Twenty-one years ago when we got started in the “biz,” no one could’ve told us we would one day be school photographers. But such is life, and we haven’t regretted it one bit! It’s rewarding getting out in the community to provide a valuable service, for us photography. We’ve gotten to know families we might have not have had the chance to know otherwise. And, having someone tell us the school pictures and photography we take are so much better than your “typical” school pictures is certainly fun to hear!
We get used to cowlicks and the missing teeth. Also adorable are the girls that wear a kazillion necklaces or when ten out of the twelve girls in the class have on a kitten t-shirt. Never is it more fun, though, than when something takes us by surprise. It’s always smart to keep your humor about yourself, especially when you have one like this student at Tanglewood Learning Center last week. To the older ones who make such a face, I like to tell them that’s the pose for the yearbook. That’s when they make the funny face!
Interested in us photographing your school pictures?
If you have kids at one of our local area school, consider asking the school if they would consider using our services. We would be glad to provide them with a competitive quote. And if you work at one of our area schools and wonder if we can provide all of the services other “larger” companies provide, rest assured that not only can we provide these services but surpass their quality and service.
G Patterson Studio portrait garden. Nacogdoches Texas.
When Meghan Trainor came on the scene with her hit, “It’s All About the Bass,” denouncing those that would judge another because of their weight, we were all in enthusiastic agreement. To be honest, though, we size people up every day based on all kinds of things from how much money we make to where someone attends college. Retailers devote a lot of their budget to find out where you shop and what drives your shopping choices. We answer questions everyday about people using our inferential powers, so what can you do when someone labels you “fat” or “overweight”? There may not be anything you can do about how others treat you according to the way you look, but what if you could respond in a positive way?
Answer the following questions to find out if you’re affected by how others see you:
1. Have you ever tried on an outfit that you loved on the rack until you put it on and decided it’d look better on someone else? 2. Have you ever declined that first helping of dessert because everyone else at the table was thinner than you? 3. Have you ever thought about putting something important or fun off until you lose some weight?
If you answered “yes” to any or all of the questions, it might be time for a change, but not the kind you’re thinking about.
We’ve all heard stories of someone who lost the weight they’d been hoping to lose for a long time, only to find they were just as unhappy as they were before they lost the weight? How realistic is it to think that making a change on the outside could change how we feel on the inside that much? If you want to be truly happy, try making these changes instead.
Don’t look to others to make you happy; they’ll always let you down. Have you held onto resentment, anger, hurt and bitterness because of what another person said or did to you? Do forgive and forget, and you’ll begin to help you heal by replacing those feelings with something positive like treating others with kindness. By praising another person or just listening to them, you gain power, and you may gain another friend.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Most of what we worry about are either things that won’t matter in a day or next week, or they’re things we can’t change. Do give thanks. Keep a gratitude journal where you write down exactly what you’re grateful for each day. Doing so helps you maintain stress, gives you happier moods and greater optimism.
You may say, “You wouldn’t believe the problems I face.” But, you’ll always have failures in life, that’s a given. You can change the way you see them. Don’t make excuses by blaming others for your problems; doing so means you’ll unlikely be able to overcome them. Happy people take responsibility for their mistakes. Why not see your problem as a challenge to make a positive change in your life?
It’s true, there are some things out of your control. But, focus on the things you can. Waking up at the same time every morning enhances productivity and focus, especially if you’re taking the time to pray and meditate. Eating well by avoiding junk foods or processed foods can prime your body and brain to be in a focused, happy state. When I’m grocery shopping, I keep in mind that the healthier foods are found along the walls of the store. Shop for fruits and vegetables, dairy and cheese, and meats and seafood around the perimeter of the store. Exercising every day will enhance your frame of mind and reduce stress. By doing something you know makes you healthier, your can’t help by becoming happier!
G Patterson Studio portrait garden. Nacogdoches Texas.
HALPIN FAMILY-This weekend we met with two families we hadn’t seen for a few years. They’d each been a part of Nacogdoches for different reasons. The Halpins came, as many do, to SFA to further their studies. In fact, both Michael and April were students of Greg’s in the Communications Dept. They asked Greg to photograph their wedding here in Nacogdoches fifteen years ago.
Conditt Family-A portrait session in the Ruby Mize Azalea Garden brought Becky’s family together this weekend. Though Becky and her daughter have lived away from Nacogdoches for awhile, Clint calls it home, for now. We reminisced about how Sabina, during her portrait session when just 4 years old, was happier to pull the flowers than pose for the camera. When Greg finally got her attention, she looked up angelically still with fists full of flowers.
Later, as I reflect on all of this, I’m happy to have shared some important moments with them, and for the opportunity to reconnect. I think about other people and families who we’ve built relationships along the way, and how this small town brings us together at different times and for all kinds of reasons. It seems that we’ve changed so much more than has the town. Sure, many businesses and restaurants have come and gone, and many of the people who were once here have moved on. But, much of it is still the same, and that’s comforting especially to those who’ve been away for awhile.
Many, many years ago, a college town became our home away from home when we came from Dallas to attend SFA. Although we didn’t intend it, Nacogdoches became home when we started our family. Now, as our kids are turning into adults and moving away, I can’t imagine living elsewhere. Sure, we talk about all the fun and exciting locations where we might move upon retirement, but this will always be the spot to which we come back. After all, what better place to spend an afternoon with friends and family.
I woke up this morning different. As always with me in February, I begin to get a little moody. I’ve always blamed it on the lack of sunshine or of being outside less often. If I don’t watch myself, I begin to care less about the things that are important to me; I begin just passing time.
As the temperature fell be a degree or two, I looked out the window and began to see the heavy raindrops turn to sleet and then, to snow. And as the snowflakes fell lightly to the ground, it seemed as though something in my thinking seemed lighter, maybe fresher? By the time I got to work, I felt entirely different from the day before. I was making lists and looking forward to the weekend. I was planning my next craft project and looking forward to making dinner tonight.
How is it that a little snow could change my whole attitude? Am I so shallow that it took an abrupt change in the weather’s pattern to shift my perspective? Why do I feel so useless, at times, when trying to gain the upper hand with my emotions?
Change, whether good or bad, can be construed as positive, in that it opens up our mind to possibilities that we couldn’t contrive before. What I experienced this morning was a simple jump start for my brain. I’m sure I could have found other ways to achieve this, such as taking my dog for a walk or visiting a sick neighbor.
Bertrand Russell said, “In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”
Isaiah 43:18-19 “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth: will you not be aware of it?”
There are two people that have been a constant in my life. For the past forty nine years, I’ve known I could count on them no matter what. When I became united with my husband, and then we became one more and then another and then another, they made room in their hearts for all of us. I hope I can count on them for many more years.
We take it for granted that the people that give us life will devote the rest of theirs to us. After all, our parents were, at one time, much younger and ambitious with their own dreams, dreams that would make them movie stars, war heroes, or astronauts, and these dreams didn’t include us.
When I see each of my parents now, and think about them younger and more carefree, I wonder if they knew what they were giving up when they had me. How could they? Parenthood takes more than we could ever imagine. Not one minute belongs to you, alone, ever again. Even when our children are grown and married, can we even stop worrying about them then?
When my parents retired, they didn’t take a cruise or buy an RV to while away that extra time they would now have to spend at their leisure. They didn’t pick up gardening or bridge, either. They did pick up and move to Nacogdoches. Greg and I had just bought an old house, a real fixer-upper. While my parents were still in Dallas, they’d come as often as they could to help us get the house ready to open as our photography studio. Looking back at the pictures, now, almost eleven years old, it seems that they were there for all of it. From refinishing the floors to painting the walls, from making curtains to putting in new grass, they were there working alongside us.
When they left Dallas, the only place they’d ever called home, they left family and friends behind and immersed themselves in making Nacogdoches their new home. They continued helping us in every way they could. Fortunately for us, the garden at the studio has become my dad’s pet project, one for which he has much passion. He makes sure it looks good from week to week no matter the season. We share a meal with them once or twice a week, and our son kicks back out their home as easily as he does his own.
They do all these things readily and joyfully and would never consider that they’ve given up anything for us. And, that selflessness is what I love and part of why I want to recognize them.
So in this month we’ve set aside to tell our loved ones how special they are to us, I want to thank you, mom and dad, for all you’ve done for me. I’m the person I am because of you.
Mom cleaning paint brushes during studio renovation in 2004.Nathan helping Dad place the grass in front of 122 N Mound street studio.Dad using his painting skills during the studio renovation.
I began running today. I’ve run plenty of other times, in fact most of my life I’ve run for recreation and leisure, but I had taken a hiatus. I run for so many reasons. Because my pants feel tight, because I feel blue or maybe I feel “blah.” I run when I feel a little under the weather or if I’m cramping. I run to clear my head or to help me solve a problem. I run to feel the wind on my face and the sun on my shoulders.
But because I’m going through this process of “deconstructing” my life in order to put it back together better, I stopped doing many of the things I became so used to doing just because I’d always done them. The running, to me, had become symbolic of my life. Because I mindlessly cruise through my day like a hamster on its wheel, success was tied to how many “things” I could check off my list, not the meaningful interludes with people.
I was a lot like Bill Murray’s character in the movie, “Groundhog Day,” a weatherman who grudgingly travels to Punxsutawny Pennsylvania to cover Punxsutawny Phil, the groundhog. He finds the job to be beneath him, and is even more upset when he’s snowed in that night. Instead of going home the next day, though, the weatherman wakes up to find it’s the same morning of the day before. And, only he seems to know the day is a repeat. This happens morning after morning when he realizes there are no lasting consequences to his actions. Whether it’s overeating or acting like a jerk that day, it’s forgiven the next morning when he gets to live it all over again. He quickly finds this life to be a lonely one, and so to improve himself and, hopefully, “get the girl,” his outlook on life begins to change. He takes piano lessons, learns French, becomes an ice sculptor, but most importantly, he becomes a student of the people in the town he comes in contact with each day. As his focus is drawn from the inside out, he becomes a happier person and more attractive to those around him.
If I’m going to spend much time on an activity, I don’t want it to be a completely selfish and wasteful endeavor. If I’m trying to live more purposely, should something I ordinarily do by myself face the chopping block? As I run, I think about how basic, how elemental it is. By simply throwing on a t-shirt and sweats, stepping out my back door, and doing something I love, I can feel more passionately about the things that are important to me. Living my life more simply with less stress, I’m hoping to see through all my busyness to the things that really matter.
So, I’ll keep running, especially if it helps me do the things I love with the people I love for as long as I can!
Instead of setting some goals for myself this year, I decided to take stock of my life. With everything I do, I ask myself why am I doing this? What is my main motivation? For instance, I might ask myself why am I cleaning the house today? No one is making me, so why do it? Is this really all I have to do today? It’s not like there’s bacteria growing under and between things. It’s not that I enjoy it that much. Do I do it because it’s expected of me? If someone sees it dirty, what might they think of me? This is the dialogue I have with myself a lot lately, and I’m not liking hearing what I’m saying.
If my main motivation of doing anything is to keep up this facade, this perfect person I want to display to the world, how will I ever know the real person inside? You might argue that becoming a better person is a good motivator. But, what if that ambition to be a better this or a better that makes us blind to how we’ve manipulated those around us? Getting what we want, in essence, has stolen away some really great relationships. Returning to the cleaning house analogy, what if I kept the cleanest house in town, but I’ve distanced my family, because I got mad every time something was set out of place?
I’m reminded of the question that brought me here. Why don’t I enjoy life more? Is it because I’ve filled it with a lot of things I think need to get done.
How many of us go through the day checking things off a list. How many of us have grown weary because we’ve followed the same list for so long? Grocery shopping on Monday, Bible study on Wednesday, date night with hubby on Friday, try to impress the boss today, make this month’s budget in order to have something to put in college fund, and so on and so forth. All those things are really good, but if we’re doing the same things the same way all the time, we could forget why we’re doing them. Have we forgotten that every day is a blessing, and we have some latitude as to which way it should go. You say you’ve never been good at navigation?
How about daydreaming? But isn’t that a waste of time. Try telling that to Isaac Newton, Florence Nightingale, Albert Einstein or Adele? All admit to daydreaming. So, what’s stopping you, except for that careful plan you laid out for yourself. You better be careful; life might pass you by.
This week I’m looking at the book of Ecclesiastes, and here’s what King Solomon, the smartest man ever had to say about life, “I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.”
A better question to ask myself before doing anything might be, “Does this have any eternal value? Or does this simply help make me a busy person?”
In the words of King Solomon, (I’m paraphrasing here) “It’s not the end of the world. Don’t sweat it!”
You don’t have to worry, I still love my husband very much. I’m beginning to wonder, though, if I love myself more. A lot more! You see, I’ve been casually observing the thoughts that run through my head, and it would seem I am obsessed with myself. From the time I wake up in the morning to when I fall asleep, I’m primarily concerned with how to promote MY agenda. You’d think with all this self-preference, I’d be a truly happy person, and I am…generally. When I think about all the ways God has blessed me with a beautiful, healthy family, I get all warm and fuzzy inside. That is until I let that obsessive and ineffective chattering inside my head get the better of me.
Being more mindful of my thoughts has made me aware of how much time I spend either thinking about the past or worrying about the future. This, at the detriment of not fully living life now, as it’s happening. It seems that I’m constantly living in fast-forward, anticipating what will happen next. I look forward to the holiday season each year. There are so many different reasons to love this time of year. It’s a time that we can lay aside our busy schedules and enjoy being with each other. All the smells and tastes remind me of wonderful Christmases I’ve enjoyed since childhood. It’s like we insulate ourselves in a cocoon of sharing and warmth. It’s a perfect occasion designed for “living in the present.” But this year, if I’m truly honest with myself, my expectations fell flat. Did I plan and stress so much about what would happen, that whatever was going to happen was destined to fail? I’m reminded of this quote by Hemingway, “Don’t you ever get the feeling that all your life is going by and you’re not taking advantage of it? Do you realize you’ve lived nearly half the time you have to live already?” I’m more acutely aware of this state of mind when given my current age.
This year will be a year of change for me. This is the year I pray and meditate, and stop allowing my thoughts to get the better of me. I don’t expect that I’ll stop becoming angry, resentful, jealous or any other negativity. But, hopefully, they’ll come more slowly, so that I can recognize it when it comes and meet it with a response rather than a reaction.
The following verses I plan to meditate on this week:
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
I’ll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
With homecoming season upon us, we wanted to mention that we take awesome senior portraits! For just thirty minutes of your time, you’re sure to take away something truly magnificent! We’ll incorporate uniforms, instruments, a car or even your favorite pet to help make your portraits incredibly….well, you!
When people find out that our oldest, Jessica, is getting married, invariably one of the questions they ask is, “Who’s going to be the photographer?” Her father will be walking her down the aisle, after all. But, before we ever get to that point, Greg’s been able to do for her what he’s done for so many other brides over the past twenty five years. Because, what many brides want nowadays is the whole experience caught on camera, not just the wedding.
Jessica is fortunate to have a wonderful fiancee who recognizes the importance of capturing life’s moments on camera, big and little. So, they have pictures of the moment he proposed atop a mountain in Utah. Since then, we’ve taken many more of their story together. Some for the “Save the Date” cards, some more of their engagement, and a few in between. There will undoubtedly be many taken on the actual wedding day. Most of these Greg will take, but we’re not sure who’ll be taking pictures during the actual ceremony. The album we layout for a newly married couple is very appropriately called a “Storybook.” Here’s a small montage of Jessica and Grant’s story so far.
