Do you remember when we were part of a prize package for a radio contest in Savannah?  The grand-prize winner won tons of cool stuff for a baby.  In this case, the baby wasn’t even here yet.  So we patiently awaited the birth. 

As you see below…this beautiful baby was WELL worth the wait!  You can see that yet another "Lucky Dog" has been born!

Congrats!!!

For months you have been calling because you did not want to miss Santa this year.  This event ALWAYS sells out and someone is disappointed - because they did not make the list.  The date is set and as promised I am releasing it first here on the blog.  Santa has agreed to come a little later this year on Tuesday, November 11th.  The 30 minute session will include a VIP Santa experience.  There will only be you and your family in the studio with Santa.  No lines - no disappointments!  You will come at your scheduled time and enjoy your time one on one with Santa and Mrs. Claus while I photograph the experience.  The package is $349 and includes the session and your choice of 4 8×10’s OR 25 Christmas cards plus two 8×10’s.  You will need to schedule your session and place order when you call - to insure you will get everything back for Christmas.

This VIP Santa experience is very limited and DOES SELL OUT!  Please call 912-764-7274 today to book your appointment with Santa.  (He may even give you a hint about which list you are on for 2008…naughty or nice…I bet EVERYONE that comes will make the "nice" list!)

  for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.  Twenty years ago on September 3, 1988 - DeWayne and I repeated these vows before God, our family and friends.  There is no way we understood the magnitude of these vows or how hard it would be to honor them - for LIFE!  The two best pieces of advice we received during our engagement was from my grandmother Edith and DeWayne’s father Herschel.  His dad told us that getting a great education, making a living, raising a child would be easy - the most difficult thing we would have to face in our life was being successful in our marriage.  He said the secret is working hard at it every day.  Never stop talking and never go to bed mad.  Even though that will mean a few sleepless nights.  And the most important thing - the husband should always have the last word - no matter what - and those words should always be "YES DEAR!"  Pretty good advice.  It worked for him for 57 years - until death he did part.  My grandmother Edith (Edie Grace’s namesake) advice was to hide several pair of clean underwear for DeWayne.  As long as he has clean underwear - everything else will be fine.  I can not tell you how many times I have opened a fresh pack of underwear and placed in his drawer.

We were married in a beautiful double ring ceremony at First Baptist Church in Statesboro.  It was my dream wedding and the next day we stepped onto an airplane (my first commercial plane ride) and DeWayne whisked me away for a honeymoon more fabulous than I could have ever dreamed.  We spent two weeks in Europe.  The first in London, the second in Paris.  What an unbelievable way to begin our life together.  I have included pictures here from the wedding and the trip.  The round bed was in our suite at the Royal Westminster in London.  We enjoyed staying in the royal suite for the week.  The bathroom was bigger than our house at the time.  It was the first hotel I had ever stayed in that had original artwork in the room. (and it was not nailed to the walls)  In Paris, we stayed at the Hotel Louvre Concorde across the street from the Royal Opera.  Of course, I had to do a little shopping at the famous Harrods department store.  One of our clients worked for Harrods as a personal shopper for the royal family.  We need to get him to write a blog entry about that experience.  We did get to see Princess Diana on the trip.  Of course, I was so star struck that I did not think to take a picture.

I was only 19, a college student and working full time in my photography business.  DeWayne was 22 and was starting his first business along with my dad.  We had the world before us.  What an exciting, challenging and blessed 20 years it has been.

Five years ago, we returned to Paris with Edie Grace.  It was so much fun traveling back there and sharing this beautiful city with her.  We will be officially celebrating our 20th in October as we take a Mediterranean cruise from Spain through Italy.     

  Tonight, DeWayne and I began the first in a 13 week life group series sponsored by our church - Believers Church.  Dr. and Mrs. Guido hosted us in their home tonight for our first meeting.  We will be meeting every Tuesday night at 6:30 at my studio and each week we will dissect the biblical principles that Dr. Michael Guido used to build an internationally recognized evangelistic ministry headquartered in Metter, Georgia.  If you do not know their story, this is a great opportunity to learn first hand how unshakable faith can pay great dividends regardless of your definition of success.  This is not an exclusive group.  Anyone reading this blog is welcome - no matter what religious affiliation you are attached to.  We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday night at 6:30 at our studio in Downtown Statesboro.

The ten lessons are derived from directly from Dr. Guido’s ten pillars of success that his foundation is placed upon and they are:

1) A call, 2) Ability 3) Surrender to the Lord 4) A passion for prayer 5) A passion for souls 6) A love for the Bible 7) A willingness to Sacrifice obedience to the Lord 9) A love for Others 10) Faith

Last Monday I posted a blog about a client and friend of ours that was undergoing breast cancer surgery.  She is 30.  Many of  you tried to email her and the emails came back.  I had the email address incorrect in the original post which has been corrected now.  Here it is again: beverlybarr2@gmail.com

Please take a second and email them both.  I kept every email, card, note and letter from my cancer journey and have them in a note book.  When I am having a challenging day - I still go to these for inspiration.  You really do not know how much a few seconds of your time will mean to them.  Even if it is simple five word email - "I am praying for you!" this will touch them and encourage them by knowing that hundreds of people - even strangers are pulling and praying for them.

Here is an update directly from her husband Dustin:  "Hey guys, we got the pathology report back from the hospital today - Overall I was pleased with the news.  First of all, the report confirmed that the cancer did not spread to the lymph nodes on either side.  So we’re definitely thankful for that.  We also learned that due to the size and the grade of the tumor, it is very likely that she’ll have to undergo Chemotherapy at some point in the near future.  We really won’t be certain about the treatment plan until we have our first appointment with the Oncologist. 
Bev needs to do some recovering before that happens though.  These past 4 days following her surgery have been tough on her, but she’s hanging in there.  She’s been woozy, light-headed, very sore and tender, and has had some bad headaches.  Hopefully over the weekend some of these symptoms will start fading away and she’ll also start eating more. 
Also, I know it’s always an awkward situation when someone’s in bad shape and you think, "If i visit them, i’ll be a burden, but if I don’t visit them, they’ll think i’m a bad friend."  So I’ll make it easy for you (at least for the next few days) - give Bev some air until i send out an email giving you the ok that she’s up for visitors.  It means a lot whenever anyone offers to sacrifice their time and come over, but right now she needs uninterrupted rest all day every day until she gets better.
Finally, even though she’s had to give the computer a break for a couple of days because reading worsened her symptoms, Bev has not been deterred from enjoying all of her email and regular mail and all the other cool stuff that’s being sent.  So thanks again, all of you."  Her email again is: beverlybarr2@gmail.com

Late last week my schedule opened up and I learned that we would be able to attend the game today in Athens.  I posted a blog asking for tickets and WOW did you respond.  Thanks so much for everyone who offered.  DeWayne and Edie Grace had great seats in a shaded area in one of the upper decks and I observed the game from the sidelines.  This game was special because it was the first for UGA VII.  Great friends of ours, the Seilers in Savannah, are the care takers of UGAs present and past.  Their daughter, Swann, is a cervical cancer survivor also. 

It was special to be up close and personal with our great Eagles - football players, coaches, support staff, band, cheerleaders, the real Eagle and of course GUS.

Here are a few pictures to capture the fun of the day for those of you who could not make it.  Nearly 93,000 of you did attend - but I know one or two of you could not make it.,

Special Thanks to LGPFA clients and friends Toni, Keith, David and Frank for making this a great weekend! (be sure to see the real eagle peeking over my side-line armband–Steve has done an amazing job training her!)

Nothing brings out people in Statesboro more than the opening of a new restaurant.  One of the most awaited openings is the new El Sombrero Mexican Restaurant near the mall.  Last night and tonight they held a VIP soft opening and tomorrow at 11 AM you will have an opportunity to see for yourself how incredible this place is.

Edie Grace calls it "the palace" because the domed gold roof gives it a palace look.  College students nick named the original El Som "the Hat" and call this "the Hat on speed".  This is an accurate description.

Abel, the owner and founder, is a good friend.  His story of success is tremendously inspiring.  The building was designed by LGPFA client and architect Kevin Palmer with Maxwell Palmer Architecture and built by LGPFA client Rob Kicklighter of Dabbs - Williams construction.  They all should be very proud!

For those of you who love their adult beverages - you will be pleased to know there are two bars - one downstairs and one open air one upstairs.  We get so many invitations to these type events in Savannah and Statesboro - it is very hard to work these into my schedule.  However, this was one that I would not miss and was thrilled to be included as part of the preview group.  Now, through this blog, you can tell your friends that you too got a sneak preview!

Check it out and let me know your thoughts!

  I remember the first day Beverly and Dustin walked into our church.  They were both tall - so they stood out.  In addition, they were young, vibrant and so full of life.  The recent newlyweds had both just finished law school and had located to Statesboro where they both accepted jobs.  Bev is a staff attorney in the Superior Court of Bulloch County and Dustin is at a law firm in Savannah.  We got to know them better through a life group which met weekly at our church.

A few weeks ago, after finding a lump on her breast Bev received the most terrifying news a woman could ever hear - "you have breast cancer."  With the faith of Abraham and the due diligence of Perry Mason - these two have tackled this bump in the road as aggressively as anyone I have known to go through this.

I had the opportunity to photograph Bev and Dustin and Bev’s siblings last week.  They have all come to town to support them.  After photographing the family they all left to give us some time alone.  Just before I left - I asked Dustin to share with Bev what made her so special that he knew she was the one and then tell her why he would do it all over again.  You will see from the collage of images - the reasons must have been pretty compelling.

I ask you to join me in praying for this beautiful, talented, faithful couple today.  30 is much to young to be going through this.  I do know that prayer works!  One of the most incredible sources of strength I received during my journey of fighting cancer - was the emails, notes and letters from absolute strangers who told me that their Sunday school class, church, etc. was praying for me.  Today is the 6th anniversary of my last cancer surgery - I was 33.  Like me - I know God has an incredible plan for this wonderful couple.  Pray for healing and strength to keep an open heart and mind so soon they will discover the reason for this medical challenge and how God will use them through this to touch so many people in unimaginable ways.

Bev has allowed me to place her email address here and I know she would love to hear from you today - even if it is only FIVE words…"I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!"  It will mean so much to them!

Email her and Dustin at:    beverlybarr2@gmail.com

  " Be careful I am a preacher!" is one of DeWayne’s lines in the play celebrating the life of legendary coach Erk Russell.  Well DeWayne is not REALLY a preacher (although he can lecture with the best of them) but he does portray Dr. Bill Perry in the play.  This weekend they opened to sold out houses and will perform the play again on Wednesday and Thursday of this week at the Averitt Center for the Arts.  They take off the holiday weekend and the show reopens in the Black Box Theatre on the GSU Campus for three more performances.

I know you expect me to be nice with my review because DeWayne is in the play - but this is really a "must see" play.  It is a powerful story about how one man motivated an entire community to do the undoable.  He pulled our community together in such incredible ways.  DeWayne and I were fortunate to have had the opportunity to get to know him and his family.  He was a "larger than life" sort of person.

No matter whether you are a football fan or not, whether you know the story of Erk or even live in Statesboro - this play will inspire, touch and move you.  It will encourage you to "DO RIGHT!"

For ticket information or more information about the play go the the Averitt Center web site by clicking here.

Next Saturday, August 30 the Georgia Southern Eagles will open their season between the hedges at Sanford Stadium in Athens when they take on the Georgia Bulldogs.  Well, I don’t have tickets yet - but I do have a great place to stay in walking distance of the stadium.  Over the past few weeks, many of you have called and emailed and wanted to know if I was coming to Athens.  One client would not take no for an answer and invited us to stay at their home.  You might say they are UGA super fans.   

We will be arriving on Friday evening and be there through Sunday.  I am offering a limited number of sessions in Athens on a first come-first serve basis.  If you are interested please email me at info@lorigrice.com or call 912-764-7274 to get on the list.  We will follow up with you as soon as possible.  Please let us know specifically when you will be in Athens and what window of time would work best for you.

Look forward to seeing all of you in ATHENS!             (preferential treatment WILL be given to anyone I can purchase three tickets from!)