My heart is breaking right now for the sweetest family.  Remember this family:

The cutest, happiest, most delightful family.  I just spoke with another favorite client (friend), Erin, who informed me that sweet Charlotte has just been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia..

On a positive note, we are blessed to live 30 minutes from some of the best hospitals in the world here in Boston.  Charlotte is in Boston now beginning her treatments and will hopefully begin the road to recovery.    For those of you who are the praying type, please keep her and her family in your prayers.  Her sweet spirit, her precious smile, and her adorable heart needs it.

If you’d like to keep up on Charlotte’s progress you can follow here her:

Charlotte’s Caring Bridge Page

Charlotte – I’ll be looking forward to our next tea-party!  Get better love! xxoo

Ted and Constance.  Our love and prayers are with you and your family.  We will be here to lift you up and help you through this difficult time and see you onto the sunshine. Please know we are surrounding you in love and light…  We will be wishing on stars for you…

**And to my photographer friends – THIS is why keeping all your photos from sessions is important.  This session now has an entirely new meaning and I will for sure be going back through the images I didn’t show to see what is there.  Another reminder why I am honored to do what I do and feel blessed to share the gift of memories and moments…

Much Love, Many Prayers and lots of Hugs.

xxoo

Yesterday I headed out the door into a downpour with slippery high heels on and Jackson’s rainbow umbrella.  I was already late but somehow I got stuck behind every slow person that was on the road, AND my gas light was on.  I was about 10 minutes away from the church when I should have been parking.  It was pouring.

Funny thing about all that was I didn’t notice like I usually do – (read::: get stressed out!)  I was wandering down ‘memory lane’ thinking back (too many!) years to our college days.  I was thinking back to the late night dance parties – the countless nights of beer pong – the zorn dining commons where very few items were ’safe’ to eat .. but most of all I was thinking back to one of the sweetest girls I ever met at Keene State College —- Kristen.   We hit it off as soon as we met and when we realized we lived only a half hour apart when we were home from school, our friendship just got stronger over breaks, weekends and holidays.

Between having to park our cars in the lot off campus and walking back together – to sitting on the grass at ‘temptation bushnell’ we were always laughing. dancing. loving. living.  Those are the things that college memories are made of. Those are the times I will never forget. Those are the times I was reliving in my head as I was delayed getting to the ceremony. So all those things that made me 2 mintues late (not bad, eh!?) were okay with me – I was enjoying those memories…

So anyways, I parked the ‘loser crusier’ and raced into the church  – I was just in time to see Kristen step onto the alter to meet her soon-to-be husband Brenden. Whew. Made it. I was so honored to be there.  I snuck in the back row and sat at the end of the pew so I could see their faces.  I was so happy to stand by them as they started their life together with Gods blessing.  To be one of their friends to life them up and say how proud I was to watch them get married. An honor. As I feel it is at every wedding I go to — even as a photographer!

After a beautiful ceremony the Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy were welcomed by all their loved ones!

It was onto the reception and since the only people I knew were the Bride and Groom and three of the bridesmaids – I was hanging out with myself for a few moments.  But one of the bridesmaids – Tiffany – another beautiful friend from college — Her soon to-be- Mother-in-Law started chatting with me during the cocktail hour and graciously took me under her wing with her husband and her daughter Heather.  We chatted about friendship, photography, family, children.  The important things in life.  It struck me as we talked how amazing it is that we are all so very different, yet the things that are important in our heart are always the same.  Love is such a blessing.  Before we knew it the reception was starting — we had a blast!  I would expect nothing less at the wedding of my girl!

It was so fun to enjoy the wedding reception – meet new awesome people – and get to snap some shots for fun!  I think its so fun to capture moments for friends that you know will mean something – especially when they think nobody is watching!  So here were a few from the reception..  (- KMM – more to come later…)

first dance..

CAKE!

that my girl! all married and stuff!!

Tiff and Jeff - (Jeff, your family is awesome!!) Tiff you look amazing!! xoox

My other amazing girl Lex and her soon to be husband too! ooouuuhhh leeexxx - hot!!!! xoxoox

oh my amy girl - we met the 1st day of freshman year - amy lived across the hall from me- from that day on she was my girl! love you am!! xoxo

<3  – Kristen and Brenden –   I am so happy for you.  I know you had some rain on your wedding day but as believed if it rain on your wedding day its supposed to be good luck because a wet knot is harder to untie!  So here is to your blessed marriage.  And here is to our blessed friendship.

P.S.  TABLE 13 – TABLE 13!!!!

Love you both!! xooxox

Somehow right before my very eyes my little baby boy has become a little man.  Today was the first day of school as he entered his second year of preschool.  How did that happen?

Over the last few weeks Jackson has been asking these questions and making little remarks that make him seem so old.  The other day I asked him if he wanted a snack and he replied ‘Actually Mom, I can easily get it myself.’  First of all, where did he learn ‘actually,’ and second of all how does he know how to use ‘easily’ correctly!?  I’ll have you know, he walked into the pantry and did in fact get his snack himself.

Last month I came across a movie we made on my computer of Jackson when he was just under 2 years old. (I’ll have to post some of it if i ever figure out how to post video!)  I remember thinking ‘Oh my goodness, he is almost two – he’s so big!’   After I watched it (and maaaybe cried a little!) I realized just how small he really was – and just how big he has become..

Jackson,

As you start your second year of preschool, may your heart be open and may you be kind to your new classmates.  Even though you don’t have the same friends this year, I know you’ll make new ones and we’ll still play with your old ones. May you help your friends, teachers and always do good listening.  Remember to use your manners but still make time to be silly.  Always help clean up the messes you make while having fun.  Share your toys and special things with your class, and most of all – just be yourself… thats the best part.

I can’t wait to see how much you grow this year.  I love you. I’m so proud of you. Thanks for keeping my heart smiling so big.

Love, Mom

remember his little face – so excited for school from last year?! Talk about looking little! He looks so young in those two shots!

Here’s to another year (and some time for mommy to get a few things done – yahoo!!)

xoox

Although we weren’t able to be there in person, we did watch with millions on T.V. as our new President took office. It is amazing to think back 45 years to where this Country was… I can only imagine where we will be in another 45. Despite not being there in person, we wanted to capture this moment in time so we can look back on our family memories and say – remember when we watched Barack Obama become the first African American President ( When Jackson was 2.5 with a messy face and lunch in hand!! -And Molly was 3 months old and playing on her gym mat!) I realize what an amazing accomplishment that is in its own right, but I am even more excited to look back on what he can bring to our Country in the years to come.

With a great sense of hope – I welcome our new President…

Jackson,
I can’t believe in just a few short weeks our time together as ‘just us’ will be no longer.   I am over the moon excited to meet your sister and I know you will be so amazing with her too, but there is a small part of me that is sad our time as ‘just us’ is over.  You have been my little buddy for the past two years making every single day an adventure!  You are such a beautiful soul and your spirit shines through in your smile. Strangers always tell us what a beautiful smile you have  - we couldn’t agree more!! Perhaps it’s just that I’m your mom, but I think you are the most perfect little boy in the whole wide world.  Even on the days you test mommy’s patience, there isn’t a second that I don’t love being your mommy.

Over the last two years together we have done a lot – You have made me realize I can love more then I ever thought possible, grow even when I didn’t think I needed to, and even gain a new understand of patience I never thought I had! But most of all, you have given me the gift of watching you grow into your own person.  I used to dream about having a little boy and wonder what it would be like, but I could have never imagined it would be this much fun.. Your imagination is amazing, your words and stories are incredible and your soul that I see in your eyes brings me to tears to know Daddy and I created such a blessing for this world. If nothing else, I know I gave the world a gift the day you were born…

You are so excited to meet Molly.  You tell everyone Molly is in mommy’s belly and you always want to show off her room.  You tell me the bassinette is ‘Just Molly’ since we’ve had to tell you a few times not to climb in there!  You are always so sweet when you see other babies – especially when they are upset.  Your compassion for others is like none I’ve seen in a 2 year old before!  Although you are so excited for her, I worry if you know what is really going to happen when she arrives.  I know you will be just fine, but I also worry about the transitions as life as we know it is going to change.  No more snuggles in bed with no rush on days without school – Mommy will have to tend to another little blessings needs as well – Will my time be split – will it be fair – will you understand?  I have always wanted to give you a playmate – and I know what your life will be like as you grow up together.  You will have many adventures, lots of giggles and too many stories to count!  I loved growing up with an older brother and I know she will look up to you for so many things.  I am comforted by the fact that you will show her the way and guide her the way we have guided you.  You are such a loving little boy – I hope you always stay that way.

I wish I could bottle up these memories of two years and give them to you when you’re 25 – I know you probably won’t remember them and I bit of me is terrifield maybe I won’t either – but I know what you have taught me – and I won’t forget that. I will always think back to the days of ‘just us’ with a smile and a tear – a smile for the happiness it brought and a tear for how fast it went by.

So in these last few days/weeks before your sister arrives – I have found myself much more open to an extra treat – lots more snuggles – and of course a few extra books!  I will savor every last day just the two of us regardless if you remember it or not.. I will do everything I can to keep it in my heart.

I know one day you will be a Daddy too – and maybe this will all make a little more sense then, but until then at least you can have this little note to ‘remember’ just how I felt on the days before your sister arrives.
Thank you – thank you – thank you for giving me two amazing, incredible, unbelievable years with you. You are my sunshine – you always will be.  You are the reason I am here.
I love you with all my heart, Jackson David.

Love, Mom.