I want the photographs I leave behind to my family to be of moments that truly matter. I want to document our daily life - the joyous occasions , the mundane, and the moments of struggle. I want these exact same moments documented for you.

I want the words I say to be intentional and life giving. I want them to bring encouragement, justice, deep conversations, and fun - just what you’d get if you sat down with me over a cup of espresso.

I want the art I create to bring joy, inspire creativity, and move us forward in our goals. I am a planner girl after all!

I want the good that I do and the justice that I advocate for to ripple out and truly matter to the next generation, even if they never know my name.

The continued connection and comforts from looking through old photographs
and reading words written on cards has fueled me after enduring grief.

 “I wish I had more photos of my dad…”

Right out of college, my entire world was rocked to its core when my Dad passed away unexpectedly. When I think of him, I remember the small things most like how we used to frequent the Houston Zoo and take in the sights of all the animals and the Natural Science Museum of Houston to see the dinosaurs. I think about every coffee cup and pair of glasses he left in his wake as he tended to his garden of beautiful amaryllis flowers.

Ever since losing him, any scrap of paper with his handwriting or old photograph of him that I find is like finding a piece of long lost treasure. It’s a small part of his legacy that was left behind. Unlike the lessons he taught me, or the moments we shared, these are things I can cherish by tangibly holding in my hand while transporting me back to time with him. It’s because of losing my dad too soon that I first felt led to be even more intentional with my life than I thought I was, and to try to savor and document as many moments with my loved ones that I can. 

Preserving memories is something I’ve always done, ever since I was a little girl, even when it hasn’t been at the top of my mind. I’m a saver - ticket stubs, family recipes, playbills from watching friends on stage, old photographs taken during sleepovers and on camping trips. It’s what I’ve always done. Saving memories is a part of my DNA.

It’s through these tangible things, like cards and photographs, that memories and legacies are able to live on as they help jog my mind to recall stories and moments that may have otherwise faded.

Over the years, I’ve gone back through the things that I’ve kept and been able to relive memories. My Grandmother’s mac and cheese recipe was one of my favorite childhood things and I’ve tried to match it time and time again thanks to the fact that I have a record of it that has been kept safely tucked away for years. Even with the hundreds of attempts under my belt to make my macaroni and cheese just like hers, I haven’t been able to get the consistency quite like she had. I will keep trying though, because it’s the process of using the recipe she sat at and printed on her typewriter, putting all of the ingredients together and feeling that connection to her as I sink my tastebuds into her mac and cheese recipe that matters.

It’s part of why I keep these tangible memories - so that I can still interact with my memories and relive them in ways that I might not otherwise be. After having seen several of my family members pass away, it is a true treasure to be able to see them in photographs and relive my memories of those moments. This is what fuels me as I continue to document my own life so that as seasons change, I have these things to look back on.

This is what I want for you too.

It is why I became a photographer.

MY PEOPLE! YES, TWO OF THEM ARE DOGS.

rick, My BFF + Love of my life

He’s my greatest encourager and a better support system than I could have dreamed of. He’s the one you want to grab a beer with and shoot the breeze. He is the CEO ACE of our lives - that’s All Culinary Efforts. He makes an amazing pan pizza, one of the best briskets I’ve ever had and a chicken fettuccine alfredo that makes you never want to eat anything else ever again. He brews his own beer, plays disc golf and makes sure everyone is welcome. He’s the real deal and not afraid to showcase his modeling skills with a bag of sunflower seeds subbing as his baby. Simply put, he’s my person.

Scout, our dogter + my office mate

We named Scout long before she proved her name to be accurate by hiking trails alongside me to find beautiful locations. If you asked her what an ideal day is, she may actually say quarantine. It’s when we’re all home ready to throw her ball at any moment, and her schedule is wide open to alternate between creeping on the neighbors through the fence, crashing on the chaise lounge, and channeling her inner iguana to bask in the sun. You can usually find her laying around our house in eye sight of Rick or me. She’s a great editing partner and always down for whatever show or movie I want to watch. I’m pretty sure she loves NCIS as much as I do.

Our little Family circa 2017

There’s a lot of love and heartache behind this photograph. It was taken in our backyard by my mom soon after getting these two which is quite a story in itself. Scout + Oakley were quite a pair and adopting them in their older age may be one of my favorite life experiences. Oakley could find any puddle in the vicinity, was our wild child with a streak to get stuck in the weirdest of places, danced when we got home, and was a lovable furry girl who loved pets more than anything. They were as thick as thieves, best friends and sisters. We struggled through some dog parent problems with our Oakley girl and she passed away. This is one of two photographs we have of our little family. If I could change anything other than having more time with this incredibly sweet soul, it would be to have more photographs documenting our time together as a family.

 Alright friend, I’m sipping on a delicious dirty chai. (Espresso + chai combo of goodness!)
How should we hang out right now?