It is always a heartbreaking thing to hear of a natural disaster and see the resulting aftermath occurring somewhere in the world. But when it’s a place you’ve set foot in and lived, where you’ve met the people and created ties and formed friendships, where currently so many of your family members and friends reside, it most definitely hits closer to home.

I’ve been watching the news and viewing photos with a heavy heart, finding myself brought to tears by the devastation that has happened to such a beautiful country, one that showed me so much warmth and kindness, and offered me so many wonderful memories along the way. But I’ve also found my spirits soaring as amazing articles about hope and tenacity surface, hearing inspiring stories of survivors, of the coming together of a nation, of the kindness shared among strangers, the smallest gestures of people doing whatever they can for the person next to them (this one is especially heartwarming).

And though it is can be a horribly helpless feeling viewing it all from thousands of miles away, wishing you could go help dig through the rubble with your own hands, stories of hope and help come from this side of the ocean as well.

I am excited to share with you this amazing relief effort put together by some wonderfully big-hearted friends. For Japan with Love is a donation drive set up by Ever Ours and Utterly Engaged, who handpicked Shelterbox {with volunteers already in Japan providing shelter and goods} as the organization to donate to. They have also set up a “Bloggers Day of Silence” for tomorrow, in honor & respect for what has happened in Japan. This fundraiser has seen a shockingly overwhelming response, with over $18,000 raised in just a few days.

Any small amount helps. You can visit the site and read more here.

日本のために祈る。

The happiest place on earth? Most definitely. Even more so, now that I’ve recently discovered that Disneyland sells chimichangas. Because if there’s anything that could make such a happy place happier, it’s DEEP FRIED BURRITOS.

But this post is not about food, this post is about love. And Leah & Matt are filled to the brim with it! They are so sweet and laidback, and I adore their interactions together. The cherry on top? They love Disneyland just as much as I do :)

Sidenote of awesome: When I first met with them, Leah informed me that their wedding will have a woodsy fantasy theme, filled with bright colors, moss, mushrooms, and other whimsical details – “sort of like Avatar”, she described. LE SWOON.

It was an overcast day in November. I was sitting cross-legged on my bed in my San Francisco hotel room, laptop by my side, on the phone with the sweetest writer who was putting together an article for Professional Photographer magazine. When I hung up the phone I’m pretty sure a fervent pinching session ensued. Because seriously? Phone interview? Really? Me?

I absolutely love engagement sessions and it is an honor to be included in an article in the February issue, regarding ways to keep sessions fun and unique. I get asked from time to time regarding using props to personalize sessions – who brings them, how we decide what to use, etc. and I was excited to share a little about my experiences in this article. You can download the full story here. A very big thank you to to Rebecca Zoumberos for passing my name along initially, and to Stephanie Boozer for chatting with me, putting my rambly rambly thoughts into coherent sentences, and conveying what I meant to say so eloquently :)