30 April 2009

um, whoops.

so i realized i didn't ever post more from this urban session a couple weeks ago. my apologies. (if you have not yet picked up on this, my daily life bops along to the tune of "better late than never," much to the annoyance of my ever-punctual hubby, whose modus operandi is Yes, But Better On Time Than Late, And While We're At It Let's Just Be Early. it's amazing he's still sane with me around.)

so right, the urban shoot.


my favoritest shot of the day:


we were saying, "b, do you think mom is funny?" and he would affirm, "HA-HA-HAAAA!" the above photo was captured mid-HA.














did i mention that these are some of the bestest people on the planet? i think i did. and guess what? okay, you'll never guess unless you already know, in which case it's not guessing, so i'll tell you: they just moved to my little town this week. because they love me. and also because seth is our new worship pastor, but mostly because they love me.

saweet.

27 April 2009

it's official.

i am in love with the midwest. it's a brief affair, to be certain, as soon we'll dive into three solid months of temps in the nineties and humidity so thick you could wash your hair in it. but for today, at least, i would pick exactly this spot out of all the real estate in the world.

elle and i spent the morning weeding the lawn and flower beds beneath a cornflower sky, the wind fragrant with lilacs and hope. later elle napped and i threaded vining clematis through the weaves of our trellis out back.

i have laundry to finish and banana muffins to bake, plus bunches of images to edit this afternoon, and i can't help but think how blessed i am to fill my days with so very many things i love.



speaking of l'amour, here's a sneak peek from saturday's shoot for you, allie.







allie&sam make such a gorgeous couple, and i wanted to keep shooting for hours just to be seen with them. :) i'll post a few more from their session later this week.



happy monday, blogworld.

22 April 2009

on earth day





i love that she calls them dandeflowers, that no one has yet told her they are weeds and therefore not to be exclaimed over.

i wonder how many things i devalue based on their proliferation or because they’ve been categorized as metaphorical weeds. i also wonder if, with a little effort, my eyesight might recover enough to recognize that these bristling dandelions are the precise color of happiness.

21 April 2009

spring, hand-delivered.





we had a cluster of blooms outside, but my four year old spied them whilst playing.

so now we've a cluster of blooms inside.





:)

18 April 2009

sneakity peek

did an urban shoot thursday with some of my favorite people on the planet. here's a foretaste of your images, guys:



more to follow. be well.

15 April 2009

who he is today

one afternoon when the light was mellow and em* looked particularly dashing, we snapped a few shots in the sunroom.









a few weeks back i was sifting through a shoebox of loose photos, and came across a few of em back when he was a little guy crowned with curls. the moment of nostalgia was spiked with the regret of how nebulous my memory is of that particular small person.

so this is em at six.

he has hair the color of creamed coffee.

his giggle, which comes easily, bubbles up from his throat in a way that makes it impossible for him to talk and sometimes results in hiccups.

he's a maven at memorizing bible verses.

he makes an awfully cute groundhog in his kindergarten spring play.

he shares his jellybeans with the boy in church who needed a friend.

he knows no stranger. em walks into a room and expects the world to find him adorable.

he's my third child, wedged in a spot that makes him easy to overlook, and i feel a visceral ache when i realize he's striving for my attention and i haven't really heard him.

em is little, but sprouting up like bamboo, and i aim to know and treasure him at every height. my dear, sweet child: you are so precious to me.





asterisk: i did not actually name my son em. this is the phonetic spelling of the first letter of his name: M. there now, i'm not quite as odd as you'd thought.

addendum to the asterisk: so the votes are in, and i extend the warmest of thanks to everyone who affirmed my oddness in the comment section below. i am all about intriguing people, and i fully own that i am like seventeen brands of odd. i'm just not odd enough to name my sons bee, zee, and em. this is all i'm saying, folks.

12 April 2009

on corinthians



where, o death, is your victory?
where, o death, is your sting?

11 April 2009

part zwei

the alps: up close and personal; from the window of a train.





wengen cloaked in twilight.





from our balcony: the breaking of morning.





vignettes of bern.





old town sidewalks.





street chess, amplified. one requires a bit of brawn to play with this particular set.







it's heady, isn't it? this taking a sip of someone else's life, walking their cobbled streets, poking your nose into their bakeries and quilt shops. and then something startling--the bright, small smile of a child on the street, or finding your family name on the wall of the cathedral--avers that in spite of the discrepancy in longitude, this tiny country holds all the familiarity of home.

08 April 2009

twelve years today.

this fellow here is the hubby. he and i have an anniversary to celebrate.



"i think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. they've experienced pain and bought jewelry." (rita rudner)

love you, babe.

06 April 2009

General Announcements

1. the other day i was combing through The Stuff That Sits On My Desk and i happened upon a list i'd forgotten about:

words to love
-insufferable
-garrulous
-scrupulous
-zeitgeist
-melange
-verve

one of the benefits of a wretched memory is that every now and again you get accidentally reintroduced to yourself and may even be seized with a surprising fondness for the person you meet.

2. because i live just north of siberia, it is snowing today. three cheers for spring.

3. in a fit of industry, i finished up k&l's photos last night. here's a sprinkling of my faves:





















makes me kind of yearn for another baby. (also makes me yearn to look like l, but i don't suppose we can all resemble supermodels. alas.)

02 April 2009

switzerland part eins



switzerland has officially joined my List Of Nations In Which I Will Someday Reside. assuming a 3.2 year average residency in each country, i shall have to live to the projected age of 214.

perhaps i'd better increase my daily tofu consumption.