The Best Way to Age

I was thinking today about how everyone says, and it is so true, that your concept of time is different with children in the house. E will be one next month, and I certainly haven't gotten any younger in the past year. I have determined that having a kid in the house is the best way to age.  You're barely aware of the passage of time, except for watching him - the looks on his face as he matures, his development as he learns how to walk, his vocalizations as he talks in his own language - and you're nothing but thankful for this opportunity to view God's world through someone else's eyes. It is one of the best gifts. Not that I'm a proponent of go forth and procreate, unless that's your wish! Here's to the passage of time, at any rate, with loved ones by your side. 


My good friend Kelly Sue took this picture on our last play date. 

James brought home a balloon for me, which Ian loved (and thankfully wasn't afraid of).

Ian and Razzie play together all the time. Razzie loves it, and hates it!

A Year In The Life

I am considering doing a Year In The Life photo series. I don't want to commit to a 365 Project - taking at least one picture every day for a year. Not that I don't take that many pictures, my husband can attest to that. Mostly because it takes me on average 3-4 weeks to dump them from my camera to the computer. I'm working on that, in the name of Niki's World.

This is Congo. He's a Basenji - neurotic, smart, athletic, sleepy, and able to find a spot of sunshine in any room at any time. This doesn't look very comfortable, but don't tell him that. You'll just piss him off.

A Boy and His Dog

I was going to enter another I Heart Faces contest, and do it right this time. Apparently I didn't read ALL of the rules last time and forgot to post their button on my page. I thought, "I'll do it better this time." Of course, that would include knowing which day of the week it is, and realizing that the contest ended yesterday. Oh well - not meant to be this time obviously. Here's my Max and Ian story anyway.

This is Max and our little boy, Ian. He was born in March of last year. Max was 12 when this picture was taken in October of 2011. Maxi passed away 15 days later. As most photographers might do, I panicked the next day I woke up, thinking I didn't have any good, recent photos of Maximillian. I'd raised him since he was 8-weeks-old, he'd been sick off and on since the summer, and on October 27, he became violently ill and passed away within the day. I cried, and cried. I hadn't taken a lot of pictures of him over the summer and fall because he wasn't looking his best and I didn't want to do him like that. October 28 my heart was in my shoes. I dumped the pictures off my camera, reviewed and cataloged, then came across this one. A small percentage of his passing was made okay. I'm not saying it's the best picture I've ever taken, but it is the best damn picture I have ever taken. I love and miss you, Maxi.