{Love Story} FACEBOOK CONTEST WINNER(S)

From time to time I like to hold a contest on my facebook page. If you aren't connected to meon facebook, you can do so here or check out our fan page here.

The contest ended last night at midnight, and I am overwhelmed with the responses. There were so many, and so many I LOVED, that it was so so hard to pick! I chose 3. One grand prize winner of a free love session and a 16x20 of an image of their choice from that session, and 2 gift certificate winners!

I was originally going to only pick one, but just like when you go shopping for one thing, you end up with a bag full of happiness :) You know, it's pretty much the same thing!

DRUMROLL PLEASE! Here is the story of the GRAND PRIZE WINNER :) Grab some tissues! It's a good one!

This isn't your typical love story of boy+girl=Happily Ever After. Instead, this is a story of 2 young kids starting a family and trying to figure out their place in this crazy world!



Lucas and I began dating when I was 16 years old. We had the same circle of friends so we were friends first. We graduated high school and went to separate colleges. He was at IU and I was at Franklin. He did a lot of driving that year to come see me on the weekends. He sent me cards, drew me pictures and took me to the ballet. At the end of our first year of college we found out I was pregnant. Now, for 2 pretty straight laced kids this came as a shock to everyone. We felt like we had let everyone down. Then there was a flood of questions and the "When are you getting married?" All we knew was that we weren't going to get married unless we wanted to for all the right reasons.



So, late summer in 1998, Lucas went back to IU and I stayed home and got a job. I will never forget the one weekend Lucas came home to visit and brought baby clothes. He had stopped at the outlet mall on the way and bought an outfit for our unborn baby. I fell so deeply in love at that moment. Not only was Lucas a really great guy, but he was going to be an AMAZING father!



On the evening of January 25th I went into labor and Lucas sped home from IU. I do believe in record time! :) On January 26, 1999 our most amazing gift, Austin was born. He was perfect and beautiful and looked like his daddy. I had never felt such love. We were a perfect family of 3. Lucas drove home every Thursday night after that to be with us and then he'd head back to school on Sundays. I was 19, living at home with my mom and my son and missing Lucas so much. I was a kid raising a baby and needed my partner. In May of that year Lucas moved home for good. We got a place of our own and the 3 of us started learning how to be a family and it was more fun than we could have imagined! Watching Austin grow and learn new things was the greatest joy of our lives.



In 2001 we got married and Austin in his little tux was there to witness it all. A year later added a daughter, Kylie, to complete our family. I never knew a heart could hold so much love! I felt like I could burst.



I am now 31 years old. Tomorrow, 1/26/11, Austin will turn 12. I sit here and reflect back over this crazy journey of a life and I can't help but smile. Things weren't always easy. We didn't do things the traditional way and it's not a path I recommend. All the love in the world doesn't necessarily make the road smooth, but Lucas, Austin, and Kylie are the most amazing gifts God could have ever blessed me with. Lucas and I have became adults together, overcame so many challenges together, learned how to be parents together, and we look forward to the future together.



Our love story, 1 dad+1 mom+2 amazing children=Happily Ever After



Nikki Heckert

Thank you, Nikki, for making me cry! ;) AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSTIN!!

The gift certificate winners submitted these wonderful stories!

The summer of 1998 while away at Lakeside church camp, I was sitting on "section porch" with my girl friends. We were sharing about our boyfriends, friends and families back home and getting to know each other better. That year, Julie Gulick and Amy Kaylor were talking about Julie's little brother Josh. Amy was "dating" him at the time and they were asking for prayer for him as they called him "a rebel". They passed around a picture of him- and he was one geeky looking fella, but regardless, I went home that summer and prayed by name for Josh Gulick.

Flash forward to the Fall of 2001. I was attending and working at college and met a great friend, Tyson Nofzinger. Having just ended a very long and serious relationship in which I had shut out the rest of the world, I didn't have many friends or good relationships in my life. Tyson had been asking me to come to Campus Crusade for Christ with him on Thursday nights but I just wasn't sure about it since I didn't know anyone.

One night in October, Tyson asked me to go hang out with a couple people. When I got to his house, he introduced me to Josh Gulick. Immediately I said, "Aren't you Julie Gulick's little brother?" Yes, it was the same geeky boy I had prayed for years earlier. He jumped in the front seat with Tyson and I jumped in the back. You know how it goes in the back- you can't hear much so you're kinda out of the conversation. When we got to the party- he went to one side of the room and I stayed on the other. Neither of us was really impressed with each other.

I decided after meeting some of the people that night that attended Campus Crusade for Christ to give it a try. I loved it! Well, almost all of it. Josh Gulick was in the Bible Study before the events of the night and it seemed we couldn't agree on anything ever that was said. He was SO annoying to me!

One night I had a dream and guess who was the main character- yep you got it, Josh. I woke up in the middle of the night and just felt like God was saying I needed to talk to him. I immediately detested the ideal. It repulsed me to think about a conversation with this cat.

That Thursday at Campus I was inviting some people over for cards and he remembers me asking him to come, I remember him inviting himself. Anyway- he was coming over the next night and I wasn't looking forward to it!

When he was over- we started the night all as a group and he was clearly talking about a girl he liked. And it wasn't me. He was not a fan of me at all. As he says it now, he thought I was "totally stuck on myself!"
After a couple hours, Tyson kept encouraging me to talk to him. So I did. We wound up talking just the two of us for hours! Everyone left around 2:00 AM and at 2:30 AM my phone rang- it was Tyson. He had just dropped Josh off, as they rode together, and he talked about me the whole ride home.
You know what the funny thing was- I was ecstatic about that! I wasn't at all repulsed or annoyed. I was thinking about him too.

The next day, November 17th, 2001 Josh paged me. (Wow- that dates us doens't it?!) I called him back and he ended up asking me out that night on a date. We went to a party and left because there was a girl sitting in the chair beside me bawling her eyes out because she liked Josh and he was there with me. Talk about awkward! So we drove to the college where we met up and sat in his truck until 6 AM talking. It was the best night of my life.
4 1/2 months later, he proposed. And 4 1/2 months after that on August 10th, 2002 we were married.
This geeky boy that I prayed for by name 3 years before I met him- and at first encounter wanted nothing to do with him- is the man of my dreams. He's incredible- and the absolute love of my life. God knew exactly what He was doing!

Kayla Gulick

I originally saw Robby one day at wal-mart. He stood out because he was extremely attractive and wearing a polo from the radio station I had just been hired to work at, WCSM. Shortly after the passing in Wal-mart I met Robby at a meeting at work. We got to chit-chatting about his college and hometown and just simple get to know you things. It was then that I found out that he grew up in Circleville, Ohio (about half an hour south of Columbus). Circleville was the same town that my grandparents were born and raised in and where most of my family on my fathers side still lives today, small world.

Robby had a fascinating passion for radio. His passion for it drew me towards it and I wanted to know more and learn more. I started job shadowing with him, any morning that I didn’t have school I was at the station by 6am. After months and months of me coming into the station we became best friends. I had a world of trust in him and confided everything in him and he had the same in me. We started to do small things out side of work. Started with walking around town, “work dinners”, walking my dog to the park, basically anything we could do to spend time together.

Relay for Life came up that summer and he and I were both extremely involved through the radio station. We spent 24 hours together, walking all night in memory and celebration of cancer patients throughout the area. My aunt had passed from pancreatic cancer only three days before relay so Robby’s comforting hand and smile meant the world to me even then. In the early morning of relay we walked to the Light House on Grand Lake and talked of our hopes for a family and our goals and dreams, which all somehow perfectly lined up. I knew from that moment on that God had placed me at WCSM and him in Celina at WCSM for a reason and that the love I felt for him that night would do nothing but grow over a lifetime.

Shortly after Relay Robby got a new job and moved two and a half hours away to Newark, Ohio. I was devastated, I had no idea how we would ever have a chance of having a relationship with him living in Newark and me starting school at Ball State University in the fall. I saw him about every other month and we kept in touch by texting and the occasional phone call but somehow our flame never got put out. We had an eight year age difference so dating with me being so young would have been impossible but we stayed as close of friends as we could not really knowing what the future would hold.

On April 25th, my best friend finally gave me my last first kiss. I am happier than I ever could have imagined knowing that I am spending the rest of my life with not only my best friend but the man God had chosen for me from the beginning and is perfect for me in absolutely every way, it's such a wonderful peace of mind! We have our work cut out for us though in many ways. I currently live in Muncie and he's in Newark so we have about a three hour drive one way to see each other. He has a full time job with a demanding schedule and I have a full load of classes so our time is limited but we make the most of it. It's been almost a year now and everything is falling into place by the grace of God just like it has from the beginning! I have five more years of school left but I have no doubts that we will make it through perfectly! I can't wait till I get to make the call to you to set up our engagements pictures!

Hannah List

Congrats, Ladies! And thank you to allllll that entered, I loved reading all your stories!! Keep on entering the contests to win big!

ALSO! This Saturday, January 29th, I will be at the 2011 Van Wert Bridal show at Willow Bend Country Club. I will be handing out information there and would love to meet some future clients! I will also have a past bride be there to share her experience of working with me. Plus, my hunky husband, Troy, will be there, and he's pretty nice to look at. If you just want to come by to look at Troy, feel free. ;)

Some things I am not calling resolutions :)

The New Year is here. So are resolutions. Do you have one? The only one I have been able to keep is that I won't cut my hair. That one has been going on for 2 years now, thankyouverymuch. :)

I hate the idea of New Years Resolutions. It just seems so temporary to me. Something to nag yourself about for about 2 weeks until you divulge in your weakness and then feel guilty about it. Bah. Don't get me wrong, I love when people make goals and the such, but who in their right mind thinks that just because we changed a calendar, you will change your life in one fall swoop? Not this girl.

Why am I bringing all this up? Because I have made goals (NOT resolutions) for this year and I am going to share them with you. But I am making these goals without pressure. If I don't do them? Who cares? Will the world fall apart because I might fail at something? Um, no. I am human. So here goes my pressure-free list of imagination-worthy and some realistic goals ;)

1. I won't cut my hair. ;)

2. Get up the nerve to be on the outside who I am on the inside. (And to squash rumors, this is about the skinny girl living in there. The bohemian skinny girl who wants to rock out all the clothes on this Etsy shop. You may send me gift certificates to this shop, please and thank you.)

3. To enjoy my husband more.

4. To make more time for me.

5. To make more time for family (which should just be combined with the last one, because I feel it is all one.)

6. To remind myself that the imperfections aren't like bruises on fruit.. It's just a place to grow.

7. To see God is in all things.

8. To appreciate the people who appreciate me, more.

9. Search inside myself. Deeper understanding.

10. To be healthier. In every aspect, not just food or physically.

11. To embrace changes.

12. To learn to let the natural flow take hold. I cannot cannot control ANYTHING. Control is an illusion <3

13. To be there for my husband & kids. REALLY be there.

14. To actually do my hair at least 4 times a week. ;) No ponytails!

15. To discover some new shows/bands this year.

16. To attend a ekoostic hookah show, since I haven't ever been to one! EVER.

17. To let things go. No more letting other peoples stress tangle me up.

18. To laugh more :)

19. To have one (or more) summer night barefoot, on a blanket, a bottle of wine, under the stars, with my husband.

20. To have one (or more) summer night barefoot, on a blanket, many bottles of wine, under the stars, with my best friends.

21. To do one thing I have never ever done before.

22. To give back.

23. To start a non-profit.

24. To travel.

25. To have a vacation, on a beach, like we were SUPPOSED to do last summer, that work swallowed up.

26. Not feel guilty when I take a day off.

27. To paint my toenails all the colors I have at least once this year.

28. To read 5 books. About God. And Joan Baez ;)

29. To conserve & protect the earth all that I can as one of the persons in charge of a family.

30. To write more. Write of myself, and inner being. Not just write words.

31. To use my home camera more than I use my work camera.

32. To end this year feeling that I found out a little more about myself.

33. To really get to know my parents, my brothers.

34. To find more weight in my own opinion of myself, than others' about me.

35. To rekindle an old friendship.

36. To allow others who appreciate me in, and keep those who want to hurt me out.

37. To tell more people about spirituality and living in the Holy Spirit.

38. To be a shoulder to cry on, and to get one in return when I need it.

39. To *maybe* get the gonads to dread my hair. ;)

40. To be able to change someone's life.

{Erika} | Funky Ohio Senior Photography

Erika was my last Senior for the 2010 year. I was so excited to shoot these and I know they have been waiting patiently to see them!







Erika opted to go all out and get both ahir and makeup. I always think this is the best way to go, but I might be biased ;) Thank you to Rachel Elliot for the hair & to Amanda Painter for the makeup. You guys never fail to make my Seniors look incredible!!









Thank you Erika! I told you they were awesome!!!

IT'S 2011! Here's what's on deck...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I love being able to start over, fresh and squeaky clean. Don't you? We are hoping to knock the things left over form 2010 outta the park this week so that we are ready for anything 2011 throws us next week. (I'm rocking this baseball analogy, right?!) ;)

2012 SENIORS: We are now booking Seniors for the upcoming school year. You think it's too early to book? You'll be regretting that when you have to wait until November to get a spot! Saturdays are the first things to go, as well as Van Wert Fair time (Aug. 30th-September 5th) so jump on it!

Also, we are keeping our pricing and packages the same for Seniors this year. Check out our website and click the Pricing tab for details.

And while you are hanging out here, check out our facebook fan page here. LIKE it and I will hug myself for you. ;)

2011 and 2012 WEDDINGS: I have a few 2011 & 2012 spots still available. Our pricing structure has been changed to a build your own package. Call (419.203.0889) or email me (jtphotography@live.com) for a consultation today!

2011 QUICKTAKE SESSIONS: We are changing our QuickTakes a bit this year. The price includes prints now, so naturally it has gone up a bit, but is still EXTREMELY affordable! These are tentaive dates and rain dates will be issued if needed! More info coming closer to dates of the shoots.

Spring QuickTakes: Saturday, March 12th from 9am-4pm

Summer QuickTakes: Saturday, May 7th from 9am-4pm

Fall QuickTakes: Saturday, October 1st-Saturday, October 8th

2011 PRICING CHANGES
We are not changing too much this year except that we are adding prints to some of our Sessions. This will not affect the pricing though. So all Session fees will stay the same but there will be prints now included in with the session. If you have questions about this, please email me and I will get you an updated brochure.

As always, we are by appointment only. This includes ordering sessions as well. I will not schedule on a Sunday or a Monday, nor will I answer my phone as these days are family time. If you need to reach me, please keep it by phone or email. My phone number is (419) 203-0889 and my email is jtphotography@live.com. Thanks!

I hope your 2011 is everything you wish it to be and I hope to see your smiling faces in my lens this year!