Terra Richards Photography

It’s been a busy few weeks since returning from vacation, mostly catching up on sessions from September and preparing for lots of shooting the next three weeks!  It comes in waves around here…computer work…bookkeeping…shooting….computer work…bookkeeping…shooting…and sometimes I just schedule days off to remember that I am still a “stay at home mom!”  Catch up on playing school with Evie, train-table with Zachary…and dinner for the love of my life!

I have had this blog post in my head for about ten days…I was at home and it was naptime.  I was trying to multi-task by being on the computer talking to Kari at the office and playing with the kids while cleaning the kitchen…talented, nah…there is not such thing as truly multi-tasking, in my most humble opinion.  My WORST pet-peeve EVER is to see posts on Facebook that say “baking cookies with the kids” or “enjoying breakfast with the family” – if you are so enjoying it, then WHY are you on Facebook?  I digress.

So, I was doing a terrible job at being a stay at home mom…my job on the days I am not in the office because I don’t like un-done stuff!  And finally, it was time for naps.  Evie Kate started to throw a huge fit and I was so frustrated I walked her to her room and told her it was naptime…done.  Rocked Zachary quickly and put him to bed while I listened to Evie Kate screaming “rock ME mama.”

Now, I admit, I am a Baby Wise failure.  Oh, yeah, I read the book and preached it to everyone I knew prior to having my own children.  Then, Evie Kate came along and I refused to rock her for four months, for fear I would rock her on her wedding day.  Then, one day the Lord convicted me to comfort my child…and I did.  Still scared to rock her I did it only two songs and always put her down awake.  Silly, I know…but I am type A.

But on this day…I went to her room and held her in my arms and sang songs to her until she actually fell asleep in my arms.  What a wonderful, peaceful feeling to know that all she needed was to be held this day.  She fought naptime with all her might, but when she climbed in my lap to be held, she gave up the fight.

I LOVE being a parent becuase of all the images God give me and lessons he teaches me through my kids.  There are so many times I fight God on one decision or another…and He just asks me to rest in Him.  It doesn’t change the circumstances…I still have to make the decision (take a nap!) but sometimes, He just shakes His head at me, and says “Terra….take a break…quit thinking, close your eyes…and rest in ME.”

Thank you Father for the rocking chairs in each of my kid’s rooms to forever remind me of your own arms waiting to comfort me.  And the most awesome part, is as much comfort as I provide my kids while rocking them…it’s even more soothing for me to be the rocker!

…but we made it work!  It’s comical sometimes that Josh and I are in conflicting businesses when it comes to the weather.  The marina business thrives when the lake is full of fresh water from the sky…yet, we are sitting at almost five feet low (prior to this weekend…we are now at 4.5 feet and coming up!)  However, when it comes to photographing a sweet week old baby girl on Friday afternoon before vacation…meaning, it can NOT wait a week to capture the newborn sweetness of her…the clouds were not a welcome site.  I do have studio lights that are stuck in the corner, I prefer working with natural light and since I have been blessed with a room full of huge windows and the lake as a natural reflector, I rarely pull them out!

Anyways…I promised her mommy I would post a few before leaving tomorrow for vaca!!!  So, here they are

I will be out of the office until next Monday.  If you have questions about scheduling a session or your order, please call Kari at the studio.  817-744-7818.

I don’t love the fact that my little man will be two tomorrow…but I do love getting older.  It just feels good..well inside it does.  Like I am starting to figure out what matters in life, you know?  I was recently at a jewelry party with the young married class from church and for an instant I was jealous of their free time with their lovers…and not having to worry about bathtime, or discipline, or diapers, or, or, or…but in the same thought I could feel how they were still finding their steps with one another and could hear through their conversations that they weren’t to the point with their husband’s to where they could look at their face and know that tonight – it might not matter whose “turn” it is to do dishes…”what is fair” no longer matters…what matters is truly learning to be my husband’s helpmate…

Anyways…I saw this blogpost and yep, I plagerized it…so, so sorry.  It’s from Toby at Cross Timbers Church, I hope he doesn’t mind, but I was moved by his words tonight and wanted to share them.  The Notebook is one of my all time favorite books

For My Dad

Whew…what a summer!  I can not believe it is almost Fall…my little man is turning 2 and I will be relaxing on the beach in less than three weeks in Cabo!!!  Wohoo…the best part about Josh being so crazy busy in the summer is that just when the rest of the world is getting back to “normal” we go on vacation…just our way, I guess…a little against the norm.

Well, the studio is pretty much finished, we are still putting the final touches up on the walls…but that is an ongoing project, I am sure.  Kari and I are making a trip to Canton next week for Fall furniture and a dressing/changing table for the dressing/nursing/changing room   The new website went live today…oh no…we’re not quite ready…but we should finish up by the weekend loading the galleries.

We are so excited about the cooler weather and Fall family sessions!  I know it is hard to believe, but Christmas is just weeks away and the books are filling up fast for those sessions with gifts in mind, so please call the studio today 817-744-7818 to reserve your space.  We have some GREAT gift ideas this year!

I have to part with this picture.  I love it.  How many times are we at a crossroads in life and can’t decide which way to go.  They both seem the same, but something as simple as transposed sequence mean the difference in two complete opposite directions!  I was on a country road in the middle of nowhere…and saw this and it really moved me.