I Heart Faces - Whimsical

She knew it would not be long before her brother noticed his tube was missing, but the afternoon sun was insufferably hot, and the water seemed to summon her…

Check out other I Heart Faces "Whimsical" photos this week here.

His Heart

“How far away is my heart, Mommy?” Nicholas asks me.

“Your heart is inside your body, baby. It isn’t far.”

“Yes, it is far. It’s very very far away. That’s why Heller is far away.”

“Heller is far away, to you, because you can’t see him. You can’t see him because he is in Heaven. But, he is also in your heart because you love him. We say, ‘he is in our hearts’ because our hearts feel our love, and we love him forever.”

Nicholas is insistent. “My heart is far far away. Very far. Further than the farthest far.”

I try again.

“When we love somebody, or something, we say that it is in our heart. It means, our heart holds a part of that thing forever and ever. You are in my heart, Jenny is in my heart, Daddy is in my heart. It means we love someone.”

Nicholas gets the final words. “Well, I love my stuffed animals, but they are not in my heart. They are at home, on my bed.”

I’ll try again tomorrow.

Happy Father's Day!

There is nothing on this earth that would please my son more than hanging out with his Daddy. May today find you happy with someone you love, doing what you love to do!

Happy Father's Day!

Magical!

It's official! We've been home only a week, and we are ready to go back!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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I Heart Faces - Best Face Photo of March 2011

Through the Fence "When I was little," he tells me, "I didn't play T-Ball." I just love these "experienced" eyes. Although he is way on the other side of the fence, he still checks in every now and then to allow Mommy a few close-ups. This is my favorite March Capture, and you can vote for it here. While you are there, check out other March Favorites at I Heart Faces this week.

Fairy Tales

We gently placed our beans into the soil and waited for the magic...

...and now we dream of limitless clouds, far-off lands, thrilling giants, singing harps, and golden eggs.

Upgrade!

Another year--another pair of Chucks! They just keep getting bigger and bigger. Nicholas calls these, "Eleven Tall."

Best Money Ever Spent - Strider Bike!

The Strider™ PREbike website claims, "Bike riding becomes a breeze when you teach your child balance and coordination before pedaling." I am pretty confident this is true, but we haven't yet converted to a pedal-less bike. Our Strider Rider is so much fun!

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After several attempts to circle the neighborhood for our evening walk, with Nicholas riding his training-wheeled bicycle, we gave up and encouraged him to walk with us. The over sized bike with trainers was cumbersome and slow, and managed to get stuck in minor cracks and tip over at a moment's notice. Nicholas didn't seem to mind putting the bike aside. In truth, he wasn't having much fun anyway.

In November, his grandparents bought him a Strider for his 4th birthday.

Day One with the Strider was slow-and-go. As with any bike, it took a little while to get used to. Day Two was better. We navigated the neighborhood, without any falls, but Nicholas remained tentative, and his feet mainly stayed on the ground. At the end of Day Two, we checked out videos at the Strider Bike website and Nicholas decided that he wanted to try to do "tricks." I told him we should give it try, so we headed right back outside and gathered up his bike.

Immediately, Nicholas walked his bike to the top of the driveway, lifted his feet, and glided to the bottom. My heart was in my throat as he hit the lip at the bottom of the driveway and seemed to lose balance for a moment. Without hesitation, Nicholas righted his wheels and continued his glide.

"Wow, Mommy! Did you see that 'trick'?!" he asked me.

He spent the rest of the day telling everyone what an amazing bike rider he was.

Balance AND confidence with one blow!

Thanks Strider!

I Heart Faces - Hearts

I Heart Faces is getting into the spirit of Valentine's Day a little early this week with their challenge topic--Hearts! Check out what others are doing with their hearts here.

2 Kids/12 Times/12 Colors

The end of 2010 found me desperately trying to fill a photo album with photos of my children (taken together) over the course of the last year. I found that it could not be done. I was forced to settle for separate, yet similar, captures. It seems that their fourteen-year age difference does not contradict the definition of sibling rivalry. I could see it in their photos--my children each competing to define who they are as a person, and each wanting to show that they are separate from their sibling.

Well, that just would not do.

It has been said that our siblings are the people we practice on. They teach us fairness, cooperation, kindness, and compassion. Jenny is beginning her adult life this year. Nicholas barely knows the joys of being a full-fledged kid. They are still learning and growing together, and I intend to capture these moments while I can.

If I had the pleasure of raising them together as small children, I confess, I would have dressed them the same and paraded them around in all their cuteness. Sometimes, it happens naturally, and I secretly love it. For my project, it will happen at least once a month.

So begins a new project--2 Kids/12 Times/12 Colors.

This is not a new concept. I admit, I borrowed it from several members of my photographer community. Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without your inspiration.

So it begins…

2 Kids/In January/In RED

Two-Wheeler

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. ~Proverbs 16:9

“Look!” someone said, “He’s starting to crawl.”
And, that was the very first start of it all.
The next thing I knew, in the blink of an eye,
You were walking and running and climbing quite high.
And now, here you are, on a bike with two wheels.
Striding, then gliding, and lifting your heels.
Your balance—magnificent.
You are fearless and fast.
And, I find myself wishing this moment could last.
But, I know you’ll keep growing, with each passing day.
And, I know God’s design says it’s perfect this way.
So for now I will store in my memory’s heart
The gift I am given, as I witness each start.
And to my story, one day, you will listen in awe,
As it begins with a baby, before he could crawl.

Forever on My Toes - One Year Ago, Today

About a year ago, I was given an opportunity to develop my photography skills through a workshop provided by a wonderfully talented photographer, Sheye Rosemeyer. As a workshop assignment, we were asked to capture "ourselves."

I am sharing this photo and post with you, as I shared it one year ago, today.

I was what you would call a “girlie girl.”

Like many aspiring ballerinas, I dreamed of the day when I would pirouette across a New York stage to the music of The Nutcracker Suite. But, life is funny. You never know where you will end up.

When it was time for me to have children, I knew that I would have girls. "Girlie girls" have girls, right?! So, imagine my surprise (with two deliveries) when I heard the words, “It’s a boy!” It was time for me to begin to learn the ways of boys…I had no idea I would remain forever on my toes.

Nicholas’s car crocks have made an appearance in several photos on this blog. When he picked them out, I cringed. The word, UGLY, came to mind. But, over the last several weeks—and by force—these shoes have grown on me. I love the car face. I love the character. I love that they are red (Heller’s favorite color). I love that as I post this, Nicholas is running through the house in a diaper and his car shoes.

With this photo, I hoped to capture the juxtaposition of life’s direction—where we are at one Pointe—pun intended—is not necessarily where we will end up, and it’s not a bad thing…just different.

This leads me to one of my favorite quotes from the Bible, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, “plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

I have faith that we will all eventually land where God plans, even if we don’t recognize the vehicle—pun intended—that takes us there.