desert Archives - Melodee Lynn Photography

November 18, 2017

Dancing in the Desert | Scottsdale, Arizona

What’s better than the dreamy, glowy desert? A ballerina in the dreamy, glowy desert.

A few months ago, I had this vision of a dancer moving and flowing against the desert landscape. I just couldn’t get the idea out of my mind so I reached out to Kimber to see if Delia would be interested in modeling for me and I was a little giddy when they agreed!

When you meet Delia, you know there is something so special about her. I think her smile could light up an entire city. Even though she’s been dancing since she was 6 years old, I think it’s more than just dancing to Delia. It’s about creating last friendships and encouraging her peers to be the best they can possibly be.

Delia, don’t ever stop being you! I love your evident heart for others. I know that God is going to use that to do mighty works. I pray that he will continue to establish the works of your hands…and feet.

October 17, 2017

The Thompson Family | Mesa, Arizona Family Session

I met Donna through Amy and Jordan Demos only a few short months ago. She and I live in the same area of Mesa so when we attended the live filming for their new business course, we became carpool buddies. We talked for hours that week, 6 hours to be exact. (It’s a long drive to and from North Scottsdale!) We talked about anything and everything from family to business. To say the least, she and I became fast friends, having so much of our hearts in common.

Not long after we met, I received a message from her to do their family photos. Is it cheesy to say that my heart leapt with joy? Because it did!

This past Saturday we met at a little gem hidden in north east Mesa. I was finally able to put faces to the names and stories she told during our drive time.

They were just how I pictured them to be. Passionate, driven and genuine. But that’s not surprising considering who their momma is. Both of her kids are really involved in athletics. Her daughter went from gymnastics to now diving on the swim team (I love watching the videos her mom posts of her meets!) Jared, plays college level baseball for a university here in town. (It’s also true that he has killer dance moves.) To say Donna loves her kids is an understatement. She beams with pride every time she talks about them! I think that’s one of the reasons why I admire her so much.

Her husband, Kevin, is on the city council here in Mesa. And fun fact: He’s the representative of the district Ryan and I live in, making us love our neighborhood even more. He’s very passionate about what he does. He does it to make a difference. He does it without an agenda. He’s just a guy who wants what is best for his community. Hearing his passion behind what he does and why he does it, definitely won our vote.

Kevin and Donna,

Ryan and I loved spending time with you all! Thank you for giving us a sweet glimpse into your life and sharing your passion for our community. Your family is absolute perfection!

May 15, 2017May 15, 2017

The McFadden Family

Cookie Dough. America Idol. Nau. Lake Tahoe.

I have so, SO many memories with Ben and Anya. We were there for other when we needed someone the most. It’s been 9 years, NINE since I’ve seen and hugged Anya in person! I’m thankful for social media so we can keep up with each other even though we haven’t seen each other in so long! So much has happened in the span of years that has passed. We’ve both have gotten married, have two sweet little blonde haired babes and have both continued pursuing our passion for photography! She always had a camera with her in college and was there documenting all the fun times we shared with our college group!

So you’re probably wondering about the cookie dough and America Idol, huh? Though it probably doesn’t take much explaining! Almost every Tuesday for an entire season (I believe the year Jordin Sparks was on) she and I would meet at her apartment, eat dinner and watch American Idol and there was almost always, cookie dough in one form or another. Cooked, raw, it didn’t matter. We ate it. To this day, that recipe is hands down my all time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe!

After she and Ben got married, they moved to Sacramento for Ben to start his first job in construction management. At the same time they were starting their marriage, mine was ending. It was a very painful time but I went to visit them for a few weeks and it brought so much healing to my soul. We hiked, we canoed, we ate, we laughed. It was what we both needed and it’s a time I’ll never forget!

Fast forward 9 years and God’s healing and restoration has been so evident in both of our lives. From the challenges that faced us then, to the challenges of mother hood now, the one constant in our lives has been the presence of our loving Savior. He is hope everlasting.