Tag: photography

family

When Life Gives you lemon 🍋

EllyFilhoLeave a comment

There are definitely times when bad things happen so good things can come your way.
I’m a true believer of ” Everything happens for a reason. ” Either it’s a good or bad one.
Last year I was living a life that I would come home every day shower and sleep. To wake up in the morning and do the same thing over and over.

I liked what I was doing. Just not how it was happening. Working over 48 hrs. a week I started getting sick again. And ended up having a lot of doctor’s appointment etc.

as I was getting all these appointments, I was no longer able to put all my effort into my job.
One of the days I had to call out because of being sick. I got asked by my manager to find another job.

I couldn’t agree more with him that I needed something else.

Me and Chris always had this dream of working a Monday – Friday. 9-5pm paid holidays. And able to take time off.

The job I had obviously wasn’t allowing me to do so. And not to remind you it made me sick all over again due to stress and long hour days.

I decided to post my resume online. Hoping and praying for the best.

I decided to give my two weeks at my current job.

I remember feeling sad, annoyed and stressed.
I do have a lot of bills to pay. So, I was very worried I wouldn’t find anything.

I sent out a few applications that day.
To my surprise, I received a phone call that morning (when I had just given my 2 weeks).
It was this amazing lady (very friendly) looking for an office manager. I set the appointment for an interview.

I left that company that day in tears. I couldn’t believe what just happened.

I was so amazed. And happy I could have left there jumping up and down in joy.

I got offered a job as an office manager.
Working Monday – Friday 9-5pm. Getting paid holidays. Time off as I need it. With an amazing family. That knows how to be a boss and actually care for their employees.


True I don’t know them yet. But I have a feeling this is going to be a lifetime relationship.
I thank God daily for this opportunity a dream that came true without me even deserving it.
Ok I might deserve it 😂, but you all know what I mean? I didn’t expect it to work so fast.
I’m sitting at my desk this afternoon and all I can think about is how grateful I am. 🙂

Isaque has started a new job and it’s a great opportunity for him.

Joshua will start a new job Monday.

Gabe is doing great at his job.

Chris also got offered a job and opportunity that made him very happy. Now we have time to work and enjoy our lives.Couldn’t ask for more.

blackandwhite · brazilian · family · Fashion · kids · love · photography · World VS Life

SneakPeek Senior #Photography

EllyFilho1 Comment

A lot of people know I’m a passionate photographer.
I decided to send my son out to get his photos taken instead by another professional.
I couldn’t be happier how these came out. I can’t wait to see the rest of the photos.

Lisa ( The photographer ) did an amazing job 🙂

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This is how you can contact her

there are many ways to contact us:
via email bryceaustinphotography@yahoo.com
via telephone 617-852-7748
via facebook bryce austin photography
via mail po box 335, raynham center, ma 02768

This is her website http://www.bryceaustinphotography.com/portfolio.html

blackandwhite · family · kids · love · Niche · photography · Style · women · World VS Life

5 issues to be addressed in Premarital Counseling

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Planning your wedding is stressful enough, but it’s a piece of buttercream-frosted cake compared to the day-to-day reality of actual marriage.

Indeed, so often couples get caught up with everything involved in prepping for their Big Day and romanticizing the concept of marriage that they forget to (or don’t realize that they should) address all of the less-romantic issues that will inevitably arise when two people commit to sharing their lives together.

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Premarital counseling is an excellent way to confront these issues upfront and establish a stronger, healthier relationship moving into matrimony.

1. Money
Finances are a common cause of contention between those about to be married.

2. Time
Time can also be a big problem in a relationship. One may feel neglected if their partner is often away at work, school or other functions. Conversely, a partner may value their space and wish they could spend more time alone.

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3. In-Laws
When you marry someone, you’re not just marrying them – you’re essentially marrying their family as well. It’s important for you to learn how to get along with the whole family, especially if at this point you’re already on shaky ground. It’s also helpful to establish what sort of boundaries as a couple you will put in place. Some family members may be in the habit of just dropping by for a visit. This may upset your new partner. Also, it would be helpful to discuss how you plan to spend time with both sets of in-laws during holidays.

4. Resolving conflict
All couples disagree sometimes. What’s less important than the frequency of conflict (though frequent fighting is a serious issue that must be addressed, of course) is how a couple reacts to said engagements.

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5. Religion
Again, now is not the time to sweep lingering issues under the rug. Statistically, couples that share the same faith (or lack thereof) are more likely to stay together than those that don’t. If your partner is of a different faith, you need to decide whether this is something that will bother you long-term or not. This can be a critical issue.

Be sure to discuss these critical issues during premarital counseling. Ultimately, it all comes down to honesty and respect.

If you’re able to be honest with your partner and respect their traits and beliefs even when you don’t like or agree with them, and if your partner can do the same, then the future of your marriage looks bright.

 

Anxiety · Causes · Depressed · Health · Mental Health · mom · motherhood · women · Wordless · World VS Life

One year ago

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One year ago, today I was feeling miserable not knowing what was wrong with me. Everything I ate, I wanted to put back out or it felt like it was stuck in my throat. I ended up like that laying on a hospital bed awaiting my doctors to begin my surgery. I was feeling miserable. I had been at that hospital for about 2 1/2 weeks just doing all kinds of tests till they finally found out what was wrong with me and decided to operate.

Turned out I had what it’s called ” Achalasia of the esophagus” and what is that? You might be asking. That was the same question I was asking all the doctors there. ” What the heck is that?” As they started to explain to me what it was.

Achalasia is a rare disease of the muscle of the esophagus (swallowing tube). The term achalasia means “failure to relax” and refers to the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter (a ring of muscle situated between the lower esophagus and the stomach) to open and let food pass into the stomach.

What can cause the esophagus to close?
A thin area of narrowing in the lower esophagus can intermittently cause difficulty swallowing solid foods. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Damage to esophageal tissues from stomach acid backing up into your esophagus can lead to spasm or scarring and narrowing of your lower esophagus. Eosinophilic esophagitis.
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What is the surgery for achalasia?
The most common surgical technique used to treat achalasia is called the Heller myotomy, in which the surgeon cuts the muscles at the end of the esophagus and at the top of the stomach. In the past, this surgery was performed through a large (open) incision in the chest or abdomen.
I didn’t think twice and said go ahead do it. All I knew was I was tired of living the way I was. I couldn’t handle it anymore.  So off I went to surgery.
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With all the support from my husband by my side, I was very confident I would survive another surgery, another battle, another obstacle in my life.
Not only him, but my boys too. My family has been my Rock. My everything in time of need.
I wouldn’t be able to go on without their help. I’m forever grateful.
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After my surgery when I thought things would finally be better and my life would turn around. I became depressed. Didn’t want to leave my room. My life was from my downstairs to my upstairs. I didn’t want to do anything. Not because of the way my life was or my family. I love my life and my family. But my sickness just kept on coming and never went away. This surgery was to make me feel better and nothing changed. I was angry. Angry at the doctors, at a lot of things.
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Then I decided to turn things around. I sought help (professional)
Today I’m still very sick as far as my Achalasia, blood clotting disorder, Fibromyalgia,etc..etc..
In between this one year, I changed my mind about being miserable and decided to live my life.
Regardless of how I feel, I will still live on. when I don’t want to get up, or do anything, I will still do it. Just because I need to do so.
I put my faith and hope in the Lord the only one who can give me my daily strength.
I’m not 100% but I try every day to do better than I did yesterday. With God’s help I’ll slowly get to a point where I can at least cut down on medications. 🙂
Praying for a better tomorrow.
Thank you for reading.
family · Wordless

Happy 17th Birthday to My Son ❤️

EllyFilho1 Comment

 

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Turning another year older, but in my heart, you will always be my little boy. I am so proud of the man you have become. I wish you continued success in the year ahead.

I wish you strength to face life’s challenges;
Knowledge to achieve your desired successes;
Hope to get back up when life knocks you down;
Good family and friends to share your accomplishments with;
New adventures to greet you at every turn;
And love to fill your heart so big there is no room for negativity.

Know that I will always be by your side to support you, love you, and cheer you on.  May this day, and all the days before you be filled with joy, peace, and prosperity.

❤️ I love you, mom ❤️

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blackandwhite · brazilian · family · Fashion · kids · mom · photography · Style · Wordless · World VS Life

{Wordless} Wednesday with my favorites from 2010 

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These are just a few of my favorites of 2010 as a lover of the photography profession I got the privilege to experience what it was like to photograph a bride at her most special day and do a Photoshoot of a this beautiful little girl that her natural was what made her perfect. My little cousins on her first birthday. Being natural on her porch.  And of course with a camera in my hand I always got to experience, capture and register my boys most silly special moments. 

  

” Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past.”

  

” Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures.”

  

“Photography is about capturing souls not smiles. ” 

  

” When people ask me what type of equipment I use —I tell them My Eyes. “

blackandwhite · book · Devotion · family · love · Niche · photography · Poem · reeding · Review · review · sunday devotion · women · Wordless · World VS Life

Marriage: The Final Frontier

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Marriage: The Final Frontier
What is it about human nature? Our ability to appreciate the majestic is only rivaled by one thing: our ability to grow bored with it.

In 1961, President John Kennedy challenged the United States to put a man on the moon. Throughout that decade, the American public had an insatiable appetite for space flight. The media covered nearly every detail of NASA’s efforts, and the astronauts became national heroes. The euphoria culminated in 1969 when Neil Armstrong’s crew landed on the moon, an event witnessed by an estimated half a billion people.

But, amazingly, less than a year later, public interest in moon landings had all but evaporated. Imagine that: A feat as incredible as humans walking on the surface of the moon had become little more than a footnote on the nightly news.

It really shouldn’t surprise us. It’s human nature to lose interest in things that ought to inspire us. Like marriage. A man and a woman stand at an altar, and it seems impossible that their passion could ever fade. Yet, fast forward to the not-too-distant-future, and in all too many cases their life together has begun to drift toward the mundane.

  
It’s natural. But it’s all the more reason why couples must fight this tendency. Make time in your day to connect with one another. Get a babysitter and do something special. Use your imagination, but whatever you do, be proactive about reviving the fire that God used to draw you to your spouse in the first place.

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.”

‭‭Song of Solomon‬ ‭8:6-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For a daily dose of encouragement and perspective, check out Jim Daly

Anxiety · Causes · Depressed · family · Family Share · Health · kids · Mental Health · mom · motherhood · photography · reeding · teens · women · World VS Life

6 things you should never say to someone with depression

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6 things you should never say to someone with depression

Chances are, you know someone struggling with depression. If you want to help instead of hurting, avoid these six common mistakes.

  • 1. “Get over it”

    Depression is a serious matter that is not always easily dealt with. Getting professional treatment in a number of modalities, including prescription medication, therapy and even alternative treatments can help, but saying this won’t make anything better.

  • 2. “It’s not that bad”

    You don’t know how bad it is to them. The event that triggered the depression may not seem significant on the surface, but depression could be doing major damage on the inside once it has taken root. Try not to undermine or minimize how someone feels if you can’t understand what she’s going through.

  • 3. “You’re weak”

    Illness is not weakness. And projecting an ableist attitude onto someone who is suffering shows a lack of compassion and understanding that only makes you appear weak in character. Although a person may feel weak due to his ailment, calling him so will not give him strength.

  • 4. “Stop whining”

    Shaming a person with a psychological disorder is cruel and can cause further damage. Yes, constantly reinforcing the feelings he wants to rid himself of seems illogical and can be irritating, but it comes from a feeling of helplessness. As humans, we tend to express what we feel the most. If he were happy, he would be expressing that instead.

  • 5. “I got over it”

    What works for you will not work for everyone. Another’s experience with depression or its inciting events may be quite different from yours. Everyone has his own predispositions, chemical makeup and personal history, making for a unique treatment and healing plan. Plus, getting over something doesn’t mean you got through it. You may have put something behind you, but if it’s not entirely resolved, it could resurface and rear its ugly head again.

  • 6. “You’ll be fine”

    Be careful using these words. It can appear dismissive, uncaring or cold if said in the wrong way. Keep eye contact, smile kindly, and if you are close enough with the person, reach out and give him a warm hug and firm pat on the shoulder or back when saying this. If you believe he will get through this, let him know you mean it.

    Remember to keep your feelings about life and all of its ups and downs in perspective when addressing someone with depression. Even if you see a simple solution, a depressed person may see hopelessness and nothing in her future. Keep communication open and the bonds strong in your spiritual and biological family. This is the time your loved one needs you the most.

Georgia D. Lee seeks to empower, inspire, enrich and educate anyone with an open mind, heart and spirit through her most treasured medium – black and white!
Website: http://authorgeorgiadlee.weebly.com
Devotion · family · Family Night · Family Share · love · photography · sunday devotion · women · World VS Life

Loving the Stranger #Marriage

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Loving the Stranger
You wouldn’t marry a complete stranger, would you? Well – surprise! – if you’re married, that’s exactly what you’ve done.

On our wedding day, we all innocently believe the same myth: that we know and understand the person we’re marrying. But every newlywed eventually discovers that getting to know the depths of someone’s heart takes years. That’s the nature of relationship, especially one as intimate as marriage. So in that sense, we all marry a stranger. We’re in love with what little we know about our spouse, but we don’t know them. Not really.

  
Maybe that’s why Stanley Hauerwas defines a successful marriage as “learning how to love and care for the stranger to whom you find yourself married.” What does he mean? Simply this: In countless ways, the person we commit to on our wedding day will not be the same person five, ten, or twenty years from now. In fact, neither will we. Marriage changes us. So does raising children, careers, the aging process, and other significant events in our lives.

That’s why it’s important to understand that marriage is not a stopping point where we instantly know our spouse fully and completely. It’s a journey through life between a man and woman, both of whom continually grow and change across their years together. As one speaker said, “When people get married, they tend to believe they’ve found a finished statue, when in reality, they’ve merely found the block of marble from which their spouse will emerge.” Commit to loving your spouse and helping them grow more Christ-like each day.

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

dad · family · Family Share · fatherhood · love · mom · photography · Poem · World VS Life

To The One That  I Love 

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Seems like it was yesterday. We were standing at the altar. I was only 18 and you 21. People must of been thinking. ” what are these kids doing?” But here we are today. 
You’re turning 40 and I would like to wish you a Happy birthday! 

Couldn’t be a happier wife. You’re even better than what I ever imagine. 

A husband that takes care of his house, his kids, well his family in general. 

A person that a friend can count on. 

A Pastor with many other values. 

I’m very proud of you for everything you are and for everything I’m sure you will still become. 

You have many dreams you already conquered and a lot still to come. 

I’ve made a promise to be by you’re side and a promise I’ll keep ” Till Death do Us Part. ”
 I Love You forever and Always. Happy 40th Birthday !!! 
You’re wife. ❤️💕