Red Fake Fingernails

Since I was little, I always looked up to my older, much cooler, ridiculously pretty cousin, Melissa.  I remember when I was about 7 years old, I was at her Mom's (my Aunt's) house, and Melissa coming in the kitchen and being all cool, talking small talk with her mom and then someone mentioned how she was 17 yrs old and how that must be nice, yada yada.  Then Melissa took off in her T-Top Camaro with racing stripes and bleach blonde hair, and Guns-N-Roses echoing thru the woods as she rolled on down the driveway. Now remind you, I was SEVEN, and I was playing under the table (don't ask) and thinking,

"Wow, 17 is such a cool age, it is the same number that the disney channel came on that we didn't get at home. Man, I wish I was 17."

Later on that day, I made my way outside to play.  And I found the most awesome thing a 7 year old pentecostal girl could find, RED FAKE NAILS that Melissa must of snapped off and thrown in the wind.  Let me tell you, I tried so hard to press those things on my own little fingers.  I finally got those suckers on and immediately felt, fancy. 17. sassy. you know, all the attitude that comes with fire red fake fingernails.  Of course I felt like I was going to get in trouble, so as soon as Mom started hollering for me, I snapped 'em back off and said goodbye to my new found love.  I will never forget that day.

I grew up under Melissa's shadow.  My mother used to drop me off on summer days when when I was a pre-teen and let me help melissa with her babies.  I would do anything Melissa asked, hold them, play with them, watch them while she took a shower.  We ate turkey sandwiches and 3-D Doritos like they were going out of style and occasionally hit up Kentucky Kingdom.  She introduced me to my first Big Mac and we took a trip to the beach in Florida.  Melissa, you will never know how much you influenced me, and how much those days meant to me.

Ironically, I took up photography, which is exactly what Melissa does.  I would like to think that growing up seeing her work and appreciating her talent, is one of the reasons I am who I am today. I cannot thank her enough, for guiding my little pentecostal, backwoods, strangled pony-tailed self into the lady I am today. So thank you, Melissa. and God love red fake fingernails!

*Recently I was privileged to shoot her and her boys, the ones I help rock, and played in the yards for hours with.  Here are a few from that shoot.

**Also, check out some of her work; Melissa G Photography.

Melissa and her boys: Gabe, Spencer & Myles.

again.

Melissa & Katie

Melissa G