Love big.  Don't be afraid.  Enjoy this moment.  No regrets.  Choose Joy.  

Those are such bold phrases, and they are frequently spoken by very brave people.  And, to be honest, I often hear them being said by folks fighting that awful cancer word.  It's a word that we fear, but when it is really near us - it leads us to courage.  This sickness delivers depth to our lives.  I've seen people hug, smile, laugh and just live life bigger when cancer is close.  

Here are photos of ladies that live those phrases.

Yes, again, I photographed pretty people.  I can't help it.  I keep thinking I'm gonna one day have to shoot an ugly person, but it just ain't happening.  

A big thanks to you, Michelle Tracy, for letting me do this shoot.  It was a delight to sit in my backyard and watch you and yours just have so much sweet fun together.

Michelle's mother (we call her Annema instead of Gramma, how cute is that?) received the news that there was a mass in her lungs November 2017.  She was officially diagnosed with lung cancer January 2018.

Also, anyone viewing this little blog, please be encouraged and challenged by these ladies.  If you have a moment, please pray that peace and joy will be near them always.

 

I love street photography, and I follow many pages on Facebook of the brave folks that do it. 

A popular page that I love in my newsfeed is Humans of New York.  The images are simple.  The artist is natural and seems like a purist in his edits.  The colors and poses are just real life, and I love the stories he tells in the pictures.

So.

I've been aching to have the guts to do it.

My camera was in my hand.  I was about to sneak a photo of my friend in an airport as we waited for some folks we love that were returning to Birmingham from the Ukraine.  My pals, Hallie and Jennifer, encouraged me to turn around and photograph the lady behind me.

I asked a few questions and permission to photograph. 

Here it is:

"What is your favorite part of this job?"

"Meeting new people like y'all!"

"What is one piece of advice you'd give to folks traveling?"

"Take God with them."

Thanks to the lovely and beautiful smiling Dorothy Collins for being my first subject!

Thanks to Jennifer Vines and Hallie Hooten for the push!

Oh, and here are two more photos I snuck that kinda make me smile from the day.

 

 

I love photographing Santa his friends at Painted By U.  It's super fun to photograph kiddos, and Santa is pretty great too.  Let's be honest here.  I am not crafty or artsy, but I am crazy about this  store.  The fun colors and paints make me smile.  Pick any piece of pottery in that place, and it'd look great in my home after we added some color and fire.  The idea of that big o' kiln in the back kinda fascinates me.  Oh, and the owner and her fam are some of my favorite people IN THE WORLD.  They should be on TV.  I know you think I'm kidding, but I'm not.

Anyway(s), here are my favorite photos from the day.  IF you'd like to see the rest of the album, then please visit www.allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/santandme2013.  

Also, if you are one of the families that spent time with Mr. Claus, then there is still time to get the digital images!  I will have CDs available at PBU when you pick up your pottery.  

 

 

My sweet girl wanted a hair cut.  She's been asking for months.  Hm....maybe even a year or longer.  I cringed and made horrible faces every time she asked.  I decided to let her get the cut she's been wanting.  Grace decided to donate it.  Not only do I think she's ridiculously beautiful with her new style, but I'm also so very proud of her.  My goodness.  I love her.

 

Here's the link if you are wanting to see the other photos from the day http://allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/celebratingdad2013

 

Thanks!

 

 

I'm a bit too tired to post words on how sweet today was, but I just gotta post a link to the other photos of the day (just in case the mommas wanna see photos of their kiddos).  Thanks!  http://allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/21august2013

We decided to put our house for sale.  We've had it on the market since the beginning of June 2013.  It has been viewed 16 times, y'all.  My neighbor is the local Methodist church.  Sometimes I dart out with my kiddos and just go to the church parking lot.  Yes,  I do creep and stare at the folks as they enter my home.  Yes, I do time how long they're in there.  Yes, my kids want to stay and make friends with the folks checking out our place.

Yup, most of the time I just sit and stare as we sit in the van.  But, sometimes, I just plan playdates.

Today we had a playdate at the local Methodist church's parking lot and playground.  It's how I roll, folks.

Here's the linky if you want to see all of 'em.  http://allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/houseshowingfun16

Here's a linky to the rest of the photos from today if ya wanna see 'em.  http://allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/mylittlestones8_2013

My big boy has karate in Hoover.  The lighting was perfect.  The place we go has a great grassy area.  So, what's a gal to do?  I just had to do it.  It would be wrong of me to not photograph 'em, right?  (Also, my my oldest girl did not want her photo taken.  I think she had on her pj pants, but don't tell my mom.)

Here's a linky to the rest of the photos of a super sweet 4 year old girl's birthday party  http://allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/rosalie_is_4.  These are a few of my favorites of the day.  This little lady and her family mean the world to me and mine.

Here's photos from a fun Sunday with friends after church.  Here's the link to the rest of the photos http://allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/sundaygumbo1  :-)

My friend, Lynne,  messaged me bright and early this morning for a spontaneous playdate.  We had sadness with our girls over a bug in hair, flip-flops sinking in the mud and caterpillars.  BUT, the rest of the day was full of sweetness with giggles over puppet play, flower photography and yummy CFA.  Thanks, Lynne!!  You're the best!  

Here's the link to the  rest of the photos if ya wanna view them.http://allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/flipflopsandmud

(Also, it just hit me that I have no photos of the flip-flops.  I just love the title, and thought you'd be alright with it.)

Here's the deal.  I've got this friend.  This friend is a dude, and he's known me since I was 14 years old.  I had braces, funky earrings and ridiculously silly socks.  Yeah, I was awesome.  He's always been cool, smart and frakkin' hilarious.  Anyway(s), he married a girl that I think is pretty fabulous (ahem, she owns Painted-By-U in Hoover).  She has an amazing laugh, keeps me on the up and up on the news and all things hippie and is just pretty witty too.     You gotta check out her blog http://www.theunlikelyhippie.com.  I really think these friends should be on tv.  I'm not kidding.  I don't think I hafta worry about it.  Because, well, I'm pretty sure their daughter will be famous.  She's a hoot and wonderful too.  The mom advertised a lemonade stand.  The lighting was perfect.  The lemonade was organic.  I was pretty happy.  

It's been 15 months since I visited Swaziland.  It changed my life.  My view of missions, poverty and fear was dramatically changed during that short trip.  I'm still humbled by what I saw, but I now know that there's no such thing as hopelessness with anyone.  It feels hopeless, but God sustains His creation.  My friends are there now on a trip to love on a specific carepoint that we support.  I can't stop thinking about them.  Please keep my friends in your prayers, and consider sponsoring one of the sweet children at the Lesibovu Carepoint.  http://www.hopechest.org/community/lesibovu/

 

My parents are the best at having special parties with little treats for their grandbabies.  This party was no exception.  There was pizza, dancing, card games, pancakes, a big o' cookie and just tons of fun cousin/family time.  We loved it.  Check out for more photo fun of the kiddos and my parents.  http://allisonshirley.zenfolio.com/backtoschoolparty13

 

Just a few of my favorite shots from the night.  Also, a big thanks to my sweet lovin' man for letting me take photos every place we went.  I mean it.  I'm not kidding here.  I took photos - everywhere.  Yup, I'm a dork.  

 

 

We were sitting in the Lesibovu church.  It was sunny outside.  The pastor welcomed us and asked if one of the children would share a testimony or story of what God was doing in his or her life.  The room was quiet.  A roomful of beautiful children just stared at us with their dark brown eyes.  I hope I never forget that moment.  I actually remember praying that I wouldn't forget it as it was happening.  A young girl stood up and read the Bible.  She had so much courage in her voice as she read verses from Psalm 119.  I think she started in verse 135, but not certain where she stopped reading.  I just know that I couldn't stop smiling as she read them in her language.

We passed out the dresses, socks, undies and shirts.  Jennifer and I gently asked the pastor if they would sing us a song.  Yes, Jennifer videoed it, and we will be posting it soon.  You're gonna love it.  I promise. 

The sweet girl that encouraged us with a Psalm also led the other children in a song.  She sang loudly with  constant joy on her face. 

I miss her.  I don't know her name, and we didn't even have a conversation. 

We left shortly after we listened to their song, and we gave the pastor of the church a ride home.  He told us that both of her parents are deceased, and that she's living with her stepfather.  She's 16 years old and in 4th grade, but he told us she's very smart. 

I want to know this girl, and I want to sponsor her.  Yes, of course, I can find a way to write her letters and contact her.  I gotta keep it real, I want to "officially" sponsor her through Children's Hopechest.  I want to see photos of her near a tank of clean water.  I want to squint my eyes while looking at a photo to see her in the background with other kiddos with new books and curriculum to learn the Bible.  I want to see her in a new school uniform, and to send her a copy of Pilgrim's Progress. 

This cannot happen until the carepoint is 80% sponsored.

If I understood Steve and Amy correctly, that means 80% of the kids must have commitments from families in a community and/or church to sponsor them monthly.

Please, pray for the Lesibovu carepoint.  Pray the right folks will join together to work with our brothers and sisters in Swaziland and bring hope.  Go ahead and pray for folks to have the wisdom and courage to keep in touch with them.  Pray for us (Jennifer and me) as we try to figure out details of our involvement with this of sweet group of children. 

There are more photos of the Lesibovu Carepoint in my <3 album on my Zenfolio account.  Please feel free to view them there!  I will be adding and editing more daily. 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not gonna lie to you.   I think jet-lag kicked my rear end pretty hard.  I have been waking up at 4:20 - 5:30 am-ish every morning since I got back in the states.  I love saying that, " back in the states."  It makes me feel like an international traveler.  I mean, I was only gone for a week, folks.  Yet, it has been so fun to say, "Yes, I remember being so happy to have free refills when I got back in the states."  Or, saying, "My sleep pattern was so whack when I got back in the states."  And, you need to imagine me saying back in the states in my best Thurston Howell III voice.  Not kidding.

Anyways, today I slept in until  7:15am!  Please know that I enjoyed waking up at chicken-thirty every morning.  It has been great watching the sunrise, and spending time just being quiet.  I reaally do understand my early bird friends love it so much.  I just wish I could wake up in the wee hours and stay up late too. 

I finally decided to get out of my bed.  I snuggled my youngest for a while and watched a few minutes of Beakman's World with my two older kiddos.  I decided to check my facebook while all was quiet.  I had watched this sweet video yesterday that Children's HopeChest posted, and I wanted to watch it again today. 

Riverwood Church documented their visit to Swaziland in this video.  It is absolutely beautiful.  I saw a few familiar faces, and I couldn't stop smiling at the giggles and joy in the images I was watching.  The church led the kids in worship, they were fed and you could see they had clean water and good teaching.  They had tons and tons of fun with these kiddos.  Gah, it just makes me grin just typing it out again.  I can't help it.  I guess I've become a bit more mushy since I got back in the states.

But, here's the deal, folks.  This sweet carepoint is sponsored.  There are others that are not getting this support.  Jennifer Vines and I visited several commuties the week we were in Swaziland.  We observered ones that were near the city and in rural areas.  We hugged on the women that fed hundreds of children daily in their community.  The children would just hold our hands and hold on to us.  We listened to them sing and play.  We saw gardens and outhouses that were built for the children.  It was incredibly encouraging to hearing our missionary friends tell us the stories of these carepoints getting clean water, great teaching, school uniforms and a fence to help keep a safe boundary for the kids. 

Then we visited one that was not sponsored on Friday.  It's named Lesibovu.  We drove up to them singing praises to God loudly in their little mud and stick building where they worhip weekly.  Because of many of you we passed out dresses, socks, underwear and shirts to these little ones to this group of sweet kids. 

This carepoint does not have clean water.  We were shown the creek where they get the water.  I was going to take a photo of it, but folks were bathing in it.  Cows and other animals drink from it, kids play in it, the women wash clothes in it.  They boil it and use it for food.

They need a fence so the community will know the boundary for the carepoint. 

They need uniforms so they can go to school.

More than anything, they need to know that they were created by a great God that loves them and has a purpose for life.  It's kinda the same thing I need.  Yes, these orphans need material things that I have.  But, I'm also as needy of grace and truth as they are.  Pray about sponsoring a child with us! 

 

......stay tuned.....My next post will be on the little girl that I barely know, and I kinda crazy already love........

 

I'm going to go read some books with my yahoos.  Yeah, it's so great to be back in the states.

 

 

I remember being at my Granddad's home when I was in early elementary school.  I was in the back bedroom.  I wish I could remember more details of the room.  I think the carpet was red and shaggy, and I know there was a globe on a table near the bed.  I'm pretty sure every girl has played the "where will I be a missionary" game, right?  You spin the globe as fast as you can and you gently rest your finger on the map.  You wait for it to stop.  The country under your finger determines when it stops tells where you will be a future missionary.  Okay, maybe you didn't imagine being a missionary, but maybe it was where you would live or go on vacation when you grew up.  Anyways, the first time I played it I was with my older sister.  When I think back on that day, I remember giggling at all of the names of the countries, and imagining hugging little children.  I might've even attempted to get a chuckle out of my sis by doing a silly tribal dance.  (If you ask me next time I see you I might reenact the jig for you if you promise me a jar of Nutella.)

It's not like I reaaally thought about missions a lot when I was a kid.  I went to a small private Christian school in elementary school.  The teachers were amazing, and taught stories of heroes that seemed to fearlessly share Christianity with others.  I promised I would never forget the truth and courage of them. 

I do have one more early memory of missionaries.  I was at a summer camp in junior high.  I was sitting with a group of friends discussing our plans to go to the pool after our morning assembly.  A counselor mentioned chaperones and that a pastor/missionary would be going with us.  A kid in my group said, "Wha?  Pastors and missionaries don't go swimming in pools!  I mean, uh, will his swimsuit have crosses on it or something?" He was totally for real, not even kidding.

So, fast forward a bit.  I've had several friends go overseas to pursue missions.  Some are church planters.  Others work at orphanages and camps.  I even have friends that help train pastors and teachers in other countries.   Oh!  I also went on a missions trip to Bolivia back in my college days.

Yeah, I pretty much thought I had a good grasp on a Biblical worldview of world missions, and especially a good foundation on how to love others. 

I'm not sure that I did though. 

I somehow ended up on a plane to Johannesburg 2 weeks ago.  I got off that humongous aircraft to get on a wee tiny bird that I rode to Manzini, Swaziland.  I'm still not sure what gave me gumption to do it.  Yes, I passionately believe it was a supernatural leading from my Creator loaded with tons of support from my family and friends.  I just still cannot believe it happened.  Gumption is just not something I usually carry around with me.  Even if I did have it, then I would probably hide it under the bed or leave it in the car. 

We (my dear friend Jennifer and I) were greeted with big hugs from our missionary friend, Amy (she doesn't wear swimsuits with crosses, I promise).  She had warned us that our hearts would be changed and wrecked after our trip.  Our little missionary friend was right.

I sipped on Rooibos tea with Amy and Jennifer.  I laughed guffawed with Amy's kiddos on the trip.  I ugly cried over missing my family that week.  I was quiet with Jesus a lot during the visit.  I learned that  He is sustains His creation.  He not only sustains the orphans, but also my kiddos.   He holds them together, and He brings joy and hope in places I fear are hopeless.  He is a good God, and I was reminded of that over and over again on the trip.

I'm not really sure what direction this blog will take.  The next few entries will most certainly be about my trip to Africa, but after that?  Who knows?  I'm pretty crazy about my husband and kiddos.  The youth at The Church at Shelby Crossings kinda rock my socks.  They might be featured on here a time or two.  I have been given many opportunities to photograph people and events (hopefully that won't stop), and I'll probably feature a few photos from them.  I might just share life with you all.  I'm beginning to think that's why folks blog, right?

 

  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:15-17