1. look who is three months old now…. i can hardly believe it, and hardly stand it.

she is sucking on her hands and grabbing at things. she likes to be in my sight a all times. she is still a snuggler and a fantastic sleeper. she tells me stories….

2. my newest treasure arrived in the mail yesterday~

i traveled 200 miles to have this done! it was made by a lady where we lived in pennsylvania… she made the ceramic handprints for the boys when they were born, and we made a special stop to do audrey’s and have this one done when we went through for our ohio visit over the 4th. i look at this, and my heart is filled and breaks at the same time.

3. look who did have the guts to cut her hair…

i apologize for the intense eyes… they are a bit “deer in headlights”, lol. it’s shorter in back and angled in front. i like it, and i can still ponytail it for my runs.

my new website has gone *live* woohoo!

www.andreaburnsphotography.com

be sure to click on it, and see all of its brand new goodness.  love the bigger photos.  love the sliding colors.  love, love.

and of course…  something else very exciting and cool for you….

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i am just tickled to introduce you to lily… she is a treasure, a gift, a long time coming. three years ago when i first became pregnant with lucas, we had friends *just* start the adoption process. i remember mama looking at me and say “you’ll have yours before I get mine.”

and she was right.

right before christmas in 2008, lily came to her forever-home.

lily is just a little flirt, a tiny package with double the language skills of lucas… even though english is not her first language. i just feel so lucky to have witnessed the p family’s journey… hard at times, and oh-so-perfect now!

when i was 14 years old, right before high school started, i had to attend marching band camp.  the bus pulled up, and i stepped inside… i was nervous… i didn’t know to many people.  i just wanted to sit down quickly.  score!  and empty seat next to a nice-enough looking girl.

“can i sit with you?”  the dreaded question.

“of course” and she slid over.

a friendship began… 15 years later… through boyfriends, proms, senior “day- trips”, colleges hundreds of miles apart, fiancee’s, weddings…

one of my oldest and best friends is about to become a mama herself.

jana, my heart swells.  love to my dear, dear friend… who i’m sure is about to give birth to a stunning child that will marry one of my own.

1.  work in the studio is coming along nicely.  i have my wall samples here, they just need to be hung.  i’m getting a brand new desk, and a few more decorative items, then we should assemble and be done!  i’m very excited… i’ve already had a couple shoots in the half-done studio, and i think it works out just great.

2.  i don’t think i’ve mentioned this yet, but in lieu of getting back in shape after having audrey, i’m running.  i’m very proud to announce that i’ve registered for a 10k this coming october.  the marine corps marathon 10k (a 6.2 mile race).  this week i’ve already logged 16 miles.  i’m also running 3.5 miles in about 40 minutes.  my goal is to run the 10k in approximately an hour.

3.  honey girl has found her hands, and she just might be a thumb sucker!   it makes us laugh, because her teeny tiny hands look engulfed by her big cheeks.   we are still dealing with her clogged tear ducts, though my fingers are crossed that her right eye has cleared… her left is still pretty goopy.

4.  i’m working on something new and fresh.  i’m excited.  i’m really hoping it will be done in the next week.  stay tuned, its so great!

5.  i’m thinking of cutting my hair.  if you know me well, you know that this thought comes up every couple months, and it is. a. big. deal.  an agonizing deal.  magazines are bought.  everyone is consulted.  i hardly ever go through with it… but since i’m looking at my big 3-0 in august… i kind of want to try something different.

followers of my blog should recognize this next family… they are part of my own. gen is my husband’s sister… but i can’t tell you how often we get comments like “oh, you and gen look alike!” or “yeah, i can see the resemblance between paul & nate.” when the fact is, it is gen & nate who are the siblings.  it makes us laugh, while none of us see the similarity.

over the 4th we grabbed 10 minutes and shot their annual family photo is gramma’s side yard… i am in love with the bright pinks against that rich green….

and there she is… gen… the sister of my heart. i tell you what, i married into the best family. ever.

we spent our fourth of july the way we always spend our fourth… with our family in ohio.  we always have a big cookout with the extended family, followed by a campfire and a fireworks show put on my grampa and all the uncles.  it was unusually cold and damp, but finally on independance day we saw the sun.  it was a great time… watching the cousins play really fills my heart.  its neat to sit back and know that you are watching memories being made.  seth and his cousins screaming the transformers song at the top of their lungs between bursts of fireworks… lucas napping n the hammock… audrey charming her way into the family…..

my heart is full this fourth!

take a look at this lil’ peanut.  his name is ian, and he will steal your heart.

poof! gone. told you so, i warned you.

and the lovely f family… mama is an old friend’s sister.   i shot her beautiful intimate wedding two february’s ago HERE. this last photo was the last one taken, on a quick whim, right before the sky opened.  don’t you just “feel” that stolen moment?

S as in… Sweet.  No, sweet isn’t really their last name, but in my world both are synonymous.

What is funny in the above photo, was that there was a man fishing… and he didn’t care what I was doing. I positioned Dad, *just so* and the man went right on with catching his dinner.