lauren lea photography

Justus {Newborn}

2012-01-27T12:50:00.002-06:00

Young Family {Holiday 2011}

2012-01-08T15:33:00.001-06:00

Patterson Family {Holiday 2011}

2012-01-08T15:26:00.001-06:00

Hendon Family {Holiday 2011}

2012-01-08T15:14:00.001-06:00

Koen {Holiday 2011}

2012-01-08T12:00:00.001-06:00

Moseley Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-12-15T23:20:00.001-06:00

Henderson Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-12-08T12:57:00.001-06:00

Craig Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-12-07T14:39:00.001-06:00

Young Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-12-05T21:33:00.001-06:00

McNulty Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-12-05T13:09:00.001-06:00

Sieber Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-11-28T21:03:00.001-06:00

Gregory Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-11-28T17:14:00.001-06:00

Rawls Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-11-28T13:49:00.001-06:00

Pesek {Holiday 2011}

2011-11-16T23:55:00.001-06:00

White Family {2011}

2011-11-15T20:15:00.001-06:00

Miller Family {2011}

2011-11-15T17:08:00.001-06:00

Martin Family {2011}

2011-11-15T17:05:00.001-06:00

Starkey Family {2011}

2011-11-15T16:49:00.001-06:00

Dunlap Family {Holiday 2011}

2011-11-03T20:16:00.001-06:00

Paisley {5 years old}

2011-11-03T13:19:00.002-06:00

Barton Boys {Fall 2011}

2011-10-20T11:22:00.004-06:00

Sweet Amelia {2011}

2011-10-19T17:36:00.000-06:00

Martin Twins {Newborn 2011}

2011-10-15T21:13:00.002-06:00

Luke {Newborn}

2011-07-17T21:54:00.000-06:00

Sping Mini Sessions {McNulty Family}

2011-07-17T21:35:00.000-06:00

Sam & Max {Seniors 2011}

2011-07-17T21:22:00.000-06:00

Spring Mini Sessions {Reber Family}

2011-07-17T21:14:00.000-06:00

Sping Mini Sessions {McGaughey Family}

2011-07-17T21:04:00.000-06:00

Spring Mini Sessions {Lanford Family}

2011-07-17T20:45:00.000-06:00

Sping Mini Sessions {Tiner Family}

2011-07-17T20:18:00.003-06:00

Sping Mini Sessions {Smith Family}

2011-07-17T20:16:00.000-06:00

Sping Mini Sessions {Rowe Family}

2011-07-17T20:04:00.000-06:00

Sping Mini Sessions {Henderson Family}

2011-07-17T19:47:00.000-06:00

Sping Mini Sessions {Barnett Family}

2011-07-17T19:18:00.000-06:00

Spring Mini Sessions {Callahan Family}

2011-07-17T19:07:00.000-06:00

Spring Mini Sessions {Parker/Butler Families}

2011-07-17T18:40:00.000-06:00

Patience {1 year old}

2011-07-17T13:38:00.000-06:00

Matthews' Twins {Newborn}

2011-07-17T13:27:00.000-06:00

2011-06-18T17:31:00.002-06:00

Patterson Family {Spring 2011}

2011-03-28T12:15:00.000-06:00

Whit {6 months}

2011-02-18T16:42:00.000-06:00

Napier Girls {Valentine's Day 2011}

2011-02-18T16:11:00.000-06:00

Caroline {Valentine's Day 2011}

2011-02-18T15:55:00.000-06:00

Wyatt {1 month}

2011-02-18T15:46:00.001-06:00

Happy 5th Birthday my Sweet Caroline!!

2011-02-09T15:15:00.001-06:00

And the winner is.......

2011-02-06T13:33:00.002-06:00

To all the wonderful mothers out there....especially my own!

2011-01-19T22:53:00.002-06:00

I stole this from my friend who got it from her friend, I hope they don't mind me sharing it!

Invisible Mother.....

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

Some days I'm a crystal ball; 'Where's my other sock?, Where's my phone?, What's for dinner?'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history, music and literature -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. She had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when she turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe.

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devoured - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: 1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. 2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. 3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. 4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A story of legend in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.

No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, no Cub Scout meeting, no last minute errand is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a
turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, he'd say, 'You're gonna love it there...'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible mothers.

The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

To all the wonderful mothers out there!!
May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Please Pray for baby TY

2011-01-12T11:54:00.003-06:00

lauren lea photography {give away}

2011-01-11T17:32:00.001-06:00

Caroline {Holiday 2010}

2011-01-02T19:33:00.016-06:00

Merry Christmas from the Morris Family {2010}

2011-01-02T19:30:00.001-06:00

Craig Family {Holiday 2010}

2011-01-01T14:00:00.011-06:00

Constance {2010}

2010-12-31T00:12:00.000-06:00

Callahan {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-30T23:39:00.008-06:00

Koen Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-20T18:48:00.007-06:00

Raper Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-17T14:25:00.010-06:00

Littlefield Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-10T18:24:00.011-06:00

Steelman Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-08T18:38:00.006-06:00

Hill Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-05T18:14:00.005-06:00

Landon {1 year}

2010-12-03T17:36:00.008-06:00

Reddin Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-01T17:09:00.004-06:00

Harward Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-01T14:36:00.007-06:00

Dill Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-12-01T14:19:00.007-06:00

Veazey Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-11-30T18:03:00.006-06:00

Veazey {Holiday 2010}

2010-11-30T17:53:00.006-06:00

Rawls Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-11-29T16:55:00.006-06:00

Henderson Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-11-20T15:46:00.008-06:00

Caroline Dance {November 2010}

2010-11-15T19:10:00.007-06:00

Caroline School Picture {Fall 2010}

2010-11-15T15:41:00.000-06:00

Brooks Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-11-10T17:21:00.006-06:00

Chloe {2010}

2010-11-02T23:57:00.007-06:00

Smith Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-11-02T16:36:00.001-06:00

Brooks {Holiday 2010}

2010-11-01T23:06:00.007-06:00

Halloween {2010}

2010-10-31T15:03:00.012-06:00

Bethany {Senior 2010}

2010-10-30T22:47:00.007-06:00

Max {Holiday 2010}

2010-10-20T16:04:00.007-06:00

Pumpkin Carving {2010}

2010-10-20T14:50:00.010-06:00

Air Show {2010}

2010-10-09T21:47:00.012-06:00

Phaup Family {Holiday 2010}

2010-10-02T16:19:00.009-06:00

Caroline Gymnastics {Fall 2010}

2010-10-01T12:43:00.006-06:00

Caroline started at a new gym this year and loves it! Coach Darrell is so good with the girls and she has learned so much.

Fletcher {1 year}

2010-10-01T12:06:00.011-06:00

Courtney {Senior 2010}

2010-09-30T13:16:00.006-06:00

Wizard of Oz Birthday {October 2010}

2010-09-01T19:15:00.012-06:00

Lawson {Expecting 2010}

2010-09-01T15:23:00.007-06:00

Fabulous Feet The Company {2010}

2010-09-01T14:32:00.007-06:00

Caroline Soccer {Fall 2010}

2010-09-01T12:28:00.016-06:00

We had so much fun watching Caroline play soccer this fall, despite all my attempts at bows and dresses, she has turned out to love sports! We can't wait for soccer to start back up and see all our friends!

Caroline Sock Hop {2010}

2010-08-01T23:54:00.000-06:00

Caroline had a sock hop at school this year, how cute does she look!

Whit {6 weeks}

2010-08-01T22:27:00.000-06:00

Greer {3 years} & Kobie {3 months}

2010-08-01T11:49:00.010-06:00

Velek - Lawson {Engaged}

2010-08-01T11:36:00.001-06:00

4th of July {2010}

2010-07-04T21:58:00.018-06:00

We has a wonderful 4th of July at the Peebles' house this year, Caroline got to play with Sawyer and I got to see that sweet Fletcher. Amanda made some good food and fun was had by all!

Kobie {3 weeks}

2010-07-01T11:25:00.006-06:00

Caroline's First Dance Recital {May 2010}

2010-05-15T12:59:00.011-06:00

Whit {1 day}

2010-05-01T17:37:00.007-06:00

Caroline T-Ball {Spring 2010}

2010-03-02T14:18:00.011-06:00

Caroline {Valentine's Day 2010}

2010-02-14T17:51:00.007-06:00

Caroline's Birthday Party {2010}

2010-02-09T23:18:00.017-06:00

Caroline {4 year}

2010-02-01T14:49:00.000-06:00

Speaking of that sled....

2010-01-29T20:51:00.005-06:00

I just found these when I was going through some old pictures. Michelle has been blaming it on the sled all day and not her "ability to sled", but I am beginning to think she is right. This was Caroline's 1st birthday...same sled!

Disclaimer: Caroline was not harmed in the making of these pictures :)She was picked up right away.

"The Incident"

2010-01-29T19:54:00.011-06:00

We finally got some snow (well ice) around here. Caroline has been waiting for so long for the snow to come, everytime I promise her, it never ends up happening. Well today was the day! It sleeted all day and this afternoon, Michelle made the trip to get "snowed in" with us. We got the sleds down from the attic, these are the same metal and wood sleds that were mine as a child and I am sure would have been recalled these days. (Not to worry, I recalled them myself after "the incident") We got all bundled up to go play outside. The ground was as hard as a rock and very slippery. Michelle and Caroline made the first trip down the very small hill on our street and...

it all went well.....and then Michelle decided she wanted to go down by herself and that's when it happened....

Which led to....

I can say the pictures do not do it justice, I have never seen such a bump, nor have a seen a 30 something try to belly flop onto a sled and face plant into the concrete. :) But it was all in good fun and she is sitting with me as I type, so this is not at her expense. Love you Shell Bell!