My grandmother, Josephine, was born in a small farming town in Texas (in the Brazos Valley). When she was 2 years old, Houston was just getting its first air-conditioned building. When she was 3, Houston was opening the doors of the Fine Arts Museum. As she was celebrating her eleventh birthday, the very first Houston Fat Stock Show & Rodeo was being held.

She got married in 1941, and moved with my grandfather to the city of Houston, where city planners were designing major thoroughfares in what would become the "loop" system, and the population was a bustling 380,000. The Medical Center was established a couple of years later, and eventually she saw the construction of Texas' first freeway, I-45.

In her life, she has seen the world go from horses to cars... she has lived life without running water and plumbing and cars. She's picked cotton in the fields and worked as a cook/housekeeper for an army officer-- who even from the front lines wrote home that he missed "Josephine's Pancakes".

She's lived near Memorial Park for over 50 years now-- in one of the "little old houses" that still remains among the new and modern townhomes that have taken over. Her home is still a comfortable gathering place for her 8 children, 18 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren... and she can often be found sitting out in the front porch swing on a nice day, enjoying the shade and the birds and the squirrels.

She is one of the sweetest, most giving women I know.

I've been trying for years to get her to sit for a portrait, but she always waves me off and tells me she doesn't need any portrait... well the medians along Westcott were brimming with bluebonnets this season, and she's a sucker for a pretty field of flowers. The fact that they were right out front of her neighborhood was just an added bonus! We planned a time, she got all gussied up for me, and I finally got her to let me do some portraits of her.

And then, in true Nana fashion, she went home and baked me a cake. Here she is, 87 years young.

The March of Dimes

If you have a little time, or a few spare buckaroos, you might think about helping out the March of Dimes. It's a not-for-profit organization that is widely known for its efforts to prevent premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality.

One of my sweet little baby portrait subjects, Sarah, was born very early (at 33 weeks!), and her mom's hoping to reach a $500 goal. We have a neighbor down the street whose son was born very early this past year (at 32 weeks), and an acquaintance who recently lost her son well into her second trimester.

I have worked and volunteered in Neonatal Infant Care Units and seen the preemies, the babies born with birth defects, and the families affected by the circumstances. Please give, if you can. By clicking below, you can give directly on Sarah's behalf!

Kristin & Ryan

Kristin and Ryan were married on Galveston Island, and were just absolute peaches to work with. Kristin was classic understated elegance in her vintage-inspired silk sheath gown-- which paired beautifully not only with Ryan and his suspenders (which I think he thoroughly enjoyed wearing), but the historic Hotel Galvez's Veranda. It was chilly, but we had the opportunity to take a post-ceremony limo ride around Galveston and shoot some fun and romantic "just married" pictures. The cow on the wall at Ben & Jerry's is my personal favorite; though I do favor the "accidentally artsy" rear-view mirror shot (the sun was shining directly into my camera lens, but the resulting shot is actually kinda cool).

The reception was rockin' and rollin' with one of the best party bands I have ever seen or heard, The Pee Wee Bowen Band. For the umpteenth time, we send our thanks out to Kelly of Eventology Weddings, who coordinated the day.

Extra congratulations to Kelly-- she was recently voted Houston's Top Wedding Planner by The Knot!

Without further ado... here are some of my favorites from Kristin' & Ryan's wedding: