I’m feeling all of those things…very deeply this year. I feel a desperation for those things really…a desperation to reconnect with the art of photography…and a desperation to create. I had an amazing conversation last night with a photographer who’s work I GREATLY admire. His name is Ed Flores…and if you are not familiar with his work…familiarize yourself…his talent knows no bounds. And even if his ‘style’ of work is not your style…his mastery of lighting can not be argued. He’s simply brilliant…and a genuinely nice guy. During the course of our conversation he inspired me on many levels…but, I think that what has stood out to me the most was his generosity, encouragement, and his humility.

I woke up this morning feeling a great need to define what my deepest desires are as a photographer. What resulted was the list at the top of this page. It’s not just a list of photography related clichés…not to me anyway. To me…it defines what I need right now and what I need to accomplish…in order to satiate my heart’s desire as a photographer.

I need to CREATE because creativity is the foundation of every single thing that I love about the art photography.

I need to INSPIRE because if my work doesn’t inspire others…to something…whether a thought, a feeling, an emotion, an action, or a desire to create for themselves…then I have to question the purpose of my work.

I need to BE INSPIRED because a stagnant photographer is not an artist. The whole world is filled with inspiration…and I need to allow myself the time and the freedom to indulge in it.

I need to BE REAL with myself, with others, and with my expectations. I tend to speak my mind…and wear my heart on my sleeve…and sometimes I’m pretty opinionated…and I need to be completely okay with that…and with the fact that it might not always be okay with everyone. Because if I want others to be real with me…and in front of my camera…then I need to be real myself. There are people in my life who I disagree with on nearly every ‘important’ topic of conversation, yet I love and respect them with a fierce devotion…solely due to the fact that they are real…and not hiding behind any sort of facade or persona.

I need to GROW. I know where my weaknesses lie as a photographer…I’m acutely aware of them…painfully aware of them, actually. If I’m content to stay where I am…then I will never be where I want to be. So…growing is not an optional decision for me. Ever. Growth is the very reason that I started my Project 52 group. It’s only week three and it’s already challenging me in ways that I hadn’t expected.

I need to CAPTURE because it is the very essence of the art of photography. Capturing is, by definition, representing. As photographers we are blessed…so blessed…to have the skill, talent, and knowledge to represent…life, moments, feelings, beauty, emotion, and elements…and to represent them in a way that is ours…and ours alone. That’s an immeasurable gift if you really consider it.

I need to SEE, TRULY SEE. “When people ask me what equipment I use, I tell them my eyes.” I read that quote on Ed’s website…and honestly, I don’t know if it’s his words or if it’s an anonymous quote…but, I can’t even describe the profound impact that it has on me. As photographers, we need to see the world…truly see it…not just look at it.

I need to TAKE RISKS…I need to be constantly willing to challenge myself and not ever allow myself to stay in my proverbial photographer pjs. The lure of comfort and familiarity will always have a suffocating vice grip on me if I’m not willing kick and scream to free myself of it. I need to be willing to fail…and even fail hard…because ultimately, the status quo price tag that I’ll pay for not taking risks will suck me dry.

I need to BE UNIQUE. I am the only me. I need to pour my heart, my vision, my ideas, and my skills to every image I create…because if my voice isn’t heard in my work…then who’s voice will be? *I’m gonna run off on a little tangent here for a minute…actually NO…I won’t. I’ll save it for a blog post in the next day or two…or a note on my Facebook Page…because it’s a little too long and opinionated for a simple tangent.

I need to BE AN ARTIST because if I’m not giving myself permission to call myself an artist…then I have no right to call myself a photographer. For whatever reason…I’m always very comfortable with the label ‘photographer’, but I’m never comfortable with the label ‘artist’. I think it might have something to do with the possibility that deep down…on some level…I really do buy into the fallacy that anyone with a nice camera can be a photographer. But…the truth is…that’s degrading the art of photography to the mere ability to click a button…and I’m here to tell you…there is FAR more to being a photographer…and artist…than that. I need to be ever willing to grow in artistry…and I need to be willing to embrace the fact that God made me artistic…to which I have the most overwhelming abundance of gratitude. Thank you God!

I need to BE ME. In the profound words of Oscar Wilde…”Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.”

I would love to encourage anyone reading this to consider making your own list…whether you’re a photographer or not…maybe you need to make a list that’s more about personally defining who you are or who you want to be. But…it’s an exercise in discovery…and decision. And…I feel blessed for having done it…and I think you will too.

Have you made it this far? If so…I applaud you. Brevity & I don’t know each other very well!

But…if you’ve made it this far…and you’re a photographer…and you’ve wanted to attend one of my workshops…then you’re in for a little love gift from me. I feel so inspired to GIVE after my conversation with Ed last night…that I’m going to give away ONE spot ($800 value) for my February FOCUS WORKSHOP in Scottsdale.

*(Past attendees are welcome to enter…and so are currently registered photographers…if you are currently registered and you win then your registration fee will be refunded to you).

Here’s how this will work…I don’t want it to be overly complicated.

Simply comment on this post and tell the ONE thing from MY list that you were most inspired by and WHY…and ONE thing that YOU are going to be working on this year in your own life.

I will choose a random number from the list this Friday morning at 9am MST. There must be a minimum of 250 comments from unique IP and email addresses in order for a winner to be selected. If the minimum number of comments is not reached then I’ll still choose a random number and the chosen person will receive a lovely parting gift. And historically speaking…based on my gift giving track record…trust me…you WANT the workshop!

So…share if you’d like…feel free to post a link to this post on your blog or Facebook page…but it’s not a necessary step to participate or to win. I’m not a fan of coercion. If you think that it’s worthy of sharing…or inspiring…or you want to give others the chance to win…fabulous…by all means share! But…that’s the end of my promotional speech.

***The winner will receive their entire $800 registration fee waived. If you’re chosen as the winner and you are currently registered…you will receive a refund of any deposit or balance you’ve already paid. Previous attendees are welcome to participate. Lodging, transportation, and meals outside of the workshop are not included.

Crossing my fingers for every one of you!

XOXO,
S

And to leave you with an image…this was my image for my Project 52 assignment this week. I assigned the group to take a BW image of something that shows something about who they are, but it could NOT include people. I love Midori…and I wanted to show it in a creative way…this is what I came up with. This project has been so helpful in forcing me to get out of my comfort zone already…and forcing me to be deliberately thinking more creatively.

I am sort of an environmental shooter…meaning that I really like to use the environment in my images. I just feel like the world that God created is so beautiful…and I love to incorporate scenery into my work. Often times that scenery is edgy grunge, since I love to shoot in urban environments…but, I also love the dreaminess of shooting out in nature. We are so blessed here in Arizona to have such a vast array of options for doing outdoor photo sessions…and I’ve traveled up north for several of my clients in order to photograph them in the different scenery that northern Arizona offers.

So…in honor of Earth Day today…I thought I would share just a few of my favorite images from the past year or so that I feel capture this incredibly beautiful Earth that God created…just for us. I hope you enjoy…and Happy Earth Day!

‘Til Next Time!
S

I chose to begin this post with this particular image for one reason and one reason only…because it depicts their mother’s motto…”Attitude is Everything!”. I heard about Krystal through a friend about 2 months ago…in my friend’s brief email to me about Krystal…and her family…I just loved her almost instantly…even before meeting or even speaking with her. My friend’s description ended with…”even through all of this heartache, they stand FIRM in the fact that God has a plan for them.”

Krystal has cancer.

It makes me mad. But…I don’t get the impression that it makes her mad. Scared maybe…uncertain…fearful at times…but, after my first conversation with her I realized that more than anything it makes her dependent…on God…which is the place where she is the most at peace. No one knows how they will walk through trials until they are in the midst of them…and Krystal has found herself in the midst of one…and she is determined to walk through it in a way that brings glory to God and in a way that solidifies in her girls’ hearts what is truly important in life. I think she’s accomplishing her goals. Actually…I know she is.

Krystal and Jason own Arizona Heat, a competition cheer gym in Mesa, AZ. Because of the nature of what they do…there are little eyes on Krystal constantly as she walks through this. It’s through the cheer gym that my friend knows her…and in my friends email she described Krystal as having an amazing attitude, walking the walk, and humbly teaching all of the kids at the gym to be gracious winners and losers.

Krystal…Jason…your strength and faith are inspiring. Your girls are delightful…another testimony to your character. I look forward to the day…with you…when this will all be behind you and Krystal’s health is fully restored. And in the meantime…while you walk through this trial…I’ll be praying for you…and trying hard to live by your motto in my own life…because Attitude Really Is Everything!

From one of Krystal’s Caring Bridge blog entries…she wrote, “I really have not asked why in this process, I’ve been taught to ask “why not” me? It still can be unsettling though, with thoughts of do I have what it takes, how will I respond, am I tough enough to do this?”

Yes Krystal…you are.

‘Til Next Time,
S

Cancer Awareness | Arizona Heat | Krystal Mitchell | Phoenix Photographer | Sandi Bradshaw

You know those sitcom episodes where the TVGuide description will read ‘Dual Plots’? Well…this is kind of a dual plot post. Bear with me…

Last week I had a session in the late afternoon and we had to do a little switcheroo with the kids & cars in order to make things work. Being a full time photographer and a taxi driver to four busy boys is sometimes a bit of a challenge…but, my hubby is always jumping in to be the hero when the schedule gets a little crazy…and that night he decided to leave work a little early, meet up with me before my session, grab the boys, and take them bowling. Yay dad! We weren’t really sure how my four year old would react to this idea since the only other time he’d been in a bowling alley was about a year ago…when he flip-flopped back and forth between a blood curdling screaming banshee and a comatose vegetable, lying on the wood floor, staring up at the ceiling near the ball return. AHHH the memories…

But, this time was completely different…his enthusiasm for going to the bowling alley could only be matched by his enthusiasm for Chuggington and Cinnamon Toast Crunch…and so we were cautiously optimistic. I was a little sad that I was going to miss his first time bowling…but as it turned out…instead of getting a lane, my hubby got a beeping coaster and was told it would be an hour wait. So…the men headed for wings and I got there just after the coaster lit up and just before my BABY tossed his first little four pound ball down the lane. And 14 minutes later…it hit a couple pins. And you have never seen a group of people go from sane to completely whacked out in such record time. You would have thought he had just won the Gold Medal of Bowling. There was more excitement than the first time he went on the big boy potty.

And so…although I typically refrain from posting personal snapshots on the blog…I couldn’t resist sharing a few from one of my proudest mommy moments. I love that guy!

And the dual plot of this post is to let you (photographers) know about a fabulous new set of actions by MCP Actions. Jodi does an amazing job of creating actions that speed up the workflow. I get asked a lot if I use actions to process my work, and the answer is no…I don’t, other than my own that I’ve created…however, occasionally there will be actions that speed up certain mundane processes and in this case, Jodi has not only succeeded at that, but she’s surpassed anything I’ve seen out there that does something similar.

Her new FINISH IT Action Set gives you a TON of options for preparing your images for the web. You have various sizing options, border options, framing options, edge options…there are 35 finishing touches to choose from. Every one of the FINISH IT actions do all of the work for optimizing your image for your blog…AND each one is completely customizable to fit your brand. You can also automatically place your logo or watermark within the images. It’s designed to be a huge time saver for photographers. I think she hit a major home run with this set…and at less than the cost of a meal at The Cheesecake Factory (I know this from first hand experience this weekend…) you can free up valuable time preparing your images for the web. So…check it out…and be sure to click on the thumbnail gallery to see all of the samples that this set offers. These fun rounded frames that I used in this post are included in the set.

‘Til Next Time!
S

The events of the past couple of years of my business have been circulating throughout my mind over the last several weeks as I’ve been grasping at straws in so many ways in my own life…both personal and professional. If I’ve learned nothing more in the past several weeks…I’ve learned that life is worth living and living well. I’ve said it a dozen times on this blog, I’ve said it to workshop attendees, I’ve said it on forums, and I’ve been quoted as saying it…”This is a consuming business!” It doesn’t have to be…but for most of us it is. I’m speaking to you, photographer. Pouring ourselves into something creative, something of life long value, something that is a piece of us…a reflection of us…that comes from our heart, and something that we are so passionate about…it can take it’s toll…and it’s an exhausting cycle.

Every few months I go through a dark period…I hate my work – passionately, I hate the same old thing, I feel such desperation to do something new or different that allows me to be creative, and I long for knowledge beyond what I have about this art…this business…this life. And it’s exhausting. Debilitating almost. Sometimes I have time to let my thoughts run wild and I have time to pour myself into some creative new outlet…or some new style of shooting…or processing…or creating…or way of doing something…anything…differently. Other times when this dark cloud comes over me I’ll find myself in the midst of dizzy busyness and I feel like I get swallowed up in a never ending cycle of shoot, edit, order, deliver, email, shoot, edit, etc. But…there’s just no time for change…and I nearly suffocate from it all. This November and December were like that for me. And at the end of the day…every day…I felt like I lost a little bit of myself in all of this.

I have an awful lot of visitors to this blog everyday…sometimes I wonder why so many people visit here. I’m a terrible blogger…something I beat myself up for on a daily basis. I’ll be completely honest…I don’t like to blog…at all. I don’t like to write, unless I feel like I have something important to say…and to tell you the truth…I get tired of writing the same old thing session after session. It all runs together…and I hate the lack of genuineness. Some people blog so passionately that they put the rest of us to shame. (You KNOW who I’m talking about!) But…those are rare people who are both photographer and writer with equal ease. I admire that. It’s not me. I can write…sure…when I care deeply about what I’m writing about. I would love to just post pictures…ones that don’t require words at all. But…I go through the blog grind like the rest of you. You, photographer, know why we have to do this…and I think it sucks. Don’t you wish sometimes that we could all just stop? I want to stop.

Some of you are photographers, some of you are past clients who come back regularly to see what I’m doing, some are friends, and some find their way here by referrals or by web searches (I apologize to you if that’s how you arrived here today). It’s a vastly varied group. But…today…I’m talking to the photographers…or to anyone who can relate to these feelings in their own life:

Inadequacy vs. Confidence | Outward Success vs. Personal Failure | Creativity vs. Analyzation | Passion vs. Desperation.

This is where I’m at right now. I have a lot of decisions to make regarding my business…and my life…and what’s most important to me. I want to live…and not just exist. I want my camera to truly capture how I uniquely see the world…instead of just capturing what’s common. I need to be an artist…otherwise I’m just taking pictures.

Next Tuesday I am going to Atlanta. I am going to push myself creatively and technically in ways that I never have before. I am going to bask in the glory, knowledge, and wisdom of Zack Arias…and I am probably going to annoy the heck out of him and Meghan by following them around like their long lost love-child. I’m going to have 6 days in Atlanta to focus on my business, my life, my art, my goals, my dreams…and I’m excited to rediscover myself in all of this. I’ve been very blessed to be constantly busy since beginning my business…I wouldn’t change a single thing about the journey so far…but, I’ve been sitting at the proverbial fork in the road for weeks now…and it’s time to take a risk and choose a direction. I hope you’ll all continue to walk with me, whichever path I choose…you’ve been my favorite part of the journey.

I’ve embedded a video below that Zack Arias created back in February. Most of you photographers will have already seen it by now…but, watch it again. It’s only 10 minutes. Even if you’re not a photographer…it’s worth watching. To me…it’s life changing. Since February, I’ve probably watched it 20 times. I relate to every single thing that he says in this video…and I can’t wait until the day that I don’t.

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all. – Oscar Wilde

‘Til Next Time,
S

In the meantime…here is a tiny little preview for one of my favorite families. We headed to Sedona last weekend for their family session and it was so beautiful there…I love the red rocks…the weather was perfect (despite a bit of wind)…and I so love hanging out with this family…you just can’t fathom how hysterical this little man is! (I’ve got one of the funniest – okay more like 4 of the funniest – images I’ll have to post of him later…he’s just pure comedic relief). He wants to be a baseball player, like his daddy, but I really think he could make a bajillion bucks in comedy.

I wish we had seasons here in the furnace… ::sigh::.

Oh…and a SCHEDULE UPDATE:

I have ONE opening remaining for the rest of 2009. If you would like to schedule a session to have your family portraits done before Christmas…please email me. There won’t be any other dates made available once this one is taken.

‘Til Next Time,
S

Have a wonderful weekend!

‘Til Next Time!
S 

I sat at my computer last night finishing up editing a beautiful wedding…the house was silent except for the music…and as my playlist ran on and on…I grew more and more reflective about what matters in life. Sacrifices we make…sacrifices of ourselves…sacrifices for ourselves…life is full of all kinds of sacrifices. I thought of my children and the sacrifices that I’ve made for them…as well as the ways that I’ve sacrificed for myself…and I visited my regrets…and I do have them. I wish I didn’t.

The playlist ran on and on…“I’ve got a good mother, and her voice is what keeps me here…feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward…be yourself…I’ve never wanted anything…I’ve got a good father…and his strength is what makes me cry…feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward…be yourself…I’ve never wanted anything…” I wish that T had the same kind of childhood that I had…stable, secure, sacrificed for…I don’t pretend to understand. But, I do know that he is a man who is uniquely aware of what matters in life. I wish you had known what mattered. For his sake. For C & S’s sakes. Maybe you did know…maybe sacrificing of yourself was just too complicated…I don’t pretend to understand.

And, the playlist ran on and on…“Give me these moments…back. Give them back…to me. All the things we should have said, that we never said. All the things we should have done that we never did. All the things that you needed from me. All the things that you wanted for me…make it go away…just make it go away.” Surely your life has been filled to overflowing with the crushing weight of regret. Surely? I don’t pretend to understand. But, I do know that it won’t ever go away. I wonder if the things that we regret sacrificing for ourselves ever really do.

You have 14 grandchildren…I wish you knew them. But, when you left your children’s bags on the doorstep of your home, and sent their step-father to say goodbye on your behalf, you sacrificed the very thing that matters most in life. Yet…I’m ever so thankful that T learned it along the way in spite of what wasn’t sacrificed for him. Somehow, he got it right anyway. And the playlist ran on and on…”Sing Alleluia, sing alleluia, praise the Father above…sing alleluia…sing alleluia…for His infinite love…sing alleluia…”

Happy Birthday Sarah. We celebrated today.

‘Til Next Time,
S 

Today was such a crazy day…the kind of day where you’re just on the go non-stop and you’re so busy that you don’t even realize how tired you are until you sit down…and then it hits you. But, for me today was a good busy. We are in the midst of making a really difficult decision in our family. We are considering putting our boys in a Christian private school…which would mean the end of my homeschooling days. I’ve homeschooled my kids since my oldest was in kindergarten…and he’s be a sophomore next year. How does that happen anyway? I mean really…I’m sorry, but CLEARLY I am way too young to have a sophomore! (Reality is ugly sometimes). But…never-the-less…a decision is coming down over here at Casa Bradshaw. We met with the principal today for our family interview and my kiddos were accepted…so now the ball’s in our court and I feel like I want to throw the ball to someone else! It’s so conflicting…the thought of not schooling them myself anymore…of not being with them everyday…of not being able to occasionally tell them at breakfast that we’re going to blow the day off and hit the movie theater instead. I *love* the freedom that homeschooling has given us…the freedom to choose our curriculum…to teach our children from a Christian curriculum…teaching all of them to read myself…and seeing their eyes light up when they are excited about something they’ve learned. I’ve loved watching them devour history books that I never read in high school…and I’ve loved watching them love to learn.

My oldest loves science (he’ll read a science textbook for fun…I’m pretty certain that he’s destined to be a doctor…a pediatric endocrinologist specifically, but he’s not quite convinced yet)…my 2nd loves to write (he writes in such a way that you honestly get drawn into what he’s writing almost immediately, and he’s a master at cliffhangers…that you actually want to hear the rest of!)…my 3rd loves asking questions (about anything and everything…and I love that he is so eager to learn everything that he possibly can wrap his brain around…he asks such intelligent questions so often that I’ve stopped being surprised by them)…and my 4th…well he pretty much just loves Clifford the Big Red Dog…and McQueen, Mater, and the gang…and me. ) I can’t complain! But…we’re just at the point that we’re realizing that this season of homeschooling may be coming to an end. And I’m sad.

OK, seriously…Where was I going with this novel?!?!? I digress….ahhhh yes, my day…so we interviewed with the Principal and then I had a session in Glendale this afternoon. Do you know how far Glendale is from Queen Creek? Pretty dog-gone far! Wow! But, it was an awesome session and so much fun! Didn’t get home until around 8:30…and I’ve just been wiped out ever since…but, I did promise to share with ya’ll my super cool opportunity that I am just bursting with excitement over! Drumroll please….

I was invited to guest blog on the MCP Actions Website by Jodi Friedman! I’m so excited! I’ll be doing a 6-7 part series that focuses on senior photography…everything from choosing locations, posing, processing, and more! This is really cool beans to get such a wonderful offer! I can’t wait to meet Jodi’s blog readers and I can’t wait to share with them a few tips for working with seniors! If you’re a photographer, and you haven’t been to Jodi’s site…please check it out! She has some fabulous actions and templates that she offers to photographers…I especially love the Magic Template Actions…Magic Blog It Boards and Magic Print It Boards. I believe that my guest blog series will begin early next week…so be sure to check it out Monday! I’ll be blogging about seniors every couple of weeks over there!

And…since no post is complete without a picture…here is one more of my No Boys Allowed Models…the whole gang! I had so much fun with you girls! Thanks again for a great day and fabulous images!

‘Til Next Time!
S

My little brother, Tommy Eaton, was killed in a car accident 13 years ago today. March 29, 1996. He was 19. He’ll forever be 19. That’s what my mom said today…and it’s so true. He won’t ever move beyond the youthful, handsome, full-of-life, boy that he was that very day. But, he should have. He’s supposed to have children…that play with mine. He’s supposed to have a wife…who’s one of my closest friends. He’s supposed to be there at Christmas, and Easter, and Thanksgiving. He’s supposed to be my boys uncle…and my hero. He’s supposed to be a catcher for the Diamondbacks…that’s what he’s supposed to be. Maybe what he would have been. I hate today. I hate that after 13 years I still cry when I let myself think about him for more than 2 minutes at a time…and I hate that I often don’t think about him for more than 2 minutes at a time because it’s too hard. He was my only sibling…and I still love him. More than words can express.

He played baseball…dang good baseball. He was a catcher. I used to make fun of him because his license plate for his truck said, URN IGN. I told him it looked like Urine Engine…but, it was really “You Run, I Gun”…and he did. He had an awesome arm. He could gun the ball to 2nd with such ease…on his knees! I admired him so much…and I really did love to watch him play. But, for a long time after his accident I felt like baseball had taken him away from me…I wanted to hate the game…but, I couldn’t because he loved it so much. His accident occurred while he was driving a team van for his college team to a double header game near Tucson. The tire blew on the van he was driving and it rolled several times before landing in the median ditch. He and another teammate were killed that day…the others survived with minor injuries. One of the players who survived that crash has gone on to play professional baseball, Cody Ransom, who is currently with the Yankees. My parents ran into Cody’s mom today and she shared with them the impact that my brother’s accident still has on Cody today and directed them to a recent article about Cody where he talked about my brother. The article itself was so hard for me to read…but, my mom reminded me afterward of how much she is comforted knowing that he is remembered. His jersey is retired at his Junior High School, his High School, and his College…and there are two memorials to him on the baseball field of his high school…Westwood. He’s remembered…by people that knew and loved him…and even by people who didn’t. Yeah…he’s remembered.

It’s funny…but, we still call his room Tommy’s room…although he never set foot in it. My parents were having a house built when the accident occurred…and his room…what should have been his room…well, it’s just HIS room to us. Even my boys call it Uncle Tommy’s room…3 of my 4 boys never knew him. I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around that…that he’s not here…that he’s not coming back…that I won’t see him again until I’m with him in Heaven…that my boys don’t know him…because they almost do. We’ve shared countless stories with them…there were lots of stories to share…he was a story-producing kind of kid! ;o) But…good stories…funny stories…genuine-love-for-his-family kind of stories. Lots of them. Today shouldn’t be anything more than just March 29th. But, for our family…March 29th is a terrible day. And it comes relentlessly every year.

Several years ago Tremaine and I had a little video business…and very early on in our business I made a little tribute video for my brother. Please excuse the poor quality…both video and pictures…as well as my fabulous 80′s hairstyles…and the teeny tiny window size from the link…and just meet my brother. He was genuine…a true friend…a kind, loving, and always FUN uncle to Lane, even though his presence in his life was only for 17 short months…a straight A student…the recipient of scholarships…loyal…possessed the ability to pull off any practical joke with a completely straight face…he was self-disciplined…self-controlled…loved the Lord…had Psalm 23 written inside his baseball cap…he was number 23…he lived baseball…he was confident, but not cocky…he ALWAYS said “I love you” when he would hang up the phone with me…and he was and always will be my little brother…My Bubba. 

TRIBUTE VIDEO FOR TOMMY

I know that I titled part of this post as “No Regrets”…and that’s mostly true. I had a fabulous relationship with my brother. I loved him…I admired him…I adored him…I was proud of him…and I honestly felt a little cooler than I probably was just because HE was my brother. But…I do have just one regret. The last night that I saw him…the night before he died…he had been babysitting Lane for us while Tremaine and I took my parents to see the house that we were getting ready to put an offer on. When we came to pick Lane up I was tired. I came to the door…but, I didn’t go in…I just chatted with my parents at the door. My brother had sat down to watch TV in the living room and when we were leaving I said Goodbye. I ALWAYS hugged my brother goodbye…ALWAYS…and that night…for some reason I saw him sitting on the floor and I knew I should go over and hug him goodbye, but…like I said…I was tired, and I was lazy…and I didn’t do it. I hollered to him that I loved him, and I so did…but I passed up my last chance to hug my brother. To hug him Goodbye.

Thanks for sticking with me here…like I said…this was just for me…but, I hope that you’re inspired to go hug the people you love a little tighter today.

‘Til Next Time,
S