Brief Update

Hello again...I know...you're probably thinking Kate Noelle who? The past week has been a great Christmas vacation with family and friends...and the vacation isn't over yet! I'm currently in Breckenridge, Colorado with my family and we're bringing in the new year on the slopes! :) It hasn't just been a vacation though, I was able to spend an afternoon with Dom & Gwen (I blogged about that last time) and I was also able to do a spur of the moment wedding shoot with my new friend Ryel J! Blogging will be scarce until the first of the New Year, but that's because I'm putting the final touches to my website and my deadline is fast approaching! So look for the new and (hopefully) amazing www.katenoelle.com on New Year's Day 2009 and blog posts for the wedding and such will be up later next week! Enjoy your holiday with the friends and family and I can't wait to usher in a new year filled with new goals and new exciting adventures...and you! I'll keep you posted :)

Dominick and Gwen's "Will You"

It's been a while eh? Well YESTERDAY...I met Dom and Gwen....aka... "GWOM"...in Laguna around 12:30pm and we headed out to San Juan Capistrano to shoot their engagement pictures. I'm excited to announce that their official wedding date is May 30th, 2009!!! Hooray! I've known Gwen since 2003 and not only is she a good friend of mine, but she's been a role model for me as I went through the last years of high school and through college....so I was honored when she asked me to do her and Dom's engagement photos. Here's some of my favorite shots of the day...

I love this one because Gwendolyn is such a medieval sounding name...I know the famous princess is Guinevere, but everytime I hear her name, it reminds me of a princess...so I love this shot of her in the window because it's like she's in her castle :) ...and such a beautiful princess she is! Her prince charming must be a lucky guy huh Dom?

They were quite the silly couple to shoot...and this picture shows their more playful side...haha!

Vogue Wedding Shot? Love it!

reflections

I couldn't resist this shot...... silhouettes... love... blue sky...what could be better?

Okay...maybe a shoes shot could be better than reflections...again I couldn't help myself. Gwen is just too cute in her cowgirl boots and dress...and the step did say "Watch your Step" so let's all take a moment to watch Gwen's step... Ha!

How am I friends with such a beautiful lady? Good golly God did a good job!

It was a beautiful day for a shoot...and it was made even more beautiful by their love. I loved laughing and posing and chatting with them all afternoon. And I'm so proud to call these two awesome people my friends...who knew anyone could be so blessed! :)

Dancin' in the Streets

(Warning: Random Rambling...might not make any sense)

Sometimes life is nuts. The busyness consumes our lives and we only begin to realize how quickly the current's running when the unexpected comes and tosses us back into the baby pool to re-learn how to swim. Beneath the "grandeur" of growing up/graduating/getting a job/finding that special someone/getting married/settling down/having kids/having grand kids/growing old/dying peacefully in sleepy bliss, I've found there's a rip current...and although finding this rip current is like fitting a freaking camel through the eye of a needle...once you find it...it takes you further than you could ever hope. Dreams become reality. Money is no thing. Strangers become friends. Love is found. 

The other day there was this awesome sunset that painted the entire Socal sky a deep magenta and the clouds turned a dark royal purple. As the sun set more and more into the ocean, the clouds took turns being illuminated a brilliant orange and I found myself feeling the familiar and delicious urge to fall on my face, burst into laughing tears, and thank Him for being Him. Sunsets have always been something He gives me to SHOW me He loves me....His way of romancing the crap out of my heart. A man gives the woman he loves flowers to offer a physical reflection the beauty and perfection he finds in her; My God paints ridiculous sunsets with colors that fill me with childish laughter, and overwhelming joy to remind me He's the one who knows my heart best...and knows what takes my breath away. Sigh... unfortunately I have no words for what I feel when the HS does things like this...I only know I want it to happen all the time.

This life is filled with people and plans and work and stress and money issues and family problems and hurt and confusion and papers and car trouble and desires and distractions and other gods and the middle east and Barack Obama...and we don't notice the Holy Spirit in any of it most of the time. Well...I want more of the HS. I want dreams to become reality. I want to find love in its truest form. I want to be one of those people doing and working exactly in what He created me to do. I want to hear His voice the first time. I want courage. ...I want to never miss it when He dances in the middle of a busy intersection like Justin Timberlake singing "I'm bringing Sexy back..YEYAH!" (And I realize that might be slightly non-conventional theology....but I believe Jesus was quite the non-conventional savior if I'm not mistaken.) Why would He dance for me in the middle of an intersection? To make me laugh. To remind me He's in the midst of my everyday. To be with me. To have fun. To bring me joy. Because He's God... :)

This probably won't make sense...and don't worry if it doesn't...I never intended it to. Thoughts and feeling likes these really don't have appropriate words to describe them. Just know He's here and I love it, He's big and I know it, He'll show up if you ask Him to and I'll prove it. (laughing) I have more proof than I know what to do with...just ask me and I'll tell you.

On another note...I was feeling a little cheesy and hopelessly romantic and created this ridiculous piece of art for all ya'all's entertainment. Enjoy and let me know what you think! :)

Okay...maybe you can laugh a little...

....untitled?

Who knew He could speak through Dove chocolate? I mean...I always knew chocolate had some divine qualities... but really? Ha... always surprised and that's just another reason to love Him more.