When I was 14 years old I became an Auntie and from that day until this very moment, Auntie has been, and will always be, the best title I could have ever hoped for in life. Taylor, Makena, and Jenna, my 3 amazing nieces have defined my life more than anything else, and making life decisions based on the love I have for these 3 little girls has led me to more happiness and fulfillment than I ever could have believed was possible in one lifetime.
I ended up in Arizona, studying photography, largely because my brother and his girls were living just a few hours south of Flagstaff (Northern Arizona University) and I could go to the perfect school for me surrounded by the Grand Canyon and Sedona (some amazingly picturesque places) and then drive down to spend my weekends with my favorite people, being the “pack mule” carrying Makena around at the phoenix zoo and hiking Camelback Mountain and then of course playing on the slip n’ slide in their backyard. 🙂 While going to school there I also met three of my very best friends who I was lucky enough to share an apartment with my senior year of college and are still my best friends to this day. Sara, Liz, and Kat were all standing next to me on my wedding day as they will always be with me through any important moment in life, no matter the miles between us. So thanks to my nieces I met my best friends!
When my brother and sister in law decided they were going to move back to Oregon, as difficult as it was for me to say goodbye to the year round sunshine I knew that no matter where I lived the sun just wouldn’t really shine if it weren’t near my nieces… so I knowing where they were headed I made the easy decision and moved back to Oregon. A couple years later I met my husband Greg shooting a wedding. So following my neices led me to meeting my husband.
And now that Jenna is a part of our family it is a constant reminder of how the amazing connection I have developed with Taylor and Makena all began, and it is so much fun to start all over once again. They all have their own unique personalities and are very different from eachother, but there are a few things they all have in common as well… they are all amazing gorgeous, absolutely hilarious, very smart, kind, talented, athletic and thoughtful… and they all have me for an Auntie and for that I am grateful ever single day.
So basically, I just want to say thank you to my 3 favorite things in life Taylor, Makena, and Jenna. You have been the shining stars in my life always guiding me back home to you, where my heart truly exists. Without my three neices I would not be who I am.
Here are some photos I took of Jenna whose 2nd birthday is next week. Happy Birthday J!!! Thanks so much for smiling so good for me. Your sisters have taught you well. 🙂 Love, Auntie Lou
Well… Danielle is one of my best friends, we met in the 5th grade at a slumber party, and for as long as I have known her she has been one of the most hilarious, fun, and thoughtful people that I have been lucky enough to have in my life… she has also been one of the most creative people I have ever known. Naturally she works in interior design, but her creativity doesn’t stop there. I was so excited when she asked me to help her with her save the dates. She had the idea to create a stop motion save the date and with her cuteness and creativity, Mike’s phenominal spin moves with the letters (notice the S on the wood floor), and combined effort from myself behind the camera and my 
Thanks guys for the fun morning!
by laura
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