Elijah's Journey

It all started Monday morning, I woke up not feeling normal. I ate breakfast and then began to feel really sick so I went into the bathroom because I felt as if I was going to throw up. I sat there threw up and had the runs at the same time, then I felt a gush I didn't know if it was my water or me just peeing. I called my mom and didn't know what to do, I didn't want to go to the hospital because I had an appointment in about an hour and didn't want to miss it in case the doctor had something important to say. So, I just waited, Jason got home from helping our roommate and the doctors office calls and says the doctor wants me to come in right away (I didn't even call them to tell them what I was feeling or going through). I told them they called at a good time and told them what I was feeling, they wanted me to go to the hospital but I didn't want to miss my appointment. So we went to the doctors and they put me on the NST machince right away. I was contracting every 2 mins and pretty good contractions, I kept telling them it felt like I was having a anxiety attack and they kept telling me "No, honey those are contractions". They then put me in a room to check my cervix and everything. NO CHANGE!!!! But I was IN LABOR! My doctor was excited and kept saying "You're in labor!" he then told me he was sending me to the hospital to get checked and have this baby. I call my mom and everyone else in the family and Jason and I head to the hospital where my mom is waiting for us. We get checked in and still having pretty good contractions but still wasn't changing, so they come in around 3pm and tell me that they are going to start inducing me that night at 7pm. They let us go home and get last minute things done, so we go to applebees to eat and then go home to rest a bit. 6:30pm we head back to the hospital and of course my mom and Jason stop to get icecream at L&L to eat at the hospital (I sadly could not have any) :( So they ate it in front of me. They hook me up to machines and they tell me they can't start inducing with cervidil because I'm contracting too close and too long. So, all night I contract on my own and in the morning around 6am they come in and check me, I was dialated to 3 and my cervix was about 30-50% and I was still -3 station. They tell me they are going to start me on pitocin at 7am. So, they hook me up to pitocin and then send the Epidural guy in to talk to me about it, I said that I didn't want one but if I end up not being able to take the pain I might change my mind. About an hour after the pitocin they broke my water and I started to contract REALLY bad! It hurt so bad I kept holding my breath and was having REALLY bad back labor. The nurses, Jason, and my mom kept encouraging me and telling me I was doing a wonderful job. The nurses were VERY impressed at how well I was dealing with the pitocin. My nurse told me about a pain medication called Newbane, she said it would make me feel like I was a little drunk, I was scared to take it because I didn't want to get sick and I didn't want it to affect Elijah. But the pain kept getting worse and worse so I asked for the newbane. They check me and I'm about 4 1/2 50% effaced and still -3 station and that was around 11am, they said the medication would only last for about an hour. That whole hour I was OUT OF IT! I still felt pain but I couldn't open my eyes and I couldn't really understand what was going on around me. THEN the meds started to wear off, and I was thinking of an epidural because I still had about 20 mins until I could get my next newbane shot, but I couldn't wait, I was in SO much pain. My nurses tell me I need to get up and go the bathroom, I get into the bathroom and start screaming "I HAVE TO PUSH!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT I HAVE TO PUSH NOWWW!!!!!" Jason, my mom, and the nurses kept saying no just breath, they help me to the bed and I kept telling them I needed to push. NO ONE believed me, the doctor checks me and I went from 4 1/2 cm to FULLY dialated and 100% effaced, he was RIGHT there ready to come out!!! I knew it!!! They barely had enough time to get the doctor, I started to push and pushed for 20 mins and there he was on my chest crying. It was the most AMAZING thing!!!! Everyone was crying. I only needed ONE stich! He re-broke my tailbone on his way out and I pulled a muscle in my chest and throat, and broke a blood vessel in my right eye. But other then that it was GREAT! I couldn't have prayed for a better delievery! I was VERY shocked and VERY proud of myself for not giving into the epidural. Elijah Hezekiah Crosariol was born at 1:23pm Tuesday afternoon weighing 10lbs 4.4 oz and was 22 1/2 inches long. He's doing WONDERFUL!!! He is a great eater and is very alert. He loves his daddy VERY much, if he's crying and he hears daddy's voice he stops crying. Jason and I want to thank you all for your love, prayers, and support during this journey of bringing our healthy beautiful baby boy into this world!

Holding my boy, what an amazing feeling it is to be be a momma!

Daddy holding his little boy!!! The two loves of my life!

Time to catch up...

I have been on maternity leave for a long while now and it's time to get back into blogging and business!
I have SO much to blog about and so many photo shoots. I recently had our son, little Elijah Hezekiah was born on July 14th weighing 10lbs 4oz and was 23 1/2 inches. It was a pretty short induced natural birth. Went into the hospital on Monday the 13th having contractions on my own but they weren't strong enough and they wanted to induce me that night but I was still having contractions to close together to often, so they induced me Tuesday morning and he was born that day at 1:23pm.

I have So many photos to post and blog about. I hope you enjoy them!!!

Expanding waistline!

I have never felt as confident and comfortable in my body as I do now! It is amazing how being pregnant can make you feel like the most beautiful momma! I'm really enjoying this pregnancy glow too, it's pretty crazy that I start looking and feeling the most beautiful toward the end of my 2nd trimester. I hope it lasts even after he is born!

I can't believe in just 3 months 1 day I will be holding my little man, in other words let me break that down a few more times for you... We can say 95 days, or we can say 14 weeks until we will be meeting our little Elijah!

So, here are some more recent photos of the expanding waistline (by the way these are all self- portraits):

Wearing daddy's shirt

The most comfortable way to sit when pregnant

I love this photo!

26 weeks pregnant (ultrasound photo 20 weeks)

I started using this pose when I worked at a studio in Indiana and never realized how hard it was to do when your pregnant until now! It's by far one of my favorites!

Maternity photo session

I'm in love with my expanding belly! I love the little movements and I love those really hard kicks to the bladder even though they make you run so fast to the bathroom. But it's just the feeling of a little life inside of you and makes you feel really blessed!

Elijah is now 23 weeks and growing healthy and strong inside the whomb. He's got big feet and long legs just like his daddy, and my nose! He's going to be one tall little man!

Here are some of my maternity photos I have taken at 17 weeks.

(If you are interested in booking for a maternity shoot you can leave me a little note or send me a little email and we can go over details. jonaleephotography@yahoo.com)

Hello world

Here it is, my beautiful little gummy bear baby! I got to see it move and got to see the heart beat, it was the most beautiful and amazing thing I have ever seen!

I feel truly blessed with the most beautiful gift any women could recieve from our Father in Heaven, to be the mother of my child. I have always wanted to be a wife and mother and now my time has come, and I feel very blessed with the most amazing husband my best friend, and now we have the greatest most amazing gift coming in July!

So, here you go my wonderful blog reader's here is baby gummy bear at 9 weeks and 6days.

Alex & Niki are married

Well, Alex & Niki have been married since August 2008 but I have been a little behind on some of my editing. While going there some of there photos that I took for fun, not as there photographer but as a friend, I began to cry. Seeing there love for each other and seeing them grow in there relationship has been a true journey for them. Watching Niki dance with her father brought tears to my eye's knowing how much love her father has for her and the journey they have gone through together was very touching.

Alex & Niki I pray many years of blessing over you two, and I look forward to the new journey the Lord is taking you two on. It has been a honor to be your friend and see you both grow deeper in your faith and love for the Lord and each other!

So, with that here are a few of my favorites from Alex & Niki's wedding, I hope you all enjoy them as much as I do.

New season in life

Wow, so much has happened in the past few months. I got married to my best friend and we are now expecting our first angel July 5th, 2009, and are over joyed and truly blessed! I was the leading top photographer at the studio I was working at in Indiana and now I am back in my own business focusing on families, newborn babies and children, and senior pictures. There is just something about capturing that little yawn in a newborn or that first smile. I have always had a heart for children so I know this is right where I need to be, and with my own little blessing on the way what perfect way to spend time behind my camera.
I'm loving being pregnant besides the morning sickness but it's truly the most beautiful and amazing gift any women could ever receive. I look forward to holding our bundle of joy in July and being able to share him or her with you all through the wonderful moments I will capture through my passion of photography.

Mishawaka here I come

That's right, I'm coming Mishawaka!

I drove what seems like a VERY LONG 2 1/2 hour drive at 7am this morning to Mishawaka to get last minute things done before the big move on Monday. I am excited to say that I am going to be roomming with 4 awesome girls...I'm the only Jona. There are two Ruth's and two Stephanie's, how crazy is that? :)

I'm excited to get to know them all a bit better, and I'm excited to be working at my old job again and going to school for cosmotology to offer more for you (my clients).

Thank you all dearly for your love and support. Clients in Michigan you can still book me for your events...And people of Mishawaka be sure to email me about your upcoming events.

Also, here is a little teaser of some modeling photos that are to be posted in the next few days.

I Twitter

Yup, that's right...I Twitter.
I gave in and got a Twitter account. I update on so many sites now theses days it's almost enough to make someone crazy. I have Myspace, Facebook, this blog, and now Twitter. I guess now that I really think about it, it's not really THAT bad.

On another note...I'm almost done packing and ready to move to Indiana. I go down tomorrow to get everything taken care of before the big move on Monday. I'm really excited! Thank you all so very much for your prayers!

Also, Yesturday was my little sister's birthday. Happy Birthday Brittany!!! She's growing up so fast!

New things

In less than a year I will be able to offer you make-up and hair in your package style. With me moving down to Indiana I will be going to cosmotology school. So I can offer a bit more talent to your photos. I have always loved doing hair and make-up along with photography, so, with being able to offer all three loves it will make for GREAT photos!

Be sure to be on the look out for up-coming blogs! With this new beginning in my life of me moving away I have also did a new beginning in my look. I have cut my hair and colored it dark! I will post some self portraits in the days to come.

Much love blog readers! Thank you for all your support!

Moving

Good news...I will be moving to Mishawaka, Indiana in about two weeks, and Jona Lee Photography will still be running and would love to book your next big event.
Bad news...I will be 2 1/2 hours away from Lansing and from all of you.

Please keep me in your prayers for guidance and for safe travels, and that I get everything figured out down there.
Thank you very much!

Blessings

True Love

I have one of those Chicken soup for the soul Bibles where there are little stories through out the Bible and there is one that will never stop reaching out to my heart. For the past few years the Lord has been showing me the meaning of what True Love is by putting older couples in my life or by showing me scriptures.
Two years ago I came accross this story in my Bible, this story has become to mean allot to me because of a couple the Lord has put in my path that is struggling much of the same as this couple in the story but far more complicated then the the story I'm going to share from the Bible.

Through the Eyes of Love

Susan entered the hospital room with flowers in her hand and a lump in her throat. She had traveled from California to see her best friend, Natalie, who was dying from a rare form of brain cancer. Susan knew this would be the last time she would see Natalie, and she had prepared herself for the worst.
Susan approached Natalie's bedside, barely recognizing the vibrant woman she once knew. Natalie's eyes were closed, her breathing powered by machines, her full face gaunt, her cheeks sunken, her porcelain skin now a jaundiced yellow. Could this be the same Natalie who had hiked the Grand Canyon with her husband, Alford, only a year before? The sight took Susan so by surprise that she could barely catch her breath.
"Susan?"
Susan turned to see Natalie's devoted husband enter the room. "Al, hi..." Susan hugged him and began to cry. Al smiled at Susan, thinking about the fact that Susan had introduced him to Natalie during college. Natalie and Al's courtship was quick, and they were married before the end of their senior year. They shared so many of the same interests: traveling, skiing, and scouring flea markets for quirky antiques to decorate the houses they rehabbed together.
Al and Susan sat at Natalie's bedside, Al taking Natalie's fragile hand.
"I can't believe it," Susan sighed. "She was in remission for five years, and now...you're incredible to stay by her side like this."
Al shook his head, "My place is by my bride," he said, interwining Natalie's skeletal fingers with his own. "She inspires me. She always surprised me, you know? Those mystery trips she'd take me on, the birthdays...I could never suprise her; she was always one step ahead of me.
"I told her when she finished her doctorate in art, we'd buy that sports car we'd always wanted. Something candy-apple red, convertable, real fast. But she couldn't finish the degree because she got so sick. So the last time Natalie was released from the hospital, I decided I could finally catch her off guard. I went out and bought a red two- door convertible!
"When they wheeled Natalie to the curb, I pulled up with the top down, and her face lit up...she could've powered the whole city with the wattage coming from her smile. The orderlies had to lift her up and lower her into the seat because she'd lost so much control of her muscles. But she didn't care, she just kept laughing, shaking her head, saying she couldn't believe it!
"Susan, you should have seen her. I took the rural roads west of town and raced the car as fast as I could. The wind was furious, blowing her hair around. Her cheeks got a little color to them when the sun hit her face. Her eyes sparkled. She was in heaven.
"When she was getting sick, vomiting every night, just aching, I'd do what I could to make her comfortable. Then I'd remind her of driving those back roads, and I'd see her face relax, and she'd look at me the same way did when we first met, with that little girl look."

Susan looked again to the corpse-like body laying on the hospital bed and felt the tears well up. She couldn't see past the physical ravage of the cancer to recall Natalie's vibrancy, her sparkling smile and eyes. As Susan watched Al sit with Natalie gently adjusting her hospital gown and fixing the pillows behind her head, a memory came rushing back to her. She saw Natalie standing at the altar on her wedding day, staring into Al's eyes as they recited their vows. Al's love and devotion to Natalie was so complete that even the waste of cancer couldn't change his vision of the woman he still called "his bride." Susan watched as Al tenderly brushed a stray hair from Natalie's pale brow and whispered, "Isn't she beautiful? I love her so much!"
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That is true love to me! Did you hear that last part: "Al's love and devotion to Natalie was so complete that even the waste of cancer couldn't change his vision of the woman he still called "HIS BRIDE." That is amazing!
In the book of Song of Songs is a poem about a lover and his bride. He sees her with the eyes of love, and she cherishes him with a heart of joy. That kind of love can never be put out, even by great hardship. "Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it." (song of songs 8:7)

As the Lord to show you the meaning of true love.

Waiting

The sight of a bride on her wedding day is breathtaking, the beautiful white dress and the bright bouquet of flowers, and the tears of joy.
A few years ago a good friend of mine got married to her best friend, at the reception I stood off to the side while she through the bouquet. She turned around to see who caught it, and she saw me holding the bouquet. Tears rolled down our cheek and she whispered in my ear, "You're next!" I have not forgotten those words. That was almost 3 years ago (maybe less), I've seen many of our friends get married since then and those words still grace my thoughts. The truth is that I'm still waiting, and much waiting is probably still yet to come. Many of us have the desire to love and to be loved- the perfect love that needs no boundaries, because it originates in and is governed by the Author of Love. We long for the day when we say "I do" to leave our father and mother so we can fully give ourselves to one person without needing to hold back any of our being. But now i s not that time, so we wait!

It says in the Bible 25 times in the book of Psalms that King David waited for the Lord he wrote, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning" (Psalm 130:5-6) "How long must your servant wait? I wait for your salvation, O Lord" (Psalm 119:84, 116). God called David a man after God's own heart. David said, "My soul waits, and in his word I put my hope (Psalm 130:5). I wait...O Lord, and I follow your commands" (Psalm 119:166). While David waited for the Lord to reveal the future, he obeyed the commands that God had given him for the present.

That's what we are called to do as we wait for marriage. As we wait for God to reveal the one he has planned for us, we are to obey his commands and prepare ourselves for our future husband. As we wait, we are to follow the commands that he has revealed to us through the Scripture. Unfortunately, this is easier said then done. How was it that David was able to wait for God's timing? Psalm 27:13-14 gives us the answer: "I am still CONFIDENT of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." David trusted the Lord to do what was best. We, too, can trust the promises of the Lord. We can know that the Lord will work all things out for our good and for his glory!

Even though marriage is not our ultimate hope or source of completion in life, the dream is still close to our hearts. We must never forget that while we are waiting the Lord is working in us and in our future spouse preparing us. "Wait for the Lord," sisters in Christ. "Be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14).

What IS Beauty?

This is something that everyone women struggles with BEAUTY. I recently found an articel in Brio&Beyona about "What is Beauty anyways?" by Kimberly Rae Thigpen. She talks about the different ways women around the world do to look beautiful.

Like in Bangladesh in order for a women to look beautiful she would go to a cooking fire, get some coal and color all her teeth black. Every women wants to look beautiful and we all have our own ways of looking pretty. Kimberly also explaned a few more countries in there ways of looking beautiful, "for some, beautiful is stretching your earlobes down to your shoulders. For others, it means slicing their faces or backs and then rubbing salt into the cuts so they bubble into designs." Ok, to me that does not sound fun!

"In some parts of Asia, girls smear bleach creams on their faces to make them look whiter. In Thailand, women stack gold rings around their necks more and more until their shoulders have squished down and their heads are stretched high above their bodies." That sounds painful! But all these women do this because it is considered beautiful in there country. The bigger the lip, the more jewels, the higher the head the more beautiful you are.

In Africa the Surma people start their beauty around the age of 20. The tribe will make a cut in the lower lip so that a little round clay piece will stretch the hole to make it bigger. The bigger the lip the more beautiful you are. If the women was to take the piece out her lip would hang past her chin.

But you may be thinking, "these women are crazy for doing this to them selves." When really we Americans do some really crazy things to our bodies our selves to look beautiful. How many Americans do you think have gotten skin cancer because they want to look tan all year around? According to the American Cancer Society Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for about 59,940 causes of skin cancer in 2007 and most of the 10,850 is deaths due to skin cancer each year. How many women have died from plastic surgery, being cut to change something they don't like about themselves? In America we have fake hair, fake face, fake body, fake smile, you can pretty much get anything you want done to you fake and that's how to be beautiful. Many women look through magazines and think they have to look like the women in the magazine to feel loved and beautiful. That's not true! The world is lying to you about what is beautiful. The world is telling you to NOT accept yourself and God made you to be. The world is saying you can't be who you are. God knew what he was doing when he made you.
You don't have to look like barbie to be pretty, by the way barbie was plastic. Everyone is going to get wrinkels someday, and you know what!?! That is beautiful!!!
I once came accross a photo on JpgMag.com of a women with stretch marks on her belly (I wish I could find it to share with you), as her caption she wrote "every mark is for every move you made, every mark is for every kick, every mark is for every breath you took within me..." That is beautiful!

Do you want to know the way of looking beautiful? Because I will tell you where you will find it...You will find in God's word, The Bible. God has a definition of beauty for every women no matter what her culture is in the world. It's a beauty that radiates from the inside out, and it delights the eyes of the Lord and the lives of people it touches.
The Bible says that Esther was a beautiful women, but had competition for the crown. What was it about Esther that made her different, a difference that caught the king's eye?
1. She loved the Lord
2. She took advice from her elders that she trusted. (Esther 2:20)
3. She wasn't all about her looks, Esther was herself. (Esther 2:15)
4. She was smart.
5. She cared more about doing what was right then being attractive and liked. She risked her own life to save the lives of her people. (Esther 4:11-16)
Esther's beauty is a true example of the verse in Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised."

Don't let the world tell you your not beautiful. I had a friend once tell me when I was down on my self image that when we look at other people and think "Oh, she is really pretty I wish I could like her." there is other women thinking the same about you. Be Beautiful! Be who God made you to be, love yourself. Don't make the "beautiful" of our world what it's all about because that's not the true beauty, that's just temporary. Be God's definition of Beautiful! It's allot less painful. You need to be who YOU are. Are you following the crowd's definition of what it takes to be beautiful or are you following God's? Know that you ARE loved and you ARE beautiful. Be sure to read Psalm 139 and try to memorize it. Confidence gives you a beautiful glow! Just remember challenges are attractive to guys. If you're showing your body, you're advertising it, not accentuating your beauty.
You're not ment to blend in with everyone else, your ment to shine bright like the brightest start in the night sky. Your ment to be the brightest flower in the wild flowers. You're ment to be unique and original, in other words, being your self is the most beautiful thing.
It doesn't matter who has hurt you in the past or in the present, you are still loved by someone who loves you more then you will ever know and calls you beautiful! It doesn't matter what you have done, the Lord still calls you His beloved. It doesn't matter how big that scar is, the Lord kisses it with love and beauty! The Lord sees everything about you as beautiful! I'm starting to believe all the physical things I've complained about (my height, my weight, my scars) are all the things about me that the Lord loves.
Remember that Jesus loves you with an everlasting love! (Jeremiah 31:3) He has called you out from the darkness into freedom. (Psalm 107:4)

I'm going to dare all you women to be beautiful. Not in the way the world sees beauty but in the way God sees Beauty. I dare you to let the Lords love shine from your heart so bright! Be that brightest star in the night sky! Be the brightest colored flower in the field. You were originated in the mind of God; woven and spun into the living, beautiful masterpiece you are! Ladies YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!! Let the World see the TRUE beauty!

Crown of Jewels

I'm a Princess!

I'm not only a Princess, I'm a Princess becoming a Queen.
I got to thinking the other day about something my mom would tell me and my little sister growing up when ever we did something good, "Jesus is in heaven looking down rejoicing over you, you just got a jewel on your crown in heaven!"

I have a righteous crown in heaven, this crown I await for is a FREE gift! This crown I await for isn't for sale. It's not sitting somewhere in my closet. And it definitely has nothing to do with my own achievements in life.
The crown I await for is a FREE gift from God... given unexpected, and out of love. This crown will only fit a certain kind of Princess- one who is a daughter of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings.

Your probably asking yourself "How can I say I'm a Princess, a daughter of Jesus Christ?" It's because "to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God!" (John 1:12-13)

I may not live in a castle, I may not dress like royalty in gowns of the finest cloth, or go to big fancy events, but I am still a Princess! Second Timothy 4:8 says, "Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

For years I have been seeking to find the meaning of "Your a princess becoming a Queen!" which was a word a good friend of mine gave me. I will probably seek the meaning of it until the day I come before the Lord and he places that crown on my head. But until that day I will be content to know that I AM the heir to a crown that is ment for me, and when I see the King, I'll bow before him and lay my crown at his feet.

Congratulations Melissa & Raph

I met Melissa and Raph last year for there engagement session. They braved the freezing cold weather and still you could see there love for each other through there little jitters of trying to warm up.

This time when I met with Melissa and Raph there was thunder, lightning, rain, and hail. But that didn't stop the day! By the end of the ceremony it cleared up for some great photos!

Melissa & Raph (and family) sorry it took so long to post the photos of your beautiful wedding day! I pray for many years of happiness and many blessing's to you guys on your wonderful journey together! Hope you enjoy a few of my favorite photos!!!

Behind

Wow, So, I'm a little behind on my blogging. I have so much to show you and tell you!!!
So, today is a little bit of catch up with blogging and editing. There will be many posting's in the next few days of the shoots I have done in the last month. Wedding's, models, and more!!! So, be sure to keep your eye open and time for comments. I love to hear from my blog readers!

Many blessing's

Beautiful gift from God

This past weekend I got a chance to see my friends baby...A beautiful 5 week old gift from God! I sat there holding her in the park looking at her as she sleeps, and praying many blessings over her and her future.

I remember when she was still in her mom's belly and I would always talk to her, say little prayers, and try to get her to move. One time I think I got her a little mad because she ither punched or kicked my hand.

This baby is going to be an amazing child of God, she has the most amazing parents to raise her! Liesl and Nathaniel- Thank you SO very much for allowing me to hold and pray for your beautiful blessing! You guys have blessed my life so much since I've met you, you are truly an encouragement to me and my walk with the Lord!

Also, I want to thank you for allowing me to show off your BEAUTIFUL baby!!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the photos, I'm sure there will be many more to come!

Many blessing's to your little family!

Just like an angel!She is SO beautiful!