Meet Austin, Alyssa & Weston.
This little family is one of the greatest blessings to me and Ethan as we have started our life together here in Michigan. Austin stood next to Ethan while we exchanged wedding vows, and Alyssa has been a friend and encouragement when I've needed one. A kind face and hostess in a new place full of strangers, When they announced their pregnancy Ethan and I proudly accepted the role of adopted aunt and uncle to their little man. What an unexpected little gift you have been Weston! I get to spend a morning with him every week as his super mama kills it in nursing school. (hero status am I right?!) His smile is sunshine and I look forward to our morning snuggles and Andy Griffith episode. He is my favorite. Finding good, solid friends gets more and more precious to my heart the older I get... and I am beyond thankful for their imprint on our lives, Guys. I love you and thank you for asking me to document this 6 month milestone. You have been parents to Weston on the outside for half a year. You have changed a million diapers and lost close to the same amount of hours of sleep. You did it. Through work and school, homework and moving apartments. You rocked it. You are naturals. I can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings! We love you Halls! -Auntie Kate This family.
I seriously don't have the right words to describe them. So genuine. So real. An absolute joy. A rare gem. They braved the cold and loved on each other like it was their favorite hobby. The loving glances, the belly laughs... the icing on the cake for this photographer. Jeff, Tracy, Nate and Leah. I'm so glad we got to meet! Thank you for being a breath of fresh air. You guys are a beautiful picture of family. MEET EMMA.
I'm not really sure when I first met Emma, but I had the opportunity to get to know her in small groups through Word of Life. You don't have to interact with her for long before you see her quiet, yet bold humor and sarcasm. As a leader not too much older than the girls in my group, she definitely kept me on my toes :) Always a quick comment or comeback, yet ready with wise insight. Underneath her mellow exterior is a confident strength. A daring bravery. I took her brother's senior pictures last year and was SO excited when they contacted me about Emma! From the second she stepped out of her car and I saw her red lips and black outfit, I had the best feeling about the shoot. AND THEN I snapped the first shot, AND KNEW it would be an amazing time! Emma was a breeze to work with. Willing to try anything I asked her to do. So photogenic that even the talking or "getting settled into a pose" shots looked epic. Emma, thank you so much for entrusting me with these important memories. I know you have such a bright future ahead. XOXOXO Kate I had such a great time with this family!
We had such a beautiful day to shoot! We grabbed a few family pictures, made the siblings get closer to each other than they cared, and captured all the love :) After that I got to spend some time with Andrew for his senior pictures! He was a breeze to work with and I'm super excited with how his portraits turned out! He was such a trooper and climbed into bushes and posed for obnoxious amounts of time waiting for the sun to hide behind the clouds, just so I could get the shot. He loves soccer and has plans to attend college close to home next year while he pursues a degree in physical education. Can't wait to see how God uses his wise and gentle spirit. Thank you guys for trusting me with these memories! I can't wait to give you the rest! Fall is my favorite time of the year... but it's not always the easiest to work in.
The day of this shoot was cold... like low 40's cold. FREEZING. This little family rocked it though! They were all troopers, and I'm so excited about what come out of it! Ava was so calm and peaceful while Levi ran around and had the best time playing in the leaves! These are the shoots that make me so thankful for this job. These are the things that make photography such a joy! Jon and Julane, Thank you for braving the cold to make these images possible! & also for the super cute niece and nephew... I appreciate it :) Love you guys! Westy.
Every week I get to hang out with my buddy Weston. I mean look at that face. Those eyes. That smile. His parents are rockstars and have welcomed this new season with greatness! Juggling work, nursing school and their little family... they're amazing. We are so lucky to have such close friends in our lives, and I feel so incredible blessed to watch them grow together! Oh Weston... I just love you! -Auntie Kate Meet the Yoders. Matt, Mary, Katelyn, Scott, Rebekah, Kari, Clayton & Vallory Sunday morning I had the privilege of working with this family. These people are amazing. I'm serious! I first met them 2 years ago when I came to Michigan to visit Ethan. They opened their home, the girls gave up their room and they basically adopted me as their own. Not just once, but EVERY SINGLE time I came to visit. They became a crucial part of the story of me and Ethan. CRUCIAL. I'm not sure what we would've done without them! They drove the 8 hours to celebrate our wedding, have been cheerleaders, supporters and friends ever since! The kids always make me feel loved and Mary is a sister who fills the role so well since my family lives out of state. They are examples to follow and their marriage is so refreshing! I can only hope that every newlywed has a family just like this in their life. A group of people who inspire and whole heartedly support and believe in them. They are truly invaluable to us and I am so thankful for each and every one of them! Yoders, Thank you for everything. I like you. -Kate Thank you for stopping by! You are a rockstar! Now go eat some chocolate, and foster some happiness.
-Kate Foster MY FAVORITE SEASON IS HERE! Officially! Finally! The weather is still quite warm here, so I'm easing into fall with this sleeveless flannel. It's basically like wearing a stylish nightgown which is totally up my alley. I am a hopeless sweatpants addict... (Don't even try to cure me. I'm not interested) so if I must dress nice, I must dress comfy. Plus I scored this whole outfit for under $25! I love a good deal! And so does my hubby :) Anyway. Fall. Sweet sweet fall. Ethan asked to date me in the fall, then we got married in the fall. Fall is when I can drink hot apple cider like a glutton, and obsess over all the colorful leaves. Fall is when Ethan fills our freezer with venison and the hum of harvest is in full gear. Not to mention, MY BIRTHDAY & Black Friday. Fall is the loveliest gift. Even though it created things like Candy Corn. That stuff is not lovely. Now you'll have to excuse me. I have a fall wreath to hang and coffee to drink. XOXOXO, Kate Dress: Forever21 ($16) The daily. The normal. The 9-5 job and the dirty laundry. Often the journey takes us across many plateaus. You know the place. The in betweens. The weeks when the kitchen sink just can't stay empty. When you feel like you just might cry if you have to visit the grocery store one more time this week. When it's Monday AGAIN and you face another week of work. Plateaus can span as far as the eye can see.. The flat land stretches past and towards our most memorable moments. Birthdays, promotions at work, vacations, weddings and birth announcements. Life without a doubt can offer some of the most beautiful and inspiring high points., but if we aren't careful, we can let those mountain top experiences overshadow the gift that is found in the plateaus. The day to day can take on a new form. Those peaks can begin to look taller, more glorious and that flat plateau you find yourself on can begin to feel more like a valley. A wrong perspective of these day to day landscapes can steal your joy and distract you from your blessings and hopes. These funks can drain the life out of any soul. The gloom rolls in and we start to go through the motions. Dragging. Discontentment is an ugly monster. It preys on the rich and poor alike. It has no preferences. Discontentment causes a disdain for the now- and paints the past joys and life's next chapters in gold leaf. We live for the next promotion, the next step in life, the next picture perfect vacation. We can suffocate in the shadow of those peaks. I'm afraid I'm just like the Children of Israel. In Exodus we see them as their deepest valley had finally crested into a mountain top when the Lord redeemed them from Egypt. They were protected by God Himself, and led by His Omnipotent hand towards their promised land. Heavenly bread was provided every morning and their clothing never wore out. They were finally free, until they became imprisoned by discontentment. Their situation became warped in their hearts and all of a sudden God's goodness wasn't enough. It was never enough. They became bitter, and demanded something new, something bigger from God. Their liberator and provider. This is where I find myself. This is a pep talk to me. The sun is just starting to warm my face and as I turn, I can see the tunnel of gloom I've been wandering through. One I didn't even realize I was in until I was finally coming out. The pity party. The boredom. I'm embarrassed to think of it. All of my needs are met. I have the best roommate I could ask for, full closets and pantries. and jobs that are secure. Our cup overflows. What do I have to complain about? Discontentment silently warped my blessings and made them feel inadequate. God's overflowing goodness wasn't enough. I wanted something new and exciting. I was bored of my everyday.
This is something I have warred against my whole life. This past month has been a struggle. Here are some things I've found help me get out of the rut. 1. GRAB A BOOK! I'm a sucker for biographies. Find a comfy spot in the sun and soak it all in. 2. FIND A FRIEND. I have this friend that I know I can text whenever I'm in a funk... All I do is send her a text and I know she will be praying for me and helping to encourage me out of my pity party. 3. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE! The dishes can wait, the laundry can be folded later. Take a drive, try a new coffee shop, walk around the block, buy a bouquet of sunshiney flowers to brighten your home. Anything to add some fun to your normal. 4. LOVE ON OTHERS! Write a letter, send an encouraging text, drop a secret present at the door step of a friend who needs some sunshine. Giving love to others will correct your focus and cultivate contentment and genuine joy. 5. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. Name them one by one. Every little blessing, no matter how small. 6 SPEND TIME WITH JESUS! He is the one who can breathe life back into your soul. He wants to be asked. There is no detail in our life so minute that He doesn't care about. Write out your feelings on paper. Read them out loud. Pray over them. Spend time in the Word. He has just the things to brighten your day. Funks are normal. Maybe even frequent. Have a plan of action, and fight discontentment with gratefulness. CHOOSE JOY. Look for the beauty in the every day, the security of a schedule. Don't waste the calm. Plateaus are a gift. They are our opportunities to run hard and fast, unhindered. A chance to love hardest even when the spotlight is turned off. Habitual daily life is not a cage. It's a platform. A lovely preparation for the next mountain top. A rest before a valley. Don't dread the normal. Embrace it. Bask in the familiarity that is today. Thank God for the calm and seek contentment in everything. Even the dirty dishes. |
HELLO!Hello! My name is Kate Foster. I have been a lover of antiques, coffee and photography longer than I care to admit. My husband is my best friend, and Christ is my rock. Categories
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