Let's try this again! :)

Cari & Joel are engaged - yay! I really really love these two. No, it's not because they're smokin' hot (they really are) or because they know how to work a camera like nobody's business (they really do) or because they're too cute for words (again, the ARE)...

it's because they are GOOD to each other. Nothing makes me happier than when I see a couple that treats each other well. Say what you want about all the keys to a successful marriage, but I can tell you right now - truly respecting and caring for your partner is THE key to bliss. Hard times will come - they always do - but if your relationship is based on true, honest mutual honor, this one thing will see you through those challenging times. Trust me - I have see this in my own marriage to my wonderful Stan. :)

Anyhoo - as promised, I got my stuff together, was able to figure out the problem I was having with posting these images, and am now sharing them with you! Thanks for your patience!

Before I share, though, I have to tell you the FUNNIEST thing! We just spent all week with Stan's family in South Carolina where his Grampie lives and it was so fun! I plan to share more, but that will come later this week. Anyway, Grampie and I have a really awesome relationship and it is a huge blessing to me, since I lost my Grandpa and Grandad, both of whom I was very close to, within 1 month of each other, when I was 10 years old. Grampie has been one of the best things about inheriting this AWESOME family when I married Stan over 4 years ago.

Grampie is the kind of grampie who just tells you how it is and I love that about him. We were talking about photography last week (which he is also very into and VERY good at) and he seized the opportunity to tell me what he thinks about my pictures.

"Stacy, do you know what I don't like about your pictures on your website?"

"No I don't Grampie . . . please tell me."

"I don't understand why those people have to be slobbering all over each other all the time. Why can't you just take a nice picture where they're not huggin' and kissin' all over each other? When I was your age we would never be caught dead in a picture like that!"

I chuckled a bit and said "I understand your point. Everybody has their own style. Mine is to show people as they are - in love - with life and with each other. And if that means they're hugging and kissing, so be it."

"Well I think it's terrible."

I loved Grampie's honesty and I got a huge kick out of his directness. :) I tried to explain that we always get plenty of pictures of the couple just hanging out. We began to look at my pictures from Cari and Joel's engagement session, so that he could tell me exactly what he likes and dislikes.

"You probably hate these, don't you?" I said as I showed him the pictures below:





"Yes, you see, that's just too much!" he exclaimed. "Why do they have to be so close?!"

"Well, these are a little milder . . . what do you think."






"Those are a little better, but I still don't like them. They're touching each other too much."

I dug a little deeper to find a picture I thought he would like. Clearly he wanted one where they were not touching at all.

"How about this one?"

"Okay, now I like that one. That's very nice."

Ah, Grampie. How great is he? :)