Megan: Springfield, Missouri Senior Photography

When I first started swimming for Missouri State, which doesn't feel that long ago, however it obviously has been because I'm about to hit the 10 year mark from when I graduated... ahhh!!  Anyway, we would practice from 4-6pm and towards the end of practice the club team would begin arriving. The youngest kids practiced first over in lane 8 and there would be the cutest little girl that would show up with her parents. She was like 6 and had pretty little ringlets in her hair and all us girls would ooohh and ahhh over her. She'd walk over to the lane and she cried and cried.. she did not want to swim and it was pretty much a daily thing but she was just too adorable and we helped her to get through that. :)

Flash forward now about 11 years and here she is, Megan. I can't believe that I have seen someone actually grow up before my eyes. Being military, we have moved alot and I was rarely around people long enough to see them grow up like that. When I was living in Missouri, I actually got the chance to coach her and she came to Montana's baby shower. It's just nuts. She is gorgeous, sweet, soft spoken, shy, talented and such a kind person. I'm honored that I was able to take her senior photos.

Good Luck Megan in all you do with school, college, and your future... you will go far!
Many hugs... Jessica

The Jagears Family: Springfield, Missouri

Are they not the cutest family? I totally think so! Michelle and I have been friends on facebook for a few years now and when she heard I was coming to Missouri she said that they most definitely wanted photos done. I was super excited! Not only did they want photos but they have never had professional images of their family taken and I was honored that they chose me. I met up with them in the downtown area where we walked, talked and shot images. It was the perfect evening and much warmer than the weekend before. Like I have stated so many times previous, I love getting to catch up with all of my clients and friends. The kids have grown so much that I actually didn't realize that I used to coach Gabby when she was like 12 or something. Complete craziness! Thanks Michelle for allowing me to shoot your amazingly gorgeous family! 

The Wessley Family: Where the love just keeps on coming.

Here I sit at my computer with my power on and the hurricane beating down. It's actually not too bad this time around. I still have my power.. Amen, and I can can continue to work on images and hopefully get some things accomplished. Work has been cancelled as well as all the local schools. So I'm assuming most people are baking, watching TV, reading books and sleeping in. I did get to bake some yummy cookies yesterday with the kids and those are about gone... sad. Guess I will have to make some more. It's been nice having the rain and having to actually stay inside. The kiddos have been playing well and I'm going to do a cute halloween project with them that I found on pinterest. Should make a for relaxed day... we hope. 

Ok, on to the photo session. Well, I know you have seen this adorable family and with each time I've done a session with them they have added a child. They just welcomed a third boy to their ever so sweet family. They are the nicest people you could ever meet and it ends up that we have lots in common. They too homeschool their kids, they are so laid back, fun, and are outdoor people who are also in the swimming world. I always look forward to going back to Missouri so that Becca and I can catch up on so much stuff... kids, friends, life, religion, school, and more life. I really miss being around them. It's sad when you do find such great friends and yet you live so far apart. I'm blessed to at least call them friends and know that they are only a phone call away. Until the next time I'm in Missouri... 

My experience at Tough Mudder.

Tough Mudder. Hmm, where do I begin? It was probably one of the funnest things I have ever done as well as one of the hardest... mentally. To be honest, I didn't find it to be as hard physically as I did mentally. I mean, preparing yourself to jump into ice cold water and I do mean ICE filled water isn't something you can necessarily prepare yourself for. It was freezing (34 degrees)  and it was painful, but it was fun! They do a great job of embracing everyone's fears. Throughout the race you will encounter fire, heights, enclosed obstacles, water, electricity, bugs, mud, mud, more mud and countless other things. You will get dirty, you will fall down, you will help others but most of all, you WILL laugh.

Now, the next day I was so sore, I couldn't sit down on the toilet and it took me forever to get up from tying my shoes. haha. I was sore from all the mud climbing, hay bale climbing, falling, running and more climbing. Would I do it again.. definitely! I loved it that much. Ok, I know.. lots of people are wondering about the electroshocktherapy. Well, it hurts. I saw it take grown men down straight to their face. It's a weird feeling that I can't really describe. It's like a popping sound and feeling throughout your body. However, I found Electric Eel to be worse. I couldn't get out of there fast enough and it's rather painful. I was probably shocked about 6 times on that one. Yet.. it was fun. I know.. weird.

Anyway.. thanks to my mother in-law for taking these photos of us eating mud and wearing it. If you ever get the chance to do a Tough Mudder.. do it. You can skip obstacles if need be and no one will say anything to you about it. The amount of team work and the help from complete strangers is an amazing feeling. Everyone is in this together and everyone's goal is to just finish. The comradery throughout the event is worth the race alone. I found it to be that awesome!!

Once a Fighter.. always a Fighter!

If I have learned anything about younger children who battle cancer, it's that they battle this horrible disease in such a way that makes others look at them in awe. These kids get up day in and day out to go to hospitals, to get chemo, to have surgeries, throw up, cry, lose their hair and more times than not, they have a smile on their face. It's amazing. They truly are heroic and a complete inspiration to so many people. Heck, they should be an inspiration to absolutely everyone. 

Brooklyn is no different. She reminds me of so many of our sweet friends that battled cancer that were girls. She is bubbly, giggles at lots of things, curious, quick to make new friends, not afraid, and absolutely adorable of course. She actually reminds me alot of Montana. He was always willing to talk to anyone even though kids would ask why he had no hair. Nothing fazed him and he truly thought that all kids were doing what he was doing on a day to day basis. He didn't understand that he was different and I saw a lot of that in Brooklyn. I'm so thankful that she comes across that way because she isn't any different than other girls her age. She is just so special and everyone she meets will soon realize that. 

When Montana was first diagnosed we heard of a local boy named Ethan who had just beat cancer and was all done. To know that he went through three years of treatments and we were just getting started was a scary thing yet through him we saw light on the other side. He was a few years older than Montana and it gave me complete HOPE that Montana would also conquer this beast. I hope that when Brooklyn's mom looks at Montana, she will see the same thing for her adorable little girl... nothing but HOPE!! I am so thankful that I got the chance to meet Brooklyn, photograph her sweet little face, and speak with her mom. These are the kind of moments that I cherish because deep down, I truly believe everyone comes into our life for a reason. 

Keep doing what you are doing Brooklyn! Keep being that fighter, keep being that inspiration and no matter what... you will always be a HERO! Blessings to you all!