Kristi and Matthew: The Engagement

I watched as they both turned to yell at the TV screen and then nonchalantly turn back to us, chatting away as they picked up another slice of pizza. The four of us chatted over beer and pizza about four different football games {Kristi pretty much lives and breathes college football}, their love of country music, vacations they'd taken together and the Guthries Drive Thru Window. Kristi and Matt laughed a little and looked at one another when we asked how long they'd been engaged...because you see, three years is a long time. "we wanted to be sure there was no doubt that this is what we wanted, forever". The air was cool, the pizza was amazing, and our clients were, well, they were amazing.

Kristi and I met a few months ago - well, met if that's what you want to call countless emails and Facebook messages. When we finally got our schedules together to meet in person, I arrived like two hours early. Why? I was terrified. Through the coffee shop window, I quickly began to master my nerves and fears as I watched Kristi get out of her car. I struggled to put on my "I'm a strong independent woman" face because frankly, it's hard to do that when you have someone who thinks you're the sun and the moon. I was afraid. What if I didnt live up to this person she made me out to be? What if she really didnt like me that much once she met me in person? When she came through the door, her smile immediately set me at ease as she rushed to hug me. Over the course of our conversation about all her wedding plans and details, I realized something. She was giving me the greatest gift I could ever ask for; Kristi gave me the gift to be incredible. She tore down any barriers I had about my limits or what I could be as Cassie Olimb photographer and gave me the permission to be amazing.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Julie and Thomas: The Engagement

The chimes of my alarm sounded and my eyelids slowly opened. For a moment, I was unaware...why was I awake this early on a Saturday? Oh yeah, that's right, cause I have the most amazing couple who are totally in love who were willing to wake up before the sun to have a sunrise shoot on the beach. As I rolled out of bed and began my morning ritual, complete with extra coffee, I couldnt help but dance about just a little. You see, I have an amazingly romantic job. Early morning, watching the sunrise, completely focused on someone's passion for another. How can you not be excited to look through a lens at two people as they laugh at one another, gaze knowingly into each other's eyes and make out. So yeah, spending the morning at the beach all cold and windy constantly being reminded of how much one person can truly love another...yeah, this job rocks.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

Picture Perfect Birthday

Today is my mom's birthday...I will keep my mouth shut on the number of birthday that it is because, well, frankly, I'd like to live to see tomorrow. As I woke up this morning and wished her a happy birthday, I sat down to pull a recent picture of us and prep her birthday post.

Shocker! I dont have a single recent picture of my mom and I!! What kind of a photographer daughter am I?! Now, my dad and I on the other hand, we have tons...partially because we like making dorky faces at the camera any chance we get. But me and my mom...notta-one!

So, while I will wish my mom a happy *cough* birthday. I'm making it my goal for this next year to have tons of pictures of my mom and I together...even if she hates it.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie

The Modes

Our house is ruled by the modes. While we will never, ever admit it if you ask, she determines the mood of our house. This little scruffy face has two modes. Mode one: cuddle and cower. Mode two: play and chew. Mode one is usually reserved for me. While mode two on the other hand, that one comes out around 4pm when Andrew gets home from work. Garland's warm cuddly little mode one body will suddenly jerk up from under my feet, her ears will perk up and she'll start to whine as soon as she hears the garage door begin to open. This marks the beginning of mode two. Mode two will remain until close to 10pm when we finally settle into our bedtime routine.

Garland was at a play date the other day, which is code for "I'm a horrible pet owner and I have to be gone for a long time so Megan watches my dog till I can get home." I got home to unload my computer and planner and send some emails and clean before I went to pick up Garland from down the street and it hit me. My house is very, very sad and lonely with no dog!! Over the course of about 30 - 45 minutes while I finished up my to-do list, my house felt hollow.

So here's to the Olimb household...and modes one and two. Because our house without our little mode maker, well, it's just not our house.

Dwell in Possibility...

Cassie

Laughter

Recently I was culling through some images from a recent wedding and I was selecting my favorites. Andrew happened to look over my shoulder and I could hear something going on in his head, despite his silence. "What are you thinking?" I asked cautiously. "You seem to grab the same photos from each wedding, no matter who they are". Nuh uh! I was so ready to respond until I realized he was right.

I'm a sucker for laughter. There's something about a picture of two people totally in love laughing. A scrunched up nose, eyes all crinkly, heads thrown back...everything about it is just - perfection. And when I'm selecting my favorite photos...it's almost always those kind. The kind where someone is laughing, or where you can see a smile tugging at the corner of their lips. At engagement shoots or weddings, I have been known to say some super retarded things. Better yet, I'm known to make some pretty lame comparisons to movies or magazines. Why? Because they make my clients laugh. And like I said, I'm a sucker for laughter.

Dwell in Possibility...

Cassie

Janae and David: The Engagment

So you know that guy you worked with? The one you had a huge crush on but just assumed that everyone else found him equally as amazing and that you would never in a million years say anything? Well once upon a time, that was Janae and David.

Sometime after that quiet crush and a slow growing friendship, the two became inseparable. One night, after an intimate Thai dinner in a quite restaurant and watching a beautiful sunset on the beach, the two sat quietly on the beach. After a time, David admitted that the time she had a huge crush on him? Well, he was equally as starstruck with her. And that night, on a beach he asked Janae to share in his future, to build it step by step right along with him.

Dwell in Possibility...
Cassie