i♥faces - dramatic black&white

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About the editing:
I removed the color then I messed with the brightness/contrast. I loved the picture how it was, I feel as though the men in uniform and the bride kissing her groom is dramatic enough without too much editing. The grain is actually due to the fact that my camera doesn't perform all that well at night (making editing a bit more difficult), yet for this challenge I feel as though it added to instead of taking away from the emotions of the photo.

A little more personal:

This was my husband's Gunny and his wife was our FRO, recently PCS'd. I took this photo November 14th, 2009. These two had gotten married in Hawaii at the courthouse, they never had a real wedding. Her father has a terrible form of cancer, and she (like most women) longed for her "daddy" to walk her down the aisle before he passed on. So, they held their wedding in the Norfolk Naval Hospital where he is being treated, he wore his dress blues and escorted her down the aisle via wheelchair. While those were dramatic photos, I didn't capture them well. I did capture this- if you aren't familiar with military weddings, the Arch of the Swords is a sight to be seen. Once the couple has walked through the arch, they stop for a kiss, then (in the Marine Corps) the Marine on the bride's side will gently "slap" her on the butt with his sword and say "Welcome to the Marine Corps Ma'am!".

Make Sure:
You check out all the other entries HERE.

I just want to sit, put my feet up, and zone out!

Man has it been a long week (and I still have Friday left, haha!).

Let's see... mainly I've been helping Ruth de-clutter, organize, and prepare her home for TMO to come. It is no easy task, she has FIVE children! One entire hallway of her house is currently devoted to garage sale items/donations. Not only is it cleaning and organizing but the 2yr old is generally home with us during the day, sometimes he goes to the CDC... but when he doesn't, things like my hair getting "styled" with lasagna fingers occur- ewwwwwwww!

On that note I would like to mention it is baby-making season here at the Fort (Needless to say, I don't drink the water). I am constantly telling my pregnant and mom friends that they are the best birth control for me. Seriously though, between their rants and raves about the horrid things their pregnancy is/has put(ting) them through, or what the little boy drug in and where their little girl painted the other day, I am in no way desiring children at the moment. I have also only been married for 4mo and would like some time for hubby and I to just be together.

Back to my week, Wednesday I did get to relax a bit. I drove my friend Michelle to the airport so she could visit her hubs who is away training. Then I picked up my other friend Erin and we went to the Commissary for groceries. After dropping them off at our houses we headed out to Lowe's and Wal*Mart to get a jump start on spring planting. I bought two small strawberry plants, yellow pansies, a green lily plant, and an orange/yellow tulip plant. Will they survive? That remains to be seen... that evening we enjoyed dinner at Erin and her hubby's house then watched the movie Australia, which I loved!

I also volunteered at church creating Resurrection Egg kits to be handed out at the Easter Extravaganza they are hosting this Saturday, it should be a blast. They are bringing in a former WFC wrestler and a Junior Heavyweight Champion to do "amazing feats of strength" and then share their testimonies. =)

Have a great weekend!

No words to be said...

THIS brings tears to my eyes.
Sadness to my heart.
...and fear.

Although I didn't know Mrs. Porto and may never get to meet her... she is a Marine wife going through things we all do (and more that I pray we never have to).

My prayers are with her, their daughter, her family, and his.

R.I.P. Cpl Jonathan Daniel Porto
March 14th, 2010