Lowcountry Thoughts

In Defense of Creation...

2011-03-24T00:09:00.001-04:00

Taken from Earth Age:

Those who hail evolution as a “fact” are either ignorant of the facts, or lying about them. The fact is that scientists have only been able to create 13 of the 20 amino acids that make up protein molecules. And even these (almost always) consist of 50/50 mixtures of L-type (left-handed) and D-type (right-handed) amino acids. This is about as far from making a living organism as a piece of silver is from a computer (with monitor, printer, and electricity) running Windows XP. For even the most "simple," self-replicating, bacterium contains many thousands of protein molecules, of 600 different types, that consist of left-handed (only) amino acids --each of which is connected in just the right order, like words and sentences on a page, while the most basic protein molecule (only 8 amino acids long) has never been observed to form naturally.

The most basic self-replicating bacterium is called Mycoplasma genitalia. It consists of at least 40,000 protein molecules of 600 different types, has 482 genes, and can't survive on its own but requires the aid of a more complex "host" organism. To suppose that one of these extremely complex creatures came into being by itself (over Billions of years) is an unsubstantiated speculation of the highest order and is NOT based on empirical (i.e. observed) science, but rather upon a blind faith in the power of matter to somehow organize itself by time and chance, while overcoming the destructive forces of nature such as heat, oxidation, hydrolysis, and numerous toxic chemicals.

For example, is there any reason to expect that a "Creative" bolt of Lightning, or "Ocean Bubble" could ever produce a half-way-formed "pre-mycoplasmic" organic blob of cells, that would --in 100 Billion years --make itself more and more complex, to the point where it could maintain and Reproduce itself ? Or would such a (hypothetical) halfway formed blob of chemicals simply decay and degrade via natural processes? Like it or not, the facts of science declare that such an imaginary "pre-creature" would not complete this process on its own, but would instead merely decay back into the unintelligent matter from which it came. In other words, a belief in evolution is based much more on (blind) faith, as opposed to scientifically observed facts.

For example, living organisms possess a molecule called DNA. This molecule contains the information needed to make a specific life-form, and which enables it to maintain and repair itself. The DNA molecule is mysteriously broken down into genes. One DNA molecule may have thousands of different genes (i.e. protein blueprints) in it. These genes are (relatively) small portions of chemically coded information that are used to make protein molecules. The DNA cannot "decode" itself, but requires the aid of numerous proteins (that also don't form naturally) to do so. If a DNA molecule were compared to a book, then its genes would be the equivalent to individual (long) words or sentences of that book, and the DNA equivalent to the Book itself, but the living organism itself is even more complicated than that because it can actually reproduce itself, and because.... The DNA in Living organisms can make molecular copies of itself called RNA (with near perfect accuracy) and transfer that information to ribosomes. In other words, the RNA molecule is a mobile copy of DNA. Meaning that once the RNA copy is complete, it literally travels to a different part of the cell (i.e. the Ribosome) where the information is used to make proteins. Ribosomes are tiny protein factories that take the information from the RNA and use it to make homochiralic proteins from L-type amino acids. Proteins are not known to form naturally in slime-pools, or Ocean vents, or Laboratories, but rather are only made by living organisms. The great majority of living organisms are also quite fragile and require a protective membrane to enclose them and to keep harmful substances out. If they get too hot or too cold they will die. If there isn't enough oxygen, or if there are poisonous substances present they will also die.

Cole's Miracle

2011-03-11T10:32:00.011-05:00

A little over 7 years ago Kirstin and I experienced nothing short of a miracle with the birth of our son Cole. Since I have pretty much neglected my blog for some time and I needed space to explain the situation for an acquaintance I felt it was a good time to get this moving again :-)

It basically started out with Kirstin having a feeling that something was not right with Cole about 4 weeks before his due date. He was not being active like he had been and this worried her. After a call to the OBGYN it was decided to go ahead and visit the hospital and run a few tests just to make sure all was ok.

Well, they stuck a small pig tail looking device in the top of Cole's head to monitor his heart rate and many other things I can not pronounce much less spell. His heart rate stayed constant and his movements were very few which alarmed the doctor and nurses greatly. The next thing I know we are hearing it is time for a emergency C-Section.

Everything happened really fast at this point. My wife was taken to the OR for prep and I was taken to a changing room to get some make shift scrubs on. Once I got inside the C-Section started withing minutes. I watched as the doctor made the incision across my Kirstin's lower mid section and remember her side stepping an ocean of amniotic fluid that came next. I was nervous and knew something was really wrong but never let my wife in on it. The doctor pulled Cole from the incision she had just made and I noticed that Cole was the color of an elephant. He was grey, not moving and not crying. Cole is our second child so I knew

how the first delivery went and how Logan looked. This was a complete 180 from that.

Cole was handed from the OBGYN to our Pediatrician who immediately went to work trying to get Cole to breathe. I remember taking a step to go see what was happening and another doctor taking my arm and telling me to stay with Kirstin. I lied to Kirstin and told her everything looked fine and that they were just getting him to move. It took around 6 minutes for the doctor to get Cole to breathe and somewhat cry. From there he was taken to the nursery and put on oxygen.

Next thing I know it is being explained to me that he probably had been sitting on his cord and swallowed meconium. Then MUSC sent their Meducare Ambulance for transport from East Cooper Hospital. I then had to leave Kirstin at East Cooper and follow EMS to MUSC where we would spend the next 2 weeks.

When I got to MUSC I was told by doctors that he probably would not survive the night. They led me back to where he was and all I could see was him hooked up to an uncountable number or wires and hoses.

From the time we knew something was wrong Kirstin and I began to pray. This was the biggest storm we had ever faced and we had to completely depend on God to give us strength and pull Cole through. We depended on our church family for support and prayer as well. You see I have always been a Christian but I had not always been the spiritual leader God expects me to be. I had just started back to regularly going back to church maybe 2 months before this happened.

Now back at East Cooper they told Kirstin that once she was able to shower on her own she would be able to discharge and go to MUSC with Cole. So that day she showered on her own and headed down with me to MUSC ;-)

Over the next 2 weeks we were told numerous things were wrong with Cole. His liver and heart were not working right, he had to have frozen plasma injected constantly, and his lungs were not strong enough to support life were the first troublesome issues. How did we handle this? We prayed. We also had a church family praying and fellow Christians all over the world praying.

Next up they told us that they had found hundred tiny bleeds on his brain and that if he survived them (which was slim) he would be vegetable like. We turned to God again and prayed.

The next day they did another brain scan and could not find any bleeds. The doctor actually said to us, "I do not understand this...I have never seen this happen before. Ever." He may not have known why but Kirstin and I did.

Over the last week of being at MUSC Cole slowly recovered from every thing that was wrong with him. Finally a nurse came in and asked us if we were ready to take him home...it was New Years Eve 2003. As we got Cole ready to head home the doctor explained to us that Cole probably would never use his arms and legs. They were so weak from all the damage he had suffered and would not recover. The doctor also explained that his speech may be affected as well. We really didn't care, we just wanted our son home.

After his birth we had to follow up with the High Risk Clinic at MUSC once a year so they could assess his disabilities and help us with any rehab he might need. Every year we had doctors read his chart outside the room. They would walk in and look at Cole then walk out to make sure they were in the right room. Every one of the doctors would tell us that there is no reason that Cole should be alive. Science said Cole should be dead but God had other plans.

So here we are 7 years later and Cole has absolutely no effects from all the issues he had! As a matter of fact we nickname him Calvin from Calvin and Hobbs as well as Tornado because he has two speeds: High and Sleep.

Through this ordeal Kirstin and I learned to rely on God totally. We saw nothing short of a miracle. My personal opinion is that God used this storm to bring us closer to Him. He taught me to rely on his timing and his mercy. He made me grow as a Christian and a father. We never know for what purpose God places these trials in our lives. We never can see the big picture that God can.

While going through the trial of Kirstin's chronic illness (which I will need an entire book to chronicle) I had two different friends tell me something that helped he. At different times each of them told me, "You never know who is watching you go through these times. You don't know who you are affecting and possibly turning to God because of your compassion towards your wife and how you care for her. God is using your trouble for a greater good".

That helped to sustain me through some of the roughest points in Kirstin's illness. They were right and I will never know why God allowed my trials. I just know he used them for his greater good. And when I finally make it to Heaven I hope He will tell me, "Well done my good and faithful servant..."

Words With Friends - Let's play!

2010-10-29T15:37:00.001-04:00

I've invited you to a game of Words With Friends on the iPhone and iPod Touch!

Tap here to download it from the App Store.

See you in the game!

"Hope knows no color"

www.angelmissionshaiti.org

Aislynn Update…

2009-12-03T17:01:00.001-05:00

Aislynn has been doing great and starting to really grow. She is working on talking and almost has Cole and Logan’s names down. She says thank you, milk, please, momma, daddy, and several others. She has really been a blessing and thank everyone who has helped us.

Christmas Cards…

2009-09-23T15:26:00.001-04:00

It is time to start scheduling your Christmas photo shoots. I have several different designs to choose from. Email me at googephotography@gmail.com to schedule your session. Now through October 11th I am only charging $50.00 for the 30 minute session! Below are a few examples of designs we have available…

All In God’s Timing…

2009-09-05T22:26:00.001-04:00

We often say in Gods timing but do we truly know what that means. I am going to tell you about my last week here in Haiti. Let me know what you think.

I was scheduled to bring Sammy back to Haiti Sept. 1. Unknown to his family so that we could get the reunion on tape with out them knowing he was coming.

4 weeks before this scheduled trip. I receive an email asking if I still worked in Haiti. There were these Christian bands and Rap artist who were going to raise money for AMH and some others working in Haiti. Would I be in the Miami area on Aug. 21.

Well I was not to be in the Miami area and I really did not want to miss the first days of school with my children. But if I were to fly to Miami on the 21^st. It only made since and saved funds to go on to Haiti early and return Sammy.

So we made plans to come to Miami for the concert and then fly onto Haiti with Sammy. I went to the Embassy where he was received as a Star (No one including me ever thought he would make it )

The next day I got tickets for me and Bill Nathan to go to Port de Paix to take Sammy back to his mother and father. We did not tell any of them. We went and were met at the airport by a driver. But Sammy’s bag did not make the trip. So we had to spend the entire day at the small airport waiting for the late flight to bring us his meds and formula all of his clothing.

It was almost to late to travel to Sammy’s home town (3) hours away Basin Bleu. But we went. Got there right before dark. Took Sammy to his Uncle then his parents house. The reunion was wonderful. We stayed at Missions of Love they were wonderful and did not even know we were coming. The next day I went back to Sammy’s house to see him before we started back to Port de paix. We were driving and the doctors said to me. Have you ever seen triplets survive in Haiti. I told him know, it is even rare for twins to make it. He pointed out a road and said that two months ago there were triplets born down that road. Do I want to go take a photo of them. Sure I was seeing the small village and people that would be great. So we went.

Well we got there and in a bed was 3 of the smallest human beings I have ever seen. They were all ill, running a fever and barely breathing. The mother said she had been praying for God to send an Angel to take them. And just that day I had worn my Angel Missions T-shirt. She said she thought he would send an angel to take them to heaven. She was so happy to see me. Mom is also ill. They showed me mom has NO milk, they had been given 3 cans of formula when the babies were born but they were empty. Showed me the empty cans. I was told for the last 8 days all they could give them was sugar water. (Not clean water but out of a dirty creek)

They asked me to take the babies. Please make them well like you did Sammy. How do you say No to that. I prayed and both the doctor and I thought that two of them would not make it through the night. The doctor even said maybe you should wait come back tomorrow to see if they are still alive. I looked at the parents told them that there were no promises that they would live even tonight but if they wanted I would take them to Port au Prince and try to get medical visas for them. I told them over and over that they may die.

The father, doctor and myself picked them up and headed out to the car. I do not think they wanted to give me time to change my mind. We looked all over the small village No formula or even powdered milk anywhere to be found. We went to Sammy’s parents and asked for a little bit of formula and a bottle. We got a dropper from the doctor and started to feed them back at Missions of Love, We got a few droppers in each baby. I threw all of my stuff in a bag and we headed to Port de Paix.

I knew of a Missionary there who had said we could stay with them anytime we were in town. So we went. 3 ½ hours later we arrived. Me, Bill and 3 babies. (Lashbrook Family Ministries) They took us in and helped me to do all necessary for the next 2 days to keep these little angels alive. They gave us formula, bottles, diapers, cloths, they stayed up with me and them and we fed them every 2 hours. Well sure enough they came around. I also got medication for them all as soon as we got into town. Called the US doctor and asked how much to give each of them. 1 cc because they are so small. We gave them on drop of cough meds and Tylenol around the clock all fevers broke.

Hanna, Vance, Audra, Julie, Keith, took such wonderful care of us and they already have 115 children depending on them.

On Sunday we returned to Port au Prince by air. Me Bill and 3 smaller than new born infants. (remember now that they are 2 months old).

Showed up at St. Josephs gave Michael the scare of his life. He is happy my clinic is next door. He also has been so very helpful and my boys are priceless as always.

We got Dr. Jack on Sunday to see all 3 babies he was amazed at how they look. How well they are doing and how small they are. The littlest has Pneumonia and the other have horrific colds. Fevers that come and go. But it has now been 5 days and all are still alive.

We are working on Medical visa’s for all three. We are praying for their recovery and the funds to come in for me to get them all to the US.

I started this out in Gods Timing. His timing is always perfect. If I had not listened to him and went to Miami and then on to Haiti. These 3 beautiful little girls would not be here now.

Please keep us in prayer. For all who live close in Virginia we are going to set up a volunteer sheet for people to come to the house and help us with the babies around the clock. Please consider signing up for a shift here and there. For anyone who feels led to help with the expense please send donations to Angel Missions Haiti (for Grace, Hope and Faith) I named them this so I could keep up with them. There given names are very close to the same name. Wayne, Waylande, Wayline. I am very sleep deprived and need to keep straight in my head who I am working with at all times. We are recording all intake and out take of formula. Had only a few vomiting spells.

Thank you to everyone who is helping and will help with these babies soon. Love V

4 days after getting them

Hope, Grace, Faith (Grace and Faith are identical)

These are preemie cloths that are way to big on them.

New born diapers cover them all the way to their chest

Vanessa A. Carpenter

I Heart Faces Wedding Bells…

2009-06-30T22:17:00.001-04:00

I ♥ Faces

This Photo was taken at the beach of the 2 flower girls…someone or something was apparently waaaayy more interesting than I was ;-)

A Day at the Aquarium..

2009-06-25T00:00:00.001-04:00

Kirstin and I took the kids to the SC Aquarium a couple of days ago. They all had a blast! Here are a few pics from the day:

We called these the “Singing Fish”

Getting 3 kids to smile and look in the same direction is impossible:

Guitar Hero…

2009-06-24T20:52:00.001-04:00

Logan and Cole rockin’ out on Guitar Hero to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”..

Let’s Hear it For the Boys…

2009-06-22T13:09:00.002-04:00

It’s “Boy’s Week” over at I ♥ Faces this week so in honor of that here is Cole. He was not happy with me when I took this shot ;-) I was trying to work out some off camera lighting and he was tired of being my muse…

Week 23 at I ♥ Faces with a theme of “Sepia.”

2009-06-16T10:55:00.001-04:00

Week 23 at I ♥ Faces with a theme of “Sepia.”

Meet Aislynn…this is the little 18 month old girl we are in the process of adopting from Haiti. She came to the US to have surgery and while she was here her mom passed away back in Haiti. Her grandfather said he could not care for her and signed over legal guardianship to us. She has been a real blessing to our

I Heart Faces….

2009-06-01T16:06:00.001-04:00

This is our English Mastiff Hadley. She is about 140lbs and 6 years old. I look forward to seeing all the cool pets this week on www.iheartfaces.com!

Cole Jammin’ on the Guitar…

2009-05-19T17:36:00.001-04:00

I walked upstairs and found Cole jammin’ to his Kids’ Bop Cd. Of course he stopped singing when he saw me but he kept playing!

I ♥ Faces Entry…

2009-05-18T08:33:00.001-04:00

"I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites."

Some Time with Steve..

2009-05-14T12:13:00.001-04:00

Today I got to spend a little time with someone I met on Twitter as Murphy24p. Steve is a videographer who does work at Seacoast Church at the Mount Pleasant campus. He is involved with some great ministries and needed a headshot or two for a conference he has coming up. These were some of my favorites:

Worst Pain Ever…

2009-04-22T19:31:00.001-04:00

I woke up this morning and started getting ready for work. Then out of no where the most excruciating pain I have ever felt hit my left side. It felt like a muscle was contracting so hard it was going to burst. Like a knife being jabbed into me. This pain brought me to my knees! Kirstin was up and took me to the Summerville Medical ER. Everyone there did a great job in diagnosing my kidney stone. I received wonderful pain medicine that took the edge off. The Doc said I may hurt like that some more as the stone travels my kidney…great!

I am so glad that Kirstin was there to drive me to the ER and comfort me. She was a huge help! The Summerville Medical ER staff also did a great job and I thank them for their compassion!

PS..Mike- I am sorry I made fun of you when you had one ;-)

Ravenel Bridge Run 2009…

2009-04-04T13:43:00.001-04:00

Here are a few pictures from the 2009 Cooper River Bridge Run:

Obama Bows to Saudi King…

2009-04-02T22:13:00.001-04:00

Come on Mr. President…that is not the proper protocol!

Ravenel Bridge at Night…

2009-03-31T22:53:00.000-04:00

I just installed Windows Live Writer and must say I seem to like it so far. It lets you draft and publish blog entries with a bunch of different options. Good stuff…

Below is a picture of the Ravenel Bridge taken about a month ago. I have had several people ask about purchasing a copy so if you want one as well just email me at cgooge@gmail.com and let me know what size you want. We can print pretty much any size you want…even if you want it the size of your wall ;-)

Going Away....

2009-03-29T13:21:00.002-04:00

At least for a week ;-) I am heading to Columbia for my firearms instructor re-certification and Kirstin will be left to fend for herself until Friday. It has been a long time....years in fact...since I have been away from her and the boys. Her health has never allowed for it but now she assures me she can handle it. I know she can and I just hope the boys don't drive her crazy ;-) Jim, fire up the wagons I'm heading out...Meet me where we discussed. Fake IDs are ready...(inside thing)

Anyways, pray for strength for Kirstin and good behavior for the boys and girl.

On a side note I wanted to say that today's service was really good today...Awesome job to Kimberly who kept going even after a power snafu! It was really moving! And how about that horn section: trumpet and 2 saxes...at least for a little bit ;-)

Beginning the Adoption Process...

2009-03-16T17:28:00.007-04:00

Kirstin and I have decided to begin the adoption process for Aislynn Hope! For those of you that do not know we have been a host family for several different children from Haiti who needed surgery here in the USA. While Aislynn was here her mother in Haiti passed away. She stayed with a host family for a bit before coming to us.

Now Kirstin had been very sick for a long time. We fought her illnesses for 4 years and then had an all out war for 2 really hard years. Then in October of 2008 Kirstin had a seizure and was hospitalized for a week. While there her medicines were adjusted and improvement was seen almost instantly. Since then I have seen a dramatic improvement in Kirstin's health as she has gone to being bed ridden for 25 days a month to being out of bed 25 days a month. There is usually a 5 day stretch each month that she feels the full effects from her illness but still not like it used to be.

I have heard whispers and clammering about "How can you take on a 16 month old after just dealing with all the medical garbage?" or "We are not sure it is a good idea for you to start this process with Kirstin the way she has been". Well, here is what I have as an answer for you. It is in parts so bare with me. One part of the answer is this: You must not know me as well as you think if you believe I would take this on with Kirstin in a medical conundrum. I have been through the roughest 2 years of my life up to October of 2008. I worked full time and cleaned my house full time and took care of Kirstin & the boys full time. That is a lot of full time jobs! Needless to say I became exhausted. Physically and emotionally. I would not add to my list of chores if Kirstin and I could not handle it!

Part II: Kirstin is better than she has been in a long time! I do not expect for people that are not involved in our lives on a constant basis to know this so I am letting you know now. She still gets tired, hurts on a daily basis, etc but not nearly like she has been in a long time! Rest assured; I have a handle on it! ;-)

Part III: When God places something or someone in your life to take care of you must say, "Yes sir! I will take care of it/them for you". This is not about my will or Kirstin's will. This is about God's will. I had some reservations in the beginning, doubts if you will. Then I began to pray about them and found that the reservations were my will. God's will was for us to take this little girl in and raise her the best we can. What kind of life would she have back in Haiti? If the government did not mark her for death due to having surgery she would be in the poorest country in the western hemisphere where they eat dirt mixed with oil as a cookie for meals. There is no food, no water and the government can make you disappear at will.

I think we as a society have become too selfish...worrying about one's self versus others. We do not walk down the Jericho road looking for others to help. We turn away and hope not to make eye contact with those in need for fear we may be inconvienenced on our travels. Self absorbed is a better term.

So as I conclude my rant and put my soap box back in the shed :-) I want you to ask you a couple of questions. Are there people or circumstances you could be helping but choose not to involve yourself for selfish reasons? Do you travel the Jericho road in search of the fallen or just pass by because you are too busy? Are you praying that God's will be done and not your own?

Now for my caveat: I know I am not perfect and there are areas in my life that I must improve upon. For those things I pray everyday. I am not trying to preach to anyone. I just want your eyes opened to my circumstances and feelings on the matter. This is a very exciting time for us and we hope you will join us on our adventure! That is all ;-)

Logan has Two Birthdays...

2009-02-20T19:58:00.003-05:00

Logan celebrated his actual birthday at home with a Harry Potter cake and then celebrated with his friends at the House of Bounce two weeks later. Thanks to Mike for taking pics while I operated the video camera at the House of Bounce

Neglected the Blog...

2009-02-14T16:15:00.002-05:00

I did not realize how long it had been since I last blogged...just over a month! I guess I was just enjoying the rest since our last wedding. We have geared up and are in full swing this season as we have double the amount of bookings since last year!

I have also been busy with web pages over the last couple of months:

and now gearing up www.half-pintdesigns.com.

Kirstin and I took the family bowling yesterday and you can see a video of that here:

Aislynn Avoids Kirstin's Camera...

2009-01-08T21:04:00.003-05:00

Kirstin tried to get a picture of Aislynn but every time she got close Aislynn went the other way:

Meet Aislynn...

2009-01-03T17:39:00.003-05:00

Kirstin and I are hosting Aislynn who is from Haiti. She came over here to have surgery and while here her mother passed away. She is 14 months old but only 15 pounds...she is small! If Kirstin's health stays as good as it has Aislynn may stay with us for a long time...

Cole's Police Helmet...

2008-12-29T15:41:00.002-05:00

Cole got a neat little police helmet from Santa this year...

Cole's 5th Birthday...

2008-12-22T13:41:00.003-05:00

Even though Cole has been sick for a week we had a Spiderman cake to celebrate his birthday. He still is not feeling well but hopefully he will take a turn for the better after seeing the doctor today.

Busy, Busy...

2008-12-16T21:59:00.002-05:00

The last couple of weeks have been really busy and my blog has suffered for this. I have had several family shoots and weddings along with picking up 4 clients who need web pages. We have our last wedding of the year this Saturday then Kirstin, the boys and I will be heading to Florida for Christmas. Not to mention our youngest son has his birthday this Friday....whew...

Hopefully I will be able to get a few shots up before we head out...

On the Way to Bishopville...

2008-12-08T15:40:00.002-05:00

Mike and I found this place on the way to Bishopville on Saturday and had to stop for a few shots...

McKenzie Comes Over..

2008-12-03T18:10:00.003-05:00

Kirstin and I got to see McKenzie today and my has she grown so fast!! I got a couple of shots of her with Kirstin before she left:

Mike Frys a Turkey...

2008-11-28T19:49:00.003-05:00

Mike, Rach, and the kids came over for Thanksgiving yesterday. I had never seen Mike do any type of manual labor so I had to snap a few shots of him frying a turkey. I must say he did a great job!

Filling the needle with cajun butter...

Looking for just the right spots...

I do not know why he had that look so I left at this point...

AWANA Pinewood Derby...

2008-11-28T19:27:00.003-05:00

This year Logan had an Air Force themed pinewood care for the AWANA derby. This car was much faster than last year's car. While he did not place he is much closer and hopefully will have it down for next year!

Logan's is in the middle..

Mommy and Cole...

Logan watching intently...

Two Local Vendors...

2008-11-21T08:29:00.002-05:00

You have probably seen me blog about two local vendors here in Charleston that we use a bunch. One is Seaside Gift Baskets and the other is Breathe Soy Candles.

Seaside Gift Baskets just added their holiday section so swing by there to check out all the great things you can send to family and friends...most baskets have a Charleston flair to them which makes it even better!

Breathe Soy Candles just added new scents and new holders...My favorites are the Charleston Sweetgrass and CoCo.

13th Anniversary...

2008-11-15T08:31:00.003-05:00

Kirstin and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary on November 11th. Over the last 2 years or so Kirstin has been very hard on her iPod...it was thrown away accidentally, has been dropped, fell into water and kicked. I sent it off to be fixed and the estimate was not worth it. Instead of getting a regular iPod I decided to get her one of the new Nanos...Man this thing is small and light! It has 8 gigs of memory and comes in several new colors. Kirstin wanted purple. If you order one online they will engrave it for free..

Team One...

2008-11-06T21:07:00.003-05:00

We got our team together to take a few photos at Patriots Point. Credit for the photographs go out to Ray Haupt who was gracious enough to take these for us:

Here the team was fighting the no see 'ems

Mistaken for a Bartender...

2008-11-04T13:31:00.003-05:00

So Mike and I photographed a wedding on Sunday that was a total blast. Everything went well and everyone was great to work with. Now at the reception I took a moment to sneak over to where the drinks were to pour myself a nice cup of Diet Coke. As I poured my drink a guest pushes three cups towards me and asks me to please fill her cups with ice. I know I had a confused look on my face which was unintentional, but I obliged and found the ice for her. Something funny like that seems to happen at every wedding we go to. Sorta like the time Mike got pulled over...

;-)

Voted Today...

2008-11-04T13:26:00.003-05:00

My voting experience today was pretty good. I stood in line for about 2 hours which was not too terribly bad. 2 of the 8 voting machines were broken at my precinct but the poll workers were courteous and helpful. A couple of people in line were complaining about time in line, why are workers not doing more, where is the coffee, etc...I come to expect anymore.

If you have not voted yet get off your duff and do so ;-) It seems that this election is going to be closer than people expected.

A Long Time in the Making...

2008-10-26T20:28:00.002-04:00

Today was a banner day for Kirstin and I...well this weekend was. Saturday we had Mike and Rachel over for dinner and photography talk. Kirstin made potato soup and chocolate chip cookies. Then today Kirstin sang in the choir while I played bass guitar in church. That was a first for us! Hopefully it was the first of many more to come! We both have been praying for her health to improve for years and I think God has sent us a miracle. Her health has improved more in the past 3 weeks than I have seen in the last 3 years. I pray that this trend continues!

This trial has been a very exhausting one but God has seen me through and sustained me when I felt as if I could continue no more. I don't know why storms enter our lives...but two good friends of mine explained it to me this way: "There are people out there watching how you handle this Chip. God is using this to speak to someone...you just do not know who is watching who may come to know Him as a result of you holding steadfast". Those words have helped me get through the tough times and I hope they can help anyone else facing a storm as well. Trust in God and when a miracle happens give him the credit ;-) In our fast paced society we sometimes lose site of the miracles He performs everyday.

Awesome Gift Baskets...

2008-10-23T12:12:00.005-04:00

I found a Charleston based gift basket store online the other day and I must tell you that they have some awesome stuff! The website is http://www.seasidegiftbaskets.com/. They have baskets for every occasion like a new baby, girlfriend/wife, weddings, etc. They are reasonably price too! You can not order online just yet but you can view their inventory and make a call to the owner to place your order. Check out the Taste of Charleston section while you are there!

And the Winner is...

2008-10-22T06:22:00.003-04:00

Shawn Bacote! Thanks to everyone who participated.

Shawn has graciously decided to step aside and allow our second place finisher to have the prize so that means Chris Darling will receive the cards. Chris came in second by a mere 17 minutes.

Anyone else who still needs Christmas cards check out my earlier post below..we are still running the 25% off special through the end of October.

25 Free Christmas Cards...

2008-10-21T13:58:00.006-04:00

For those of you in the Crossroads Community Church Worship Team: The first person to email me the secret phrase gets 25 free Christmas Cards and a 30 min. photo session. The template you win is the one pictured here. It is a 4x5.5 flat card with a front and back. Good luck.

cgooge@gmail.com
Phrase "Calms the Storm"

Picking Out Pumpkins..

2008-10-20T16:35:00.002-04:00

We made to Knightsville today and picked out several pumpkins for us to carve out. Above Cole picked out a small one...

Logan also wanted a small one..

At Yesterday's Wedding...

2008-10-19T20:20:00.004-04:00

Mike and I had some time before yesterday's wedding to get a few shots of us. This rarely happens but I think we got some pretty good stuff. I'll post some more later but here is one of Mike on the church steps...looking pretty sexy (at least that is what he said).

Christmas Cards Discounted...

2008-10-18T08:47:00.010-04:00

For those of you who still need to get your Christmas cards ordered we are taking 25% off our normal prices! If you have not had a family session we will do a 20 minute mini session which is included in the price. All cards are printed on high quality, glossy paper. Other options are available. Prices below are for 25 cards:

4x5.5 Folded $60.00

5x7 Folded $67.00 (pictured bottom)

4x5.5 Flat $55.00 (pictured top)

5x7 Flat $65.00

5x5 Tri Fold $80.00

4x5.5 Accordian $90.00

5x7 Folded Wide $95.00

Contact me at chip@tillmanbranch.com for more information and to see the other designs we carry.

Logan Labels his Dresser & McKenzie Visits...

2008-10-17T12:00:00.003-04:00

I went upstairs to tuck Logan in last night. Everything seemed normal. I went to get his clothes for the next day and behold...he had labeled his dresser with a black marker. When asked why he would engage in such malfeasance and he stated, "Sometimes I forget"....

We got to watch little McKenzie today although she isn't really little any more. She has started walking and growing and I don't like it ;-)

Shooting Downtown...

2008-10-16T19:43:00.004-04:00

Mike and I met Matt and Sarah who are fellow photographers from NY downtown. They are a super nice couple who turn out so awesome shots!

Here is Mike looking for a shot

Matt with one of the super cool models

Sarah with another

Two of the models:

Brinson Wedding...

2008-10-09T15:56:00.003-04:00

We shot another great wedding on Sunday..Here is one of my favorite shots:

Kirstin Coming Home Tomorrow...

2008-10-07T21:10:00.003-04:00

Since spending 5 days in the hospital Kirstin will be coming home tomorrow! The doctor has changed some medicines and hopefully this will lead her on the path to wellness. Her chronic illness has had so many effects on her life. Not only has it effected her health but also on family and friendships. Hopefully this hospitalization will help get her back to a more normal life.

Master's Studios Tourny..

2008-10-02T21:19:00.003-04:00

Logan competed in a tournament on Saturday in Mount Pleasant. He competed in sparring and came in 4th place! Awesome job big man!

Logan's Turn..

2008-09-23T17:30:00.002-04:00

Logan also decided to grace us with his bike riding skills...

Cole's Tricycle...

2008-09-23T16:14:00.002-04:00

Cole was outside today showing his mad tricycle skills

Above he is telling Kirstin and I that Logan "did spilt his hot chocy"

Cole's First Day of K4...

2008-09-21T20:39:00.002-04:00

He was excited until we got to his classroom but he warmed up to it rather quickly..

Awesome Wedding...

2008-09-04T15:34:00.005-04:00

Mike and I shot a fantastic wedding in Mount Pleasant on Sunday. The two families were great and the ceremony was awesome. Here are a few:

My Wife vs. The Attic Stairs

2008-08-24T10:09:00.002-04:00

Attic Stairs 1 Kirstin 0

Well Tuesday was a fun day this week...Kirstin was trying to get a box of clothes out of the attic. All was fine until she slipped, caught her leg in the stairs and fell backwards. That loud 'POP' she heard? Well that was her ACL which is torn to shreds. She is supposed to stay in bed until we consult on whether(when) she will have surgery.

Blessed

2008-08-17T13:59:00.003-04:00

I was just looking over our calender for the rest of the year and noticed we are slam packed booked solid. This is a good thing and I feel very blessed to be part of very important event in people's lives. We have some of the very best clients anywhere!

I also feel blessed to have a wife that supports me being away on weekends when I could be home with her and our two boys. Without her I would not be able to pursue this passion.

Finally I want to thank Mike and Rachel for allowing me to join the crew. It is great working with such good friends!

Chip

Riverfront Park

2008-08-17T13:54:00.003-04:00

I took the boys to Riverfront Park in North Charleston. It is on the old navy base which they are re-inventing:

McKenzie Stops By...

2008-08-03T20:50:00.002-04:00

We got to keep McKenzie the other day for a few hours...man is she getting big fast!

A little pose for the camera

She is soooo much fun to be around!

Walking Around Summerville..

2008-07-24T23:44:00.004-04:00

I went walking around downtown Summerville today and happened across this little creature. He was running around someone's fenced in front yard without a care in the world.

I also happened by one the the best floral shops around called On A Limb. They are located on Short Central St. right next to the new parking garage. If you need any type of floral arrangement or neat gift idea stop in and see them! I met the owner, Heidi, who was wonderful! Stop in when you get a chance!

Just The Boys..

2008-07-06T20:09:00.003-04:00

Took a couple of pictures of my boys today at the Dorchester State park:

Holy Cow....

2008-06-23T23:27:00.003-04:00

Can anyone guess who these two are??
That's right....Kirstin and I. Except that was me about 40lbs ago. I was editing our oldest son's birth video and came across this little gem. Thought I would share it with you!

Contest Update

2008-06-21T18:31:00.002-04:00

Just a reminder that tomorrow, June 22, is the last day to get your entry in to win free wedding photography. We have had numerous entries so far and have enjoyed reading all of them! Keep them coming!!

We Say Goodbye...

2008-06-17T17:31:00.004-04:00

Today Pierre left our family and headed up to Virginia. The doctor here decided not to do the surgery so another doctor is being located. This was a sad day for us as many tears were shed as memories of the last two months flooded our minds. Pierre touched our lives and many of those around us while he was here...his smile was infectious!

Logan's Baseball Game

2008-06-13T15:58:00.003-04:00

Logan ready to bat...he hit a double here!

Directing teammates where to play..

At the ready..

Cole will be ready to play next year...

Pitt Street Bridge

2008-06-11T17:39:00.001-04:00

I grabbed a couple of random shots at the Pitt Street Bridge yesterday...

Logan, McKenzie, Pierre & Cole

2008-06-06T13:27:00.001-04:00

This was taken with Kirstin's iPhone after Logan's baseball game last
night...

Mike, Rachel and Jack Visit Pierre..

2008-05-31T16:35:00.002-04:00

Mike, Rachel and Jack came by to visit Pierre last night. Here is Mike with a handful...

then Rachel got a turn...

the mommies swapped babies..

then some much needed rest after a long day!

Loving on Pierre..

2008-05-29T12:14:00.001-04:00

Pierre just lounging with Kirstin..

Smilin' for the camera..

Cole sharing a kiss..

Free Wedding Photography Contest...

2008-05-27T08:17:00.002-04:00

We want to give back to the men and women who serve, protect and educate our country on a daily basis. So during the month of June, Tillman Branch Photography will be giving away free wedding photography for one lucky couple in the Lowcountry. To be eligible the bride or groom must serve in the military or the public service fields of police, fire, EMS or teacher and live in Lowcountry of South Carolina. The wedding must also be held in the Lowcountry to be considered. If you or someone you know fit into this category write us a short essay on why they should be chosen and email it to chip@tillmanbranch.com

The lucky winner will receive 8 hours of wedding coverage and a high resolution DVD of their images. You can go to our web site at www.tillmanbranch.com and visit our blog for more information and updates to the contest. Entries will be accepted from May 27, 2008 until June 22, 2008.

The winner has the option to buy any other services we provide such as an album or bridal shoot but no pressure will be given! We just want to express our thanks to all the hard working men and women out there!

The Dark Side

2008-05-21T16:51:00.002-04:00

For those of you that don't know I was an avid Nikon shooter. Then I
shot a wedding with a Canon and I became hooked! The transformation to
the dark side is now complete as my new Canon 5d just arrived. The
photo was taken with my iPhone. Mike is so proud!

Pierre Is Growing....

2008-05-20T17:13:00.003-04:00

Pierre seems to get bigger and stronger everyday. He is doing very well and seems comfortable here with us. He sure does not mind falling asleep in our bed...

Pierre Update

2008-05-19T18:12:00.001-04:00

Pierre went to MUSC today for a recheck. His sodium levels are great
as well as his hemoglobin. The doctor thinks he looks great and is
progressing well. We will know next week if the surgery will be a go
or not.

Video of Peirre

2008-05-14T09:19:00.002-04:00

Ok..so I was slack and did not get video up last night :-) Sorry about that....here goes:

Pierre Goes for His Consult

2008-05-13T11:32:00.003-04:00

Pierre will be going for his consult today around noon. His levels have come up along with his weight. If everything goes well we should know when his surgery will be scheduled.

This is him sleeping last night just before we moved him to his crib. He snuggly has the blanket Kirstin made for him in his clutches. I will try to post some video of him tonight.

UPDATE: The doctor wants to wait a year before doing the surgery due to his low weight. We will have a consult with the doctor who will put him under to see if he concurs. That appointment is in 2 weeks.

Mother's Day 2008

2008-05-11T16:35:00.004-04:00

Logan made this card for his mommy!

Pierre with his host mommy:

Cole made this in school along with

This card of favorites:

Happy Mother's Day!

Pierre..

2008-05-01T17:18:00.002-04:00

Pierre has been doing pretty well since coming back home. He has been eating regularly and sleeps pretty well. This first picture shows him peeking at me around Kirstin's arm..

Holding Kirstin's hand..

Not sure what to make of me :)

Then laughs at me

Pierre Returns From MUSC

2008-04-30T20:18:00.002-04:00

Pierre came back from MUSC yesterday with a diagnosis of diabetes
insipidus. Basically his kidneys do not have the ability to
concentrate urine so he excretes large amounts of severely diluted
urine. All of that somehow affects blood pressure and sodium levels.
Keep him in your thoughts and prayers...I will try to get some more
pictures up soon.

Emerald and Cody...

2008-04-25T18:40:00.002-04:00

Mike and I had the honor of photographing Emerald and Cody's wedding April 19th. We had a great time and wish them all the best! To see more go to Mike's Blog.

Pierre at MUSC

2008-04-23T04:59:00.003-04:00

Little Pierre has not been doing well since his arrival. Kirstin took him to MUSC when she noticed he was not acting right, not eating, etc. Apparently he was on the verge of having heart failure due to high sodium levels amoung other things. He is having a battery of tests run on him to try and figure some things out but still needs prayers. There is no word on when he can leave the hospital for now.

Pierre Arrives...

2008-04-17T18:42:00.003-04:00

Pierre arrived with us last night around 8:00pm yesterday. He is 4 months old and only weighs 10 pounds!

Here he is taking a bottle:

Now it is nap time...this is his favorite way to sleep!

Angel Missions Haiti

2008-04-15T16:09:00.007-04:00

A little 4 month old baby should be arriving tomorrow in Columbia from Haiti tomorrow that needs surgery to fix a cleft palate. He will be staying with us before and after his surgery . In Haiti, most babies with these types of deformities are left to die. Once he has healed he will head back to his parents waiting for him in Haiti. Angel Missions has an orphanage in Haiti that coordinates with doctors in the US to perform these surgeries for free. Host families are needed all the time for these little ones to stay with.

Even with all of the health problems Kirstin has we feel we can take ourselves outside of our little corner and help someone else that needs it. With all we have been through we are still truely blessed for the health we have, the luxuries we take for granted and the children that bring us joy. All too often in this society people tend to focus inwards on themselves not realizing the difference they could make to one person. All you have to do is "inconvience" yourself for just a little while. I think that little "inconvience" is what hangs us up most of the time. It was for me! So take time to pray and ask God if this is something He has willed for you...think outside your corner!

If you feel like you can be one of these host families please click on the picture above to find out more. Even if you can not host a child there are several different opportunities for you to help....

Jesse & Ashleigh

2008-04-07T20:09:00.004-04:00

Mike and I got to shoot a Jesse and Ashleigh's wedding this past Saturday in Irmo, SC. They are a great couple and we had a blast ! Here are just a couple of shots..for more go to our Official Blog.

McKenzie Visits...

2008-04-02T12:31:00.003-04:00

Our little niece McKenzie came to visit for the day so I broke out the rented lens and captured a couple of her playing on the floor.

Macro Lens

2008-04-02T12:28:00.002-04:00

I rented a macro lens for our April 5th Wedding in Irmo and was trying it out around the house. Here are a couple of test shots:

Playing With Textures

2008-03-27T14:59:00.002-04:00

Ok...so I have been messing around in Photoshop trying out different textures and such. Here is my first attempt...I think it turned out pretty good! I basically took Logan's karate picture and and added a Photomorphix texture:

Hard At Work...

2008-03-21T00:05:00.003-04:00

Mike and I have been hard at work getting the new website up and running and FINALLY it is LIVE! Check it out at www.tillmanbranch.com.

We did book a wedding yesterday which is going to be held at Alhambra Hall in Mount Pleasant...I just happened to take the picture below at that exact spot a couple of weeks ago. April is a busy month for us but I will get some wedding shots up as we go.

Logan's Karate Pictures

2008-03-19T10:32:00.003-04:00

Master's Studios in Summerville asked me to do a picture day with some of their students and I happily agreed. I wanted to post at least one of Logan's pictures:

Logan's Surgery

2008-02-22T14:45:00.003-05:00

Logan had surgery today to repair a hernia caused by a previous operation. He was a little trooper and did a great job. Everything is all fixed now.

Happy and Sad

2008-02-15T19:11:00.003-05:00

Can you tell which is happy and which is sad?

Logan's 9th Birthday

2008-02-12T16:43:00.001-05:00

Just a couple from Logan's 9th birthday party:

Don't kill me Mike...I love that picture!!

Random Shots

2008-01-27T06:16:00.001-05:00

Kirstin and Cole

Shelby

McKenzie and Uncle Chip

2008-01-10T16:26:00.001-05:00

DSC_0012
Originally uploaded by cgooge

Just stealing a kiss..

McKenzie Sleeping...

2008-01-09T17:03:00.000-05:00

McKenzie stayed with us today so of course I had to snag a couple of shots....

A Little More Christmas

2007-12-30T16:34:00.000-05:00

A couple of days after Christmas we celebrated at Auntie Karin's house:

Christmas Presents

2007-12-25T14:59:00.001-05:00

Logan got up at 0600 this morning so we allowed him to open his stocking while we slept a little longer. Cole finally woke up around 0730...not too bad!

Christmas Ornaments

2007-12-24T11:00:00.000-05:00

We kept the Christmas tree simple this year with just a couple of ornaments, popcorn string and candy canes. I think I like it better that way!

Cole's 4th Birthday

2007-12-22T17:28:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Cole's 4th birthday party the other night. He got a keyboard from Grandma and Grandpa and a Transformer car from mommy and daddy.

Christmas Card Out-Takes

2007-12-04T09:57:00.001-05:00

I took the boys out to Azalea Park to get photos for our Christmas card. Here are a few pictures that did not make the cut:

Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T12:28:00.001-05:00

Kirstin's sister, husband and baby came over for Thanksgiving this year. Everything was great right up until Cole spun around and fell into a chair. He basically bit through his lip but the bleeding finally did stop so an ER visit was not necessary.

Logan and Cole

2007-11-21T16:12:00.001-05:00

Cole and Logan were playing in the backyard this afternoon:

More McKenzie

2007-11-13T15:11:00.001-05:00

A few from today's adventure: