A Wish for my Daughters

As my girls grow up right before my eyes, I often wonder what it is that they will remember from these days of our togetherness. Will they recall the silly moments, the laughter, the fun? Will they remember the chaotic moments, the impatience, the bickering?  Will it be big trips and special events or the daily routines that stand in their memory? Will they look back at the many wonderful experiences they’ve had or better their childhood disappointments? Will they roll their eyes and commiserate together about all the things I did and said that made them crazy? Likely, the memories will be a little of all of it.

I’m fairly certain that there will be plenty of things that I have said along the way that they will dismiss (both unknowingly and deliberately) as they move into adulthood but I can only hope that they embrace and internalize all the messages I have sent them, both in words and in actions, that are the most important to me; the ones that I hope that they carry with them guide them throughout their lives. About how amazing they are, about how beautiful, strong, capable they are. And that’s just the beginning. There are so many things I want them to grow up knowing.

Every once in a while I see, read or hear something that expresses exactly what I want to say to my girls. When you set a simple, sweet sentiment it to music, like in the case of this song by Lee Ann Womack, it really sings (pun intended). As cheesy as it may seem, I don't mind admitting, I cry every single time I hear this song.

“I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance.”

What messages make you weepy? Tell me I'm not alone.

right behind

That's my boy. Racing down a steep hill toward the edge of an even steeper hill, giggling all the way.

I want to give him his space to explore, but it's also my job to keep him safe and (mostly) injury-free. So there I am, following behind but always looking ahead for danger. I'm sure it's a struggle that most parents face. How do we encourage exploration while setting some boundaries? But all we can do is try our best to find the right balance for our individual children.

On this particular day, I was hoping to get a few family photos. You know, the kind where we all stand still and smile at the camera? And while we did manage to get a couple of posed shots, it's this image that makes me smile. I'm so glad my husband snapped this photo when he did because it perfectly symbolizes this stage of our lives. We are watching a baby become a boy and explore his independence, we are just along for the ride.

Election Night

 

On election night, we loaded up the car with lawn chairs and a picnic dinner and headed to a friend's house to watch the results roll in. The news broadcast was projected onto the side of the house and several computers were set up in the yard to track the results. At one point there were more than one hundred friends, neighbors, and passers by squeezed into the small front yard. The conversations were primarily of the political nature, from the smallest local propositions and bond initiatives to the house/senate races to the presidential election. This election-watching party was a family event to be sure. There were so many young children that night running around without a care in the world...children of loving straight couples, children of loving gay couples, children of loving single parents, children of loving affluent parents, children of loving parents struggling to get by. You hear a lot about voting as a civic duty, and I love and appreciate that our children are learning that the act of voting is truly an individual's chance to voice how they want their world to be. All the worry, all the hand wringing, all the emotional investment that bound us together that night represented the world we want for our children—a better, kinder world. A world that embraces the diversity around us and affirms that differences can deepen our understanding of one another instead of driving us apart.

Show us a better, kinder world today through your lens.

Images and words courtesy of Jote of Bless Her Heart.

The Nap Series

 

When my son Max was about 7 months old I was so keenly aware of how important nap time was. Not for him, but for me. I needed Max to go take his nap so I could eat my lunch, decompress, have an hour or two dedicated to “ME TIME”. But Max didn’t get the memo. He would stare up at me and laugh and laugh while I thought about all the things I wish I was doing instead of rocking him back and forth for what felt like an eternity. I finally realized that this nap time business wasn’t going to go away. I needed a way to shift my swirling thoughts back to the present moment.

I decided to bring my iphone to bed and once he fell asleep I took a photo of the two of us in whatever position he ended up in. Seeing that first photo, I was hooked.  When I saw how the light was falling on this frustrating situation my mind quieted. My heart burst open at the sight of the two if us, peaceful and content, tangled together in a compositionally pleasing snuggle. I started to notice deeper clues about our relationship that showed up within the photograph. Our closeness, and our deep connection was revealing itself to me in a way I felt inside but had never really seen in this way before.  The Nap series was born.

Two years later, I am so grateful for the collection of Nap photos of the two of us that document a time in our lives that is short lived and so precious.  I didn’t realize that I was trying to leave a situation that was truly incredible. What was the bigger lesson for me? Don’t leave before the miracle happens. Use the camera to shift perception from mind to soul. I remember this whenever I find myself frustrated, stressed out, or in fear. Bring it back to the present. Grab your camera and see with your heart.  Creating this nap series has increased my ability to “see” in ways I didn’t expect. It continues to help me connect more deeply with the preciousness of these fleeting moments.

Photo essay and words courtesy of Catherine Just. You can view a larger portion of the nap series on Catherine's blog.

What better photo essay to share when our prompt is "bed"? Share with us how you get cozy in your bed today and tag your snuggly shots #sselevate.

something blue

 

Blue skies, bluer than blue, got the blues, once in a blue moon, true blue, out of the blue, into the blue, playing the blues, blueberry, blue bonnet, wild blue yonder, baby blues.

As you observe the big blue marble today, seek out the various blue hues that surround you.

No matter how ordinary such a simple color might be, the bluest of blues can soothe the soul and elevate your everyday like no other hue.

Share your blues with us today.

Self-portrait courtesy of my teenaged daughter who wants to enourage your teenage daughters out there to join us today in seeking out and capturing the color blue.