iheartfaces: in the distance

I had to repost this for the iheartfaces entry this week: in the distance. It is one of my favorite shots from the last month and it reminds me of what it is like when the sun is actually shining. (Written sarcastically as I sit at my computer staring out at the gloomy skies on this, our first official summer Monday morning.)

Whatever. I'm ok. The sun can hide all it wants, I've got my sunny beach pictures.

Head over to iheartfaces to see what other "in the distance" photos are on display. Maybe there is more sun over there too?

click here

iheartfaces: motherhood

Sometimes I think motherhood is just one long practice in the art of holding, and letting go.

At first, we are constantly holding them: on the couch, in the rocker, in our arms trying to make dinner, or standing sleepy eyed in the center of a darkened room in the middle of some crazy early morning hour. We swaddle them close, swaying to the rhythm of some silent song in our heads, waiting for the finale of one last droop and close of the eyelids that marks the sendoff to some far away land of sleep. Later, we are holding them close while reading a bed-time story, administering band-aids, hugs of encouragement, comfort. This is the practice of learning to hold them "just so".

Then they grow before our very eyes and we are frantically trying to stay one step ahead of them. When our worry gets the best of us we find ourselves, minute by minute, praying for their protection, health, safety. Praying that they will make good choices, make good friends, find the perfect love, just make it through each day alive. We can no longer cling to the false safety of choosing for them, being in control of their daily lives. This is the practice of letting go.

And no matter what chapter we are in, we are wondering if we are doing the "right" thing, wondering just how much money our children will have to spend on therapy later on in their adult life. :)

Motherhood is the most difficult job in the world with the least amount of pay back in dollars and cents. Through our best and worst moments, our reward is the change that it brings to our own hearts and lives. For better or worse, we are never the same after that moment we hold our first child.

This week over at iheartfaces they are celebrating motherhood. What an appropriate theme coming off the tail of Mother's Day.

I did not get a chance to do a mother's day post yesterday, to publicly honor my own mother. So let me just say....

Mom, I know you could have written this same post today. I know that you have held, swaddled, swayed, prayed me into the person I am today. I also know that you have prayed yourself through the worry of letting go of what you could not control. I want you to know that you have done an amazing job. Yes, I did spend some money on therapy :), as we all could, but it does not invalidate the amazing love that you have poured into me every single day of my life.

I am so very thankful for your example to me of what it means to be a mother who lovingly holds, and lets go.
I love you.
xoxo
t


p.s. go check out all of the other motherhood posts at iheartfaces.

click here

iheartfaces: sun flare love

This will remain forever as one of my most favorite pictures I have ever taken. 

Our girls had just finished riding lessons and we were lingering in the last of the daylight. I love how mom and daughter are washed in sunshine, caught in the sun flare love. 

A beautiful sun-drenched moment.

I can still hear their laughter and feel their joy, authentic and pure. I love that about this photo. 

For all these reasons I couldn't help but to post it for iheartfaces "sun flare" week.

Head on over there to see all of the other amazing sun drenched moments.

iheartfaces: Papa's hands

His mama passed away when he was just a boy of seven years living in the "projects". With a father who worked odd jobs (grave diggin' being one of them), he and his two older brothers spent their days in a Huck Finn sort of way:

Trick-o-Treatin' a day early, on purpose.
Throwing tomatoes at his neighbor's house. (The one who ran them off for trick-o-treatin' a day early.)
Driving Grandpa home from the local bar.
Scrounging up dimes to see the newest western at the local theater (his favorite was Lash Larue, who wore all black).
Engaging in "war games" with dirt clods and tree branches.
Learning to swim by being thrown into the local river, the one you skated on in the winter, swam in during the summer.
Collecting snakes and selling them. (Horrifying Mrs. McFad, who found them slithering all over her basement.)
Running with a pack of boys: Dugan, Nomo, Stemp, Little Stemp, Widow, Woots, Peanuts, Gritz, Jacko, Tubby. (All of which could out-swear the upper crust kids from the west side of town.)
Breaking the winter ice on a pond--and falling in--with his church clothes on.
Sinking a new boat on the local river with a dog named Extane.
Getting fired from a farm pickin' job for loading the bottom of the green-bean basket with rocks. (Couldn't fool that Weight Master.)

And, just like Huck, Papa spent most of his time with a fishing pole in his hands. In fact, theses hands have held a fishing pole, and baited a worm for the last seventy-three years. He owns no fancy fishing equipment, no boat. Papa has always been a simple boy with simple ways.

When I saw that the iheartfaces theme this week was "anything but a face" I smiled at being able to share this photograph of my father's hands. These are the hands that taught me how to cast my own line. They are also the hands that now teach my own children.

On this day, I caught him baiting Bean's worm to her hook. It was like second nature to him.

Tomorrow I will share more pictures of our morning fishing adventure, but for now, go take a look at all of the other iheartfaces entries and enjoy the different kind of theme of "anything but a face".

iheartfaces: a favorite january face

sitting on the balcony

in late morning sunshine

a sparkle in her eyes

we two chatting about stuff

i caught this sliver of a moment

she looking at me

smiling with her eyes

She is my favorite sweet January face.

Visit all of the other favorite January faces at iheartfaces and vote for your favorite!

iheartfaces: smile!

Yippie! iheartfaces is celebrating with smiles this week to celebrate their birthday. When you have a birthday you kinda wanna do that...smile. So here's a little guy, with a big smile. (If you'd like to see more of him, click here.) Or click on over to iheartfaces to see how others are celebrating!

iheartfaces: yeah for chalk!

I had to smile when my email inbox announced yesterday that this week's theme on iheartfaces was "chalk". Last week during Bean's family birthday gathering the cousins completely covered my parent's driveway with their chalk art. Do you not agree that sidewalk chalk is one of the cheapest, yet most satisfying forms of childhood entertainment?  Here is Little Cupcake showing me her "rabbit". Can you see it? (It's that white blob by her feet.)

I have many more pictures from their chalk time to show you later but for now, head on over to iheartfaces and see what other chalk fun everyone is having.

Oh, and have a fantabulous Monday.
xoxo

p.s. Can't wait to tell you about our little family experience we had on the side of the freeway yesterday. Come back this week and enjoy mocking a family other than your own. (And my dad will make is first appearance on my blog.)