We did it!  Schmidt Studio & Gallery has been put on the “publication” map!  We were featured in this summer’s installment of Tops in Lex’s Wedding Edition.

I have to brag a little because we were being featured with the TOP 5 wedding photographers in Kentucky!  I guess that makes us ONE OF THEM!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!  It feels a little strange to be “known”.  As much as I love my photography, I am also my own WORST critic.  So anytime I see our work beside someone else’s I think of what I could do BETTER.

I do have to say what a privilege it is to be here, in this place in our life, running this studio, and getting to WORK every single day, doing something I love.  This is not a JOB for me.  It is a truly expressive and beautiful way to live.  Spending the MOST special day of a couple’s life with them, as their sidekicks… it is always an honor!  Maybe that is why our wedding couples are so special to us and why we like to keep them around long after the wedding is over…. who knows.  We are truly blessed with a thriving business in a declining market.  We are blessed to be acknowledged for our work and to be listed among “the best”.  We are SO excited to see what new opportunities this will bring to SS&G and to our couples!

You can pick up your copy on stands at various Bridal vendors in Lexington NOW!!!  Or visit the digital issue through the link above… YAY!Recent Comments:

• XXX says A tip to save some cash when enjoying movies it that instead of heading to the movies on a busy [more]
• daphne says I JUST LOVE YOU!!! You always amaze me. You’re wonder womman of another kind!! I know it’s hard to BE [more]
• Jen says We are currently going through a pregnancy possibly affected by VACTERL…having more tests run. Would like to discuss some [more]
• Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
• Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]

• November 8, 2009 -- Christmas Card Preview!
• August 28, 2009 -- Another few faves from Gulf Shores…
• August 24, 2009 -- What the world needs is people who have come alive…
• August 19, 2009 -- Wordless Wednesday
• August 14, 2009 -- “Never a ship… sails out of the bay

So, my dearly beloved is working furiously to correct this problem.  Thank God I have a programmer for a husband!  LOL

At any rate…. I think its also safe to say that “I” am having technical difficulties!  I am normally a pretty creative (I think) and festive person and this year I have just had a mental block.  I am SO excited and LOVE the holidays in ways I cannot explain but this year, I just cannot find the motivation to get it together.  Last night I FINALLY took my tree skirt to be monogrammed (been on the list to do since oh say… September), and picked up some more coupon finds along with a few new laundry baskets ( I am a instituting a new method to the laundry room that is currently a PIT!).  There are so many things I WANT to do and trust me … my house looks like a bomb went off….  but I just cannot find the energy to do it.  I end up on the couch with the kids curled up and watching dora or sitting on the computer trying desperately to motivate myself to at least get some photographs proofed but no sooner than I open the program does a headache set in that grips my head, travels down my spine and ruins every muscle in my body.  I have never give a lot of thought into being “disabled” mostly because I guess I never thought it would happen to me…. now I sit here, the very definition of disabled, and it sucks.  I rarely have the energy to drive so I am honestly glad that we are down to one vehicle and even getting the energy to go out with the kids to dinner is a challenge.  I feel like I could use a good dose of speed.  My docs ask if I am depressed… honestly… no.  Unless its totally subconscious and I have no idea that I am and I am internalizing it and that is coming out in my ability to function.  But I generally think life is good, and beautiful and the holidays are here (they ARE the most wonderful time of the year after all!) and my house is close to being finished on our never ending list of remodeling tasks, and I am ready to bake and wrap and decorate and ….. I can’t find the energy to get off the couch.  And that sucks too.

So I have decided to try and combat these “exhausted” days with prayer.  I figure if people can have a prayer “diet” I can have a prayer kick in the pants motivator adrenaline rush!!

My prayer adrenaline rush for today is: PSALM 30

¹ I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me.
You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
² O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you restored my health.
³ You brought me up from the grave,^[a] O Lord.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

⁴ Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

I truly think that there is some form of clarity that comes from reading a passage in multiple translations.  There are many points of view from each translation of the Bible that can give insight to any situation at hand.  Hearing the scripture in another form, another translation sometimes helps one to pin point the “ah ha” moment that helps them apply the scripture to their life.  So I think its also important to read THIS scripture in “The Message” translation.  It is powerful to understand it in this way as well at the New Living Translation above.

¹ I give you all the credit, God— you got me out of that mess,
you didn’t let my foes gloat.

^2-3 God, my God, I yelled for help
and you put me together.
God, you pulled me out of the grave,
gave me another chance at life
when I was down-and-out.

^4-5 All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God!
Thank him to His face!
He gets angry once in a while, but across
a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out
give way to days of laughter.

I have nothing to add… that pretty much says it all.  I would say that THIS translation is exactly how I would have translated this scripture into my own life.  He got me out of this MESS… He pulled me (and Kyleigh and Troy… and every human being for that matter) out of the grave!  But there is something still so true about the last line of this passage in the good old King James Version:

⁵For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

But JOY cometh in the morning.  Enough said……………

Today I am praying that I would be able to be filled with that Joy that is the breath of LIFE straight from our Heavenly Father.  I am praying that he breathes life into my soul and energy into my bones.  I am praying that He would allow me to be productive but most of all to be a BLESSING to anyone I come into contact with and in order that I should do that that He will remove from my bones their exhaustion and turn my mourning into DANCING.  That God will allow this morning and every morning ahead to be THE morning that the Joy comes.  For it to be the day in which beauty rises from the ashes.

Musical Inspiration of the day: Beauty will Rise- Steven Curtis Chapman

Recent Comments:

• XXX says A tip to save some cash when enjoying movies it that instead of heading to the movies on a busy [more]
• daphne says I JUST LOVE YOU!!! You always amaze me. You’re wonder womman of another kind!! I know it’s hard to BE [more]
• Jen says We are currently going through a pregnancy possibly affected by VACTERL…having more tests run. Would like to discuss some [more]
• Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
• Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]

• April 28, 2010 -- Have a little talk with Jesus…
• March 5, 2010 -- Priorities.
• December 16, 2009 -- What faith has done.
• December 14, 2009 -- Hide and Seek
• December 5, 2009 -- Believe….

The ONLY family picture of us in existence… I think.  I do honestly believe this is the only picture that exists with ALL five of us in one frame… without some photoshop magic.  I made it my goal to get ONE pic out of the beach of all of us and I think Daphne accomplished it beautifully… and in only 4 minutes with a heck of a STORM coming in!!!  It was truly insane!

And a great pic of me, Troy and Daphne… love ya girly!!! ( Do I look kind of high in the pic???  Geez… those meds were really still messing with me at the time… side effects on these suckers are KILLERS… let me tell you …)

But truthfully I MUST say thank you to everyone I KNOW had a hand in this.  The same women who always come to my rescue no matter where I am or how long its been since we last were together or picked up the phone to say hello.  These are the people who are more like family than friends who no matter where you go in life or how long its been, when you are together its like its been NO time at all.

To Daphne, Margie, Julie, and Cristy (and I am SURE more that I am missing… if I missed you you better speak up now before I get mad at you for not fessing up!)… you have no IDEA what each of you mean to me… I have no words.  LOVE YOU!!!

Recent Comments:

• XXX says A tip to save some cash when enjoying movies it that instead of heading to the movies on a busy [more]
• daphne says I JUST LOVE YOU!!! You always amaze me. You’re wonder womman of another kind!! I know it’s hard to BE [more]
• Jen says We are currently going through a pregnancy possibly affected by VACTERL…having more tests run. Would like to discuss some [more]
• Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
• Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]

• January 12, 2010 -- Coming Home!
• August 26, 2009 -- Wordless Wednesday
• August 24, 2009 -- What the world needs is people who have come alive…
• August 14, 2009 -- “Never a ship… sails out of the bay
• November 8, 2009 -- Christmas Card Preview!

So… after the last depressing post we need a little pick me up!  This will certainly do it!

I have to start off by saying.  I have the BEST friends in the whole entire world.  Seriously.  There is nothing like it.  I know that no matter how many days or months its been since you talked whether good or bad they are the kind of friends that you call up and its like there has been no time at all lost.  They are also the kind of friends who see a need and waste no time in filling it!  They are women of purpose.  I am BLESSED to call them my friends!  I came to know most of these people through photography and somehow us photographers (most of us anyhow) are more like family than business associates.  Yes, we fight like family but we also take care of each other like family too.  I have seen swarms of photographers descend on a fellow photographer’s studio and totally revamp it after a hurrincane.  Together our group have watched as children have been born, and sadly enough as they have been lost.  We have seen husbands go off to war and we have seen families be reunited.  I have seen this amazing group of people band together to send a dying child, on their own self imposed “Make a Wish” mission and now I have been at the receiving end of their kindness and each time I continue to be blown away.  These people are unsung heroes.  Their efforts are not documented on the evening news and they may never have their name up in lights for their efforts but I don’t honestly think they care.  Because I know that they care more about seeing the smiles on the face of my kids as they enjoyed the sugary white sands of the beaches in Gulf Shores, Alabama which is just what we did thanks to their efforts ( and that of their friends!) this past week.

We were blessed to be the guests of the amazing Quinley Family in their Condo in Gulf Shores Alabama for nearly an entire week.  The view from the back deck was the bay and to watch the sun rise over the water was truly serene.

Ten steps across the road out front was the beautiful white sugary sands and blue gulf waters that I remember as a child.  I hope that no matter how many vacations my kids have in the future that they will always remember this one because this one was truly special.

I will post some more in the coming days about our adventures in Gulf Shores, Alabama because each day was a new surprise and a new adventure compliments of our friends and family and we treasured each one but today… enjoy the beauty of what God gave us…

Recent Comments:

• XXX says A tip to save some cash when enjoying movies it that instead of heading to the movies on a busy [more]
• daphne says I JUST LOVE YOU!!! You always amaze me. You’re wonder womman of another kind!! I know it’s hard to BE [more]
• Jen says We are currently going through a pregnancy possibly affected by VACTERL…having more tests run. Would like to discuss some [more]
• Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
• Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]

• August 28, 2009 -- Another few faves from Gulf Shores…

Bentley came through her surgery with FLYING colors.  She had surgery on Wednesday, was off pain meds by Friday and was released to a hotel on Tuesday!  They even think she will go HOME HOME on Friday!!!!!!!!  What a miracle!!!  God certainly answered prayers there!

I have to say it brings me to tears (for many reasons).  I am so SO thankful that their family did not have to go down the road we went down…. but then again I look back and think… wow.  We were so “young” in this whole medical thing we had NO idea what to expect.  Other than my gut feeling that we were going to be there longer than the normal 3-4 days… we had nothing else to go on.  We barely even had those “fight” for her instincts.  We had no idea how to express ourselves or how to get our point across.  We had NO idea how bad off she was, especially since all of the CICU team were always so positive.  It never entered our minds that we might leave that hospital without her.  Never once did I ask a doctor “Is she going to die?” because it just NEVER occured to me.  We always thought… “oh we are in for the long haul now”… but overall I guess you could say we had blind faith. Even through surgeries that nearly doubled the time they SHOULD have taken.  Even through days of seizing, severely impeded heart rhythms, talk of pacemakers, collapsed lungs, 106 fevers, double staph infections, second open heart surgery, 80CC pocket of fluid BEHIND the heart, lost weight, blood and platelet transfusions, and and and…………  I never honestly thought that we would loose her.

Maybe it was the ignorance that kept us going.  Maybe that ignorance was a form of protection.  Maybe it was GOOD that we had no idea.  I find myself wishing that we had NOT been so ignorant because if I had known then what I know now… things would have happened differently.  I would have INSISTED that they test the fluid that oozed from her wounds where they pulled her lines and drains.  I would have INSISTED they figure out WHY there was a 106 fever.  I would have INSISTED that they find a reason for the collapsed lungs (before 2 weeks in).  I would have INSISTED that they called the doc in the middle of the night when she nearly drown in her own chest.

I have to say … I carry a certain bit of guilt from that night.  We kept telling her… Kyleigh girl… you CANNOT be in that much pain… you are going HOME tomorrow… PLEASE don’t do this.  We were so desperate to go home.  I am just REALLY glad that she will never remember those days because it was NOT her fault.  She didn’t DO any of it.  She was the one suffering and the only people we could feel sorry for were ourselves.  We were exhausted, sick, and desperate.  Yet somehow there was relief when they threw her in the bed to wheel back to the CICU.  I have never really seen a flutter of activity like that before.  You could tell it was an “emergency”… it looked like something straight out of ER or Grey’s Anatomy.  On went the O2 canula and monitors, ekg lines and pulse ox.  In 5 minutes flat we had packed our entire life (AGAIN.. remember by this point we had moved her swing, her bouncy seat, bottle sterilizer, EVERYTHING to the hospital… we were LIVING there) into two red wagons and were once again headed back to the ICU to learn our “fate”.  It hurts me to know that I was so ignorant that I did not even REALIZE what kind of pain she was in.  Today… if this happened, things would be drastically different.  I play this over in my head often and think of how the ending could change.  Even with all of our stupidity and ignorance God kept his hand on Ky.  Her experience served to strengthen our testimony.  Our daughter has been legally “dead” twice and God has give her new life.  What could be more powerful a statement?Recent Comments:

• XXX says A tip to save some cash when enjoying movies it that instead of heading to the movies on a busy [more]
• daphne says I JUST LOVE YOU!!! You always amaze me. You’re wonder womman of another kind!! I know it’s hard to BE [more]
• Jen says We are currently going through a pregnancy possibly affected by VACTERL…having more tests run. Would like to discuss some [more]
• Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
• Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]

• August 26, 2010 -- Be Still…
• October 26, 2009 -- Do not be anxious about anything…
• August 14, 2009 -- “Never a ship… sails out of the bay
• July 13, 2009 -- Happy Birthday Kyleigh!
• May 7, 2009 -- Blessings of the Heart

I had trouble sleeping on Tuesday night, mostly because of my allergies, but partially because of Ky’s pending trip to the cardiologist. Granted, we love her cardiologist. Both of them, Dr. Cottrill who had been caring for Ky since she was born, and Dr. Bricker, who has since taken over her care, are fabulous. Even knowing that I just dread the day that we get MORE bad news. Although I always HOPE that every new doctor visit will bring more good news… I try to prepare for the worst and then anything short of that is “ok”. But this day… could possibly be the BEST medical day we have had thus far!

Kyleigh did phenomenally with all of the testing. The standard EKG, o2 monitoring, blood pressure, weight (which is down a little btw…), height etc… were performed and all in adorable Kyleigh fashion. I remember the days when we would literally have to hold her against her will to get an ekg… wow. She has come a LONG way!

Dr. B listened to her for a long time (which scared me a little) but he had to continue listening because the previous “sounds” in her heart (indicative of a residual VSD and mitral vale regurge) were GONE!. So off to the Echo room we went (no pics from there… its too dark for the old iphone! As soon as our U/S girl laid the probe on Ky’s chest she got the biggest smile on her face. While Ky’s heart will never look “normal” the mitral valve is NO LONGER LEAKING- not even a LITTLE! There is red and blue and that is IT!

The biggest news came when Dr. B came in to conference and declared that Kyleigh had a “beautiful” repair and that her residual VSD (that we thought we might have to close between 6-10 years of age) is GONE, closed, finished, HEALED…. (tears……….) How GREAT is our God??? (can you heart Chris Tomlin singing now??? LOL) I have no words to tell you how happy this makes me. Not only is there nothing additionally wrong, there is HEALING… complete and totally in her heart. I know beyond a doubt that this is no coincidence. This nothing short of divine intervention. So today… add this on your list of “miracles” that you have seen… because my girl… has been given another miracle.

Instantly my heart is reminded of the scripture:

Recent Comments:

• XXX says A tip to save some cash when enjoying movies it that instead of heading to the movies on a busy [more]
• daphne says I JUST LOVE YOU!!! You always amaze me. You’re wonder womman of another kind!! I know it’s hard to BE [more]
• Jen says We are currently going through a pregnancy possibly affected by VACTERL…having more tests run. Would like to discuss some [more]
• Jen says Hi Amber! It’s lunchablemommy – actually not on A full cup anymore, so I wanted to send you my [more]
• Tracy says Love it! That is something Maggie would do. She loves Disney Princess stuff too. LOL. [more]

• August 26, 2010 -- Be Still…
• October 26, 2009 -- Do not be anxious about anything…
• August 14, 2009 -- “Never a ship… sails out of the bay
• July 13, 2009 -- Happy Birthday Kyleigh!
• May 28, 2009 -- Praise Report on Bentley!!!!!!