"WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET, WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE." .................. winston churchill
Seriously, the last time I saw Zacch, I'm pretty sure he about a year old running around his backyard playing with his mom Patty and his Aunt Amy. Patty, Amy, and I weren't too much older than he is now. I grew up with their family as well as mine, and spent probably far too much time at their house; camping out in the living room and the back porch, helping Amy clean the house after school, getting ready for school or church in the mornings with all of the girls fighting for space at the bathroom and kitchen mirrors and taking turns with the curling brush to get our bangs perfectly feathered, poofed, and sprayed in place. I couldn't tell you how many Sunday after church meals I've eaten at their table as well as many other days of the week. It was great to be able to do Zacch's senior session and get to hang out for awhile. Check out these blue eyes! I'm working on his cousin Bethany's session that we did last week so her beautiful face will be here soon as well. I hope it isn't as long until I see you all again. 
This makes me so happy because it's how I feel that we moms want to see ourselves with our children. The little quiet moments together, the snuggles, the warmth; the peace that comes with having them close to us. Such a favorite image. A lot of these are Maria with her mama Kelly. So glad to have this job spending time out in the grass on beautiful days with great people. :)
The first and last images here are my favorites from this session with Alison's family from a few weeks back. We started out slow this morning as all of us were not feeling like morning people at all, but the personalities did come out though as these silly girls played and let me hang out a while. Blonde beauties just like their mama. 
I love this little face. I got quite a lot of sneers from Abi this time around, but it just goes to show that they are who they are and will be who they are, no matter what. Lots of softer expressions too which I always feel are beautiful and little glimpses into their thoughts. Even though we had quite a hot, humid evening to work with, we still had a good time.
Real happiness here.
FYI - the house situation may finally be coming to a close with a happy ending. Thanks to all of my clients/friends in your understanding and support during the past 6 months or so while we've been dealing with all of the mess. It looks most likely now that we will be in our new home and getting settled about 2 months or so before the baby is due. Roman was born 3 weeks early though, so we're cutting it a little close. We swear we're going to find some time tonight to find a name for this little guy. It's so hard by the time you are on your third child to come up with another name that fits into the mix and can stand alone as well. We're the kind of people that don't tell the name until the baby is born. I think it drives our families crazy, but we just can't spill the beans early.
This is from a recent session with Peter who is now about 8 months old. As you will see, he gave us a ton of expressions and he just has the sweetest little face. Just hanging out around the house and on the back porch gave us everything we needed. I have to quote Halle (mom) from her email after the session;"It is funny how you can spend all this time picking out clothes and it just doesn't matter because all you see are their beautiful faces. "It's true. Clothing doesn't really matter and that is why it matters. Make sense?
How do they do this so young? How do they know just what to do to make us laugh and melt our hearts? I never get over it.
I couldn't believe it when I read the date of the last entry. Life has been so chaotic lately and I'm so craving some calmness, completeness, and comfort. We've had so many months of crazy exhaustedness that life has been a fog of stress and anxiety. We sold our house and are temporarily in a townhome for a short term lease. And while I'm appreciative to have a roof over our heads and a little security, I cannot lie; it stinks. Without going into details, let's just say my sense of home, and life, and routine, and family, has been swept out from underneath me. Working is fairly difficult at the moment as well, but I'm so thankful for all of my wonderful clients-new and old. I love to hear how excited you are to know our session is getting closer, and I love it even more when you tell me how much the images mean to you. I've sent out so many emails in the last few months having to say that I am fully booked up until Feb. Part of the spring and summer are scheduled as well. That security is so welcomed by me right now. You keep coming back and telling your friends and that just makes life sweet!If we had a house ready to go to it would be a different situation, but the not knowing, not owning, in limbo phase has really gotten me out of sorts. Good news - GREAT NEWS is- that we are expecting our third boy - Yes, three boys- in Nov. He is actually due on our youngest's birthday. Knowing that we have this little one on the way shortly is adding to the anxiety and feeling of needing to be settled. I know it won't be long and we'll be starting a new chapter. Can't wait. So many images are sitting on my pc from the last few months just waiting to be shared. Hopefully, I will have something up by this weekend. The website is so outdated as well and I've been dying to get everyone on there from this past year. My list of to-do's is gigantic as I'm sure yours is as well. I'm dreaming of sand between my toes and hearing my boys run on the beach - laughing and splashing in the water. Don't wake me, please!
Alex was very interested in his feet during our entire session. Wherever we put him, he ended up rolling over and grabbing those piggies. He was very interested in his mom and dad as well. Lots of love here between them all. This first one is priceless to me. You gotta love the attitude.
Lisa and I have been trying to get this session done since this past summer/fall. Finally it worked out with both of our schedules and I got to meet her beautiful daughter Zoe. I just followed her around the yard and the house for a while and this is how it turned out. I love how she is just doing all of the little things that toddlers do but that is what makes it special. All they need to do is be themselves. There is nothing better than that.
So I've missed most of April here but it's just been impossible to grab time to put things up in as fast as I'd like to. If you read the last post, you'll know that selling the house has become a third job for me. This week we 've had 7 showings in 8 days. We're just trying to appreciate the opportunities that will get us to the next phase and where we really want to be - HOME. I'm so looking forward to a bigger house with space for all of us and our stuff - did I mention SPACE? We are on top of each other here.
I have so many plans for when we move and I'm so excited to style our home in a really fun, personal, artistic and homey way. I've wanted to do that forever and I've finally decided that I'm going to do it my way and be creative and not let anyone else's rules get in the way. Doesn't that sound like fun?
I've been picking up pieces of furniture and accents here and there and actually have quite a bit in storage. They are calling me daily - my eyes want to see their shapes and colors and feel how they make me feel. It's such a rush to find a piece that just feels like you and you know that seeing it everyday will bring that little cheer and comfort. If you are a visual person and also a little bit of a home body, you know what I'm talking about. I'm terribily affected by the things around me.
So here goes a catch up quickie post. Three mini posts in one, if you will.
Patrick: What a face! Patrick has that full, round, yummy baby face and body that you just want to kiss and squish.
I love the TRAV-A-LITE sticker--------you don't need much more with you then this.
Sage:
Sage and I are getting to know each other pretty well. This was our 4th session and we have more to come. We've had two sessions at her home, one at Griggs Resevoir and this one at Innis Woods. Our next venture will be out a little east to the spot where Doug proposed to Tonya - Dawes Arboretum. Isn't that a great idea? Leave to Tonya though. She is as great as they come and puts atleast 110% into everything she does. Most of all her daughter. Sage gave us many expressions including the "bulldog" pouty lip and many smiles.
This is my favorite from this session and favorite of Tonya and Sage together so far.
Alex: Jen and Jason are friends of a client (Jamie) who is friends a client (Darci). Whenever I mention a client, my husband asks me "Now how did they find you?" - and I proceed to list the 6 degrees from which they were referred. It turns out that my husbnad knows them both from work as well. It still is amazing to me that just by word of mouth I've managed to build this little business in the past 2 1/2 years - with no advertising, other than a one time silent aution gift card to a preschool for Stephanie, mom of Ava, and friend of Darci as well. Now Darci has referred me many times over and has created sub groups. My Worthington group and from there, my Victoria Secret's moms group (they all work there). Darci is the sister of Dara. Dara is married to Chris. Chris went to school with my husband and we met before we all got married. Dara and Chris's session of their son Ty was one of the very first sessions I did. They passed me on to Darci and it went from there. See how all of that works! So I truly appreciate all of you giving me your support and sending your family and friends my way. I hope I"ve shown that I will take good care of them.Alex had some fun in the tub. I love how they put him on his belly. He did like it, although it doesn't look like it.
He wasn't completely sure about me being there.
FEET!
Isn't this how we feel about our children. No matter what, where, when, whom, they will be forever in our heart and ours.
So sweet.
"The purpose of life is a life with a purpose"..........robert byrne
