a.lil.bit.of.lulu

The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.

{joseph campbell}

This is my middle of three. She has taught me more about adventure than the other two combined. Let's just say there is never a dull moment with this l'il chica. She will keep me young or age me much too quickly ... the jury's still out on which one it will be.

Love you more, LuLu!!

a.working.through

Feeling kind of blue about a few things right now so thought I needed to go and spend some quality time with the blossoms in my yard. Of course, the problem's not solved, but I do feel a *wee* bit more space in my head after taking the time to observe the way these little dainties weave and bob in the afternoon breeze and turn their delicate little faces toward the sun's goodness.

Just be.

They whisper.

Okay says me.

{if just a little impatiently}

being.beloved

Been thinking about all the spaces and places in our lives that we are told, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, that we're simply not good enough.

If we could ONLY do or be such and such, then we will have arrived

or so the thinking goes.

I think you might know what I'm talking about??

You know, those ideas that define you as 'less than'...

"you're not smart enough for this, you're not pretty enough for that, you're not fast enough to compete, you're not young enough to matter anymore and the list goes on and on and on ..."

Really, insert just about any adjective in this statement:

"You're not _____ enough."

And I know you've heard it many times over.

So, it leads me to ask the question, "Where are the places in our lives that

we hear the following words?":

You are perfectly complete just the way you are.

I love the way you're so perfectly YOU.

No accessories needed.

Hmmm ... I don't know about you, but those words are heard in far fewer places in my life than the critical, self-doubt inducing words. They creep in through all sorts of cracks, perpetually oozing in through the corners, which makes them much harder to hold at bay. Truth be told, they're rather relentless, really.

Just for today,

{because often that's all that I can handle}

I've decided to listen to the voice that calls me beloved

and with any luck and a whole lotta intention,

I hope to do that tomorrow, too.

there's.nothin'.like.soccer.practice.at.the.park

it takes courage to grow up and become

who you really are.

~ee cummings

So, the thought above inspired the poem I wrote below. Man alive, I LOVE this little monkey-girl and it's killin' me that she's almost a kindergarten graduate.

Ode to my little lovey, Miss Ava

i stand stage right,

watching you become who you really are,

this imperceptibly slow unfolding,

this unravelling of sorts

roots penetrating deep as limbs reach high

i am a joyful witness to this unfettered growth

but quickly then

my heart leaps to contain, draw you in

and shelter your leafy branches from the spring storms

just as quickly then

another place in me answers

that there is a wisdom

in letting this young sapling reach for the morning sky.

{xo, your grateful mum}

Lauren.Class.of.2011

As I was editing Lauren's photos, the images that really spoke to me were the ones above because they captured her in her unguarded moments. I dunno ... for some reason, I loved the honesty in these images and I imagine that these expressions are ones her parents have seen often when she's in quiet reflection and simply resting in who she is.

Dear Lauren,

I don't want to embarrass you,

BUT, you need to know that if

my girls have your

quiet self-confidence,

your intelligence,

your kindness

and a heart as big as yours

when they're sixteen,

I will consider myself sooooo lucky.

Seriously.

Hope your senior year is as *lovely* as you are.

serious.blossom.love.going.on

Sometimes

the long-awaited beauty of it

these fleeting heralders of new life

threaten to crack

then rend

my heart wide open.

{xo, Moi}

a.most.compelling.image

"Birds" - found via Smashing Magazine - photographer unknown
Every now and then, I come across a photograph that I cannot get out of my head. This is one such photograph. I have so many questions about it. I want to know all the how's and why's of it ... the very story of it. So compelling and unsettling, in the best sort of way. Am wishing I knew the photographer because it would be hanging on my wall if I had any say in the matter.

ahhh.the.bonuses!

{our friend Scott and his l'il Nico walking the streets of Alamosa}

Yes

It could happen any time, tornado,

earthquake, Armageddon. It could happen.

Or sunshine, love, salvation.

It could you know. That’s why we wake

and look out- no guarantees

in this life.

But some bonuses, like morning,

like right now, like noon,

like evening.

~william stafford

Someday, when I grow up, I will write poetry as beautiful as this. Until then, I will come back to the table again and again with a pen in hand and a hopefulness in my heart. And, of course, I will continue to use the prism of my lens to tell the stories that my words cannot do justice.

time.to.mix.it.up.again

Remember how I said I was gonna take this little fundraising challenge on a few twists and turns before it was all over?? Hold on to your hats folks, cuz here's the latest and greatest:

Mentoring Sessions!!!

Who: YOU and I

What: a mentoring session for anything photography-related

Why: because you need to learn to use your camera

{you and I both know you'll never get around to reading that manual}

or

because you need to improve the quality of your pictures

{yeah, you do ... just trust me on this one}

or

because you want to learn more about making your way around Photoshop

{think of the possibilities! you could make yourself look like one of the cool kids for your FB profile pic}

All this and more for

a measly $30 per hourly session, folks!

By now, you know the drill ...

all proceeds are a tax-deductible donation to

the one, the only

LCCAC

This session will be tailor-made for YOU and where YOU'RE at in your photographic journey {sounds kinda New Age-y, dontcha think??}. You tell me what you wanna learn and, by golly, I'll teach it to you.

Now, really, doesn't that sound like an offer you can't refuse??

soft.spot.in.my.heart.for.Alamosa

Alamosa On My Mind

Tucked in

the recesses

of this sleepy alpine valley

strong hearts

giving strength to willing hands

lifting

raising

up

deliberately and defiantly,

unearthing a new way.

Every hand

adding solidarity

and shape

to this movement of truth.

Carving out another finger-hold

for one who

will come after.

cracking.me.up.today

One of my favorite lines ... "Parenthood is awesome and we are awesome parents. And I'm not saying it's a competition, but if it was, we are clearly the winners ... oh yeah, we are winning at parenthood."

Niiice.

very.simply.happy.easter

{the whitest, fluffiest, bluest of blue skies o'er Colorado ... aka another reason why I DOUBLE LOVE living here}

resurrection

and when you find yourself assuming that it’s over
when it’s lost, gone, broken and it could never be
put back together again,
when it’s been destroyed and you swear that it could
never be rebuilt

hold on a minute
because in that moment
things will in fact have just begun

~rob bell

ava.practices.joy.quite.well.i.must.say

joy is prayer.

joy is strength.

joy is love.

joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

{mother teresa}

practice joy.

{l'il ole me}

it's.not.too.late.to.update

This, my friends, is Brenda.

She is the hard-working photog behind Brenda Landrum Photography.

Isn't she lovely??

Truth be told, I'm a little envious {okay, more than just a little} of that gorgeous red hair and don't even get me started on those cheekbones. OH, those cheekbones!

Yeah, she's pretty much an exceptionally photogenic gal and a kind soul, to boot.

What a rough life, huh?!?

But, I digress...

Brenda took me up on my offer to update her online profile while simultaneously making a contribution to one of my favorite non-profits

{that would be the LCCAC, in case you haven't been paying attention}.

She got some beautiful shots of her beautiful self to use on her Twitter, FB, and bloggity blog and wasn't it so worth it??

Soooo, whatcha waitin' for??

{offer only good thru May and while supplies last}