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I could get used to this !

    

I wanted to share with you a collage I created of some of my favorite images of Abby. These were taken at the Martello Towers @ Higgs Beach. The first one created, untouched and done on a lavender background and the other in sepia tone.

As I said before, I was really pleased with the sepia color I used to give a more nostalgic appearance to the collage. There is something really innocent about displaying in a simple tone. I hope to find my unique niche in the future and become more relaxed behind the lens." I really could get used to this ! " 

Abby finally visits Key West

More than any other year since Ricky got married and moved I was so eager for this Thanksgiving to arrive! I found myself constantly referring to so many "moments" this year being a FIRST. We were finally grandparents! It was the "first" time we celebrated grandparents day, but more importantly Thanksgiving and Christmas were going to be Abby's "first" too. Amber and I had been emailing each other alot and we'd made plans to do family pictures at the beach - for Christmas cards but more so just because I love doing annual family pictures. This year especially was no exception! I was beyond pleased with our "family" photo but better still I was so thrilled at just how comfortable Abby continues to be in front of the camera - "Lela's camera" !! I want to share not only the family pictures but some of the most adorable ones of Abby. I tried color versions and black and white to see if it changed the mood of the snapshot I captured. Deep down I really think this could eventually be more than just a hobby but a life long dream come to fruition. Thank you for dropping by ...feel free to leave a comment or critique of my photos. As I bring this post to a close I realized that in just a little less than 60 days my sweet angel will be celebrating her first birthday. Here's wishing you a blessed holiday and healthy and prosperous new year! Stay Safe !!!

Our 2009 Key West Family Photos

November came upon us before I could literally catch my breath. I never seem to have enough hours in the day even when we've changed the clocks back an hour....you see - each year at this time, in my job as an employee benefits clerk, I devote a fast-paced 3 weeks to visiting school sites from Key West to Key Largo and other cities in between on a daily basis to help those wanting to make changes to their health benefits. Those drives up to Key Largo , while making for a long work day - turn out to be some of the most beautiful times to drive "the Keys". I have seen some amazing sunrises and equally breath-taking sunsets on the drive back home that same night. I seem to forget to bring along my camera until I take that moment to realize the rich colors of the sky on that given day I'm on the road. Paradise IS after all famous for brilliant displays of vibrant colors at this time of year (note to self:Always keep your camera close).

Where has the year gone?

I just happened to be scrolling down my "favorites" this morning and happened on the link to my BLOG. So much has gone on this year for us and I am amazed that I hadn't collapsed with exhaustion yet. I noticed I hadn't posted at all in 7 months and have no real excuse for it! Amber has been wonderful keeping us updated on Abby's growth and I have to say she spoils me with videos and pictures more often than I would have ever imagined.

One of the most recent photos I laid my eyes on left me speechless! I couldn't believe my eyes, when I opened the email from Amber . She and Ricky had gone out of town to a family wedding and Abby had accompanied them. All of a sudden I clicked on the attachments and I saw this little cherub smiling back at me in the prettiest pink and white polka dot dress I had ever seen. And if that wasn't girlie enough, she was also fitted with the sweetest crocheted headband that completed the outfit. I can bet you any amount of money that her "Gram & Paw-Paw" were the proudest grandparents at the reception!






Another photo was taken when they decided to have their first family portrait done. You could easily see that Abby was going to naturally love the camera. It's a good thing too...since her grandmother is a camera-nut LOL ! This one done in June 2009 is one of my favorites and Abby was about 4 months old. She sure does love to talk to the camera with her eyes !!








In the 10 months since we returned to being "renters" we've already moved a second time! While I loved the spaciousness of the last location, it was putting a strain on our finances. We happened upon this cozy little secluded townhouse complex, which is near the middle of a busy cross-section of town, quite by accident.

You know what they say...."The Lord works in mysterious ways" ! We've seemed to have settled in here quite nicely, even though I have to admit I have yet to take the time to finish down-sizing alot of "junk" that I've accumulated over the years. All in all I have no regrets for what has happened. God doesn't give us any more than he thinks we can handle, and I feel that I've "passed" this test he has put in my path so far. If it were not for my family and the encouragement or advice of friends, I don't know how I could have made it through it all.
Until next time..........









Abby's first Studio portrait ....June 2009

Conch Color

Conch Color

The notice went to print in our local paper and we are so proud to have shared the beautiful photo of Abby with the rest of our community! Great layout if I must say :) !!

She's here!

Our Angel has arrived....it's a very special story in our lives and one we will enjoy reliving over and over again! We set out on February 6th from Key West - hoping to arrive in time. The odds were against us, mostly because "murphy's law" was in full effect. Curtis and I both came down with really bad colds and on the morning we were to leave he decided to make a visit to the clinic. It put us at least 2 hrs shy of our goal arrival at our mid-way point that night and the timing didn't seem like it would work out. But on February 7th, as we were just outside of Baton Rouge we get a call from our son Ricky that Amber is beginning the final stages of labor/delivery. I asked if I could stay on the phone to listen in on the delivery so that we could hear Abigail's first cry. As I listen to all the hustle and bustle of the delivery room tears are streaming down my face. I couldn't help it....thinking that my baby boy would become a father any moment and we were there, via technology once again....but physically about 45 minutes or so from the hospital. As the excitement was building and Gram Cindy would ask how close we were...we could tell the happy event would be happening at any moment. Then at nearly 4pm CST. it wasn't the cries of Abigail I heard - but the cries of Amber's mom, Cindy. We were just pulling into the hospital parking lot and rushed upstairs to her room. There we were greeted by Amber's dad Jack who pulled back the screen to reveal our son standing over the scale and his daughter had a tight grip on his finger. At that moment......I was overcome with an unimaginable joy and peace that I still feel today. I hope and pray that God will continue to bless Abigail, her mom and dad and all of her extending family. This is the moment we all live for! I feel truly blessed.

The Countdown has begun!

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could feel the joy in my heart that I do now! Earlier this week our daughter-in-law sent us a 4D image of our granddaughter. How amazing is this world of technology that we can now get a glimpse of what is to come. I am so proud to share our Abby's first semi-official image with the world!! Though she is still about 4-5 weeks away from entering the world, we couldn't resist letting our friends and family share in our delight at the sight of our "heavenly angel" !

Hurricane Gustav & Stuff

Yesterday was interesting to say the least. As Hurricane Gustav loomed close to the Gulf of Mexico I was worried that it might move a little closer to the east than it did. But we were spared yet again by a monster of a storm. As usual, I grabbed my Kodak camera and went to the window to capture the first in a series of feeder bands that made their way into the Keys. I was a little worried later on in the day because these fast moving bands were producing fast-moving waterspouts than would could come on land as tornadoes. We were fortunate this time that not much occurred other than 50mph wind gusts and scattered bouts of heavy rain. All in all we dodged another one.... (Thank you Sister Louise Gabriel - bless you for creating a grotto to the Blessed Mother to protect our island)



I did make CNN this time though!!! I got a call about the video clip I took yesterday as well as the photo below that I had submitted. They wanted as much info about each submission as I could give them. Pretty cool, huh? :) Here are screen shots below and also the link http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-71024 , to the site where my submissions are.

A "Little Princess" is on her way!

I was so overjoyed to get a call yesterday from Amber! It's always so nice talking to her, but Friday was an extra special day!! She had called to let us know she couldn't wait another three weeks - that she just HAD to sneak in to her OB/GYN's office and try to get another ultrasound of the baby. This time the " lil' booger" , as she call it cooperated. Seems our little heaven-sent bundle is a GIRL !! She was after all, being modest and very lady-like at her Mommy's last visit. This Little Angel still has several months until her grand entrance to the world but she has already touched and tugged at all of our heart strings. I am really looking forward to going out and buying frilly girly things.....ribbons & bows and lollipops and lace! Oh how wonderful I imagine grandparenthood will be!

GIRLS JUST GOTTA HAVE FUN !!

I've known these Ladies above, all of my life!! We made it !!! The BIG "50" !! From our convent school days - elementary through high school. We have shared it all....memories from childhood through adulthood. And here we are at the crossroads of our lives. Making our mark in the community in which we were raised. Relationships such as these are a treasure to be cherished. Friendships created in God's love and it is through our love and faith and trust in the Lord that we are able to conquer what obstacles have been placed before us. We have been there for each other in good times and bad, through marriages and divorce and births and deaths. But one thing is true..... I know I can trust in these amazing women and love them as sisters. In a few short weeks we will set sail on a weekend of good ole' fashioned "girl time". Just us girls....cruising the high seas.....girls just gotta have fun!!

A Gift From Heaven

Finding out we were going to be grandparents for the first time, and on my 50th Birthday ........ was the most fulfilling and amazing joy anyone could ever experience! It was a special moment, and the manner in which my son and his wife broke the news to us is something out of a movie!! My husband was so overcome that it still makes me tear up when I think of it. I am still floating on cloud nine :)

Our children mean the world to me and have brought complete joy to our lives for the past 27 years. No parent could ask for better than the memories and experiences we have shared with our daughter and son. They were your typical kids growing up.... were involved in as many activities as they could possibly do such as, Girl Scouts, city league cheerleading, little league football and baseball just to name a few! We enjoyed family trips to Disney World as well as visits to their grandparents home nearby. We have always been by their side through thick and thin. Through the highs of great academic achievements and the lows of not making a certain team or group.

Our son and daughter-in-law Amber, have been trying to conceive for some time now, and have now been blessed from Heaven above! They are expecting their "little peanut" to make his/her entrance into the world around mid-February. I pray that my son and his wife will find parenthood as rewarding and full-filling as he was in the second chapter in the lives of my husband and I. The next chapter we embark on - Grandparenthood - is the chapter which we are eager to begin!

Our prayers are that our grandchild be a happy, healthy little addition to our son's family and may he and his wife enjoy each memory filled day of their childrens' lives as much as we did.

Bear with me as I venture into unknown waters! I'm more of a lurker and occassional poster than I am an actual Blogger! I was truly inspired to take up writing and sharing my photos by recent visits I made to the blog page of Jeremy Hall. He is an amazing photographer, and his ability to bring an image to life with a simple click is what led me to pick up my camera again and not just use it to capture photos of the Osmonds - my life-long favorite group.

What has really amazed me is that I am becoming more and more comfortable behind the lense and thrilled at some of the images I've snapped around town. I hope this will be a new journey in my life. Quite a few of my friends have always had confidence in my photo taking and have also encouraged me to pursue my passion. Let's see where this will all take me.

The photograph above was taken yesterday. Tropical Storm Fay had visited Key West in a less dramatic fashion than the forecasters had predicted. After a nearly two hour pounding by wind and rain I emerged from my home to the delight of one of God's amazing gifts. Another breath-taking sunset on the Key West horizon. I made sure not to waste any time capturing the vibrant colors of the sky! I was also couragous enough to submit it to http://www.ireport.com/ for viewers of CNN who have photos to share. Although my snapshot wasn't chosen to air on a broadcast, I will always remember to carry my camera with me for anything news-worthy I might come across.

Thanks for stopping by my page for my first-ever blog! I hope to add my photos from time to time and welcome your comments as well!