Running in the Rain

I feel fall in the morning, but I still want to post those summer photos. The ones where an afternoon rain shower was so much fun, simple fun.  

The rain shower where you could run through all those puddles with you sibling.  A sibling that is laughing just as hard as you are.

This summer we were so lucky and had a lot of these rainstorms.  What great fun especially at seven years old!

A weekend away!

Last weekend Brian and I had a night away.  We spent time on a beautiful lake in the water we both love.  Those hours away were priceless and gave us a chance to reconnect.  We communicate daily but the truth is we communicate about our children, schedules, and daily life needs.  

When we are just the two of us it takes awhile to settle into our own conversation and truthfully it is a little awkward at first.  We have to get past our children which are our whole world.  

After that we can talk about each of us and our dreams.  We talk about what works for us as a couple and a family and what is not feeling quit right.  

We had time to sit at a dinner table, walk around a very quaint  little town, and go running together.  This summer has been rough on a personal level and in that I have realized we really need time to take care of us also.  That is very hard sometimes with lots of growing kids.  

It was good to get away and truthfully by Sunday morning we missed all of our kids and couldn't wait to be back together again!

Oh Andrew

The question is always in my mind why do I love photos and photography so much and the answer shows up in each photo session. It does not show up when everyone is in their proper places.  It shows up when no one is looking and the kids can just be kids!  Andy did well at his eight year old session after all he loves to be the center of attention but this photo will always be one of my favorite. A boy at eight trying to balance his best friend on his nose!  This is him all the way through.  I love his "proper" photos but the day would not have been complete without a little bit of silliness!

Happy 8th Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to Mr. Andrew an Ms. Katie.  Today we will celebrate you and all that you mean to us!!!

Andrew you have been my little man of energy since I meet you. I waited for you to come home so I could kiss you for the first time.  You bring laughter to this family and have the most caring heart of anyone I know.  Eight is looking good on you little man!

Oh Miss Katie how I love you so.  You came home at five months and those cheeks were finally mine to kiss! You are an amazing musician and artist.  Your calmness is a trait I so envy in you!  You are beautiful my girl and as your Daddy says such a sweetheart!

Both of you were born in my heart.  You showed me how love can cross an ocean in such a short amount of time.  I believe in my heart that your birth mom's are out there and they are missing you on this day and always. Adoption is not black and white and for all the joy I feel there is someone out there who feels the pain.  You are both amazing kids.  As we travel these years together my prayer is that someway your birth parents will know that you are thriving and bringing such joy to us.

Tonight we celebrate with you.  We will have a dinner that you two have chosen and open some gifts. We love you to the moon and back!

Sixteen Years Ago

Sixteen years ago we said "I Do".  We were young just twenty-two and twenty four.  We were both done with college and life was full of love, hope, and dreams.  We moved away from family to start our little life. Our first house had a very bright blue carpet.  Love and romance were a part of that little old blue house.  We were so excited with our new life together.

We spent time with couple friends that would last a lifetime and started figuring out who we were.  Days were filled with the ups and downs of life and we learned how to fight good as well as say "I am sorry".  We debated on having kids (I know a funny statement now) or living a life full of careers that had not reached their full potentials.  We ate dinner at nine at night and took walks after dark.

Fast forward sixteen years.   Our house is full of kids and we eat dinner as early as we can.  I basically stay at home with kids and Brian is a well connected banker in our community.  We have seen how rough life can be and many tears have been cried.  We have also had many moments filled with goodness and peace.  Our favorite days are those that are not complicated with just our family and simple times.  Brian has always been so good to me.  He always stands beside me and as I have said before he is my rock.  The look in this photo is one the still passes between us.  I pray for our future, for a love that grows each day, and for respect that has carried us all these years.

On a side note for years now we have watched our wedding video on this evening and have included our kids.  We just realized we no longer have a VCR so there will be no video tonight.  I will have to tell you there are four kids who are so grateful for they found it very boring!

Brian, I love you for all you are to me and all that we will become in the years ahead of us!

Catching up

This past weekend was a family reunion.  It is an event that is now part of my big editing project that will happen as soon as school is in session. I took a lot of photos at this event but this was my favorite.  My sister and cousin were great friends growing up. Where one was the other was sure to follow.  Life takes us on different paths and time changes. Life is full of good and hard both of which these two have felt.  It was fun to see them together again reconnecting.  I saw them through the eye of my lens as more mature people, but my mind still sees that blond headed girl and the boy with lots of curls getting into mischief and fun!

The computer is full of goodies from the summer and they will all show up on the blog soon.  Summer is almost done, school supplies were bought today.  I will miss these lazy days of summer.  I will relive them soon and be able to share on our little blog!