Battle Picking...

Lincoln's personality is becoming quite strong. He knows what he wants and wants it RIGHT NOW! Sometimes it drives me crazy, other times it makes me laugh. Lately it has been super hot down here. Almost unbearably hot. He refuses to wear anything but his diapers and insists on wearing his shoes. The other day he brought me one of his church shoes and one of his new sandal shoes. I tired to get him to wear matching ones, but he wasn't interested-THIS is what he wanted...

Either I have some sort of weird virus right now or my morning sickness is coming back. I haven't felt good for days again. On this day, I decided to just let it go and let him wear mis matched shoes. He was pretty content once I put them on. It made me giggle watching him and told him I wanted to take his picture. He was pretty excited when he saw it. The picture made me giggle ALL day. I think I might have to print and frame it. Might seem like a dumb image to print and frame, but Lincoln really is a funny kid and this picture is totally how he is and makes me smile-and THAT is why it's worth printing and framing!

Mother's Day!

       I truly wish I could say today was an amazing day, but it wasn't. I shot two weddings this weekend and am pretty sure 10 hours on my feet per wedding was over kill for me. I woke up sick today. I don't know if it was from too much this weekend, eating something bad at one of these weddings or if I just have some sort of stomach bug. Perhaps it is a combo... Either way, I was so sad! I have been looking forward to today for awhile because I am so excited to be able to be a Mother and celebrate this amazing day. I was looking forward to no work and spending the day with my little family. We were also going to go up to my Mom's house for a potluck dinner. But since I didn't know what was going on with me, I figured I better stay the heck away. Truly, I was so sad to miss seeing my Bennett family. I even tried to go to church and made it a whole 30 mins.

        I woke up and headed straight to the bathroom. Jory and Lincoln were pretty excited to give me a few items (a gift card and a strawberry plant) and I tried so hard to fake being ok and so happy. I went back to sleep for a while and then got ready for church. Lincoln and I sat together in Sacrament. He was pretty upset that we weren't going to nursery right away. The closing song was "Love at Home." When ever I sing, my baby in my belly MOVES. That could either be a good thing or a bad thing. Perhaps I just don't sing well. Lincoln was on my lap and turned his little head and was watching me sing, then I looked down at his beautiful face and was so full of love and joy. He then turned his head away from me and started to sing as loud as he could. Not that he knew the words or anything, but he just wanted to sing. It was so stinkin cute. Dang I LOVE this boy! I went home and laid down to try and feel better because I REALLY wanted to go to my parents house to see them and some of my siblings, but then reality hit and I had to call my mom (almost in tears) and tell her I was just too sick. Jory and Lincoln came home soon after and I went back to bed for several hours. It is such a bummer being sick.

        About a year ago, one of my good friends Brooke Bakken took some STUNNING images of Lincoln and I. Please don't be offended that Jory isn't in these images. Mother/child photos are a big thing right now and I wanted some of me and my miracle boy. This boy has TRULY changed my life on so many levels. I had come to the conclusion that I may not ever be a mother in this life time. It was a hard reality for me to come to peace with. It took us 5 years to get this sweet boy. When he finally did come, he was sick and I was told if we had waited two more days to be induced, I wouldn't have had him at all. We are so blessed. Lincoln is a loving boy. He was super easy to fall in love with. Lincoln has also always been a momma's boy. Sometimes it's frustrating for me as I am SUPER independent, but other times, I know Heavenly Father knew I needed this cute boy. When I asked Brooke to do these photos, I knew that I wanted to capture this aspect of our relationship. I think she pretty much nailed it. I am beyond in love with these photos. They are so priceless to me and I am so grateful for her that she was able to capture what she did (Lincoln was a pill that day and did NOT make her job easy AT ALL!)

     Words can not express my feelings of gratitude that Heavenly Father has blessed me with the gift of motherhood. This is something I have wanted since I was a little girl. It took me a long time to get here, but it has been more then worth the wait. I can't even remember my life before this little boy came into my life. I believe he and I were meant for each other. I still can remember so clearly the first night he spent in my room in the hospital. It was a LONG hard night, but so many intimate memories and realization that we belonged to each other. I remember holding this sweet boy in my arms and singing to him. He just stared at me and would not break his eye contact with me. This sweet boy KNEW ME and KNEW I was HIS MOM. He KNEW he belonged to me. It was an amazing moment in my life and I know I will never forget it.

       Lincoln has changed me forever and I LOVE this boy. I truly love being a mother and am grateful Heavenly Father has blessed me with such and amazing gift.

Vegas

The beginning of November, we went to Vegas for some family sessions I had booked down there. I was super excited as I had never been there more then once and it was a new place to shoot! It really was a lot of fun! I  got to shoot in what looked like a dessert and get to know several amazing families. We stayed with one of the families that I had met shooting a wedding last summer. I LOVED staying with this family and Lincoln loved Britteny's girls soooo much! They watched Lincoln for us one night so we could have a night on the strip. I had JUST found out I was prego and already wasn't feeling super well, but it was still fun to get out and walk around. The next day we did a few sessions and then we also went out to Hoover Dam. I had never been there either and that was amazing!!! Lincoln had so much fun! Before our session that evening, we went and stopped by the Vegas LDS Temple. It was so pretty. I love going to new places and hopefully after this baby is born, we can go on some more fun trips!

Such a funny kid!

Seriously, Lincoln was so happy on this trip! But then he was so super sad when we had to leave our new friends house!

We bought him this Cars toy on our way out to Vegas so he'd have something to play with in the car. Yeah, he LOVED that toy. He thought it was pretty dang cool. And yes, we cut his hair when we got home!

Mt Timpanogas Temple

This morning I was at one of my very favorite temples ever to shoot a wedding. It was such a beautiful spring morning and the blossoms are in full bloom-for the most part. There are beautifully colored tulips surrounding the front of the temple. I was overwhelmed by how much I love this Temple and what it means to me. I entered this Temple May 3, 2000 for the very first time to take out my endowments. It was an absolute amazing experience for me, one I will never forget nor regret. My parents were there with me and I just remember feeling so clean, pure and HAPPY. I felt the Savior's love for me so strong and I knew I was making some serious covenants. I knew the Lord was please with my decision. The interior of this temple is one that I love as well. It is so bright, cheerful and gorgeous.  The celestial room is beyond exquisite and every time I sit in there, I just want to stay forever. I feel so at peace and even though there are things that may not be going well in my life, I can sit here and it all just goes away and I am reminded that I am His daughter and He wants me to be happy and have the best in life. I know He has a special plan for my life. Every time I am here shooting a wedding or walking around the grounds, I am reminded of my amazing day 13 years ago. This is my special place and always will be. Perhaps I will take my little love here tomorrow...

Temple Square

Sunday we met Nick and Camilla up in SLC for her birthday. It was nice to see them. Afterwards I told Jory I really wanted to take Lincoln to Temple Square. Sadly, the only time I really go there anymore is to shoot a wedding. It was SO NICE not to be the "designated photographer." I just wanted to spend time with Lincoln and teach him a little about the Gospel. It was so nice and peaceful there. Hardly anyone was there which isn't normal when I am shooting a wedding! I took pics with my phone, but didn't get carried away like I usually do. Right now Temple Square is so beautiful and spring is finally blossoming!

Right now Lincoln is a pure water baby! He LOVES to be around any type of water! It's pretty stinking cute! So any time he saw a stream, pond or fountain, we HAD to stop!

He thought the reflecting pond was pretty fascinating! He wanted to take his clothes off and get in and couldn't understand why we kept telling him no!

Then he saw a dog drinking out of the pond and thought he needed to have a drink too. HA HA HA HA!!!!

How beautiful are the grounds right now?? I seriously wish we would have just stayed longer...

Since it was Sunday, I wanted to try and teach Lincoln something about the Gospel. Being 3, this only lasts about a minute. We took him to the Christus and he was pretty excited about it! He even tried saying Jesus several times with great excitement! Made me proud! They have a model of Jeruselum that Lincoln was VERY fascinated with! They have buttons you can press that will light up parts of the city and talk about what significance it was and what part Christ played. This was a HUGE hit with Lincoln. He had to press EVERY button! I love that everyone wants to take a picture by the Christus. I love even more, how when you stand under it, you can see him watching over you, reminding you that He is here for you and what He did for you.

This lady offered to take a pic of all of us. So nice of her. Love how Jory just looks super thrilled to be here!