Thank You!

I just wanted to give a quick update on Arizona's Prop 100 (I blogged before about it here).  The voting was yesterday and it passed!!  THANK YOU to all who voted and took an interest in this issue.  Our kids need the funding at their schools and unfortunately, this needed to happen.  Since my last post on this issue, the Gilbert School Board voted to keep social workers employed no matter how Prop 100 turned out, which was AWESOME.  They realized that our kids need the emotional, behavioral, and physical support that we provide in order to be successful academically in school.  So, that was great.  But now that the Prop passed, all of our employees get to keep the same pay, and not nearly as many are losing their jobs.  Literally HUNDREDS of jobs were saved just in Gilbert, THOUSANDS in the state.  Also, class sizes are staying the same, meaning they are not growing to ridiculous numbers like they could have had this not passed.  Anyway, I am done with the soapbox, I just wanted to say a quick thank you to all who voted and who value the education of our kids.  You rock.  :)

Well Hello My Neglected Blog Readers

I'm sorry I've been gone for so long!  I've been swamped lately with a menagerie of things (tons of sessions, family in town, Easter, re-doing our backyard, job stress, and an 8-month old who's ALL BOY).  Yeah.  Lots. Of. Things.  Anyway, I promise I have MANY pretty pictures to look at coming right down the pipe, but I wanted to take a second (brief, I promise) to get on a little political soapbox.

Let me preface by saying, I NEVER do this.  Even outside of photo-blogging, I stay out of the political arena.  Its just not my thing.  But, this is near and very dear to my heart.  **Side note:: If you live in a state other than AZ, you don't have to worry about this, but keep reading just to know what's going on in my world.**  Anyway, on May 18th, AZ voters will have the opportunity to vote on Prop 100, which adds a temporary $.01 sales tax to benefit schools, healthcare, and public safety.  But mostly schools.  Actually it adds several billion dollars into our school districts that have already been badly cut back.  Now, normally, I am not a proponent of more taxes.  But, seriously, its one cent, people.

One of the programs to get cut (as of right now) if this tax does not pass is the Social Work program in Gilbert Public Schools.  In case you aren't aware, that's what I do when I am not photo-ing.  :)  I LOVE being a social worker.  But more important than my individual job is the thousands of elementary school kids, teachers, and parents that will lose the support we provide them every day.  The child who can't concentrate during the school day because his daddy passed away last week.  The little girl that doesn't want to go home because the only safe and sane place she has in her life is school.  The single mom who doesn't know how she's going to get dinner on the table and pay her electric bill this month.  The teacher who can't teach because a student in her class is throwing objects and yelling obscenities.  The staff member whose husband lost his job and who is about to collapse under the pressure.  These are all specific instances that I have dealt with and continue to deal with all the time.  If this tax doesn't pass this is just one small area that will get cut.  Other areas are still being discussed, but its not looking good.

I'm not going to tell you how to vote.  I just want you to know what is affected by this Prop.  Please think about your decision, and whatever you decide, make sure you go and vote.  Alright, I'll step down now.  Thanks for reading.  :)

Under The Boardwalk, Down By The Se-e-a

Las week was Spring Break for me, so I got to take Greyson to California to spend some much-needed time with my family.  It was great to get away, and the weather was beautiful!  To see some family fun photos from our trip, head over to the DeZago Family Blog and check them out.  On Tuesday, we all headed over to Monterey to take in the amazing vistas.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect and we had such a great time!  Here are some pretty scenic shots from the day...

We don't get green like this in AZ...

Fisherman's Wharf

The amazing waves

Happy Christmas

I hope you were filled with the wonder of Christmas this week.

The Most Busy-est Time of the Year

I know, I know, that's poor grammar.  But, I needed something to fit that expressed my stress level.  So, Christmastime has always been my favorite time of the year.  I love the Holiday spirit, the cool weather, the gathering of family, the songs, everything.  I love what it means and why we celebrate - that God became Man in Jesus so we could live forever with Him.  Last Christmas was kind of difficult for me.  I was about 12 weeks pregnant and towards the end of a grueling 1st trimester.  My job was crazy.  Family was in my house for 2 weeks straight.  It was tough.  (Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but I just wasn't feeling the Christmas spirit last year.)  Anyway, I've been looking forward to this Christmas for awhile.  How fun to have a new baby boy in our house!  Isn't that what Christmas is all about anyway?!  Well, this is the first year that I would say that my photography business is in FULL swing.  I've got Christmas photos, weddings, and seniors coming out of my ears.  I LOVE it and I am SOOO thankful for that, its just crazy busy!!  Plus, I have (or had until Friday) a full time job where the last two weeks before Christmas are definitely my busiest.  Plus, of course, there's Greyson, who is also a full time job!  So, the lack of blogging, the slow turn-around time, and the all-out stressed-out Erin comes from the combination of these factors.  And all I want is to be able to enjoy this time of year as Greyson's first Christmas.  So, thank you for being patient with me.  I have the most awesome clients!

Last weekend, Dan, Greyson, and I went to Chicago for Dan's uncle's wedding.  (Photos of that coming soon).  It was great to see his family and spend time with them before Christmas.  Also, we arrived just after a major snow storm, which was awesome because we got to see all the beauty without all the mess!  So, I was able to take a few minutes (as much as I could handle in 10 degrees!) and snap some shots of the beauty.  Looking at these now reminds me of quiet.  Of peace.  Of renewal.  And THAT is what this time of year is all about.  Happy Christmas Week everyone.

Greyson 3 Months!

Here are more from our awesome [25 minute haha] photo sesh with our boy. I can't believe he is already 3 months old. He is so big, and can sit up for about 3 seconds on his own :) Even though these pics don't show it, he has a pretty awesome smile too.

New Family Blog

Hey, if you're interested in what our little family is up to, check out our new family blog. Its just about us, and has lots of cute pictures of our little guy. Enjoy!

More Gushing...

I just love him :)

Enjoy Greyson's various photoshoots...he is 5 1/2 weeks already!

Introducing...

Greyson Vincent DeZago!  I am so proud and excited to let you all know that he is finally here!  Greyson was born at 8:45 pm on Friday, July 17th.  He weighed a whopping 9 pounds 4 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long!  He has TONS of dark hair like his daddy and is just beautiful!  Friday was a tough day, as I was in labor beginning at 2 am.  We went to the hospital around 5:30 and they asked me to walk for an hour and see what that did.  It progressed me another cm, so they decided to admit me as I was finally in actual labor!  Long story short...I ended up having three (YES, count them) THREE epidurals because for some reason my spine doesn't take to them very well.  And guess what?  The third one wore off too!  And just in time to push.  So, I went through two agonizing hours of pushing with no medication.  Finally they decided after two hours that I was making NO progress and it was time for a c-section.  So, they zipped me off to the OR and gave me the best numbing stuff I'd had all day!  Greyson was then quickly delivered at 8:45 pm.  When they told me how much he weighed, I thought he was someone else's baby!  Then, I realized that he would have never made it out with all the pushing in the world!  Crazy kid.  :)  Anyway, we got home from the hospital Monday afternoon and have been falling in love ever since.  Here are some photos that tell his story.  

His first bath.  I just love this confused look he gets...he is so good at it!

All cleaned up!  I love those eyes. :)

This is Greyson's Yankee outfit.  He looked so handsome in it.  :)

The TWO men in my life.  I LOVE this shot of daddy.

Another shot of the Yankee outfit.  This was the day we brought him home!

Dan has been posting updated pictures on Greyson's very own website.  So click here to view those.  And keep checking back because I will definitely be posting updates consistently. 

5 Years Ago Today...

I made one of the best decisions of my life...I married my best friend.  [Sappy post alert... :)]  The last five years have been full of so many ups and downs, but I couldn't imagine my life with anyone else by my side.  God has used Dan in countless ways, to teach me countless lessons...most of which I am still learning.  For those of you that know us both, you know there couldn't be two more opposite people :).  Dan wasn't my "plan."  Dan loves to sit at his computer doing who-knows-what for more hours than I can stay awake in a day, he hates any food that grows from the ground [exception: mashed potatoes], he had never been camping before he married me, he didn't understand the point of owning a puppy, he's a die-hard Yankees fan, and he is the most literal, exacting, calculated person I have ever known.  But, he loves Jesus with all his heart, he has a faith that challenges mine every day, he wants nothing more than to use what has been given to him to serve God and help others, he works so incredibly hard to support his family, he is enormously creative, he is always coming up with new and better ways to do things, he is a high school boy at heart [and I hope he never loses that], he loves his unborn son more than words can say, and he is my very best friend.  I know this is a really long post, but I just wanted you all to know how incredibly proud I am of my husband.  I wouldn't be who I am today without him.  He is God's biggest tool [in a good way!] in my life.  

I love you with all my heart and I know that as we enter this adventure called parenthood, I will love you even more than I can imagine.  Thank you for being you, because I can't imagine life any other way.

july 10, 2004:

Some Fun Shots :]

A few weeks ago, Dan and I took a weekend trip to Flagstaff just to get away.  It was sort of a pre-baby, early-anniversary, let's-get-out-of-the-heat trip.  While up there, we drove up to one of our favorite places we've camped, Lockett Meadow, and took some "maternity" shots.  Dan did a great job since it was just the 2 of us, and the ones with both of us in them are a product of the timer and a nice stump.  They didn't turn out half bad, if I do say so myself!  So, here we are...about 35 weeks pregnant.  

P.S. - I really love all the lines that the aspen trees create.  Made for some interesting images, I think.  And, if you ever get a chance to head up past Flagstaff, make the trek up the 3 mile dirt road to Lockett Meadow.  It is amazing and definitely worth it.  :)