to qualify to represent her native country in the 2008 Olympics.

Speaking of mothers...

My best friend, Sarah (Orr) Dussault, is a mommy-to-be. She is the one who inspired my blog post about Prenatal Yoga. I drove to her home in Fort Lauderdale today to take some belly pictures that she can post to her baby blog.

It is so cool to watch her body change shape. I generally think pregnant women are beautiful, but I think Sarah is stunning. And, yes, I'm totally and completely biased. I don't care. I defy anyone to say differently. Seriously, look at her. Just amazing.

Look for more on Sarah later. I'll be photographing her again. I'll also be photographing the birth of her baby, a little girl (yet to be named) who I can't wait to meet.

Mom

Happy Mother's Day mom. I love you.

Saw a message in the sand...

Things you might see: Part II

It's that time of year again. I am photographing the 2009 Bonita Springs Firefighters Calendar. Yes, yes, difficult job. I know. (Thank you, Lisa Krantz, for passing this responsibility on to me.)

Seriously, it's fun, but it's also a lot of work. I won't be posting those pictures here. But, last year shooting the calendar, I spotted bizarre little things at the station and posted it here. The trend continues. Today, another bizarre little photo.

Saving Grace

I returned to Florida and started back to work yesterday after my trip home. Two days of working felt like a week. For the past two days my job felt like a P.R. nightmare. Hospitals, schools, building construction at the new Emergency Operations Center — each place has some public relations person hovering or telling me what I can or can not photograph. This control of information is getting ridiculous.

It's frustrating because I feel like I'm not doing journalism. I feel like I'm the lackey for the whichever public relations firm happens to be in control at the time of the given assignment.

Thank goodness for Grace Place. The family community center and the people in it was just that, my saving grace. Children were getting free shoes and were genuinely excited about it.

Grape juice! What is it good for?

My 83-year-old grandma, who still works at Wal-Mart full-time, is pretty funny. We went grocery shopping today and as we went down the juice aisle, she says:

"I drink grape juice because they say it's good for.... Well, hell.... I can't remember what it is good for. So, I drink it."

:)