Jerome and Lalicia got married on a beautiful day in a beautiful church, Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington, West Virginia.  Everything was perfect including the bride and groom.  It was such a pleasure to be with them and their families on this very special day.  The day was filled with emotion and tears.  Their fathers, who are both ministers, married them adding an even more sentimental touch to the ceremony.  To view their preview slide show click here.  Here are a few of my favorites from their special day.

Credits:

Wedding Location:  Calvary Missionary Baptist Church

Reception Location:  Big Sandy Superstore Arena River Front Ballroom

Wedding Coordinator:  Valerie Hughes and Robin Lapsley

Florist: Donna from Designs by DJ

Limo:  Classy Limo of Ashland, Kentucky

Wedding Cake:  Angela Trent

Wedding Decor Decorator/Designer: Robin Lapsley

Videographer: Raymond Johnson

The week before Kyra and Jason’s wedding it rained almost every day.  Kyra’s mom and I both had umbrellas ready for the day but on Saturday morning the sun came out and it was a beautiful day.  To view their preview slide show click here.  Here are a few of my favorites from their special day.

To view her online gallery click here.

 Love this one!!!

To view his online gallery click here.

Love this one!!!

Are getting married in November.  Nick and Candice decided to have their engagement session on the campus of Marshall University.  It was a little chilly but all in all a very nice day.  When I was first contacted by Candice about photographing their wedding she told me how she found me.  It was at the wedding of Bob and Holly.  I was really excited as this group of friends was so much fun and I knew that I would get the chance to hang with them again.  Nick, Candice, Holly and Bob are all Marshall alumni so it made perfect sense that their session should take place on Marshall’s campus. To view their slide show click here.  To view their online gallery click here.  Here are a few of my favorites.  It was really hard to narrow it down. 

Love this one!!!!

Friday was the district track meet.  My little boy was on the schools track meet and he absolutely loved it.  He did the long jump, the 50 meter dash and the 100 meter dash.  Here are a few pictures from his events.

Who knew he could get so high.

Crossing the finish line.  You have to love a smile like this after a run.

Thumbs up and high fives.

Every Spring, I get the chance to photograph the Johnson kids.  When I first started there were only two and now there are three.  This year was probably the most fun as the boys really hammed it up this year and Jared even teased me.  Here are a few of my favorites.  I still can get over how much they have changed in 4 years.

I love this shot.  I was trying to set something like this up when Jared turned around and just flashed the biggest grin at me.  It was perfect.

To view their entire online gallery click here.

Most of you don’t know that I am not originally from Kentucky.  I was born in North Carolina and graduated from Western Carolina University in 19…. with a B.S. degree in Psychology and a minor in Guidance and Counseling.  WCU is located in Cullowhee, NC and it has been years since I was on campus or even in that area and I didn’t realize how much I actually missed it until this past weekend.  April 24-26 was WCU’s African-American Alumni and Friends Reunion.  I attended and took my family.  I wanted our kids to see where I went to college.  I had a great time and of course I took my camera.  I saw so many of my girl friends from back in the day in Scott Hall and we relived so many memories.  I promise to keep in touch with them now that we have all found each other again.  We stayed at the Best Western River Escape Inn & Suites in Dillsboro, NC.  I did not remember Dillsboro or Sylva (this was the closest town to Cullowhee and the place we would go to shop) being quite so quaint and full of character.  It’s funny how one’s perspective changes with time and age.  Anyways, back to my post.  The hotel was right on the banks of the Tuckasegee river so that first morning I got up and went out to the back patio and took a few pictures of the sunrise and some fishermen.

Then it was time to get everyone up and drive to campus.  I literally held my breath as we rounded Catamount Gap.  This was the view that I saw every fall for 4+ years.  It looks a little different as the trees have grown up more and there is now a track there with lights and Scott and Walker Halls don’t dominate the skyline as much but it still a beautiful sight.

Campus is noticeably different and bigger.  There were so many buildings and roadways that were not there when I was student.  The biggest change, or most obvious, was you can’t drive in front of Scott Hall.  Here are a few other differences.

A track stadium

The whole front exterior of the University Center is changed.  I can not even begin to explain how the interior of the UC has changed. I would get lost now.

Alumni Tower.  There was no such structure when I attended. The trees leading up to the Alumni Tower did not exist then either.

There is a softball stadium/facility and a new residence hall behind it as well as a Greek Village. 

The reunion was great as I said before.  Here are few images.

The Inspirational Choir rehearsing

Dr. Lavern Hamlin Allen, the first African-American to ever attend WCU in 1957.

There were so many alumni who couldn’t make it to the reunion for whatever reason and they were missed.  We did a big group picture after the luncheon on Saturday of everyone one who came and while we represent every decade since the 1950’s of WCU graduates this picture is not complete.  If you are wondering how I was able to get in the picture, I set up the shot and then handed my camera off to a student worker.

Finally, as we were leaving campus to head back to Kentucky I got a few pictures of my kids in front of the Administration building with the Catamount. Check out their WCU gear. 

If you hung in there this long and read my entire post, thanks for indulging me and letting me reminisce for a little bit.

Our kids have never been to see the circus.  I know, they are so deprived.  Well, Ringling Brothers came to Charleston, WV in April so we took them to see the circus. To say they were excited would be an understatement.  If you don’t believe me just check out this face.

Here are a few pictures from the circus.