Where I've Been

Well, I've just about fallen off the world of blogging! There is good reason though! I kicked off my photography business and it has kept me flyin'! You can find my page on Facebook if you go here. You can also find my photography site here. I may close this blog down in the near future, but before I do, I have a couple posts that need to be written. So, I'll be back for a visit in January! See you then...and thanks for not giving up on me!

I have not been very good at updating my blog lately. I'm not ready to let it go as I still have a few things that I know God wants me to share, so for now, I am only going to plan on updating it once a month.

One of the main reasons for less "free" time, is the launch of my little photography business. If you'd like to check out my site, you can find it at www.morethanwordsphotographybytammi.blogspot.com .

Checkin' in!

Thanks to the faithful who have stood by me during my loooong absence. THANK YOU especially to those who have been on your knees for my friend and her sweet family. {She would like me to convey her thanks as well}. I feel bad about not updating you all about this sooner. God heard our prayers and the situation has miraculously calmed down!!! They do still have to be very cautious about some things. If God ever brings them to mind, please keep praying. I am sorry to be vague, I just don't want to cause any trouble for her. However, if you are interested in further details, you can contact me via email and I can give you more details to pray about.



Back to my absence...between the needs of my family, usual life and starting a little business, I just haven't had much time for blogging. I do love it, but am trying to decide whether I should stop for awhile, post less, or what. Any input would be appreciated. It's just hard to juggle it all. Can any of you relate?



I am excited to "debut" my logo for my photography business. I am busy working on a blog for that, so I will let you know when it is up and running. So here's my little logo: {it was actually designed by someone I found on Etsy! The picture is of my little Ellie :) }











I also wanted to mention that the Thailand Circle Tour for 2010 is active! God is not sending me this year, but maybe He wants you to go!!!?? Please go here to learn more, or contact me. {You know I love talking about it! ;) }



Love you all!

Could you help?

Hi friends,

I know I've been scarce lately. Just much happening in my life in the last month and I hope to share some of it with you. Some of it has been very difficult.

One exciting area is that I am working on making my little photography business "official" ~ logo, blog, business cards, etc. It's time consuming and challenging as I want to make sure I keep my family in the proper place in my life.

Can I ask for your prayers? So many of you prayed so faithfully for me when I was on my trip to Thailand. I have a friend who needs prayers of protection for her and her family.

On the trip I made friends with a young woman who lives across the ocean and employs and ministers to women who are at risk of or have been trafficked. She and her family (husband and two very young children) are being persecuted for their faith and their very lives are in danger. I can not go into details for security reasons, but please, please stop now for a moment and lift her, her family, and those they minister to, to the Lord. And on July 4, when we are celebrating the freedom we have, please pray again for her, and for the many around the globe who face unbelievable persecution. Thanks, I knew I could count on you.

Fit for a king

The kids were busy this weekend planning a surprise for Chad for Father's Day. They decided that they wanted to treat Daddy like a king. It was pretty cute! Here's what his "kingly" experience included:

A little homemade book, a mint, some pretend, hand drawn chips and drink all served on the finest china by Fisher-Price. They also made him a crown that you'll see below.




A red "carpet" that he walked on to get to his throne... As he walked on it, Ellie threw little pieces of confetti that she made!

A fan that read "you are the best"

The fans were used by his servants to keep him cool...notice the little sucker they gave him to eat!

A favorite treat...a rootbeer float

A picture with his subjects... :)

A blessed vacation

Hi friends!

We are blessed to be able to enjoy a vacation in Gulf Breeze, FL. We're having a blast and enjoying the warm weather! I will post pictures as I have a chance, but it won't be until I return as I'm not spending much time on the computer. I am excited to practice some photo sessions with my kids on the beach! I may even attempt a family portrait...on second thought...

This is where we spend a lot of our time...{and also the view from our balcony!!}

This picture makes me laugh as it looks like Ellie's posing for a catalogue! I didn't pose her!!

We let each of our kids pick out their own bag of chips for the week~ and we told them they didn't have to share any! They were quite excited about this experience!!! :)

How do you like our sand castle? Just kidding...there was a sand castle competition on one of the nearby beaches...some of the creations were amazing!

Check out this professional sand castle creator!

and I'll leave you with a picture of why you won't "hear" from me for a week...

Why we love you...

Today is Elliana's 4th birthday. It's hard to believe our baby is four! She is so full of a love for life. We often say that Ellie is our "little firecracker and that we went out with a bang!"



Here are just a few of the reasons we love her so. I hope you can capture a glimpse of her personality.

Happy Birthday Ellie~bean!!! We love you farther than the moon...

P.S. The little Belle cake is from the bakery at Walmart. It was only $5.88! You can get Belle, Cinderella, or Sleeping Beauty {and a couple options for boys too~ but I can't remember what}. They are really cute! I just made a 13x9 cake to feed everyone else!

A whole bunch o' randomness with pictures...

Life has been full lately. This has meant more time in the real world and less in the virtual one. I'm actually thinking that's a good thing. Does anyone else out there struggle with balancing the two?

So here's what I've been busy doing...

I took a photography workshop which was just perfect for where I'm at in this whole process of venturing into a little business. What a fun day, but I have so much to learn yet!! Here are a few images I took that day...

I've consulted for a couple more Women At Risk, Int. jewelry parties ~ I love doing those! It gives me a great outlet to talk about the precious women I met on my trip, to be able to bring awareness and raise funds for the battle against human trafficking. {Today I had training for being a consultant and I am so excited to be part of this ministry. God continues to confirm that this is the right place for me} Anyone want to host a party??? The hostess rewards are out of this world~ literally! ;)

Last week, my hubs and I took a getaway trip to the Smoky Mountains. We stayed in a cute mountain cabin in Tennessee. {Would you believe I won this trip at my church's women's retreat!!! I've never won any prize this big~ I was sooo excited!}

our cabin

We went for a hike in the Smoky Mountains...we were able to walk behind this waterfall.

Have I mentioned this area is my favorite part of the United States?

I've also been busy doing a few Tulip Time photography sessions {Our area has a big "touristy" Tulip Festival every year- thousands of tulips, parades, dutch dancing, shows, carnival, junk food, and lots of kids in dutch costumes}. Of course I had to do a little session with two of my own cuties...

Then on Monday, after watching all four kids in our town's Memorial Day parade, we spent the afternoon with family celebrating Elliana's 4th birthday!! {She'll get her own little post on her birthday on Thursday}.

A picture that captured her favorite things... the color yellow, Belle, ducks and a dress. {Grampy would make her "favorites" picture complete}. Notice the little bit of yellow frosting on the left side of her cheek!

If you've made it this far~ wow~ thanks for sticking with me!

A widow's miracle

One of the days on my trip to Thailand, we had a specific prayer time for a Nepali widow. This woman is raising goats to feed her family and generate revenue. She lives in a village where traffickers prey on the women, often scamming them into the sex industry. WAR, Int. is desiring to help this widow with a goat farm so that other women can raise goats and support their families too.

This precious woman was crying out to the Lord as her goats, {her livelihood} were dying. She was being mocked by the other villagers because their goats were not dying, and they snickered that her God could not save them. She is also the first believer in this village. She holds a church service in her home for a couple of people every week.

Oh how my heart went out to this woman I had never met. As a team we gathered and beseeched our Father on behalf of this dear one. I know praying for goats certainly doesn't sound very spiritual, but any of my teammates would tell you that God's spirit was present, and we knew He was going to intervene!

Days passed, and we heard from Nepal that the woman went to the market to buy another goat. Unbeknownst to all involved, she got more for her money. Much more. You see, her goat was pregnant. When it birthed, it birthed the exact number of goats that had died!! I am pretty sure it was more than four which I am told is quite amazing! Don't you love it? Can you imagine the impact this is having on the village?

If you want to hear more about the goat project in Nepal and Sudan too, click here. {You can even donate money to purchase a goat for one of the women!}

Big Enough

I'm excited to share how God's been tillin' in my heart as of late...

He has revealed to me that in a particular area in my life, my concept of Him is not big enough. Over the years, I've learned He's big enough to trust with a sister and Dad with cancer, miscarriage and infertility, change of careers, unemployment, financial needs, a move across country, a move overseas, safety of my children, deaths of dear ones, a chronic illness, and countless other ways.

But I've been hung up on my own inadequacies. Deep down inside, my concept of Him has not been big enough to trust Him to work in spite of them. Somehow, I have this narrow view of the criteria one needs to meet in order to be used.

Over and over God has been whispering to me; "Tammi, you need to stop focusing on who you aren't and focus on who I Am." whoa. convicting.

I have recently become a {volunteer} consultant with Women At Risk, Int. A W.A.R. consultant attends the jewelry parties/events and shares the heart of this organization and speaks on behalf of the thousands of women and children needing a voice. This is the organization that I went on my trip to Thailand with. The purpose of this role is to raise awareness and move hearts to action in joining the battle against human trafficking. If you've read this post you know that I haven't felt adequate for this role.

Last Friday I spoke at another jewelry party. On this night, God gave me the challenge opportunity to flesh out what He'd been teaching me:

*We left later than planned for a party that was several hours away.

*There was an accident that kept us inching a long for 45 minutes. We arrived right at 7, when the party was to start. We still had to set up the jewelry {which takes quite a while}.

*People were late {which I did pray for, so this really is a praise :)}, and others had to cancel last minute.

*I realized I left my notes sitting in the computer printer at home, a short 3 hours away.

*The video presentation of my trip that a friend of mine had done for me was gone. We lost it completely.

*The power point presentation we did in place of that wouldn't work right. The song we wanted to play with it wouldn't play. {With the ingenuity of my bro-in-law, we eventually worked this out}

* I stumbled with some words and remember thinking, "Am I making any sense and connecting with the women here?"


If you looked at this with human eyes, the evening should have ended up being a flop. But God was at work~ as usual.

Out of 20 women who came, 15 women bought. Of those 15 women $1,000 in product was sold!!!! This is in the Detroit area where the economy is one of the worst in the nation. That my friends is a BIG GOD!!! Hearts were touched, lives changed, women were moved to get involved in various ways. That is a BIG GOD!!! Can I hear a sista with an "Amen" ????

And another thought...could it be that our very inadequacies/weaknesses were created, not only to bring Him Gory, but to draw us to Him?

He doesn't need me skilled or unskilled to serve Him, but He wants me to be available.
He doesn't even need me to serve Him. But He wants me to...Just as He wants you too.

Is our God big enough for what is on your heart today?

Psalm 105 :1 "Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done."

**Coming up I have some exciting stories of how God is working in the lives of trafficked women to share with you!!

I Am Second

A bloggy friend (thanks, Amanda!) introduced me to this awesome website. Take the time to check it out. It's a pretty impressive site with a very exciting mission.

There are famous athletes, actors, musicians, etc. who tell their stories of what it means to "be second" by video clips. I love that they speak very candidly about their struggles and how, by putting Christ first, they have found victory! I think you may be surprised at some of the faces and stories as I was.

So spend a few minutes here today and let others know about it too!

Of pasta and feathered friends

I have been "absent" as it has been a crazy~busy {but fun} week! Crazy like this:

Yes, that is a noodle. On~ our~ceiling. Should I mention names? Hmmm.... The craziest part is that it was up there for TWO days and neither my hubs or I noticed!!! But the kids thought it was just hilarious... {I'll admit, it is quite funny :)}

And crazy like this:

Those would be turkeys. TURKEYS! In~ front~ of ~our~ house. They were in our yard, but by the time I snapped this picture, they were high tailing it out of there. There is one more that I didn't get in the picture. I have no idea where they came from. We live in the suburbs~ not the country. Anyone know if turkeys can fly?

Can you relate {well, maybe not to the turkeys}, but to the craziness???