for memories sake.

so by now yall have probably figured out that I have a really amazing real life BFF that also happens to be a adoptive momma + blogger! Jenna!  thats a pretty rare find in our neck of the woods and I'm so very grateful for her.  We compliment each other in many ways.  for example, she crafts and I take the pictures. hah.  but for real, you know when I told you about this book?  it's all about living a better story.  it's what Donald miller wrote this book about - what he learned in editing his life (for a movie).  basically that his life was boring.  it takes great INTENTION to live a good story.

sometimes you don't want to be creative, or go the extra mile or simply get out of your pjs (in this case, we didn't).  but I promise every time I've made the effort to make a memory - I've never regretted it.

that's how this super fun NYE party came about.  we wanted to do something really fun with our kids - something we wouldn't forget.  something we could do year after year.  and we did it!  and i'm so proud.  jenna is the crazy one who spent hours upon hours crafting, so you can check out here blog HERECOCOCOCOCOCO for all those details.  

**i'm all about keeping the memories alive with fun traditions and ideas for the kids, check out my board on Pinterest here.  

but I'll just show you our super fun night through pictures!  

Jenna had little brown paper bags with an activity for each hour.  this hour was "photoshoot".  she got fun masks and beads at the dollar store.  isn't her family hilarious?  

my hubs ;) 

as we were trying to wait out midnight....we played some games!

that was after of coarse a dance party, you tube watching, dinner, wine, coffee, decorating party  hats, photo shoots and did I mention eating? 

now THIS was the coolest thing.  don't ask me how her little brain comes up with these things but she wanted to have a "balloon drop"

so after we watched the ball drop in New York and toasted our bubbly (and sparkling for the kids) we woke up camp + asher and her kids pulled the string for the balloons to fall!

I always get a tad emotional on new years eve.  thinking back from the year + looking forward to the future! 

alright, it's about time (haha) that you head over to jennas blog (link here) for some inspiration on your 2013 NYE party! 

What are your favorite memory makers?

back to baylor I go.

I feel like I'm back in college.

procrastinating.

but it's ok, because tomorrow morning (or today I should say today) I head back to my alma mater, Baylor University, to for the first time to.....drum roll....be a (paid) presenter!  

They are having a missions photography one night workshop & I am so honored and privileged to get the opportunity to be there!  I love talking about missions, I love telling stories, I love talking about photography, I love meeting young people, and I love encouraging people to use the gifts God has given them - so it should be a fun night!

while getting my images together for my talk, I made a fun little video of some of my favorites from my personal mission trips over the past year!  I'm praying watching this at the beginning (to introduce myself) will pump me up!  Some of my favorite faces in the world....

Wish me luck!

I can't wait to tell you about it ;)

photo perspective. {Rwanda week}

My last post (at least for now) about Noel.

I HAD to share the stories of my boys, Justen & Evoriste and their photog skills.

I talked about it a little before, when I told you how I (gasp!) let my boys use my camera!

Well, from day 1 had had quite the assistants.  Since these boys were by my side every second, they became my helpers! Without me even asking.  They carried my bag, helped me get things out of it, and seemed interested in taking photos.  

So day 1 I put it around their necks & gave them a few pointers!  

they loved it.

then day 2, I let them have at it.

I put my camera on auto & gave them the reigns.

this is HUGE. but I love them & I love seeing the confidence it gave them

I know it built their self esteem, gave them confidence, taught them a skill, and allowed them to express their perspective through the lens of a camera!  

{photos by Alison}

The black & white photos below are some of the ones they took!

I love having THEIR perspective.  

I am working on an album on facebook of all of them.

It reminded me of 100cameras.

remember when I posted about them?  here!

well, they are getting ready to launch a new venture- that me & Alison might both get to be a part of.

I'm really excited about it :)

more on that to come!

the whole reason I got into photography was after I took a "digital photography for ministry" class.

and turns out, that's still where my heart is

isn't god cool :) 

100 cameras.

My friend KariAnn, from high school & Baylor sent me an email last week about an organization she is working with called 100 cameras.  Just a quick glance at her email, I was hooked.  I love the idea of using photography to impact childrens lives.  To teach them how to use their cameras, to teach them self expression and then to turn around and sell their prints.  Images from their perspective!  Then 100% of the money raised goes back to help the repressed community they come from.

How awesome?

Seriously, I've been thinking so much lately about the power of self expression.  And how when we are little, we are all artists.  Then we "grow up" and think we aren't any good and we stop using the creativity God gave us.  I wish I wouldn't have spent all those years not knowing what my "creative outlet" was.  Since finding photography, I can now tell stories and express myself!  It's powerful!  And especially for these kiddos who live in areas like Sudan.  Sudan is one of three projects that has been completed through 100cameras, and I loved looking through the images.

http://www.100cameras.org/events/march-forth-sudan-photos

100cameras teaches children how to tell their story through photography. With cameras in hand, the children 

become the storytellers in ways that a foreigner could not. This encourages a stronger self-view, resulting in higher 

levels of confidence and ownership in their identity. And ultimately, in their future. 

I love this image by Kiden.  It's so free, happy, joyful and from a teenagers perspective.  

You can go on their website & read all about the kids that took these images, and the purchase them as a card or print!  This is where the funding comes in & for the Sudan project, "To date, the sale of the children’s photos has enabled St. Bartholomew's to improve the conditions of their current orphanages and begin plans for expansion.  They have been able to construct a protective fence around the entire campus which was necessitated by the increased rebel activity in South Sudan during the 2010 North & South referendum voting. 

Purchase one of the children’s photographs, and 100% of your purchase will go directly to the orphanage and continue to provide lifeline supplies and shelter."

Personally, this is a project and an idea that hits so close to home.  As I've traveled all over East Africa & El Salvador, I've found kids who simply LOVE to take pictures.  I'm working on a post of pictures taken at Noel Orphanage, in Rwanda by two of my friends: Evoriste & Justen.  I LOVE their perspective.  and that's what drew me to this project.  

Personally, I am going to purchase the black & white print above.....

by Kiden.  

I love what it says about her: 

"Kiden is remarkably resilient and more mature than most of her peers. She takes care of the younger children in the orphanage as if they are her own. Kiden is a hard worker and helps serve in the kitchen."

To go on my new Africa wall in my hall way ;)  

Now head over to 100cameras to get your own! 

beloved adventurer.

this is Chloe.

You have probably heard me talk about her before.

We "met" via facebook on May 4th and then met in real life on July 30th. (man up mission trip!)

In those 3 months, we developed a friendship like one that I don't have with anyone else on the planet.

We are sisters.

yes, she's 20. I'm 27.

That doesn't matter, she could be MY mentor.

She is very wise. and godly.

and she has an incredible story.

and she's moving to Gulu, Uganda in January.

Read more here.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about Chloe so you could PRAY.

God is going to do amazing things in & through her and I wanted to invite you to be part of the journey.

Her blog, Beloved Adventurer, is a must read. It will also be the place that she blogs about her life working with women at the Zion Project.

She just blogged about what she needs going forward, and I wanted to ask my friends if you would head over to her blog, read, be encouraged, and pray about giving and/or praying for her! here.

It was an honor to take some of her pictures for her campaign :)

More on my photog blog here: http://wynneelderphotographyblog.com/?p=2103

Just so you know how much I love and support this girl & the amazing mission God has given her, here is a portion of the character letter I sent on her behalf.

{me & Chloe in Uganda}

I call Chloe my sister because even though we aren't technically related, we are sisters in Christ. She is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Plus, when we were in Africa with Visiting Orphans this summer everyone thought we were sisters anyway! She is seriously one of the most beautiful people I know. She is full of wisdom, and passion for our Lord and you can't be around her or talk to her without seeing it all over her face. But not in a, " I'm a great christian" kind of way. It's just who she is.

I remember those first few days in Uganda, just seeing her "in her element" and just seeing, knowing, that THIS is where she is supposed to be. I can't say that about anyone else I've ever met. But God made Chloe Jordan for Africa.

She loves God, she loves her family, she is an incredible friend and prayer partner and studier of the Word. She challenges you, she asks you questions that really get you to think and examine your life and walk with the Lord, she's not afraid to ask you the hard questions. Her heart is in the right place. She is a prayer warrior and in her prayers you see her longing for heaven and for His kingdom to come!

God be Praised! Introducing Jack!

What a week I've had in Rwanda.

My first trip here has proved to be very sucessful.

Minus a trip to the clinic yesterday after I had a bad allergic reaction the day before. I stayed in my pj's all day yesterday & slept most of the day but am feeling much better today.

Rwanda is beautiful & so is the story that I was sent here to document.

Going with my friends Jessica & Joe to meet their son, Jack, for the first time was an emotional expierence. I was praying that God would give me steady hands as I was trying to hold back the tears of joy I had watching them embrace and love their son that they had never met.

But he was meant to be theirs, he's a Honegger!

The "gotcha day" as they call it in adoption world, was quite an expierence to have in real life. I've seen countless videos & to actually be there first hand was nothing short of amazing.

It gave me so much HOPE. So much JOY.

Knowing that the wait is hard, but when the day comes that we meet our precious Camp, it will all be worth it. To see a family come together through adoption is so so special.

The past two days since they meet Jack, he's really warmed up to them. I can't wait to show you all the photos so you can start to see the transformation & him opening up.

I wanted to give you a link to the video I've been working on. This is just the sneak peak- much more to come! I pray that through this, you can see God's redemptive hand and work. HE is what this is ALL about. I pray it will move you to pray for the families you know who are adopting and possibly start praying about adoption for your own family. That's all it takes - asking God what He wants for you family & then being obedient. I promise it's worth it.

perspectives.

I'm starting a class TONIGHT (yes, in 45 minutes!) at our local college called Perspectives! (http://www.perspectives.org/site/pp.aspx?c=eqLLI0OFKrF&b=2806295) It's a class on christianity and missions. I first heard about it on my mission trip to El Salvador over spring break this past year & my heart was moved to take it. I am actually really proud of myself for saying no to a few things this fall so I could devote a lot of time to this class. To study, to read, to do the homework, to put my whole heart into it. To see where God is leading me (and us) in the future.

My good friend Ansley asked me this weekend what my thoughts were about where my heart is towards missions. It's pretty crazy that besides a mission trip to Mexico in college & to New Orleans in High School that I hadn't really ever gone on an international mission trip and in the past 5 months I've been to El Salvador, Uganda & Ethiopia. A new world has shown itself to me. My heart is drawn towards missions and I hope and pray that this class will give me some clarity about what that looks like.

God is moving. and where He is, I want to be. Praying that this class will help me gain knowledge, wisdom and perspective. Will you pray with me?

Can't wait to tell you about it. I've got my 147 orphan bag packed with my new notebook from Target and I'm ready to go :) If you know me well, you know when I mean when I say I have the BPs. EEKK!!! Time to be a student again!

africa bound.

tomorrow morning we will be boarding a plane and flying 12.45 hours to a continent that we dearly love. yet never have been to.

If you would have told me even 2 years ago that my life would be consumed with God's heart for the orphan, the widow, the poor & the oppressed and that we'd be spending two weeks loving on orphans in Africa I would have called you crazy. This new reality of my life excites me and scares me. I never know what's around the corner or what God has in store. I just want to be obedient to what He's calling me to. I have found that there is so much JOY in being obedient.

I can't wait to tell you stories through photographs of the children we meet and love on. I hope they move you to pray for them, to give to them, or to go to them. I don't just want to show them to you so you think I'm an awesome photographer. I want them to move you to ACTION. I want to be a woman of action and I think God has put me in this place to give people opportunities to give, go, or pray. And I want to use my gifts for GOOD!

I am really excited to tell you about a (going to be!) non profit that Stephen & I going to be instrumental in starting up called The Lightwriters. Check it out - site not up yet, but you can put in your email to get info when it starts: http://www.thelightwriters.org/

It's all about people using their gifts for good. A collective of photographers, film makers and writers who want to use their talents for good.
A movement intended to encourage God’s people to use their gifts to glorify Yahweh.

I think it's going to be wicked cool and we are pumped to be a part of it with our good friend, Dustin Bryson.

Check out this video that they did of us:

We will be photographing/videoing while we are there for The Lightwriters! Excited to see what could come from this awesome opportunity. Get involved!

you thought you were through with me, but you really aren't yet. writing really is therapy for me and today I obviously can't get enough. I will be co-blogging with my good friend, Chloe. We'll be writing/posting together while I am excited about! Her blog is http://www.belovedadventurer.blogspot.com/

Ok still wanted to post our itinerary & stories from today so maybe I'll do that tonight....

LOVE to you all!

am I too comfortable?

this whole idea of being comfortable started late May of this year. I went to an event for a local christian high school to watch a movie some of the students/my friends made. I loved it, I loved going to the event, I loved getting to see my friends from Teen CBS, from Op Camp, from church & seniors that I've photographed - all in one place. I loved to support my friends that made the movie but a lot of why I loved it & why I went was for social reasons - I loved getting to high five and hug all of my high school aged friends. It was fun. It was easy. It was comfortable to me. I was in "my element".

But I left that night with this notion that we are not called to be comfortable. Everything in life isn't easy. God never said it would be easy. Now, I'm not saying there was anything wrong with me going to that event - I have just started to question my motives. Then I started to think about some other high schoolers I know that don't have as many people who come and support them on their special nights. I thought about how much harder, less comfortable, and less fun it would be to seek them out and find out when their big events were & go support them. How much more would it mean to someone who doesn't have a line of people out the door who love and support them?

I've been wrestling with this idea for a while: getting uncomfortable. I feel like God has given me a pretty good idea of what He wants me to be involved in next year {more on that later} and most of it are things that {at first} aren't going to be the following: easy, fun, or comfortable. They will be challenging, I will be clinging to the Spirit for help before, during and after. I expect I will be loving in a way that I don't normally love. I will get to set myself and what I want aside & give up what is fun and easy for me for what is life changing for others.

Since God has been revealing this all to me several things have happened. I've been excited and ready to go, I've been disappointed, I've been discouraged, I've seen glimpses into what could be really great, and I've let the enemy tell me lies. But tonight I'm choosing to believe that God will prepare me, equip me, and walk with me in whatever it is that He has in store. It isn't always what I think or what I want it to look like but His plans are always best.

I'm clinging to those promises. I'm hoping for the future, and trying to spend a lot of intentional time in prayer for the students He's called me to work with and for my heart to change for them. I've found recently that the more you pray for someone - the more your heart grows softer for them and the more you love them.

Do you struggle like me with wanting to stay in your comfortable bubble?

lake, Gruene, Austin weekend!

Two weekends ago we headed out to the Hill Country with the dogs. Man were they SPOILED! From the whip cream treats at Starbucks, left overs from Hard 8 BBQ, swimming in the lake, playing with their cousin Hallie & seeing their aunties - they were wiped out when we got home! I love our little weekend get a ways. We went to get our pictures taken by Jenn at Bend the light - it was my surprise Christmas gift from my sweet husband! I CANNOT wait to show you all the images but for now - check them out on her blog:http://www.bendthelightblog.com/wynne-and-stephen/

She had some really nice things to say (thanks Jenn!) We took the images in Gruene, which we both love. We had one of our first dates there - our first road trip (surprise Jerry Jeff concert) and a few other fun times with friends. So it's a special place. We had a blast with her and the dogs and are so so so pleased with the images! We love them & can't wait to decorate our home with them. I'll have to show you when I get them all ordered & hung up :)

We stayed at the lake & had so much fun with our sweet little family. The dogs LOVED swimming in the lake and eating yummy food ;)

A trip to HSB wouldn't be complete without lunch at Bluebonnet! Yummy!!!

Saturaday we went into Austin to take our god daughter, Genevieve, 6 month picutres. The morning started off with our fave, Taco Shack, for breakfast then Stephen took the dogs to swim with my sister & Hallie and we went to the Wildflower center for G's pics. I just posted them on my photography blog here: http://wynneelderphotographyblog.com/?p=1233 But here are a few of my favorites :)

In between pics at the Wildflower center & at their casa we went to lunch at Shady Grove with my sisters & Lauren. It was a classic spring day in Austin (the kind that make me miss the city!) and we sat outside and ate. Besides the fact that I got pretty sick & thought they were going to have to call the show: I didn't know I was pregnant, it was a fun day! UPDATE: I am NOT pregnant. You know that show on TLC that has people who didn't know they were preg until they have a baby in a toilet? Well I was so sick that I was having contraction like feelings - so I felt like I was going to be on that show. Headed back to the lake for some R&R! Oh and Friday night we got to eat pizza with E-Beth & David for his birthday which was such a fun treat!

Austin is always hard because so many people we love live there - but this time, it was all family! It was super fun and we are so thankful for reasons to head down to the hill country!

El Salvador, Mission Trip Spring Break

A few images of the people I spent my week with!

Our sponsor child, Rene, and me at his home in El Sunza.

Our team in El Sunza - stonegate women & el sunza women!

My roomie for the week, Genesis, and our house mom, Suyapa!

Me & Suyapa! What a joy it was to stay with her family for the week.

I am so excited to finally start telling you about El Salvador. It has been over two weeks since I've been home and it's taken me that long to proccess in my mind & also get all my photos together! I took over 1,600 images, and narrowed it down to 750 that I liked. So...I will put some here, but you can see them bigger & better at my photography blog here (http://wynneelderphotographyblog.com/) and then I'll put a lot up on my personal Facebook page here (http://www.facebook.com/wynne.elder). I am planning to do a series on my photography blog telling the stories of the people I met. They are too good to just show you the image, you have to hear the story!

Let me just tell you it was a pretty amazing trip. The people there have changed my life - I will never be the same. Traveling to a different culture & getting to see the same God at work among them was amazing. As you know, I love to write. I'm not a writer, but writing is a great way for me to put my life into words and help me process. So the trip back from El Salvador, I had my computer on the plane & after my iPhone died and I couldn't listen to tunes while I wrote I got my laptop out and decide to write that way. What came next was 4 pages of writing in 9pt font. I thought I'd share some of that here and then over the next few weeks share more with the images on my WEP blog of the stories I heard. Thank you for listening and being a part of the story!

As you know, my main "role" on this trip was to take photos & video. I think mentally & emotionally that's all I thought I would do. But it was so much more. God allowed me to see so many parts of this trip & our mission through taking photos & video. But I was a part of the mission too. The first night, honestly I was in culture shock. I hadn't ever been on a trip like this, staying with a family. And the way they take "showers" scared me, I was almost in tears the first night. But after taking a "splash" the first night, I realized that I'm still clean. It's still the same. It was so amazing to get to see and experience life in another country.

On the plane....this is what I wrote. First thoughts from El Salvador. Most of it is written like a prayer to God.

I think the biggest thing I am taking away is that love is the universal language

i couldn't’t communicate by myself this week at all but i still am walking away feeling like i know these people so well and love them so much.

getting to stay with suyapa and willberto and annayi was amazing - it made the trip, getting to really be submersed into their culture and get to know them as a family. we had some really hilarious times at meals and at night watching “novellas” (Spanish soap operas....)

getting to see ken & vikki {the missionaries} in action was a great experience. they truly have willing willing spirits and hearts to serve you lord. they are a great example to me. god, if we are willing you WILL use us. i really am praying about what you have for Stephen & I. if we are “go-ers” or “send-ers”- I’m thankful for this season of life that we get to go into the world to make you known. it might not have been what we planned or wanted (you know we would love to have a family right now) but you work all things together for our good and i see a lot of good that came from just this one week in el salvador. i will never be the same. getting to see these people who have so little compared to our rich lives in the states - yet they are so rich. they are so rich in your love. it doesn’t matter what they have or don’t have because all they / all WE need is you. you are the great physician, you are the great provider and protector and giver of life.

thankful for the people of el sunza, el salvador. i just know that when we go to africa and i get to see in person the people that have already touched my hearts so much- i will be overcome with emotion. i didn’t know anything about el sunza before, and to already have such a bond and a love for the people after one short week is amazing. god, that is so you just knitting our hearts together as only you can do. you give us a bond because we are brothers and sisters in christ. i LOVE how they use “hermana(o)” so much. brother and sister in christ. the way that the salvadorians greet each other, with a kiss on the cheek & hug and “hola hermana” is beautiful. why don’t we greet each other like that? and the way they say “dios le vin dega” - god be with you. why don’t we part by saying that? some other things i love about their culture: they are so family oriented. every single meal was eaten with everyone at the table. no phones, no tv, just sweet time together. all the families live so close together, most of the time the grandparents live in the same complex. family is everything to them, they cherish their time together. I think something they have that we don't, is they don't have all the distractions from "the world" like we do. It seems like there, at least for me, it was so much easier to HEAR God to communicate with Him, to see Him at work. There weren't as many distractions!

getting to document such a trip has quickly become a dream of mine. ever since i took the class at church. which lord i still think is pretty humorous that the only reason i got in was because bruce lowe (the missions pastor at our church!) dropped out. you opened my eyes that class to the ways that photography could be a ministry. you showed me that simply taking someone’s photo is a ministry and there were so many things i could do with it. that’s what i love about it - the business came about, which I am so grateful for the flexibility and opportunity to meet some amazing people. lord, I pray that you are going to continue to open doors like this trip for me. it sounds like you might be - and lord is that’s what you will - make a way. i am willing. i have said quite a few times in 2011 that if the opportunity arouse for me to use photography stricktly for humanitarian/ministry than i would leave the business behind. {that is really scary to think! what God will do!} i already can see so many opportunities this summer: honduras maybe, op camp, and who knows what else. lord the fear i have is how will we survive and make money if all i do is work for free? you know and if that’s what i’m supposed to do than i have to have faith that you will make a way. i don’t know if that is in fact what you want - and i learned my lesson with Camp, I can beg you all i want to make my dreams your dreams for me - but it won’t change anything. you are the author and perfecter of my faith and my life and where you lead me i will go. i want to have, like ken & vikki, a willing heart and spirit to say “yes, lord send me, i’ll go”. so lord - once again, i give my business over to you. do with it what you may and please speak clearly to me about what you want me to do with the gifts and abilities that you have given me.

the life lesson that you keep teaching me, or trying to teach me over and over is simply this: my life is not my own, it’s not about me. it’s all about you. my time on this earth is short but precious. there is so much you can do through my life if i just am willing. what is it you want to do? i don’t want to be satisfied or still with what “i’m doing” now, because everything is a step to something else. you can and will use me and i want you to. whatever that looks like. please keep reminding me lord that my life is not my own and do with it what you want. i want to have mountain moving faith, i don’t want to have fears, i want to trust and believe that you are who you say you are and you will do what you say what you do. i want to know the promises you have given me in your word. i want to hide them in my heart. i want to shine you to the world. to everyone in my little corner of the world. i have influence because of how you’ve made me. it’s nothing about me but all about you. this term - “fore runner” keeps coming up and lord i still don’t exactly know what that means in my life but i want to embrace it. i want to run ahead and do things for you that will make a diffrerence in your kingdom and will encourage others to do the same. may it be nothing about me but all about you lord. what do you want for me/us this summer and this next year - how can we serve you more in midland texas and worldwide. speak to us, but let us also “just do it”. i want to be missional - to live a mission focused lifestyle. i want stephen & i to take the perspectives class - so lord i pray that you would make that possible with our schedules and businesses. provide the time and energy to do it. just talking about the class with shea, julia, ken (who have all taken it) makes me so excited. they were saying at the end of the class you say if you are a “send-er” or a “go-er” and i really just can’t imagine myself being a send-er. i am a go-er by nature. people energize me. meeting new people, building new relationships, that is when i am happiest. that is when i’m in my element. having a common ground with someone and getting to share in that - is the best. right now, i’m listening to my favorite lacrea song, send me, and it’s been my fave since we heard him at RTD 2009. i don’t know why, but maybe it’s because i’m a go-er. lord, do a work! lord, who knows what you are up to! i’m just happy to be a part of it.

these the wonderful people I will never ever forget: ken & vikki, suyapa & will, nuria, moses & juanita, carlos, rafael, sandra, carla & hoell, santos, morena,

these people have their priorities right - god first, family second, self third. the could care less about material things, and only need what they need to get by. they speak to each other with blessings all day long, they greet each other warmly, they call each other their brother and sister in christ. they way the live their lives and the things that are important to them are what should be! i’m sure they have the business as usual just like we do, but their lives look so diffrent. they are so simple yet so rewarding, so impactful and so special. i have been honored to get to meet and know the beautiful people of el sunza. i pray your blessings on their small village - that it will be advanced for your kingdom, that you will continue to move there and the people will only fall more and more in love with you.

my life will never be the same. thank you lord for the week i had in el sunza.

I hope to tell the stories of the people I just mentioned & show you images from the work we did this week. Stay tuned!

how God moved in Vegas....

I'm not sure how many of you read both my photography blog & this blog (hello mom) so I just wanted to copy & paste some of the highlights that I said on there- or you can go read it all & see photos here..... http://wynneelderphotographyblog.com/?p=1028

But God did some amazing things in my life on that trip & I just wanted to put some of them here and then add a few words. The whole trip was really God ordained and I just had to share both places. I also wanted to say how amazing it was to get the opportunity to share our adoption story with different people. My good friend Sommer got me my precious necklace (see below) the night before my big WEP launch party - and I wear it pretty much every day. Because even though I haven't been there yet, my heart is in Africa and the "C" that I have since gotten for "Camp" makes my heart so happy. So naturally I wore it in Vegas & it sparked some really great conversation about adoption. **on that note, I really really want a wrist tatoo but can't decide what I would get! help! something that would be useful for sharing Jesus with people, ideas are welcome!! ** I can't wait to see how God uses us to reach others & it's been cool to see people reach out to me- already since I've been home a very well known photographer, Dawn Davis, has reached out to me on Twitter ( I can't say enough about how that silly tool has built me some cool friendships) about adoption! It's just cool to see people be so passionate about it & I am already that way and we aren't even done with the paperwork process! Just thankful for open doors!!!

Ok from my other blog......

I know it sounds crazy to say that I had a very pivotal moment in my life & in my business in Vegas, but it's true. The whole trip was totally God ordained. I don't know how else to say it but I finally felt like I was where I am supposed to be. He gave me this sense of confidence that I haven't felt in a really long time - not in my skills as a photographer, but in who I am in HIM. Who He made me to be is who I am & I finally got to a point again last week where I was more than ok with that. All the little quirks & things that people jokingly have given me a hard time about all my life - those are the things that make me, well me! and I felt like I was free to be me. It was an exhilarating feeling. I heard a few really amazing speakers that really hit home to me: Jamie Schultz is an amazing mom & wife & photographer & designer and throughout her talk I found myself really relating and it was like she was giving me permission to be ME and not who I should be in this business, but who I am. I ran into her later that evening and got a chance to tell her that & afterwards went to dinner with the girls and just cried tears of joy. I also heard the amazing Me Ra Koh who is the "expert photographer" on the Nate Berkus Show. I saw her on his show a while ago & when I saw her in the bathroom at WPPI, I stopped her and said something (please keep in mind this is NOT something I would usually do! But this week I'm telling you God just gave me the guts to not be afraid to talk to anyone, even if they are a famous photographer!, just to be ME and to confident in that). After we talked outside the bathroom, I met her husband and then I went to her platform class later that week & just loved what she said! She talked a lot about being confident as women and in photography & she talked about story telling through photographs. I left totally inspired and encouraged - Me Ra, you are amazing and I will never forget you! I also heard the fabulous Jasmine Star and she challenged me to better myself. To think about what my strengths are & to think about my weaknesses and start working on them. She encouraged me to have a balanced life - to live the life I want to live! I wrote down at the end of the talk she said "being me can allow me to live the life I want" and I LOVE that. It was just this ongoing message of "being me".

I am just so thankful to work in an industry of such amazing people. I met the wonderful people of Thirst Relief and can't wait to get involved in their efforts to bring clean water to people around the world. Some other awesome kingdom minded photographers that want to use the gifts God gave them for good. I am so encouraged, so inspired, so refreshed and so so thankful that I am working in the photography industry. You know, ti's like we don't really have too many "co-workers" so it's so fun to go to a conference and get to meet other people from around the country that do the same thing you do. Thank you Jesus!

exciting Friday for my business!!!

hi friends!

I just had to write real quick to tell you that I have made some fun new changes to the look & brand of my photography business, Wynne Elder Photography! There is a link on the right side (my new logo!!) to my website but I wanted yall to check out all the fun new stuff....

Please go check out my facebook fan page & if you aren't, become a fan! Click...http://www.facebook.com/WynneElderPhotography

Check out the new changes to the blog http://wepblog.com/

Check out the new stuff on my website - http://www.wynneelder.com/

Follow me on twitter.... http://twitter.com/#!/wynneelder

I'm just a little into social media. can you tell?

I just knew yall would be excited for me & these new fun changes :) Happy Friday!!!!

just do it.

Do I have a really cool God story for you!

Well, most of you know I run a photography business. What you might not know is that my dream/goal/wish is to be able to use my gifts to further God's kingdom. What I love about photography is the way I can tell a story with it. I believe that everyone has a story & they all desire for their story to be heard and told. I believe that God has given me a passion for people & photography for this very reason. So I've literally been begging God to let me have an opportunity to tell people's stories through photographs.

Stephen & I met with the missions pastor at our church early fall & one thing we talked about was how fun/beneficial it would be if I got to travel with our mission teams to the churches we partner with around the world to bring those stories back to our church. So people could know what we are doing around the world & be more of a part of the missions of Stonegate. I was super excited about the idea but knew with a full time job & a full time business it might not be the perfect timing.

Fast forward to the past couple of weeks - I've been thinking about it more & more and knowing that now would be the perfect time to get to do something like this since I now have 1 job instead of 2. I have been wanting to contact the church but it just never really felt right for me to reach out. So two weekends ago, I was at eTeen retreat and got the chance to hear from my friend Baron Batch. Baron is an awesome guy, football player, writer, photographer. He has a very powerful story - anyway, I read his blog ( http://baronbatch.blogspot.com/) and saw that he has recently been in Haiti. He took portraits of some of the kids that are available for sponsorship & came home and sold the portraits and sent the money back to pay for those kids to go to school for a year. AWESOME! Well, so I talked to him about it and he gave me some good advice - "just do it".

Also, at this retreat I talked to my friend April who informed me she was going on a women's mission trip to el Salvador over spring break. Also talked to my friend Doug Tull who told me if I really wanted to take photos on mission trips I should go with them to Honduras over spring break with Buckner. South America - over and over. I knew it would be a cheaper option than going to Africa 3 times in two years. Starting to grow on me. God planting the seed.

That Sunday our good friends, Casey & Allison, sent us links to a sermon series from their church in Lubbock - Experience Life, called "Just do it". I listened to two of the 3 sermons and was very encouraged. Practical ways to be in Gods will. Pray about what he wants you do to, then where he wants you to do it. Don't sit around and think about it forever - at some point you just have to do it. God will guide and direct your path one way or another. I am encouraged. I pray.

Monday rolls around and I am at my mentor, Becca, house as she's getting ready to leave for Africa the next day. We are talking and I'm telling her once again my heart for photography & all the fun stuff that happened Friday night at eTeen retreat. In the middle of the convo, my phone rings. It's the missions guy from church. I answer. He says, "wynne, I know this is last minute but we would love for you to join our women's mission trip to el salvador to take photos/video and really tell the story of the people there." WOW! Really? I was ecstatic!!!!!! I talked to the church an hour later on more details, remembered that my friend April was going so I called her, and that night I filled out my application!

God is so good to me. I had finally given it up to him after realizing that just like the camp thing, I could beg God all I wanted to let me do what I thought He wanted me to do, OR I could just trust that He knows what He's doing and he'll give me things to do as he sees fit. Lessons learned. God is good and I can't wait to go to El Salvador with these ladies & share God!

And get this, the main purpose of the mission trip is to share with the ladies in El Salvador how to do a daily devotional. They don't know how to get into the Word everyday & do devotionals, so that's what we are going to do! It is a very relational trip, and that is right up my alley! (I just finished, yesterday, doing the Bible in a year!! thanks to the encouragement of my mom!}

Could you pray with me that I will be strong in doing my own daily devotionals and also that I will learn some Spanish in the next month :) Thank you for your support and prayers my friends. I'll keep you posted!

thankful

honestly. I have so much to be thankful for. We spent the Thanksgiving holiday in San Angelo with Stephen's family and being with family over the holiday always reminds me of how thankful we really are. To have a home, a bed, food, people who love and support us. These are all things we take for granted! It's a Pool tradition to toast to Don Periogn pre-Thanksgiving meal and this year my sweet mother in law's toast made me cry! She toasted to her first grand baby, Rose and then to her precious grandson in Ethiopia. Wasn't much of a dry eye after all the toasting but that one was the best. It continues to become more and more real. Thinking that the next time we all gather in San Angelo for Thanksgiving (since we do every other year) our sweet baby boy will be with us! We talked a lot about him at lunch & again the next day. We shared stories about little children who can't see color - and how amazing it is! How "learned" it is for us to discriminate or to see color. So much to learn from children!

So thankful for this year for a warm home, a loving husband, a fabulous family who supports and encourages us, a family of faith at church & at CBS that push us to be stronger and better, a thriving business, a passion for people and the ability to see God's work all around us. He truly has blessed us with more than we ever thought or imagined.

If that isn't enough - go check out my precious niece, Rose on my other blog ;) She will make you smile!

http://wynneelderphotographyblog.com/?p=789

Thank you Lord for family & for this holiday season - YOU are the reason we celebrate!

Love Affair!!!!

The time has come! I am finally off to Love Affair Workshop in Dallas, Texas. I have been waiting for this for a few months now & I am so excited to say I am about to be on my way!!!!

I wanted to say thank you to all the people who helped get me here & who donated to my cause, gave selfishly to my cause & allowed me to photograph your family all to make the money to attend this world class workshop.

I know that God has me there for a reason and I am so excited to see what I learn, who I meet and what the Lord wants to show me through this experience.

Thank you Lord for making it possible for me to attend! Yall keep me in your prayers this week.

I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Happy Birthday Grandad!

After the shower I headed off to San Angelo to celebrate Grandad's birthday with the family! I got there just in time for pizza, ice cream/cake and presents! It was such a special time to celebrate such an amazing man on his 92nd birthday. Grandad really is a ROCK for the Pool clan and I have been honored and blessed to be a part of their family and one of "his girls". It was so fun to catch up with the cousins even if it was for a short time.

Sunday we had brunch for him & even though the power was out at the club and we were eating by candle light at first - it was a special special time to spend with everyone. We got a few photos after brunch with the family members that were there.

Looking forward to many more fun times with this family!

Jordan Bachelorette party!

Right after our trip to Cabo, I was dropped off at Hotel ZaZa in Dallas for Jordan's big weekend :) Sommer did a great job of planning it (see her blog post here) It was full of yummy mexican dinner, staying up late in the hotel chatting, mani/pedis, shopping at Northpark, lunch at La Madeline, hang time, fun dinner @ Patrizios, dance partying it up in Dallas via a limo, and to top it all off brunch at breadwinners!

Here are some photos from the occasion ;)

{dinner at Matts....bob! yummy!}

{popping the bubbly}

Jordan Bruno!

{sommer did this really cute boxes that each had a gift!}

HAHAHA the last gift :)

{sat morning coffee & pedis!}

{fun dinner at Patrizios!}

{bachelorette confessions in the limo!}

Then we went for ice cream in West Village!

post ice cream was our super fun dance party that I didn't get any photos of :(

It was a wonderful weekend - so fun to get to know your friends other friends & loved spending time with Jordan, Sommer & Rachel as always! Looking forward to October 23rd :)