[Lifestyle] Watkins:Family

It was a beautiful morning: pure sunlight, dew still on the grass, and a nice, light breeze. Oh, and one good-looking family.

I've been friends with the Watkins for many years dating back to childhood, singing church songs. So, I felt honored to be able to photograph their family for updated family pics. And for Joey's new office at his new job. (I hope it's okay to announce to every one!)

I spent time with each of the boys, although they were more interested in getting back to their slow-paced Saturday morning. But, they did give some sweet smiles and pensive looks that will look great in dad's office.

Thank you for letting me photograph your beautiful family. I enjoyed my morning with with you. And congrats on the new job, Dad!

[Sneak Peek] Saturday Night Special

This is just a quick sneak peek for the Watkins family. I will post more pictures hopefully tomorrow. Until then, have a great Saturday night!

Calling All 2009-10 Seniors!

With the end of a school year, the next one breeds a new class of SENIORS!!! I remember feeling so pumped about the summer of my senior year. I broke up with the bad boyfriend, got a new haircut(the "Rachel" cut, as we remember all too well), went on vacation with my two best friends, and I was ready to make my last year in high school a lot of fun.

And it was.

Man, we had a blast, oh did we. School was fun, especially since we were seniors, but we lived for the weekends. I spent more time with my two besties after losing the ball and chain (and drama) and we were going to live it up. Well, about as much as you can in a conglomerate of small towns. Cruisin' around the 'Ville with our interior light on, getting in trouble(not too bad), going shopping, our one night camping out on Black Island. Yeah, fun times.

Point is, there were many highlights to my senior year, in school and out. I played sports, worked, studied, applied for scholarships, and had fun. Oh, and I had senior pics taken, which I was excited about getting done. You know, because I'd never had professional pics taken. So yeah, J. Wade made me feel like a rock star! Or a not-so-long-legged supermodel!

And that's where this post leads me: I too want to make seniors feel like rock stars, supermodels, GQ hotties, whatever floats your boat. In other words, I want to make you look like you don't belong in the Bootheel!

Right now, I'm booking 2009-10 Seniors for their fab senior photo shoot. Seeing that as the summer progresses, so does my pregnancy, therefore, you seniors need to book ASAP for summer sessions. Fall sessions will be very limited until after the birth of my new addition in October.

But hurry, because just like your senior year, these spots won't last long! Specials will apply for the first 5 senior bookings!* Think rep cards, extra prints, and more for FREE!

Call me at 573.724.9202, email stephaniegreenwell@sbcglobal.net, or send a message via Facebook.

*Sessions booked after January 31, 2010 will incur a rush order fee of $50.

Food, Friends, and Fun in the Sun

Yesterday, we went to Reelfoot Lake and we all had a great time, especially our kids. If I believed in reincarnation, I do believe that my children would've been dolphins. The kind that jump out of water and perform tricks.

They love being in the water. And I wonder why we're not living on the beach somewhere, and in the words of my husband, "picking up cans for a living." We all love being near the water, especially in Florida, but being at the lake comes just as close just because of the sand and sun and fun in the sun.

I managed to get a few pictures taken of the kids, but they weren't that interested in my paparazzi-like stalking, and the warmer it got, the more I wanted to watch them play instead of snap pictures of them. Although I do regret not getting any of my son not only driving Uncle Randy's boat, but also his perfect navigation into the dock slip, not once, but twice.

Nevertheless, we got a little too much sun, but enjoyed a fabulous day of food, fun, and friends. Have a great Memorial Day weekend and remember that we celebrate this day in remembrance of those brave soldiers that have given us the liberty to live in this free country, nicely equipped with beaches and lakes.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

No Good Deed Goes (Almost) Unpunished

I have a love for most of God's creatures: dogs, cats, cows, bugs, frogs, turtles, and many more. Except mosquitoes and spiders.I'd be convicted of murder one in a court of law over the thousands of mosquitoes I've killed in my life. I hate 'em. And spiders somewhat freak me out, all those little legs and their tenacity of spinning webs in record time. I digress...

Yesterday, as I drove home from picking up one of my children from her daycare, I spotted one lone turtle on Hwy. 412. Seeing that this turtle was in danger of losing it's life, I decided that I would turn around to get out and save lil Turt-baby, my name for it. Must be the love of creatures coupled with the hormones.

I pulled off to the side of the road about 100 yards past the turtle, checked traffic and U-turned to go back to my rescue in progress. I felt good. I was going to save this little creature. However, when I pulled up, I gasped in disbelief. I felt sadness. Some jerk, and yes, whoever you are, you are a heartless jerk, had run over the poor turtle and it was a terrible sight to see. I made me feel sick to my stomach because Turt-baby wasn't right in the line of one's wheels, it was almost to the center line. Which led me to believe that said jerk intentionally killed Turt-baby. On the spot.

So, I'm not telling this story to make myself sound like some saint or heroine, but I believe in helping. Helping to take care of the beautiful things God put on this earth. While my good deed intentions didn't save this turtle, I can tell you that God knows who did this and Jerk will have to answer to Him for it. And though Jerk may have never thought twice about it, I have.

Right after my attempts, I decided to call my husband to vent about how cruel people are, and in the process, I was going to make another U-turn to go back home. Using cell phone + making U-turn = Disaster waiting to happen. I looked in my rear-view mirror, nothing. I briefly looked ahead to see if there was anything coming in the lane that I was going to get in. Never saw it.

It. The small car full of people, kids in the back, not in seatbelts. Once I made the U-turn, for some reason, I realized I had pulled out in front of oncoming traffic, then I floored it into the median, watching what I thought was about to be a horrible wreck. I've replayed in my head a million times.

Fortunately, the driver slammed her brakes enough and I sped fast enough to avoid what would've been a terrible wreck, and totally my fault. I was in total disbelief, once again. I gained my shocked composure and got out to apologize profusely to this woman. She was very nice and laughed, I'm sure out of shock also, but her passenger friend, looking stunned and speechless, just looked at me, probably wanting to kill me right there. On the spot.

I looked in the backseat with about five kids, out of seat belts, and then it hit me. To save one turtle, I almost altered some lives. I stupidly explained to this unbelievably nice driver what I had been up to, pointing to dead Turt-baby right next to us on the highway. I'm sure she thought, "You idiot, all of that for this?!?"

After I saw that everyone was okay, physically, I walked back to my truck and sat there for a minute. My daughter was oblivious to the trauma caused and the would-be tragedy that was averted, for she was wearing her headphones, happily watching a movie. I let my potential victims go ahead of me and waited for the other cars to pass.

I then called my husband to tell him about my misadventures. He sighed, then said, "Stephanie, leave the turtles alone. And please be careful out there," as if I were in a jungle of hungry animals looking for human flesh to eat. But I understood his concern.

So while I tried to exercise a good deed, I also wreaked havoc in the process. The jerk who carelessly killed an innocent turtle also led me to traumatize a few other people because I was upset and didn't pay attention.

But I will press on, hoping good works can still be done, with a lot more caution and attention. Because there are many good deeds that go unpunished.

Rest in peace, Turt-baby.

A Mother's Day Wish

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. A day for moms, young and old. First-timers and been-there-done-thatters. Grown from the belly and grown from the heart moms.

Mother's Day is always a treat for me. I don't know why, but I suspect it has to do with how excited my kids get over it being mommy's day, although it doesn't change their behavior. And with every Mother's Day, I reminisce over how I became a mother, unexpectantly.

You see, I didn't think I could have kids according to one doctor, but never really worried about it until I surprisingly became pregnant. Obviously, I have no trouble conceiving, carrying, and bringing into this world my children. But I have friends who have.

Friends who deserve to be parents, who would be loving to and provide for their children. It makes me sad to think of all the kids who belong to people who are so undeserving as parents, and those who are beyond qualified, will never know the blessing it is. It's only something God knows and for me to question would be wrong. But I want those friends to know that your dream is not lost; God has a plan for you. My wish for you is to keep your faith in God and know that this mother prays for you and the struggles you go through.

I'm carrying another child, a child who will be welcomed into a loving home of parents, siblings, and a host of friends. I find myself in a very appreciative state of motherhood every day, even the difficult days, but even more so on Mother's Day. My children are happy and healthy. And I wonder how God could bless me with yet another healthy baby because He has been so good to me, to my family. Whatever this pregnancy brings, I know that being a mother has been the greatest joy I've ever known, that my legacy will live on in my children, whom I thought I'd never have.

To all the mothers, mothers to other children, aunts who are like mothers, mothers to another, have a beautiful Mother's Day. May you find your blessings in the ones who love you so much.

Thank you to my lovelies for the beautiful two dozen roses in my favorite shades of pink. I love you Haley, Brennan, Aubrey, and soon-to-be baby. You make motherhood interesting, crazy, fun, I-want-to-pull-my-hair-out somedays, but most of all, you make me proud to be your mommy and for that, I love each and every one of you. Thank you for making my life rich beyond reason.