Mrs. Johannsen’s Trash the Dress Session…

I have known Jill and Cory for about three years now. We met through common friends, and they are great people. Jill and Cory have been married for five months now. They are a couple who are so clearly in love. I was so excited to take pictures of Jill in her gorgeous wedding dress today. She was stunning! There were so many good pictures from our session, that I made a video to display our time together. I am so happy for the Johannsen’s and wish them the best. Cory you are a lucky man, you have a beautiful wife. Jill thanks for letting me capture this special time for you!
Here is my two absolute favorites of the day..

I hope you enjoy the video… as much as I enjoyed my time with Jill.

Untitled from jenee harvey on Vimeo.

Trains, footie pj’s and frosting off the top…

Tonight I was lucky enough to spend sometime with two very cute sisters. It is so refreshing to spend time with little ones. They have such a simple, fun and pure view on life. It’s a time when wearing footie pajama’s with a diaper bubble bottom and round toddler tummy is precious. A time when, a cupcake is invaluable once you’ve eaten all the frosting off the top. You can get lost in wooden tracks and trains for hours, making up enthralling stories of the coming and going. I am so thankful for the innocent, fun and refreshing night these two gave me. The bond these two have as sisters is very special, and very evident. Thanks girls, for a good night.

 

 

One of those sunny days…

With the sun shining and one of the most beautiful parks in the world… I jumped at the opportunity to go hike with Stacy and Caiden this morning. We spent a few hours adventuring… climbing rocks, walking through the “rainforest,” collecting rocks and sticks, and enjoying a picnic. Stacy and Cory have raised a little boy who has such a sweet heart, is curious about the world around him and so well mannered. I could not get enough of his blonde curls and long eyelashes.. Stacy and Caiden, thanks for the hike. You two have a very special bond, and I love spending time with you two..

Loved his spiderman shoes… all boy!

Aren’t those eyelashes amazing?

“When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.” Proverbs 4:12

The weather in my life…

This morning I woke up to the rhythmic tapping of rain and scratching of branches on my bedroom window. It was soothing, calming but slightly saddening all the same. As a busy person by nature, the rain makes me feel stagnant, trapped and bored. Limited by the activity I can do outside. Which feels ironically similar to my life currently. Although, I am beginning to believe that God has me right here, right now for a very specific reason. For two months now I have been trying to figure out what that reason is. What I am doing wrong. Why God has not given me a nursing job, why my career has not started, why I feel like I am wasting my God given gifts by not contributing financially to my family… I have worked continually since high school, helping support myself and my dreams. However, right now I find myself here.. “unemployed”. I have a growing photography business, but I just wonder why I cannot break open my career of nursing, something I have worked so hard for. But last night, as I lay in bed crying with my husband (who held my hand with comfort), he told me what I needed to hear, but not exactly what I wanted to hear. And for that.. I am so grateful. The problem with the whole situation is the “I”. “I” am wanting to change things, “I” am wanting my nursing career to start, “I” am wanting all of my life's ambitions to unfold when “I” desire. But where is God in all this? I am a determined person, a driven person, a motivated person… and God made me that way. Right now He has blessed me with an amazing husband who works hard every day to support us. He has me here, with talent, skill and passion… and all the while I have been fighting Him. So today is a new day. The fight stops.

That tapping of rain on my window, is not sad. It is God. God telling me to embrace the opportunities that are right here, right now. To take that determination, motivation and driven nature to glorify Him, in the best way that He sees fit. Right now I am to serve and empower women as a volunteer nurse at the Women's Resource Clinic, support women as a volunteer Doula at the hospital, give parents a time to reconnect by caring for their children, focus on building a business that captures special moments of those around me through photography… and when or if he feels my nursing career should start, it will. Then at that time it will be all the more plentiful, powerful and amazing, then I could ever make it now.

So please become a part of this journey. Right now in the calm, in the rain… let me serve you. Together we will see what blooms in the spring.

“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the LORD, have created it.” Isaiah 45:8

She said YES!

Today I ventured to Vina, Ca with the most amazing couple, and it was a great day! First, let me move back about four or five years. I met Lauren when my husband and I started dating. She was the most gentle, sweet, caring and loving person. Lauren has the kind of faith that is inspiring, encouraging and motivating. Our friendship grew over the years, she was a person I could trust with anything, and always greeted me with such a contagious and warming smile. As with all my friends I prayed for a very worthy man to come and sweep her off her feet. To challenge her faith, show her love, and support her beyond measure. At dinner one night she mentioned over and over this Danny fella. I could see the look in her eye when she talked about him, a look of admiration. So right there my prayer switched, that Danny would be come Laurens ‘one and only’. Praise God, Danny and Lauren have been dating for about a year now… and as of last friday, they are soon to be wed!!! I was so blessed when Lauren stood up on the alter as a bridesmaid when Matt and I got married. However I feel equally as blessed to be allowed the privilege of capturing the special moments of their engagement and wedding.
It was so fun today to watch them interact. They are so clearly in love, and its contagious. I admire the way these two have dated. They have developed a true deep friendship over the past year, something every relationship should be build upon. Removing all things that could become distractions. So yes, today I was privilege to witness and capture their first kiss in public. Contrary to popular belief of an engagement session, our time was not filled with all mushy-gushy stuff.. throughout our session they were creative, spunky and fun. I loved every moment of it!!!
Laruen I am so happy for you, and thankful for your years of friendship. Danny, you have a great bride-to-be and I am so thankful that the Lord answered prayer, blessing her with a strong man like you. I cannot wait to watch your guy’s marriage grow! God Bless. Enjoy….

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:1-4

Dinner for Two…

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Valentines Day, that you felt loved, cared for, and appreciated. Although I am a romantic at heart, I have begun to think that Valentines Day is a “hallmark holiday”. The restaurants are over crowded, money is spent, flowers are bought and die, and the pressure to show the most special time. It seems that acts of kindness and a little spark of romance should take place everyday in a relationship. We should not only tell each other but show one-another how much love we have daily. Life gets busy, with work, shopping, meetings, cleaning, errands and so much more, and we often take advantage of what is right in front of us. Showing and giving love to those around us. My goal as a wife, daughter, sister and friend is to continually give love.

I have married the world’s best husband. He is truly my best friend. Someone I can tell all my fears, hopes, ambitions and doubts to… he listens (as best any man can, haha) and offers love. My husband was such a support during the trials of nursing school, he is my unrealistic optimist who can brighten my moods and challenges my outlook, he inspires me to grow deeper in my faith, and most of all he loves me unconditionally. I love him so very much, and these past eight months have been unbelievable. I have been inspired to grow as a person constantly, to adapt to a life shared with someone, and learned to love in ways I never thought before.

Since I am still a romantic, yesterday I decided to be a domestic house-wife and attempt to spoil my husband. I spent the day cleaning, organizing and straightening our home. A clean home is a happy home… After the home was clean, I messed it up again. For our valentines day meal, I decided to make homemade raviolis, from scratch! Yes, egg yoke, flour, cheese, mushrooms, water, olive oil and my favorite stand mixer. It was quite the process… lets just say flour was everywhere, the kitchen-aid shorts the power in the kitchen (all mixing occurs on the living room floor), sticky dough, gooey cheese, lop-sided ravioli's… but surprisingly lots of fun and they tasted good too!

Thank You Matt for being an amazing Husband. You are loved! Bon Appetite.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:9

Calder and Baylor Session

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I have always been enthralled with babies. The younger the better. The little fingers, toes, puffy lips and even their cries have such a special place in my heart. I think babies are truly gifts from above. God creates them perfectly. Perfectly tiny, innocent, special and pure. So I jump at the opportunity to capture the special time when a new life is brought home.
Four weeks ago, Calder welcomed home his baby brother Baylor. Calder is all boy… loves being active, outside in the dirt, collecting sticks and did I mention he is active?!? However he is the sweetest big brother. He has learned to say his little brother’s name along with many, many other words. It was so fun to spend time with him. Baylor is as cute as a button, he has the coolest hair and captivating eyes. He was awake and alert for the whole photo session, and only got mad at my constant moving and rearranging once. I was truly blessed by my time spent with these two little boys… Thank you Greer and Jordan for allowing me the privilege of capturing this special time in your lives.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17