This one's pretty close to heart. I met David at church when I was about 12, and we've stayed friends ever since.  He has been a faithful friend through pivotal moments, and has become a brother to me, so when he asked me to photograph his wedding, I was SO excited. But I didn't fully grasp what an honor it was to be able to do this, until he first laid eyes on his GORGEOUS bride and I saw the look on his face. In all the years I've known David, I had NEVER seen such love and tenderness in his eyes, and it was beautiful. At first, Miriam and David didn't exchange too many words, but I imagine it's because sometimes words aren't enough. I felt like an intruder during this quiet moment, but I'm glad I was allowed to witness it and capture it. 

​I don't think I could ever explain how thankful I am that you were born. Not only because of how you make me feel, but because of who you are. I may be biased when I say that you're hilarious, handsome, smart, and charismatic, but what amazes me the most about you is how selflessly you give. 

That time you bought and installed a water filter for my mom without anyone asking you to; that time you made sure the Easter egg hunt was the best it could be for my nieces; that time you were the friend Mitchell needed; that time I brought Charlie home and you took her in as your own; the times you help Brian with homework and text him to make sure he's okay. These moments and SO many others are the ones that make me sigh. You have a heart that helps build up others, the kind of heart that makes this place a better one. It's what caught my eye about you, and it's what I admire the most.

The world gained so much when you were born. Happy birthday, Scott. 

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Sierra chewed through some cables, so I didn't have a computer for a little while. Now that I have one again, I decided to look through some old photos and I came across these.

The neat thing about family is that you can bug them, especially if you're one of the youngest. When I first became interested in photography, my family were the first I turned to for practice. I took portraits of Mari and Phil at the neighborhood park when they were engaged, and years later, they still let me practice on them, which I'm grateful for. Last March we met in Salton City and we walked all over the pulverized bones of dead fish as I took photos, but my sister and brother-in-law didn't complain.

Truth be told, I was a little nervous. The light wasn't what I expected it to be, and I didn't know how to work with it, but they were supportive and waited until I fiddled with my camera and figured it out. Thanks, Mari and Phil for helping me grow and get better!