:: volvo 240

howdy, y'all.

i'm in a southern-type mood.
i'll blame it on a volvo '90 240.
it arrived in the driveway today.
in a huge way, i'm PTL-ing. . !
(praising the Lord, of course!)

i'm exceedingly grateful. why?
it was driven here by my uncle.
yup, up from the lone star state.
that's a mighty long drive, right?
(i'm thankful. plain'n simple.)


i took some pictures for you:

hey, that's a volvo.

 a volvo?

 yup, it's swedish.

 swedish, eh? . . .

 . . .seems like a nice car.

 yeah, i like 'em.

 i can see why.

:: Milwaukee Lifestyle Photographer - Thanksgiving Rituals

It's true, Thanksgiving was over 3 months ago. How time has flown that fast, I have no idea. It seems as though Thanksgiving was a start of a long hibernation from which we're now starting to awake. 

With highs in the 30's, we're on the path to Spring! 

The last two Thanksgivings, my brother Joel and I have taken a Bay View adventure on Thanksgiving morn'. This includes grabbing coffee at the faithful Anodyne Coffee and visiting the Lake Michigan lakeshore by the boat club harbor. This newly established tradition is a keeper! There's something about it that so clearly says Thanksgiving: perhaps the "local neighborhood" feel of Anodyne, the chilly lake breeze, and the leafless trees. Last Thanksgiving I decided to do a bit of story-telling and documentation. This is what was captured: 

Enjoy!

Looking Ahead,

Ethan

 The wonderful Anodyne logo...irreplaceable. 

 

Intelligentsia Coffee Joyfest

Does the name "Intelligentsia" sound familiar? Intelligentsia is a high-end coffee chain in Chicago with a great reputation. I've had only a single experience at a café of theirs, and it was fantastic. My brother Joel visited Intelligentsia recently, and to my excitement, he brought some beans home. When he started brewing their Rwandan coffee with his Chemex manual brew, I couldn't resist grabbing my camera. What coffee! Wow, it is so good; it has a dark, spicy flavor and goes down smoothly. I commend Joel for his brewing skills, the Chemex for being a magic-making machine, and of course, Intelligentsia for their beast roasting job.

5 stars, people, 5 stars.


Here are the visuals; I hope you can taste the coffee as you look at them!

Bob Jones University Publication - Milwaukee Missions Photographer

Have you ever had a day that seems entirely surreal? Something happens that you've been waiting a long time for, or you've questioned ever happening. Today was like that for me. 

 I received hard copies of my first ever published work! A few months ago, the editor of the Bob Jones University magazine contacted me. He'd stumbled upon my image collection from my time in South America, and wanted to use a few images for a story in their next issue. My response to his question was an elated "OF COURSE!". I am so excited to not just be getting published, but aid in sharing a powerful story of a family in the Amazon, who have adopted 4 children, and work as missionaries. 

The houseboat in the last full-page image is the missionaries' actual home! While in Brazil, I got to meet their Boxer (seen in the image) - we quickly became friends! 

I am thankful to God for this chance to use the gifts he's given for His work!

Thanks for taking a read & a look. Stay warm. 

Ethan

The full-page image of the dog & houseboat is mine. The image of the family is not mine; I don't know who took it, although I wish I did!

Milwaukee Wedding [Donny & Porscha are Married!] - Milwaukee Wedding Photographer

The Story of:

Donny & Porscha

The love these two share for each other and others around them is immense. I have so enjoyed getting to know Donny and Porscha over the last several months; capturing their story was a blessing to me! Here's the short version of how this all came to be:

 The two met each other through mutual friends (There may or may not have been some matchmaking involved! ;). After a short bit of prayer and seeking God's wisdom, they started dating. Their first date was at Whitnall Park, sitting in Donny's truck in the cold January weather, talking, and looking over the frosty lake. Doing their Bridal Party portraits at that very same location was so fitting. We even used Donny's truck! Enjoy the story of their marriage day; it is my hope that you will catch a glimpse of the beauty that happened.

             

Well, that's the end. . .Of the beginning!