I am going to be honest and tell you things are rough with my family right now. Tensions are high, and while mom is generally healing well - there is lots to do and little energy to do it.
I wish I could wave a wand over the whole state of Maryland and make all the problems disappear. (And in saying that, I promise I wasn't involved in that freak of an earthquake today ... Are you other Merliners OK?)
Point being, I am here in Colorado and I can do very little - other than flying in when I can, and trying to be supportive when I can, and attempting to cheer people up when I can. (My latest was telling my aunt all about the iPhone foibles and I THINK IT WORKED. CAUSE THEY ARE FUNNY! AND SHE LAUGHED! A LOT! Not to mention I WAS RIGHT about the bumper freeforall!!! GO ME!!!)
But you know what else I can do?
Document.
Sometimes I think that was my sole purpose in walking the planet. Hello, if you watch my Twitterstream, I basically just retweet the funny things my family says. Once we allow Declan on social networks, I am finished.
Obviously I love capturing our lives with the camera too.
And during these visits back to Maryland for my mom's health, one thing has become very clear, Declan and his cousin Ridgely are amazingly close.
It transcends time together, and distance - the minute they see each other, the bond reignites.
Interestingly enough, they have almost exactly the same age difference and my sister and I have - with Declan being the eldest, as I am.
People now mistake them for brothers, and while they both have a lot of their fathers in their looks and expressions, they *absolutely* can be mistaken for siblings.
The other gift they give us is joy.
Joy, plain and simple.
When everything else is crumbling in your life, you can always count on the kids to bring you joy.
I wish I could wave a wand over the whole state of Maryland and make all the problems disappear. (And in saying that, I promise I wasn't involved in that freak of an earthquake today ... Are you other Merliners OK?)
Point being, I am here in Colorado and I can do very little - other than flying in when I can, and trying to be supportive when I can, and attempting to cheer people up when I can. (My latest was telling my aunt all about the iPhone foibles and I THINK IT WORKED. CAUSE THEY ARE FUNNY! AND SHE LAUGHED! A LOT! Not to mention I WAS RIGHT about the bumper freeforall!!! GO ME!!!)
But you know what else I can do?
Document.
Sometimes I think that was my sole purpose in walking the planet. Hello, if you watch my Twitterstream, I basically just retweet the funny things my family says. Once we allow Declan on social networks, I am finished.
Obviously I love capturing our lives with the camera too.
And during these visits back to Maryland for my mom's health, one thing has become very clear, Declan and his cousin Ridgely are amazingly close.
It transcends time together, and distance - the minute they see each other, the bond reignites.
Interestingly enough, they have almost exactly the same age difference and my sister and I have - with Declan being the eldest, as I am.
People now mistake them for brothers, and while they both have a lot of their fathers in their looks and expressions, they *absolutely* can be mistaken for siblings.
The other gift they give us is joy.
Joy, plain and simple.
When everything else is crumbling in your life, you can always count on the kids to bring you joy.
Labels: Family
19 Comments:
Hugs! Thinking of you and hope for better times!
BEAUTIFUL photos! How did you make the bubble one?
The kids & I are at the beach, but my hubby felt the earthquake at our house back home in Maryland. He was getting ready for work & said he heard a noise & felt the house shake a little bit...he looked out the window to see if a big truck had just driven past.
Sending good & happy thoughts to you and your family.
Thanks love! And I was thinking of you in the World Cup!
The bubble with Ridgely holding it in front of his face was a lot of trial and error, of getting the bubble to look good. Then, the effect on the photo is called "cross-process" - where you put a filter of red, green and blue on top the photo. I have made and downloaded several actions for Photoshop to do this for me depending on the mood I want.
What do you use to edit photos?
Dawn - that is crazy!!!
Nadine - more info on cross process:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_processing
Love and hugs, Aimee! And thank goodness for the joy of kids, huh?
My cousin was the best man at my wedding and is my best friend. You did a great job capturing that special bond.
Best wishes your way,
~nate
Things are pretty frustrating in our neck of the woods right now, too. I will think good thoughts for your family.
oh my goodness. declan is getting so big. the first photo of him and his brother-cousin (credit given to princess mikkimoto and her sister-cousin, more) gives the first glimpse of the man he'll become. congratulations.
You really can always count on the kids. It's pretty great, isn't it?
I love your documenting. Keep it up, and hang in there. My thoughts are with you and your family. Also? You manage to do more in the midst of chaos than I do when everything's perfect. You rock.
When I sit down to write in my journal at the end of the day, I try to start my day off with at least one good thing that happened. So often when I'm having a crappy day, the only thing I can think of is something about the kids, something they did or said. It gets me through many days when everything else is crap.
So cool that Dex and Ridgley can get to know each other even tho they're so far away. Good for you for encouraging it!
I hope things smooth out soon, for everyone - HUGS!
Great point, Monstergirlee - any everyone. Always nice to try to see the bright side.
Couldn't comment earlier. But wanted to say I love this post.
Oh, Aimee - To feel that way is so awful. Just know that we are thinking about you and that all over people are sending out good vibes your way! And your documenation skill is a gift. Look at the legacy you are going to leave behind. Kind of breathtaking to those of us that have only a couple of baby pictures. :D Big Hugs!
Thinking of you, my dear :) xoxo
Thanks again everyone. :)
That's so sweet. I used to be close to my cousins when we were all little and lived closer. It was a good time.
Hope things get better for your family.
So amazing pic of a cousin..Love it!
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Theyre so adorable..You just captured their innocence..Kids are so natural in nature thats way if you take pics of them they register on cam naturally.
Nice:)
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