My Xbox playin’, iTouch totin’ 13 yr. old son came to me and asked if we could make gingerbread men.  Once I closed my slack-jawed mouth and stopped staring at him like he was an alien invading my son’s body, I told him we could if he agreed that I could photograph it.  I was sure he would say no.  Since he’s become an official teenager, my camera does nothing but irritate him now and I’m not allowed to take his picture, but he agreed.  And the reason you see his picture here on my blog was because he agreed to that, too! 

The night was definitely full of surprises and you know what? We had a great time.  I don’t know who had more flour on them: my sons, myself or my camera!  What a great way to ring in the holiday season.  Oh, and Tracey? Please don’t be mad, but my holiday card photo has been shot, edited and printed.  Yep, cards are done, my friend! 

Stop by Tracey’s for more of Best Shot Monday…and to find out why she might be mad at me….!

Thanksgiving is over and, according to my son, Christmas time has officially started.  At his insistence, I brought out the box of decorations.  Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood.  I was tired, full and just wanted to curl up on the couch and watch a movie, but just to make him go away  to make him happy, I did what he asked.  I watched him open that box excitedly and pull out each and every ornament like it was the first time he had ever seen them. 

The T.V. never went on but instead I listened to my son tell me stories of what he remembered from past Christmases and what he liked about that ornament or this ornament.  After that, he curled up next to me on the couch and told me everything that was on his Christmas list which, of course, changed numerous times. 

Christmas is especially difficult for me.  My family has dwindled drastically.  I no longer have a brother, a dad, a grandpa, uncles or cousins, all taken away by disease.  I have my grandma and my mother, thank God, but they are also ill and I fear this will be my last Christmas with them. 

And so it has begun.  I will rejoice in the magic of the holiday. I will let my son’s magic of the holiday pour over me and take me through to the new year.  I will be thankful for another year with my mother and grandmother.  I will be thankful for the friends who share their strength and their hearts with me this Christmas season.  Life is good, and that’s all that matters. 

I can tell you, with 100% certainty, it’s much more stressful for the parent than the photographer when it comes to photographing their children.  Every parent wants the perfect portrait showing their well-behaved, perfect children.  I can also tell you with 100% certainty that all children at some point in the shoot will not cooperate, be it in the beginning, half way through and sometimes not at all.  And you know what?  That’s absolutely fine with me.  In fact, that’s when I love to photograph them the most.  I assure the parents that I will get that perfect shot and I do because I let the kids just be themselves.  Otherwise, how would I have gotten that great shot of the feuding sisters above?  And honestly, I always end up liking those shots better! 

A child can only be ‘perfect’ for so long before cutting loose.  Sometimes I’ll even have them act silly first before trying to get them to sit still for the camera.  That’s what I did with these boys.  I let them be silly for 3 or 4 shots if they agreed to then sit still for me.  They agreed and I got these 2 great shots.  What’s not to love about that?!

Today I savor imperfections.  Tracey wants to know and so do I: What are you savoring today?

Stop by Tracey’s for more of Best Shot Mondays

1)  My new camera bag.  I love, love, love it! I saw it, I ordered it and I got it.  Oh, and did I mention I love it?!

2) Having a long, leisurely lunch with an old friend which I get to do tomorrow.  Yay!

3) The book Kirtsy Takes a Bow, a book by women for women. 

4) This awesome video put together by the beautiful and wonderful Katherine Center in regards to the new Kirtsy book.  Watch it because seriously? Chicks rule. 

5) Random acts of kindness and websites that promote random acts of kindness.  And with bracelets, no less.  And yes, because I know you’re thinking it, I will be purchasing them. 

6) The postcard crossing project known as Postcrossing.  What a great idea this is.  You sign up to receive random postcards that can come from anywhere on the globe and you also send them.  How cool is that?!

7) Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor!!  They’ve reopened after being closed for many years and I’m so excited!  I have many fond memories of going there as a child and I can’t wait to take my kids there, too. 

8.) Doing some intentional acts of kindness with the help of a kit.  These cards are perfect and would make a great holiday gift, too. 

9) These guys who do the funniest and best version ever of The 12 Days of Christmas.  Yes, I’m already listening to Christmas music. 

10) And fnally, You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

What makes you happy? Do share!

The kids are off at school, my coffee is made and now I can relax and bask in the afterglow of the great weekend I had.  The fun began Friday afternoon and didn’t end until last night. 

On Friday the family headed to EA Games Headquarters to the “EA Winter Wonderland”  for a preview of the new video games coming out just in time for the holidays.  As we walked in, the boys stopped in their tracks and looked around in awe.  For once, they were speechless, but they loved being able to test all the new video games for close to 4 hours.  They left there tired but happy, with promises of their favorite game they played that day being mailed to them just in time for Christmas. 

On Saturday we attended the going away party for my girlfriend’s son Jason who  joined the Air Force and was leaving the next day.  She wanted family portraits done before he left and his girlfriend wanted pictures taken with him as well (aren’t they a gorgeous couple?!).  I was more than happy to do that for them, even though it was bittersweet.  Jason will serve four years in the Air Force and his girlfriend will be finished with school by then and rumor has it there just might be a wedding in their future! 

On Sunday I attended a Small Hands on Business workshop taught by my good friend Tracey Clark to be the onsite photographer and to live tweet for her during the workshop.  This was a great workshop about social media info and the tools from Microsoft Office Live (which is free people, and a wonderful resource!).  I think everyone who attended would agree, we had a great time!  Thanks to MOL and Kirtsy for putting these events together all over the country!  There are still more workshops happening, so check to see if there are any in your area.  Oh, and did I mention?  The workshops are free! 

 So, how was your weekend?

Head over to Tracey’s to see more of Best Shot Monday

Since Owen’s medical emergency a couple of weeks ago, he’s been moody and short-tempered.  It’s to be expected.  If he doesn’t have anything to do, he wants me to entertain him.  He just wants to be with me, period, and that’s okay. 

Yesterday while I was in the middle of laundry, he asked me to help him think of something to do.   I suggested reading, watching a movie or riding his skateboard to which he would always ask the same thing: will you do it with me, too? 

I wasn’t about to ride a skateboard and he’s too old to have me read to him and we couldn’t find a movie to agree on.  Then, when I went to get something out of the hall closet, I saw the PlayDoh.  He hasn’t played with that in a couple of years.  I suggested it and he jumped on the idea. 

I sat outside at the patio table with him while he mixed colors and created different things and he began to relax.  He was quiet for awhile as played with his new found items.  I sat across from him and played with my camera, taking pictures of whatever caught my fancy.

“When I have something to do, I don’t think about what happened”, he said casually, mashing PlayDoh between his hands. 

He created while I took pictures.  His therapy is creating.  Mine is photography.  We’ve got a good thing going, him and I.  If that’s what it takes, then that’s what we’ll do.  Besides, it’s not very often he wants to hangout  with me anymore, so I’ll take what I can get and that’s a good thing…for both of us.

 Even during the hardest of times, I can still manage to find the good in things.  It’s just what I do.  Last week was rough, but life is good, people.  So on that note, here’s some things that really make me happy right now…

1.  CHOC.  Seriously? This hospital is the BOMB. 

2. This doctor who was all over my son and his issues in a heartbeat.  Her picture does not do her justice.  Seriously? When she walked into that hospital room, it looked like she belonged on General Hospital: the perfect little black dress, black high heeled pumps and pearls with the perfectly starched white coat!

3.  Holidays are comin’, people!  For those of you that use photoshop, check out this easy-to-make little photo calendar.  What a perfect, easy gift to make!

4.  On that note, this darling little photo booklet you can make is the bomb! 

5.  Yes, I made one and you can see it here.  Click on it to see it and use the arrows at the bottom of it to go through it.

6.  Better Homes and Garden has little photo swatchbooks you can make, too.  Totally cute and fun!

7.  I’m lovin’ this banner!   It couldn’t be easier: just scrapbook paper (mostly cardstock), cut freehand, and strung on twine, then hung on the wall with thumbtacks! Totally low-tech and cute!

8. I’ve said it before: I love words, especially those that inspire.  Need a little inspiration? Then Compendium Inc. is the place for you.  There’s literally something for everybody.

9.  Need more inspiration?  GivesMeHope.com is a website where people can add their thoughts on what gives them hope.  You can’t help but feel good after reading some of their stories. 

10.  And finally, with all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful, people and continue to strive to be happy.

What makes you happy? Do share…

Tomorrow will be one week since that horrific day of having  my son almost die in my arms and dealing with the effects of swine flu on my son’s fragile, asthma-ridden lungs.  I can’t get it out of my head when awake or even when I’m asleep.  Little details that I had forgotten about or just didn’t notice at the time keep coming to me,  like how one of the paramedics standing in my living room I use to work with; how one of the firefighter’s knew me by sight because his son attends the same school as my son;  and how my son kept saying over and over again to me as I jammed his epipen into his thigh, I had a good life! I had a good life!

The trauma of that day has effected us greatly, so much so that on Friday the whole family is seeing a therapist to try and come to terms with this.  My 9 yr. old hasn’t wanted to talk about what had happened to him and gets upset anytime he hears us speak of it.  But last night as I tucked him into bed he brought it up.

“Mama, does God test people?”, he asked softly.

“I suppose he does. Why?”, I asked.

“I think what happened to me and to you and Austin and papa was one big test”,  he said very seriously.  “And I think we passed”

Oh.My.God, I thought to myself, You are 9 years old!  Where does this insight come from?!?

 Since this has happened to him, I’ve had many people who know him use different words to describe him: special; an old soul; deep and different-in a good way to name a few.  After hearing him say that, I couldn’t agree more.

I wanted to burst into tears and run from the room, but instead I just hugged him tightly.  Then, like the little man he is, he comforted me.

“Don’t be sad Mama.  The sun always comes up and tomorrow is a new day”, he said brightly. “Everything is going to be A-okay!”. 

What a boy.  What a heart.  What a gift.   And he’s right.

Tomorrow is a new day.

You can see more of Best Shot Monday here.

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Faith(noun):  A confidence or trust in a person or thing; faith in another’s ability; a belief that is not based on proof.

I had been locked in an isolation hospital room with my son for what seemed like forever.  Time always moves so slowly when in a hospital and all sense of time and days of weeks are off.  It’s like being suspended in another world and I needed a break.  I didn’t want to leave the room for fear I would miss a doctor or the patient advocate that had been assigned to us or the nurse coming in to educate us about swine flu (or any severe flu, for that matter)and it’s effect on kids with severe and chronic lung disease/asthma but my husband had been looking at me long and hard and made a command decision.

“Go for a walk, take a break, anything.  Just get out of here”, he insisted. “We’ll be fine.  Take your camera and go find something to take a picture of.  You’ll feel better”. 

I started to protest but he shoved my camera in my hands and gently but firmly guided me out of the room and shut the door behind me.  I panicked a little not wanting to leave.  I’m a mom.  If someone came in while I was gone, would my husband be able to remember every last detail like I would?  I said a little prayer as I walked away: Please give me the faith to trust others with my son.  Please, just give me faith, period.

I took the elevator down and found a gift shop right around the corner. I decided to kill time in there for a bit before heading back to the room.  I wasn’t about to get any further away from the 4th floor than I had to be and I certainly wasn’t going to look for things to photograph inside of a hospital, for goodness sake!  I wandered in and found a magazine to take back with me and grabbed a candy bar for a much needed energy fix.  I wandered around looking at the one million stuffed animals, toys and coloring books and started to turn around to leave but something in the corner of the store caught my eye.  I made my way back and what I saw stopped me in my tracks.  I had found my faith, right there in that gift shop, and in a big way. 

Sitting on a shelf was a necklace holder which held gorgeous necklaces by none other than Kelly Rae Roberts.  We have a mutual friend, Tracey Clark, which is how I learned about Kelly about a year ago.   She is a blogger and artist and I’ve loved her work since I first learned about her. I bought her book, Taking Flight, when it came out a year ago and I read her blog everyday.  Obviously, I am a definite fan of Kelly Rae Roberts.

I moved in for a closer look and when my eyes landed on the first necklace I saw, I couldn’t help but smile.  My little prayer had been heard and sitting right there in front of me was the answer to my prayer: Faith.  It couldn’t get more obvious than that, right?  I remembered my camera and quickly took my shots.  I walked out of that gift shop with my faith in tact, both figuratively and literally.  I purchased the necklace (how could I not?!) and headed back up to the 4th floor knowing that everything was going to be  okay…because now, I had faith.

(Thanks to you, Kelly, for your beautiful art and words of inspiration.  It was meant to be. You rock, girlfriend!)