He is clearly seen.

I love it.  The smell of cholorine. I swam a lot growing up – in our backyard and at the community pool.  I was a competitive swimmer for a good portion of my youth.  When Liv expressed an interest in swimming, I jumped on it.  ”Do you want to compete?” I asked.  Oh how I wanted the answer to be yes.  How I want to sit and cheer her on at the pool.  ”Yes!” she said emphatically.

 The swim team she wants to join requires swimming 4 lengths of the pool without stopping.  Four lengths is 100 yards and that is an awful lot for a 6 year old.  When I swam in meets, I remember the littler kids only swimming 25′s so 100 yards seems like a lot to me.  She’s working on it, though.  Today her instructor told me that she swam 4 lengths backstroke without stopping.  She’s got a little more work to do on her freestyle.  It’s the breathing that gets her.  She’s determined, though.  She even earned that title from her piano teach this year – most determined.  Therefore, she’ll be on the team before we know it.

I know, kind of strange – a sixth grade graduation.  I had never heard of a sixth grade graduation before but that’s what we had tonight.  Miss Mak is so very thankful that summer has arrived and at the same time is anxious to begin junior high.  Somehow I think she’ll manage to enjoy the summer!

I was extremely touched by the part of the ceremony that Mak dubbed the “human video”.  The “video” showed the worship of Jesus – angels and all.  It made me think of one of my favorite passages of Scripture (it describes what the prophet Isaiah saw in Heaven):

Isaiah 6:1b-3

“I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.  Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.’”

It always amazes me to realize that God is so holy that angels fly continuously – ALWAYS – singing about His holiness and glory.

And finally, Miss M.  I’ve said it many times before but I’ll say it again, the Lord is growing this young lady and molding her.  Therefore, He is answering my and Dave’s most fervent prayer – that the Lord would get a hold of her and never let her go.

Our sweet Lulu graduated from Kindergarten last evening.  I want you all to know that mama cried – darn those lovely *Americana* songs and the slideshow of the school year.  Another year past.  First grade next year. 

I think the best part for Livy was that grandMary & Beepa, Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Julie and Joey came to see her. Please know that my family all lives far from me…and they come to things like this.  We are blessed.  I feel so blessed that we are there for one another.  Thank you all for coming to a little Kindergarten graduation. She was jumping up and down when I told her that you’d be there.

Isn’t my family beautiful?  Look at my cute pregnant sister……what a wonderful September we have to look forward to!!

We went camping this weekend – just us – the four of us.  It was lovely.  For the last few years when we have gone away, we have gone with other family members or friends.  We are thankful for all of those experiences.  What we needed, however, was to get away with just our family.

The sweetest thing for me was to hear both girls say this:  ”I don’t want to leave.  When can we come back here together?”  Now that’s a perfect weekend.

It could be the slope of her nose. Or the wrong answer she gave in math class.  Or the mean remark from another girl. Or the few extra pounds brought on by hormonal changes.  It could be something she’s not even aware of but the fact is that the tween or teen that you love is going through the same things we went through when we were pre-teens and then later teens.

Slowly, sometimes unaware, our girls are being assaulted by feelings of inadequacy.  While once they felt like the most beautiful rose in the garden, now on the brink of womanhood, they would just as soon forget about their looks.  And I want to change that.  I want each and every girl – yours and mine – to feel beautiful.  

I am currently offering a special on my session fee pricing through August.  I am booking into July right now so if you are interested in booking something for your daughter – or maybe your granddaughter, or your niece, or your neighbor, please contact me.  The sessions are relaxed and are crafted to make sure that your special girl feels beautiful, with photographs to prove it.

This is Miss A & I think she felt beautiful during our shoot!  She sure looks beautiful, doesn’t she?

I’ve been thinking lately about having a kind and gentle spirit.  The Lord is pleased with those with those qualities.  What I didn’t realize all these weeks I’ve been thinking about kindness and gentleness is that it is entirely possible for a family to have a kindness and gentleness about them that is noticeable.

I met a family this past weekend that had a kind and gentle spirit about them that I felt immediately.  Quite honestly, it is comforting to be around a family like that.  My sweet husband helped me with the shoot and I think that he’d agree that we left them feeling so good and so thankful that we had a chance to spend some time with them.

It was instantly obvious to me that this family is beautiful on the outside – just take a look at Jen.  Taking pictures of her was simple – you can’t make someone that pretty look bad!  The thing is, however, even though I’ve just met them I’m certain that the outside beauty pales to the inside beauty.  And that, my friends, is just sweet to be around.

I have some really good friends.  And my friends have been blessed with incredibly beautiful children.  I had the great chance to photograph one of my dearest friend’s daughter – she just turned nine.  For me, when Mak turned 9, it seemed like a milestone.  I suppose each year is a milestone but 9 sounds like a big girl. Yet,  9 really is still a little girl.  However at 9 they are beginning to become more a part of the world and less a part of the “mom and dad’s world”.  I suppose that is a strange thing to say.  What I mean by it is that they are venturing out, letting go of mom’s hand a little more and they are getting ready to flitter away from the nest a bit.  They aren’t flying but they are flittering.

Now, “G”, well, she’s stunning.  Really, really stunning.  For some reason I think of Pocahontas.  She’s just a really beautiful girl who is growing into her own.  When I talk about loving my friends, I often don’t say how much I love their children and how I pray for them regularly and how my life relates to their little lives in so many ways.  I love you G.  Happy 9th!

I have two little girls.  That means I don’t have any experience with boys…..but let me tell you something, I love ‘em!  I took photographs of this little man last week and boy oh boy is he busy.  Rocks and riding tractors and balls – that’s what he was about.  I had so much fun following him around.

Today was such a sweet day spent with those I love the most.

I took so many the other night and when I do that it is hard to just post a few!  The first is of “M” again, this time converted to black and white.

And then I took another one of Liv and toned the color down a bit.