We divided in to smaller groups, by region, to pray for each other and to talk about starting these types of gathering in our own areas.

A few weeks later, Shaun Austin of Kiss Wedding Books opened his home in Fullerton to start meeting.  Our group is small but has been so meaningful to me.  Every Friday morning we meet and read a Psalm and a Proverb and talk about them and how they relate to us and our businesses.  We share what’s going on in our lives and then we pray for each other.  I love it!

I can’t tell you how many people have told me in the past that they could never live how I do, not knowing where my next paycheck is coming from.  Such is the life of a small business owner!  But through my business I’ve learned to trust God in a much deeper way.  It’s Him who provides for me over and over.  He has my best interest in mind so I can trust Him.  And what a blessing to be meeting with  a group of people who understand that and are living it out themselves.  I have been so encouraged and these people have have brought life to my soul!  This is why it’s one of my favorite things happening in Fullerton.

If you’re a small business owner and would like to join us we meet every Friday morning from 9-10:30.  Contact me for more info.

But last night, after I turned out the lights in the living room, I noticed the moonlight.  It was shining through the mason jars on my dining room table,  Just barely.  But It looked kinda cool.  So I grabbed my camera.  I could barely get it to focus and it looked WAY darker than this to the naked eye.  I shot these at 3200 ISO (as high as my 5D will go) f 2.8, .8 sec.  I held REALLLLLY still.

Just a glimpse into how I see the world.

But I get to watch as their families grow.  Well, Rob and Robin are expecting their first baby any day… literally.  I think her due date was like a week ago!  We got together a few weeks ago to take some photos of Robin and her cute belly.  One of my favorite things Robin said was when I asked her if she minded showing some tummy.  She said, “Not at all.  I don’t even feel like it’s my stomach.  It’s like it’s not even a part of my body!”  Preggo bellies are weird like that.  Especially when they start moving!  It’s like a little alien!

Well we pray for a quick and safe delivery of baby Schannep.  They are doing a home birth with a midwife and I can’t wait to hear about it!

Check out the pretty mama to be.

We have had four meetings and so far…. it’s awesome!  The group of photographers that have been showing up, ready to grow and share are amazing!  I’m so impressed by them.  Instead of having a speaker I facilitate a discussion on certain topics like, pricing and branding and such.  This past month we broke up into smaller groups and each person had some time to share about themselves and to show off some of their work.  We were so inspired and encouraged by one another and left feeling like we got to know one another that much better.  I love this group!

If you’d be interested in being a part of the group, we’d love to have you.  We meet in Newport Beach the first Thursday of every month.  I send out all of the meeting info through our facebook group, so feel free to join so that you can be sure that you won’t miss out!  You can join here.

Here are some photos, courtesy of Lorrie Prothero and Sara MacFarlane.

She says the photo was about the business card exchange, but I beg to differ!

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering…. what shows did I see?  Well….. I saw the revival of A Little Night Music, a Sondheim musical starring Catherine Zeta Jones and Broadway LEGEND, Angela Lansbury.  Just one thing to say….. PHENOMENAL!  Then we saw The Fantasicks off-Broadway.  Then I saw Billy Elliot on my own later in the week.  Oh and we went to a really cool restaurant for our birthdays.  Freeman’s is a cool little restaurant, with a kind of English hunting feel, hidden away down this alley.  I stepped in a huge puddle right before heading down that alley…. BUT…. we won’t talk about that.

Shopping around SOHO, we went in Kate’s Paperie.  Such a cool store.  I saw these lights covered with fabulous paper cut outs.

I couldn’t help taking a photo of this wedding dress they had that was made out of paper.  Nice.

Walking around, I came across this and thought it was cool.

We walked across to Brooklyn, something I’d never done in all my trips to New York.

It was pretty sunny all week, but there was a little surprise in store for me.  On Tuesday, as I came out of Billy Elliot, it had started snowing a little.  Not sticking though.  The next morning, everything was covered in snow!  But the snow was still pretty light and wet.  I went into Bloomingdale’s and then Dylan’s Candy Bar, a really big candy store.

I loved the floor!

But look what was happening while I was inside……

So I made Eddie go over to Central Park so I could get some photos.  He was a trooper!  And we got to experience something that even he, after living there for 11 years, had never experienced!

This shot is the reason I wanted to trek through Central Park.  Poet’s Walk.

Me and my childhood friend Eddie.

It seriously looked like Narnia!

Woo hoo!  What a fun trip!  And I was only delayed by a half a day.  I got home in time to have dinner with my family on my birthday.

I put my Christmas tree up the other day and when I walked through I noticed the light once again.  But also noticed that it’s THAT much prettier with a Christmas tree!

So would you stop and notice with me?  Look at the light!  Isn’t it beautiful?

I have decided that in order to get me shooting just for fun, I would start taking photos of some of the things I love about my neighborhood.  The first one is Dewella.  This is one of the cutest little apartment buildings I’ve ever seen.  Sometimes I walk down that street just so I can admire it.  I love to imagine who might have lived here over the years.  I love the little gas lamps and the neon sign that buzzes its name.  I’ve often thought how I might like to live there.  But then I remember that I just bought a house and I decide that it would be better to live in my house (not to mention way more spacious).  But I do love Dewella.

So if you’d like to tune in it will be broadcast on UStream.  Check out the info at askdane.com.  I think it will be showing live at 2pm, but I’m not positive.  It will definitely be available to view any time after the event as well.

It was from one of my latest brides, Amanda.  She said some really sweet words about all the wonderful comments they’ve gotten about their photos, but what came next pretty much made me cry.

“I wanted to let you know that one of our first days in Hawaii Glenn wanted to pray…he prayed specifically for wonderful godly husbands for [my sister, my friend] and you. He was impressed with you all! We will continue to pray that for you!!! I’m sure it’s tough doing weddings all the time, but there’s gotta be someone out there for such a wonderful gal as you!!!!

Oh, and while we were there in Hawaii and trying to take some good photos he was like…we need Jen Disney to get some good pics of this. ( : HA! Bringing our own photographer on trips with us now…richie rich!”

I wanted to share this here to let you into my heart a little.  When I photograph weddings I do try and be as unobtrusive as possible.  Except for the times that I’m working directly with the bride and groom or their families, I try to not be seen too much.

But when I  read this, I felt seen.  Noticed.

And it felt nice.

It is hard at times being a wedding photographer that is single.  I get really excited about all the details of the weddings I shoot and I can’t wait to plan my own!  I’ve got some great ideas in this head of mine!  But more than that, I spend most of my days looking at pictures of people who are in love.

That’s hard sometimes.  I want that.

That doesn’t take away from the fact that I love what I do.  And most of the time this is not something that I consciously think about.

So I just share that with you my blog readers to give you a glimpse into my heart.  And if you feel like it, go ahead and join Amanda and Glenn in that prayer!

And here’s one more of my favorites from Todd and Alisa’s wedding that I will post the rest of SOON!