♥ {san antonio texas family|the morgans} ♥

The Morgans have been special to my heart since our move to Texas nine years ago.  Our family got to know the Morgans immediately as Ronnie is our senior minister and children’s minister at our church, Castle Hills Christian Church here in San Antonio. 

My son was seven years old when we moved to Texas so our family was involved in our children’s ministry with Ronnie for several years.  Between the children’s ministry, working with Julie as co-nursery directors and being together in the same pueblo group (week night bible study), our families have spent much time together over the past nine years. The Morgans love God, love their family and love others. 

 

Summie Roach Photography captured memories for the Morgans in the summer of 2011 and was blessed to recently update their family portraits for them. My how the boys have grown! I absolutely LOVE their different expressions in this next photo!

 

There's something so sweet about the love shown between Ronnie and Julie…

 

 

…and how he can still make her laugh.

 

The boys are so loving towards their mom...cool with their dad... 

 

...and don't have a problem hugging on him too!

 

 Gotta love the Morgan boys...

 

 

...each with their own personality...

 

 

…and if you know the boys, you also know they are not afraid to express it.

 

I love the Morgan Family and my heart is blessed by each one of them.

 
Thank you Ronnie and Julie for trusting Summie Roach Photography to capture your day together and sharing your family with me.

♥ the morgan family ♥ 

{much} hugs,

Summie

♥ {blessings from my heart} ♥

As I sit and reflect on this past year, I cannot help but be so thankful for not only the people I have in my life but the blessings my heart has been filled with because of them.  Sometimes life becomes so busy and chaos that it seems like all we ever do is speed from one thing to the next just to get it done and checked off our list.  But how often do we pause, slow down long enough to take in the blessings we are receiving from it?  I know for me it hasn’t been enough.  Sadly, I sometimes miss seeing the blessings as it happens until later when I make the time to sit and reflect on it, causing me to cheat my heart, my emotions and those that have given. 

thanks to my awesome son and assistant Quentin for taking this picture of us this past summer on the sands of Port Aransas

One of my greatest joys is seeing someone’s heart touched.  It could be from a gift, a small gesture, words of encouragement or comfort, a helping hand, it really does not matter what it is, as long as it came from the heart.  My heart’s biggest blessing is when a family allows me the opportunity to share in their life as they create memories.  Memories they will get to enjoy in their homes day after day.  I love being behind my lens, capturing their time together.  This may have been on their “to do list to check off” but at least for this moment that they are with me, time is standing still, life is being enjoyed and their mind is off the race track.  It’s my time to share with others the gifts and talents that God has given me and I am blessed each and every time I see God’s life being lived and enjoyed in front of my lens.

 

To start off this New Year, I am offering three opportunities to three families. 

1)     Complimentary Mini Session: 
This is for families who have never experienced a session with Summie Roach Photography {first time clients}.  I would love to bless one family to experience the joy of time standing still, to enjoy their family with laughter, and to make simple life memories. 

*complimentary 30 minute mini family session

*complimentary 0ne (1) gift print

*10% discount on all orders
*online sharing gallery

  

2)     Discount Family Session: 
This is for families who have experienced a session with Summie Roach Photography but not with their family {returning clients}.  I would love to help one family update their current family pictures or have their first experience of a family session with me. 

*50% discount off full family session fee

*complimentary 0ne (1) gift print

*10% discount on all orders

*online sharing gallery

Details:

To enter to be one of the two families for the Complimentary Mini Family Session or the Discount Family Session, please complete the following by January 10, 2014. The two families will be announced on my facebook page on January 13, 2014.

   
   1) “Like” and follow Summie Roach Photography on Facebook (facebook link)
  2) “Like” this post on Summie Roach Photography’s Facebook Page
  3) Share this post on your facebook page to share the opportunity with your friends
  4) Leave a comment on this blog that you did #1,#2 and #3 and tell me which giveaway you are entering and why this would be important to your family.

**details and specifics of the session will be given to the winners.  All sessions must be completed by June 1, 2014.

3)     Gift of Giving: 
I participated in the Olivia Act last year after the the Sandy Hook Elementary Tragedy. (see story on the blog here) My heart was filled with joy by the family I was honored to give back to through my photography.  There are many families out there who do not have the resources or funds to have professional family portraits taken. My heart is to bless another family this year with a treasured gift through my “Gift of Giving”. If you know of a family in San Antonio or surrounding area who would appreciate this gift, please nominate them. Nominations will be accepted through January 10, 2014.

 How to nominate a family:
1) email your nominations to: summie@summieroachphotography.com
2) subject line: Gift of Giving
3) include in the email:
     a) family's name
     b) families and your contact information
     c) why you have chosen to nominate this family

I will contact the family who will receive the session on  January 13, 2014.

♥ blessings from my heart ♥ 

{much} hugs,

Summie

♥ {blog circle: comfort} ♥

I am so excited to join my fellow confidence teachers in this month's blog circle about comfort.  

Comfort is a seven letter word with many meanings that resonate so differently on how it fits into your life, at that particular time of your life.  It's a noun, it's a verb. It comes in many forms and used in varies ways.  When you think of comfort, what picture is drawn on your blank canvas?  Which of these can you relate to from your own life experiences?

 

A newborn baby does not understand nor comprehend what the word means but yet takes comfort with their mommy, daddy or whomever is their care giver.  They find solace being wrapped in the warmth of their arms with the soft gentle touch of their hands.  The whimpering quivery cries of the newborn’s sound easily shushed by the whisper of the familiar soothing voice.  

six week old Aubrey loves being snuggled up to her mommy and being protected in her daddy's arms...

Or maybe comfort means just being with that person that makes your heart happy or go pitter-patter.  The person you can be yourself with no matter what state of mind, heart or emotion you are in.  It could be a sibling, a best friend, a loved one, the one you are about to spend the rest of your life with or the one you've spent most of your life with.  Someone whose shoulders you have cried on or laughed so hard with. Shared stories together, secrets told or gone through some of life's most difficult lessons or journeys with.  Comfort in being able to just be you.

laughter and simple joy of sibling love...

  

the engagement story of a fun filled day...

cancer doesn't stop laughter and love of 40+ years of  marriage...

Comfort being related to a season? With the fall months upon us, I know many of us love the comfort that the cooler weather brings.  The thought of those comfy cozy sweaters hidden in the back of the closet sneaking its way to the front, maybe that big ol' thick warm blanket that has been begging to fluff up on top of the bed or is it all about that comfort food...you know, the crockpot.  I absolutely love my crockpot which is used in my home year round but there is just something comforting about fall and homemade soup in the crockpot that has been simmering all day long.  The smell of the wonderful aroma as it fills up  your house.  Last week I adventured into making homemade french onion soup.  Can you see it?  Can you smell it?  Bet you might even be able to taste it! My boys loved it and it was...YUM-O! Comfort food!

the beginning stages of the aroma filling up my house...

Through different stages of my life, comfort has hung in many places.  A place of healing, grieving, laughter, warmth, peace.  But my two favorite comforts I do have to share that never seem to go away... {I know, you are probably thinking my two boys in my life...yes, true, but...} here they are!

you can never have too many flipflops, but collections if for another blog post...

FLIP FLOPS! It doesn't matter if it's winter, spring, summer or fall, most of the time you will catch me as much as I can get away with it in these...{thank goodness for Texas weather}. My feet are so happy in them. Free and not constrained, easy on and easy off, warm weather or the cool breeze brushing on them. Pure comfort.  My other never ending comfort...

thanks to my amazing photographer friend Laura Swift for this picture from our Confidence Teachers Refresh retreat...

I absolutely love being in my fuzzy warm socks and flannel bottoms! This is just plain and simple comfort right here. {yes for those of you wondering, Texas does get cool enough to include these in my wardrobe}. Even my toes that like to hang out happy bare look forward to it. Amazing the comfort and relaxing feeling this brings me especially after a chaos of a day.  Can any of you relate to this?

I asked my boys what picture would describe comfort to them.  My husband said a big fat fluffy chair.  My son said a picture of someone comforting a person who is sad.  So there you have it, comfort is a seven letter word with many meanings that resonate so differently on how it fits into your life, at that particular time of your life.  How does it fit into your life today, right now?

My friend Laura Swift, an amazing photographer and our Confidence Teacher in Virgina has her own thoughts about comfort here. {Laura's blog} Read her story and then follow her blog to be inspired by more of our Confidence Teachers as our blog circle continues. 

♥ how does comfort fit into your life? ♥ 

{much} hugs,

Summie