..Tam.Odom..

This past weekend I got the opportunity to shoot the engagement session for Savvy and John Root. I’ve known them since their freshmen year and have grown to love each one of them so dearly. Savvy and I had a very close friendship at one time and I got to see her heart for missions. John Root and I use to grab Chickfila from time to time and just talk about how the Lord has been shaping each of our perspectives on ministry! So for me, this was a very sentimental and special time for me! On Sunday, we had a great time as I got to watch them interact through expressing their love for one another through a look, a touch or a simple sweet kiss. Below are some of the shots that I personally loved the most:

You know every summer I make a list of things I would like to do while I am able to actually relax, go, do and enjoy! Here is a list of things I hope to do during Summer 2012: (mind you some of them have been accomplished already, might be repeated, and could already be scheduled)

Walk on the beach at Sunset

See the Sunrise at IOP

Spend a day (or two) at the beach

Eat at a new restaurant at least once a month

Visit Solmaz in Mississippi

Get Fondue @ Fonduely Yours, Mt. Pleasant

Go to a Charleston Riverdogs game

Visit Greenville

Have my niece and nephews down to the Waterpark

Go out on the water in a boat…MK, here we go!

Walk the Bridge

Make Homemade Ice Cream

Complete 3 Pinterest Projects

Complete one yard project

Go to a Yard Sale

Send snail mail to one friend a week

Learn Sign Language

Make a First Aid Kit for my car

Attend a Roller Derby Match

And the list could grow over the next couple of weeks! You should try to come up with a Summer To-Do List too.

I got the privilege to shoot the pictures for my friend Sam and Frederick’s Wedding a couple of weekends ago. Below is just a taste of the pictures. It was an honor to be there and witness one of my good friends entering into that covenant with God.

The Lady Bucs took the program to the Championship game on Sunday, May 13th. This was a milestone for the Lady Bucs Softball program to go into the tournament seeded in the top half of the bracket and then to play in the final game. They went to battle with Coastal Carolina on the final game which aired on ESPNU. Since I was home for a wedding/Mother’s Day I was not able to be with them so I was thankful for the live video from the game.

The result was a loss due to some errors. But I was so proud of my ladies. I met the bus as it pulled into CSU from a long road trip just to hug each of them and tell them how proud I was of each of them. 

This year has been so much fun watching the Softball ladies grow in their game and in their personal lives. I have been so honored to get the opportunity to serve these girls and to love them just the way that they are.Through injuries, bench time, and losses I have been impressed with their perseverance and their growth. Through healing, play time and wins I have been blessed to see how they have tried to honor the Lord in it all. I have laughed often and I have loved them more and more! 

Can’t wait for next year. Love you Lady Bucs! 

So I’ve been exceptionally behind on my efforts to inform the world about all of the great things happening with Lot 53. I officially signed the “mound” of papers at the lawyers office on April 27, 2012. I was handed my very own keys to my very own house.  It was fun to be there with my “sister” Lynette and to have Mrs. Connie (Exit Lowcountry Realtor) there to support me in a monumental accomplishment in my life. The Realtors gave me this huge gift box of chocolates which was nice! 

I began moving boxes and furniture that night and by Saturday afternoon I had everything moved over from the apartment and unloaded at the house. I spent the night in my new home for the first time with Drea. Now I have to admit that I woke up the next day and thought “Ohhhh myyyyy! What the heck did I just do? Do I like this house enough to be committed to it this long?” Well that feeling was eased as I got up and moving around and was reminded how awesome the house is.

So it took me about a week to get things moved in and unpacked. Thankfully and unfortunately, I didn’t have roommates for the first week. At first, it was kinda sucky. Then I decided it was kinda nice! 

On Mother’s Day weekend my family was so kind to host a Housewarming party for me to celebrate my new home. I got some gift cards and some odds & ends. I decided to look through the house and find some things that I definitely needed to be functional and some things to just organize it better. Now I am on mission to use up those gift cards to make some of these purchases. 

A couple of tips:

1. Build your credit the best you can because your credit scores are critical to this process.

2. Find a great realtor who is interested in your happiness and well-being more than their cut in the sell. 

3. Minimize your paper mail so that you don’t have to change your address on SO many things.

4. Document with pictures along the way.

The house is becoming a home!