I’m coming to you as a new resident in the Land of the Living, having spent the last 8 days in the pit of despair with our youngest who is currently the proud owner of two flaming red eardrums and a sinus infection, to boot. He is on the mend, thankfully, which means I’ve temporarily changed out of my Nurse Mommy outfit and into my Blogging outfit until the next kid inevitably goes down.

I celebrated my birthday on Wednesday and I’ve found that getting older does not bother me. Each year, I say goodbye to a little more insecurity and a little more self-doubt which feels very nice. So much of my twenties was angst-ridden, not in a mopey teenager sort of way, but that low-grade tension you always feel about your life decisions and trying to figure out how to be a married adult. I like it so much better on this side of my thirties, it’s like one giant exhale.

Justin bought me two gallery walls worth of frames because, as it turns out, I’m the world’s worst photographer when it comes to printing and hanging photos of my own family. Naturally, I’ve got tens of thousands of digital images on hand, which makes narrowing it down nearly impossible. So I gave myself one rule: Warm Images Only. They had to be from sunshine-soaked, outside days. Visits to the sandy, crawfish-filled creek or the beach at Emerald Isle; sleepy babies on a poolside couch with Popsicle sticks glued to the outdoor table and bottles of Coppertone rolling into the grass. If I can’t feel the warmth of the sun when I look at it, I’m not interested. So I printed accordingly, and now I’ve got two rooms that will hold me over until summer returns.

And on a warm note, I’d love to share Sydney and Jack’s beautiful, romantic, black and blush wedding at Dulany’s Overlook in Frederick with you! Photographed at the very edge of summer, it reminds me of all the things I love about the season – electric blue skies, swishy grass, toasty sun, and, of course, weddings.

See another warm and lovely Dulany’s Overlook wedding here!

This perfect day was photographed for Amanda Summers.