We started in the snow with a Save-The-Date, met in the Spring for some engagement photos, and last weekend - on the hottest day of the year so far - I got to watch them say their vows to be forever husband and wife.
Even with COVID-19 restrictions, the bride and groom were surrounded by family and friends that love them dearly.
The bride was stunning!
Then they shared the letters they had written for one another. The sweet bride had snuck in a special note for our very first session that she wanted to get a shot of without Josh knowing. So she finally got to reveal that to him in her letter.
And that guy took that photo she had put in the letter and did this.....
He put it on the vintage dresser that was holding the guest book and melted everyone's hearts right then and there.
It's so evident how much they love and cherish one another, and I'm so excited for them to start the next chapter together.
It just makes me want to jump for joy. ;-)
What a great day! Congratulations Holly & Josh! I hope and pray I'm telling your story as full as it truly is.
You can see more of their previews here!
]]>
This particular wedding was supposed to be in April.
Even though all friends and family couldn't be there, they wanted to go ahead with the ceremony now and celebrate again later in the fall.
So with an amended cast of characters, the show went on.
And what a beautiful, lovely, special show it was.
Thank you David & Lizzie for sharing your very special day with me. Looking forward to the continued celebration in October!
Check out WischDesigns Facebook page and the WischDesign Instagram for more previews, as well as in the preview gallery.
]]>
They are the kindest and perfect for each other, just as God intended.
I know most people see dandelions as weeds, but I love how they look and their symbolism in life is too perfect to ignore.
What seems gone, blown away in the wind, is actually working towards new life and new growth. Have faith and trust all will be well. <3
As you wish...
You can see more of these two here, dancing their way to the altar.
Today's Senior is Wyatt!
This guy is such a hard worker, which he learned from his family. He is a valuable part of the farming crew, and he loves every minute. :-) I have no doubt that he will be successful in whatever he chooses to do in the future.
Congratulations Wyatt!
]]>Noah is such a sweetheart of a guy. He will do anything for most anybody, especially if they need a car looked at. This guy knows his way around a motor. So much so that he's gotten a pretty sweet opportunity with his talents. (You'll see more of Noah very soon! ;-) )
I know his family and friends are very proud of all he's already accomplished.
Congratulations Noah!
]]>Today's Senior is Kyle!
It has been a joy to watch this guy grow up into a kind, responsible young man. He loves hunting, golfing, and hanging out with family and friends.
I'm so excited in his plan of study and look forward to the day when he's back in the area inspiring young agricultural students, just like he was inspired.
Congratulations Kyle!
]]>You can't help but cheer this guy on. He's so smart, so kind, and pretty funny most of the time. ;-) I can't wait to see where all of those traits take him in life. I doubt that he's counting down the days until graduation with all this going on, but I would be willing to bet that he knows how many days until he gets MARRIED!
So, Congratulations, Kole, twice! :-)
This girl is the coolest of cats....nothing bothers her. She loves to have a good time, but also appreciates the value of deep thinking. She is a happy-go-lucky girl that rolls with the punches. Her family is so proud of her, as am I!
Congratulations Jenna!
]]>Thank you to everyone that is sharing and commenting on these posts. This year's Seniors are losing out on so much, so I hope this bring them some recognition and joy.
Next up is Jackson!
I can't imagine how difficult this time is for Jackson and his family because he lives, eats, and breathes baseball. I hope he's getting some kind of playing time in. And know he's very excited to start playing at the next level in just a few short months. It will be here before we know it! :-)
Congratulations Jackson!
Up today is Casey!
This Senior is super quiet, until he gets warmed up. :-) He's probably going to create the next decade's favorite gaming game, so you might want to make friends with him now. (Is gaming game a thing?) Anyway, that just goes to show how much smarter than me he is!
He has the support of so many family and friends, and I know they are very proud of his accomplishments.
Congratulations Casey!
Today's we have Carson's Senior video to share.
Carson loves to hunt and fish, so I hope he's able to do a lot of that during this quarantine time. He's got a pretty special spot to do that too! Carson has a huge cheering squad in all his friends and family. Hopefully, they can cheer him on for a graduation celebration soon!
Congratulations Carson!
]]>If you know Cable, you know he likes to have a good time. :-) No matter what he's doing, he's going to find a way to make it enjoyable. Whether he's shooting with friends, throwing the football around, or riding a bucking bronco, he's gonna make sure he's having fun.
Look for Cable on the rodeo circuit coming up. If the world doesn't open back up and have a rodeo soon, you can bet he'll be hosting one at his house!
Congratulations Cable!
]]>This guy brings a smile to everyone's face. Having four sisters has made him the life of the party! ;-) Bryton loves his family and loves spending time with his niece, nephews, and many cousins. And have I mentioned friends? So many people call this guy friend because he'll do anything and everything for them.
Excited to see where life takes you, and knowing you'll be smiling the whole way!
Congratulations Bryton!
]]>
Bryson is another Senior that I can't believe is already old enough to graduate. I can remember his baby shower!
This guy is such a great kid. He's the absolute best big brother (as well as little brother), and loves spending time with all of his family. When his high school was flooded a few years ago, he used the time off school to deliver supplies and help with the cleanup. He's an avid hunter, fisherman, and enjoys anything outdoors.
I'm excited to continue to watch this guy grow up! ;-)
Congratulations Bryson!
]]>Seeing this girl get ready to graduate makes it all very real for me. She has always been the apple of her momma's eye, and I've been blessed to watch her grow up.
Annie is such a beautiful girl, inside and out. She is so kind to everyone and is so very loved by her family. And, of course, she's funny! :-)
I can't wait to see where life takes you, Annie! I'm so proud of you!
Congratulations sweet girl!
]]>Funny story....my daughter actually got to know Allyah at God's Mountain Camp years before I met her. I always feel like I know a famous person when people say "I know Avery!"
Allyah is an old soul who has a passion for sentimental things. She is so crazy smart and loves to spend time with her friends and family, but mostly her fiancé. :-)
Congratulations Allyah!
I had so much fun hanging with Ally this year. She was always up for my crazy ideas, and had some awesome ones of her own. She introduced me to Freddy's hamburgers and now they're my favorite! :-)
She's not only talented on the volleyball court, but in the classroom as well. I was honored to have her in my 2nd grade classroom working with kids the last few weeks we were in school.
I know she will have a blast next year as a student athlete and can't wait to see her in her own classroom one day.
Congratulations Ally! Go light up the world!
]]>Alexys has a heart of gold and her smile lights up the world! She is her grandpa's greatest helper. Her accolades and awards for FFA are numerous! I learned so much about FFA and farming from her during our time together.
Congratulations Alexys!
]]>Next Senior from the Class of 2020 to be recognized is Alexis.
When you first meet this girl, she's as quiet as a mouse. But as you get to know her, you see her love for life, her willingness to help others, and her pure bravery. She has climbed mountains and will continue to conquer all challenges that come her way.
I throughly enjoyed the short time we spent together. I hope you can see her love and light in this compilation of Alexis:
I hope you are celebrating yourself, Alexis, because you have earned it!
]]>First up is Addison! I was blessed to be able to spend part of the day with him and his folks.
This handsome guy has the support of his entire hometown, as well as closely monitoring his speed through town. ;-) He is incredibly polite and kind, and his parents are understandably extremely proud of him.
I hope you enjoy this snippet of Addison:
Enjoy the rest of your Senior year the best you can, Addison, and best wishes next year!
~Trudy
]]>Senior Year is supposed to be fun and carefree; building relationships with friends and making memories to last a lifetime. But it's not always that way, and that stinks.
I can relate to the class of 2020 in some ways. My last year of high school wasn't all that fun either.
The week of Homecoming, my dad went through surgery to try and remove as much colon cancer as possible. It had already spread to his liver, so he began chemotherapy soon after.
Thanksgiving was canceled that year because Dad was so sick from the chemo.
In February, I earned a 1 rating for a piece I played with a small woodwind ensemble. The group traveled to Great Bend for State the next month & I had a panic attack in the hotel because I was afraid he had gotten worse while I was gone.
In April, I was honored to receive the American Legion's Citizenship Award given to two Seniors every year. A friend accompanied me because Dad was too sick for Mom to leave him.
I begrudgingly went to prom four days after he passed.
And graduated a week later.
I'm not trying to sing my sad song, but just to let this year's seniors know that there are people who understand how unfair this is. You should be mad. You should grieve. But you also have to know that life will go on. You will be stronger for all that you've had to go through. And you WILL be celebrated in one way or another.
And so, I'd like to do just that.
I'd like to celebrate the seniors that came to see me this year for pictures. It's not much, but it's a minute or so of reflection and recognition. Seniors, you have worked so hard to get to this point and I want to make sure you know that I am proud of each of you. I am honored to capture you in this season of life, and I'm excited to see all the things you will do in the future.
Starting tomorrow, I'll be sharing some pieces that I've created (thanks to my daughter teaching me some new things). I'd greatly appreciate it if you could show these kids some love by liking, sharing, or commenting encouraging words to them. While they should be stressing about end of school excitement, they are now stressing about not getting recognized. So please do them a huge favor and help me notice them in a special way.
And seniors, I know the posting of everyone's past senior photo isn't really very comforting to you all, but it might just be a way for the rest of us to grieve this time too.
Me on the staircase that 800 some seniors posed on in the mid-90s. :-) Photo courtesy of Ranieri.
]]>
If you saw my Instagram story the other night, this was too funny not to post.
He's barely hangin on until May! But no worries, he gets to spend his time in school with his best friend, who is also a Senior!
They both have a great sense of humor, and together, they are hilarious! :-)
But wait.......there's more!
Come back tomorrow to find out! ;-)
]]>
I love spending time with the newbies. They are so special.
But this one....he's just a little extra special.
He was so stoic during his session.
Yet, he knows how to relax and enjoy himself too!
He's so advanced! :-)
By the way, his smile here is because he loves the new blankie his grandma made him!
He is such a gift! And I know his family is beyond excited to have him here.
Won't be long, and he'll be helping out around the farm...
Congratulations on this sweet boy! Thank you for sharing him with me.
I mean....
They definitely helped warm the place up!
I did get some shots of them looking at me. ;-) You can see those in their preview gallery here.
]]>That teenager thought so too. :-)
In fact, she's only 13 and a day! A brand new teen-aby!
And can I just add a PSA here? I remember my oldest's 13th birthday. And it feels like it's been nothing but pedal to the medal since then. So my advice is to photograph them every chance you get...professionally, with your phone, snatch her selfies.....but collect those photos. Because they're literally on their way out the door, it feels like.
Can I even go so far to suggest that you do something THEY love, and take photos of that? I know not every teen loves having a photo shoot of their own, but find what they do love & do it with them. Because they're only "officially a teenager" for so long.
Great job to this girl's mom today! I know she had a blast, has some great memories, and now some fun snapshots to remember this special age. You can see a few of those here.
Happy 13th Birthday E!
]]>
It's a funny story to tell, so we though it would be fitting to make sure we captured them in this season. The ice was the perfect backdrop to their warm connection.
It's going to be fun watching them through the seasons.
But for now, we'll just put up with more ice and snow. ;-)
Congratulations, you two!
And Miss Mia took it all in!
Even exhausted, she was not going to miss the cake! :-) She did such a great job! And she mostly loved the purple frosting.
You can see more of the birthday girl in action with her cake here.
There is so much going on in that first year. Why does it have to go so fast?
Soak it up parents. They're not as excited to smash a cake on their 17th birthday. ;-)
Happy First Birthday Mia!
]]>I had the privilege of welcoming in the new year with a wonderful couple and their families. Both families are very special to me as they were both at the beginning of my teaching career. I taught next door to the groom's mother for 6 years and the bride's mother was my long-term substitute when Avery was born. Not to mention, I had the bride in 5th grade! I just love seeing how the Lord keeps special people in my life, and I'm blessed to serve them in both professions.
This New Year's wedding was everything you'd expect it to be....beautiful, sparkling, and fun! Take a look at a sneak of all of those things:
There were so many beautiful details in the wedding, and the people.
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. LaJoie! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your special day. <3 You can see more of their wedding day here.
May 2020 be full of blessings, as well as may we be a blessing to the new year!
]]>
Have you ever felt like God is nudging you to do something?
You keep seeing certain ideas and phrases repeated. Opportunities keep presenting themselves. People even say something so direct that it has you looking around...
So here it is.
Back in January, when the news came out about New York's decision on abortions, it made me very sad. It feels like something so profound couldn't really be possible. So I found myself asking "What can I do?"
At the time, I just went on with my life, still feeling the sting. A week later, a friend posted a video about it on Facebook & I felt the nudge. A month later, something came across Instagram that reminded me of the senselessness of it all. Then a woman's personal story on social media of her battle with the choice of choosing whether to continue her baby's life or not. A few weeks ago, a speaker introduced himself as "saved from abortion by adoption" and I felt a jolt go through me. And all along, I've heard the Lord reminding me that He'd like me to take action.
But I asked myself that question again, "What can I do about it?" and the Lord placed a thought in my head.
And clear as a bell, I heard, "You could offer to take a child."
/You know, once you hear God's voice, you don't forget it./
At the same time, He's been guiding me through some faith issues. Pastor Jentezen Franklin of Free Chapel shared about rubber band faith that I posted on my Instagram a while back. Here's the youtube of that message:
(I had forgotten that it began with a review of the power of the movie "Unplanned"....How's that for God at work? ;-) )
If you don't want to spend the time listening to his message, Pastor Franklin said faith is like a rubber band. It's not really much good if it's not stretched. Basically, it's useless unless it's stretched. He said "Unless you're stretching, you're not ready for what God has for your life."
That, combined with the message from my First Five devotional today, has made me realize that the Lord needs me to put myself out there & stretch for His kingdom. We have a responsibility to carry out and do what God describes in Psalm 82:3-4: "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
Having faith is one thing, but it's not really much good unless we are actively obeying, stretching ourselves to where God could use us.
I can't do much unless I make it known that I'm willing and able to.
I am Christ's ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20) & He has asked me to act justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8).
And so, in faith, I don't share this lightly, but I believe it is what the Lord has been asking me to do.
If you or anyone you know is contemplating abortion, please reconsider and allow me and my family to raise that child. We are not a perfect family, but we love and grow and accept and change together. I know that children are a gift from God and we are here to raise them up as He would see fit. I'm just one woman and we are just one family, but if it saves one child, I'm in.
Please share this as most who are dealing with this kind of decision are not doing so publicly. So you never know who the Lord may place it in front of.
Contact me at 785-548-5735 any time of day or night.
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Thank you.
]]>