Adventures

(Whenever I post photographs and receive compliments on them, I always feel like I need to add the disclaimer that I do not consider myself a professional photographer.  I recognize I have much to learn and honestly I don’t have any aspirations to turn my hobby into a business.  I think it would take something that I truly enjoy and turn it into a ton of stress.  Right now my goal in photography is simple, learn more in order to capture the fleeting moments in the lives of people I love.)

And the couple pictured below is loved by our whole family.

I had been dreading March 2.  Hubby has an annual work event every first weekend in March and too often I’ve battled loneliness with its proximity to Rosebud’s passing.  This year was especially hard as one of my favorite little people was celebrating her second birthday with family and friends 2000 miles away, and one of my favorite big people would be there as well celebrating 85 years of her own.  As I’ve struggled with discontent at the distance between us and our families, I’ve begun to ask for purpose in this lovely little town when I pray.  The answer that day was a joyful task that kept me so preoccupied that I didn’t have any time to wallow in self-pity.

Back a few years ago when our oldest started playing soccer with the community sports program I was nervous, real nervous.  I hoped and prayed that she would be placed on the team and with the coaches that was best for her.  I could have never imagined that my prayers would have been answered so perfectly when she was matched up with Coaches Matt and Maggie.  They taught, encouraged, and tied lots of shoelaces that season and soon my timid kid was excited about throwing herself down on the ball as goalkeeper even while the other team was kicking at her head (her own words).  We’ve had the privilege of keeping in touch with M&M through the years and soon they will be graduating college and starting a new chapter in life.

 

Because they are starving college students, I gladly agreed when they have occasionally asked me to take photos of them.  They are very much in love and incredibly easy to photograph.  Spending an afternoon watching them through my viewfinder is always refreshing.  But on the morning of March 2, sheer panic filled me when Matt called to say that he was planning to propose to Miss Maggie during the shoot we had planned later in the day.  The rest of my morning was spent looking at Pinterest and praying that I didn’t screw things up.  It was an absolute pleasure and honor to witness their engagement.  And I was so very thankful to have been given a very real purpose that particular day for being 2000 miles away from some of my most loved ones.

They humored my little assistant and comforted her

a few minutes later when her big girl camera fell into the pond.

 

At the top of a hill, nestled between 2 evergreens,

Matt got down on one knee and asked Maggie if she would go on adventures with him.

 

 

They seemed unfazed as a certain 5 year old yelled "EWW, Gross" during their first kiss as fiancés.

 

 

And as if being there when their favorite coaches got engaged wasn't enough,

the girls received these very special invitations this past weekend.

 

Congratulations Matt and Maggie!!!

We can't wait to hear about the many adventures to come.