You know that age we all reach when one minute we look like a little kid but then the next minute we catch a glimpse of ourselves from another angle and OH MY GOODNESS WHEN DID THAT YOUNG WOMAN GET HERE? That must be exactly what Elizabeth is thinking these days. I promise you, she was three years old only about two weeks ago. Okay, maybe seven.

Now look at her. Playing the oboe and clarinet ...


... twirling in her ooh-la-la dress ...

... standing there with her pearls and her long blonde hair blowing in the breeze.

Even her smile and direct gaze have a new, grownup feel.

And she's suddenly become an outdoor girl who's able to withstand chilly temperatures and gusty winds ...

... and isn't afraid to take her surfboard out in those conditions!

"Don't you need a wetsuit?"

"Nah, I won't be cold."

Turns out she was cold but she toughed it out until her mom and I called her back to shore. What a trooper!

How impressive you are, Elizabeth, in so many ways.

I'm glad we braved that gusty afternoon together, and I'm really glad to see how God is shaping you into a young woman who feels more and more free to be 100% Elizabeth! OH MY GOODNESS WHEN DID THAT YOUNG WOMAN GET HERE?!!

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, You watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before You,

the days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139:15-16 MESSAGE

One sunny morning at Sunny Hearts, two little fairies came to visit the Pumpkin Patch. Madalyn, the big sister fairy, showed off her rainbow-striped wings, while Cora, the little sister fairy, mainly tried to wriggle out of her wings.


They said hello to one of their own kind who stood waiting for them under a magnolia tree.

They flitted over to the pumpkin stand and picked out their favorites, hoping that the mommy fairy might let them take a couple home.

And then, oh my! Each little fairy began to do her own perfectly choreographed and executed dance. Madalyn's dance was very serious and passionate ...

... while Cora's included experimental steps and newfound delights.

For their grand finale, the two performed a lovely duet. I think it's one they've practiced since Cora was just a baby, as you can see here.

Not long afterwards, their lovely wings carried them back to their secret fairy home. (sigh) What a nice treat it was to see them out and about!

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;

hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 17:8

FINALLY I'm getting around to sharing these family photos taken at the Brazoria County Fair last month. Could someone please get me some Geritol, stat?!

This really was a fun session. Mark and Melissa had already planned to take their girls to the fair that day, so I just tagged along and caught them in action. When you have little ones, there really is no discussion about where to begin upon arriving at the fair. The petting zoo, of course!

Micah was in heaven, shrieking with delight when animals nuzzled up to her, petting baby animals sweetly, and obviously feeling perfectly comfortable no matter what sort of furry thing randomly bumped into her.


Mia, on the other hand, was much more wary. Her nearly-four-year-old mind knew that those animals might jump on her or bite her or knock her down, so she preferred not to give them any opportunity to do so. In fact, the one animal she was thrilled to see was not really a living animal at all but a pretend cow that could be pretend milked. No chance of that thing jumping or biting or knocking anyone down.

Next up were the stick horses and barrel racing arena. Micah quickly learned how to ride and gave everyone a run for their money. After putting the horses away, Mia got into a very deep discussion with a couple of them.

Whose genius idea was it to put a big pile of loose hay in this area? I thought we might stay there for the rest of the afternoon, Mia loved it so. And look! A really big animal for Micah to get up close and personal with!

In a word: adorable.

One last farm experience awaited us in the egg hatching display.

Then it was time to hit the midway. Micah was bitterly disappointed to be told she was too small to ride the kiddie rides (the nerve!), but Mia did an awesome job of driving her hot rod.

And the carousel is always the best ride anyway.

What else could we possibly need to complete this perfect day? Yep. BLUE COTTON CANDY. Thanks, Daddy!

Sticky hands and blue faces. Now all is right with the world!

Do you think Mia and Micah had a marvelous time?

I'd say they all did!

Note to self: be sure to pester at least one family every year and talk them into letting me follow them around at the fair with my camera. There's nothing like seeing it all from a child's perspective, and there's no need to coax anyone to smile. Thanks, M4. I hope you had as much fun at the fair as I did!

We will go with our young and our old,

with our sons and our daughters,

and with our flocks and herds,

because we are to celebrate a festival to the Lord.

Exodus 10:9

Still searching for just the right Christmas gift for that special someone on your list?
Hoping to help them see how much you treasure having them in your life?
Wondering what sort of meaningful, lasting, truly personal gift would make them smile?
Then has my little friend Grace got a tip for you!

Wonderfully Made portrait package gift certificates are another way of saying:

- "I want to look at your beautiful face every day!"

- "I just love seeing you with my kids, Mom and Dad!"

- "Why yes, I would be delighted to dress any way you like and have fun new family portraits made. Anything for you, dear!"

- "I want to capture this moment in our lives -- the joy, the insanity, the hugs, the grubby faces, the sheer perfection of it all -- and hold onto it forever!"

Portrait packages begin at $150 and can be customized to suit any price range and occasion. Contact me today and let me help make your special someone's Christmas merry and bright!

laurieheath@sbcglobal.net

979.849.4536

979.215.6924

For all of those who voted to help a family win a photo session, here are the results of the winners' session!

Anyone who knows the Millers understands that they're a family of five uniquely gifted individuals.


I like the way that no one feels pressured to be exactly like any of the others, and they accept one another as they are.

Sometimes peaceful.

Usually active.

Easily identifiable parts ...

... that make up one beautiful whole.

These three faces tell an undeniable story, don't they?

That each one is confident and secure within this circle of five.

You're a winning combination, Miller family. No wonder so many folks were willing to vote for you!

For just as each of us has one body with many members,

and these members do not all have the same function,

so in Christ we, though many, form one body,

and each member belongs to all the others.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.

Romans 12:4-6

Mimi and Grandad's bunch are back! They've grown up so much in just a year, and they've added one more to their number. Since I have the privilege of seeing these kids on a weekly basis, I wasn't rattled when our session got off to a bumpy start. Would Ella cry the whole time? Would the promise of "ice cream if she was good" be enough to help her settle in?



Well, judge for yourself! Grandad helped by getting the crowd to holler "lizard!" and pretty well any silly thing that came to mind.



Moving from one interesting location to another helped, too. How many times did we lose Sadie's tiny orange shoes?



During one of our moves, I noticed how beautifully stair-stepped the kids are at this moment in time, so I convinced them to line up in order of age. Next year's line-up may look completely different, since at least a couple are on the verge of a growth spurt.



Eight kids. Eight kinds of adorable. Don't you love Race's snaggly teeth and the way he peers over the top of his glasses?



Awww. So sweet, so cooperative, so relaxed with one another. At least two mamas were dancing behind me at this point, I believe. Rowan had found her happy place in Mimi's lap.



And then what did I do? I got them all riled up. "Squish together a little bit more. Do something silly!" I didn't really intend for Grandad and Kindle's necks to be snapped like twigs. In the back, Alley is thinking, "Grrrreat. Here we go again."



And then all mayhem breaks loose. By that point, Averi could do nothing to help the exhausted baby in her lap except commiserate with her.



Cane, however, had thoroughly gotten into the spirit of the moment and was ready for more action.



So we really had no choice but to take that energy and move to the trampoline for one last set of shots. Someday I'm going to set up this disaster-in-the-making and someone's going to get hurt and I'll be in trouble. Not this day, thankfully.



In the meantime I'm just going to enjoy egging them on and reaping the benefits with my camera.

Thanks for sharing your grandkiddos with me, Pat and David. I love seeing how much they adore you and look up to you.

I ponder every morsel of wisdom from You,

I attentively watch how You've done it.

I relish everything You've told me of life,

I won't forget a word of it.

Psalm 119:9 MESSAGE