I am learning that photographers in particular are a little wacky about fonts (guilty), and I always jump up and down with happiness when I meet such a kindred spirit. I once had a riveting conversation with someone about the relative merits of Caslon vs Trajan (Trajan is the font of my current logo, btw). Anyway, I just ran across a great post about the core 30 fonts for a lifetime. Be still my beating heart! If you are secretly a nerd about this, please tell me your favorite (or least favorite) fonts below, and next week I will pick a random commenter who will win a DVD copy of HELVETICA.

A sneak peek of this lovely fall wedding -- Emily and Jason have been fixtures on the "favorites" page thanks to their uber-romantic engagement session we shot in the summer.

A few details:
TreBella did her gorgeous flowers, and the arrangement hanging above the church door was created to honor her grandparents.
The ceremony took place at the chapel at St. Mary's School in Raleigh, which has only recently become available to non-alumni weddings. If you are looking for a lovely ceremony locale, be sure to add this one to your list of possibilities.

What is the single most memorable moment about the wedding day for each of you?
Beth: When I walked down the aisle and saw Terry wipe tears from his eyes. Seeing a man in uniform cry puts a special spin on things. Everyone else disappeared at that moment.
Terry: Seeing her walking toward me. She'd never looked so beautiful.

What is life like for you today?
In a word: AMAZING. We're busier than ever and it's a new level of hectic, but everyday brings little gifts. Our house is messier and dinner comes from a box more than I'd like to admit. However, we have more laughter and tears that come from constant amazement. These two little people have big personalities!

How has being a parent changed your marriage?
We are closer in so many ways, but definitely have to make more of an effort for "us" time. Even when things are tough, we have two little miracles that remind us of how much we love each other. We make a great team.

What advice, if any, do you have for couples just beginning their marriage journey?
Appreciate the little things. Continue to be each other's biggest fan. Communication truly is key. It's definitely a JOURNEY!

In doing lots of research and reading on how to be a better parent (my current full-time project, which is why I haven't posted much recently), I stumbled across the most wonderful book: I LOVE YOU RITUALS, a collection of rhymes and games for parents to do with their children as a way to create attachment and closeness. Paul and I are working particularly on creating the closeness and connection that our sweet Joaquin missed in his early months before (and after) he came home from Guatemala. I was 9 weeks pregnant with Lila in 2006 when he came home, completely overwhelmed by being an "instant mom" to one child with another on the way. I had weddings to shoot, and Paul was commuting to Chapel Hill for grad school. It was a whirlwind.

We've definitely gotten a lot better since then at the mechanics of parenting -- bathing, feeding, dressing, getting them to preschool, preparing snacks, sorting clothes that no longer fit, etc. But what we (and they) crave is the emotional part: "floor time," silly games, make-believe. Things that draw us closer together, create memories and rituals, and strengthen the cords of our family. Frankly, these are things that I have completely forgotten about over the years of focusing on my career, my marriage, my creative goals, my clients. At one point during a somewhat heated discussion several months ago about whether I should say yes to an out-of-state wedding inquiry, Paul looked at me and said, "We are your most important clients."

Like so many people today, I struggle with how much time to spend connecting via Facebook, Twitter, and even writing on this blog. Each moment that I spend with my face illuminated by the light from the computer screen is a moment I am disconnecting from the people I love the most.

So, there are 4 inches of snow on the ground here in North Carolina this morning, and in about 45 seconds I'm going to snap this computer closed for the day, put on my snow boots and be with my family. We've got popcorn, hot chocolate, cookie dough and each other.

As if on cue, Lila Mae just wriggled onto my lap (sitting squarely on the laptop keys) and said, "Come play with me, Mommy!"

I'd be honored.

My husband just sent me a link to this fascinating article on how looking at photographs of loved ones can actual relieve physical pain. Your thoughts?