Haitian Super Heros

Having reached our 11th snow day here in the Shenandoah Valley, our four guys are working hard to entertain themselves :-) There is always a lot of grumbling when I mention it is time to read. I personally love to spend time in a good book, but my guys aren't big literary fans, so I decided to entice them by reading "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightening Thief" aloud. They want to see the movie that arrives in theaters on Friday, so I have promised that if they commit themselves to this reading time, we will see the movie once we have finished the book. I am hopeful it is working as the two youngest decided to be Super Heros/Greek Gods and stamp out injustice and dust bunnies wherever they could find them. It is such fun to watch them "fly" around the house and cure all the evils of the world. If it were only that easy...

Each day as I watch the news or see images on the computer, I am personally thankful that life brought these two little Haitians into our hearts. It is impossible not to see my boys in the faces of the hungry, injured and orphaned children in Port-au-Prince. We know that our family was blessed beyond measure when we brought them home. It is not for us to know why or how they were chosen for this life here in Virginia. We simply trust and believe that their lives have a special purpose and pray that we will help them discover that path. With all the arguing in the media, it is so easy to get caught up in the debate over what is the right way and wrong way to help the little ones in Haiti. Over the years of working in Haiti, it has become very clear that when it comes to caring for orphans there can be no one answer that covers the situation of each & every child separated from family in Haiti. I believe that every child deserves the love and security of a family. If it is not possible for that to happen within their country & culture than there should be other options. I am hopeful that politics will be set aside as the world tries to help the Haitian people (big & small) move forward and that we can find opportunities to for all Haitian children to grow & prosper regardless of where they live.

That being said, today we give thanks for our family here and in Haiti as we learned that Pierre's Haitian mom is alive and well! Many thanks to all our family & friends who have contacted us in the last few weeks expressing support and prayers for her well-being and for Pierre's heavy heart as we waited to hear. We have not heard about Ched's family but are praying the news will reach us that they are okay as well.

Living in the Moment...

I love photographing boys. I guess it may be because I currently live with four (five if you count the 47 year old boy I am married to) and am beginning to understand their particular sense of humor. I have three adult daughters who taught me a great deal about being a mom and I already knew quite a bit about being a girl, but these boys are leading me into a whole new world. I am inspired by their creativity, energy and sensitivity. They are funny & silly & kind, but most of all they seem to understand that it is all about living in the moment. And for photographers...it is all about the "moment"! Today's sneak peek is courtesy of Calvin & Henry...two guys who certainly understand this philosophy!

I like this Cesare Pavese quote, “We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.” For me, my photography is about not forgetting those memories. It is a way to remember more than just what a child looked like at a certain age. Taking a snapshot in time that merely shows size & shape is simply a form of documentation, and to be honest, most anyone with a digital camera can do that. The challenge I give myself is to do more than that. I want my images to preserve a child as they were in that moment. I want not just an image of their grin, but a glimpse of the spark of mischeviousness behind that smile. I want their parents to see more than their blue eyes...I want them to see their adventurous spirit shimmering in those bright eyes. I admit that at times I think I have set my bar a bit high and feel like I fall short. But then, I am able to spend a few hours with little guys like Calvin & Henry. Watching them, I am again inspired to enjoy the moment in which I stand and enjoy the energy around me. These two brothers are fun, energetic, and quite imaginative. I loved their "slow motion" running and dramatic NFL style tackles. With my camera, I captured the quiet moment when Henry froze in mid-tackle to softly pet a barn kitten that had wandered into the game zone. In several images, I also captured the encouragement, kindness & affection that Calvin shows his little brother. Along the way, I learned that bulls are actually color blind...this fun fact was mentioned as we discussed whether or not there were any of the farm's bulls in the field where we would be taking some of the photos. After their mom assured us there were no bulls, we enjoyed the beautiful morning and were able to capture some great images.

Many thanks to Calvin & Henry for a fun morning! Hope you enjoy your sneak peek...