Here's to you Chris Hsieh!

As many of you know, Chris Hsieh from LaBrisa Photography over the past year has been THE reason for my breakout of photography. Because of his great personality and kind natured personality, he has taken me in and taught me everything I know about photography. Seriously, how do you ever say thank you to someone who's given you everything?!?! Well I don't have the answer to that question, so I've decided to write a blog post in dedication to him. :) I had to say goodbye last night and this morning to him because he'll be moving to Brooklyn, New York on Sunday!! :(

Not only has Chris helped me with my photography and my business, he's also always been there to help me other aspects of my life as well. Especially in the boy department :) He always offered great advice and encouraged me no matter what! He believes in me and sees things in me I don't even see, which is crazy! He's become an awesome friend and mentor, and I can't imagine where I'd be without him.

There have even been times when I've thought he couldn't take any more of me. As most of you know, I can be a little dtizy. But for some reason when I'm around Chris, my blondness comes out even more! I've found myself telling Chris on a number of occasions, "Seriously Chris, these stupid moments only happen around you!" and Chris replies, "For some reason I don't believe that's true." Whether I'm right or he's right, I have definitely had my share of bad moments around Chris. So I've come up with a list of blond moments, embarrassing questions I've asked/done, and fun memories we've encountered. Even though most of you won't find these hilarious, I know Chris will be busting out his good hearty laugh as he reads them :)

• Just last night we met up to say our goodbyes and talk photography, and I was on a mission to get to our meeting place. I ended up walking right past him standing there waiting for me.
• The first time we met, I was so nervous and talking a million miles per hour (surprise surprise!) he had to tell me slow down and take a deep breath and that we weren't in a rush. I was so embarrassed...
• We're at our 2nd wedding together and my camera wouldn't work and it was showing pure black when I looked through the eye hole. So I show Chris, and he proceeds to take the lens cap off! Who would've thought of such a thing :) And at that exact moment an older man walks by and just busted out laughing, and yet again I was so embarrassed.
• We had just arrived at a salon here in Manhattan to start the day, and I was walking in first and I tried to open the glass door. The same door that had a sign that said "please use other door." Since the door was locked, I ran my head right into the glass and everyone at the salon looked to see what the big "THUD" was at the door.
• We had finished up a photo shoot on campus and Chris offered to give me a ride to my car. I had him drive me to this big parking lot in the middle of campus, but I couldn't find my car! Then I remembered I parked there day before, so we had to drive around until I could remember where I had parked that afternoon.
  
• Our road trip home from Topeka this summer discussing whether I should marry up or down and how it has snowballed into a huge discussion with everyone we know!
• The time Chris told me his theory on Midwest girls and guys. Come to find out he's right!
• My first experience eating at the restaurant 5 Guys.
• His blog posts and texts that have the words AH-MAZ-ING, Yuppers, and Totally in them. :)
  

Chris, I hope you enjoyed my walk through memory lane as much as I did! I'm sure you can add a few more that I'm "forgetting" about.

I'll never forget all our road trips to and from weddings, my remarks about Californians, your obsession with food, your advice about guys, and all the embarrassing representations of myself under LaBrisa Photography. I've become a better photographer through your training and advice, but more than anything you've helped me become a better person.

Thanks for everything you've done and for all the things I'm sure you'll do for me in the future. You're definitely irreplaceable. You will be missed by many Kansans :)

Can't wait to see you in Western Kansas at my wedding in 2015!!!!! haha :)

I'll leave you with a picture of us at our first wedding together! Look how young we were ;)