Once again we've had another month of summer fun. I was thinking about this project a lot this week as I was looking throughout my home. Yes, indeed there are messes daily in my home that tell the stories of our children, of us together, and of life being lived. But there are also just "traces" of their presence every where I look. I realize this as I see towels and bathing suits drying, baby dolls tucked in their bed, rafts and sand toys on the beach, and so much more on any given day. The life of my children is all around. It really is sad for me to imagine our life any different, though the reality is, it will be one day. I continue to pray to live every day to its fullest, to live in the present, and thank God for these fleeting moments. Please make sure to head over to the Kids Were Here Blog to see all the fabulous images. I love this group of ladies and the love they have for their families.
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a mother's heart
“While there are birthdays, holidays, and special occasions, most of life happens messily in between the milestones. And we can’t forget to celebrate it.” -Maile Wilson it really is the moments in between all the milestones and celebrations where i find us and the beauty of the life we have been given. i used to think that what i lived and knew as ordinary was everyone's ordinary. slowly, my eyes have been opened to the world around me. this has come in many different ways, but i am thankful for each way it has happened. no, the peace, the light, the calm (even amidst the chaos of three young children) that we seem to know in our home, in our family, is a unique gift. it is a gift i thank God for daily. it is also a gift i want to capture and savor and document. it may not be our forever, but it is our now and i never want to forget these days together. they are cherished.
one afternoon my girls made strawberry ice cream. their only request was to do it all by themselves.
please follow along to the cherish this day blog. together, we are mothers and photographers who want to capture the beauty in our every day lives.
this group was formed after finishing my first Everyday Beauty workshop with the Bloom Forum. it has been amazing to watch each of these ladies grow in their photography over the past few months.
My oldest daughter is now 9. We share the most wonderful talks these days. I love to hear the thoughts that are filled inside of her head. One thing I have clearly noticed over the past few years is the struggle she has with perfectionism. I can identify it well, as I have lived my own life with this--as long as I can remember. As a mother, I see how it can pull at us and paralyze us from being the person God has planned for us to be.
My sweet 9 year old will come to me filled with grief for something she "thought" or something she has done. She struggles as we do her math together; wanting to get it perfect the 1st time and getting upset when she is unsuccessful. She notices the behaviors of those she is around. When they aren't being kind or respectful, she doesn't quite understand why. She loves everyone and opens her heart the only way she knows how. We have talked a lot about others and that kindness will not always be offered to us in return. I struggle with this a lot myself and it's hard to be honest and explain to her that the world is filled with people who will not love us for one reason or another. Or sometimes, for no reason at all. I believe perfectionism comes hand in hand with people pleasing. And one of the hardest things to accept is that not everyone will like us; much less love us.
This week I was in the car with my three children when my daughter downloaded the song "Hello, my name is" by Mathew West. I sat in the car listening to this song and really thought about the lyrics. And then we sang it over and over again...all 4 of us.
The song says:
Hello, my name is regret I'm pretty sure we have met Every single day of your life I'm the whisper inside That won't let you forget
Hello, my name is defeat I know you recognize me Just when you think you can win I'll drag you right back down again ‘Til you've lost all belief
These are the voices, these are the lies And I have believed them, for the very last time
Hello, my name is child of the one true King I've been saved, I've been changed, And I have been set free “Amazing Grace” is the song I sing Hello, my name is child of the one true King
I am no longer defined By all the wreckage behind The one who makes all things new Has proven it's true Just take a look at my life
What love the Father has lavished upon us That we should be called His children I am a child of the one true King
My children wanted me to explain the meaning of this song to them as they usually do when they hear a new song. In my opinion, this song could have so many different meanings. But yesterday as we sang it, what I wanted to tell all of my children was that our Heavenly Father has "lavished His love upon us" and "amazing grace is the song we should sing".
I want my children to have grace with themselves and grace with anyone they come in contact with. I want them to know I do not expect them to be perfect and neither does God. I want them to live their lives and open their hearts to others with the type of grace Jesus has given us. This world is full of people "pointing their fingers" at others, shaming them, and judging them. But, who are we to judge anyone? I pray that our children will grow up loving others and seeing the best in humanity. I want my children to see others through God's eyes.
"When we face a difficult situation or are dealing with difficult people in our lives, it becomes very easy to see them through our eyes. We see the hurt they cause us. We see the wrong they've done to us. We see their actions through the lens of our own personal experience.
When we face a difficult situation or are dealing with difficult people in our lives and we seek to them through God’s eyes, we are able to see them as a hurting or lost person. We see their woundedness or their confusion. We can sometimes see where they are being deceived. If we seek wholeheartedly, we can even see their possibilities instead of their liabilities.
Seeing the world and others through God’s perspective takes the focus off of us. This keeps us from taking things personally. And when we don’t take things personally, we can be more objective, we can better stand in the gap in prayer for the other person, and we can see things as they are instead of seeing them as we are."- Jill Savage
We try hard to remind our children of all of this. And as a mother and adult, I need this reminder myself. I want to remember to not only see others through God's eyes but to see myself that way too. I am growing and learning more and more, day by day. I will fall and with God's help I will get back up. There is not a "standard" to which I need to be as a mother, wife, daughter, friend, or person. I just need to live for God daily and ask Him to guide me to continue to be the person He wants me to be.
I know I can't keep my children from facing their own struggles; whether they come from within or through others they come in contact with. But, I can pray for them and try to remind them that we have been given God's Amazing Grace and it is such a beautiful thing.
Learn how light, composition, connections, and details all come together to create memories that will last a lifetime. Ginger will give insight into observing daily routines and spaces within your home to capture authentic moments. In addition, she will present ideas for you to create your own story telling session from start to finish. Finally, she will discuss shooting in public places and the importance of getting in the pictures yourself. This two week mini workshop will include 4 assignments with personal critique and feedback from Ginger on each assignment. You will receive a PDF of all of the course material and assignments.
A Q&A section will also be provided. At the end of the course there will be a private section on Bloom where participants can continue interacting and sharing with one another.
A DSLR camera and basic knowledge of shooting in manual is recommended. You must be a member of the Bloom Forum to participate.
Read reviews from past students here.
Early Registration Details:
(this is your chance to sign up early, before registration is announced and opened within the forum)
Workshop Dates: July 22-August 5
If you are not a member of the Bloom Forum yet, you can join by clicking on the icon below:
If you have any questions please email: ginger.unzueta@gmail.com.
Note: Workshop fees are non-refundable.
Please note this is for the July 2013 workshop, to register for the January 2014 workshop please go here.
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new."-Rajneesh
Mother's Day is a time of year that always brings me to a point of reflection. I can remember 9 years ago celebrating my first Mother's Day just like it was yesterday. I was a new mom with our firstborn baby only a couple weeks old. Mother's Day changed from that moment forward for me. I believe each year the meaning of being a mother intensifies in ways. It's hard for me to put into words how much I love my three children and how much motherhood has changed me. God has taught me so much about myself, others, and His love and grace through motherhood.
This week one morning I was reading a daily devotion by Charles Stanley called The Service of Motherhood. It was so encouraging to me as a mother and I wanted to share it with other mothers.
Children are a gift from the Lord (Ps. 127:3-5). As a result, motherhood is a great honor and privilege. Yet it is also synonymous with servanthood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families. Whether they are nursing a baby late at night, spending their time and money on less-than-grateful teenagers, or preparing meals, moms continuously put others before themselves.
Sometimes this constant serving can be exhausting and even discouraging— particularly for a first-time mother. But you can take real encouragement from Jesus. One of the best examples of gracious servanthood is found in John 13:3-16. By kneeling to wash His disciples’ feet, the Lord showed that the key to genuine leadership is humility. And it is humility that leads to eternal reward.
Unless you are willing to stoop down and get your hands dirty, you will miss the real riches of motherhood. By dying to your own desires and pouring your life into someone else’s, you become like Christ and create a godly legacy that will carry on for generations to come. What greater blessing could one hope for? Of course, the motivation for serving others should not be to reap benefits, but when we follow God’s plan for our life, that’s what happens.
In giving us children, God places us in a position of both leadership and service. He calls us to give up our lives for the sake of others—to abandon our own desires and put our child’s interests first. Yet according to His perfect design, it is through this selflessness that we can become truly fulfilled."
-from The Service of Motherhood, Charles Stanley, www.intouch.org.
As I read this message I couldn't help but think of my own mother and all she sacrificed for my brother and sisters and myself. It was easy to take it for granted growing up and only knowing the life we had, but now as a mother myself; her service really stands out to me. I am so grateful for being brought up in home where I saw this example modeled daily.
"Unless you are willing to stoop down and get your hands dirty, you will miss the real riches of motherhood. By dying to your own desires and pouring your life into someone else’s, you become like Christ and create a godly legacy that will carry on for generations to come."
Wow, when you really look at the purpose and responsibility God has given us as mothers it surely puts the day to day life of caring for our children's needs into perspective. It's easy for us all to get frustrated in the moments of our daily tasks....meals to fix, diapers to change, clothes to clean, activities to attend....but when we look at these tasks in a Godly way, we see there is so much meaning to what we are doing as mothers.
I will admit that I had no idea what it meant to "die to my own desires and pour my life into someone else"..until the day my daughter was born. I was so used to being on the receiving end of this. As a mother to my own children now, I feel challenged to be the woman and mother God has called me to be. I also feel encouraged because He blessed me with three children to serve and lead and ultimately I know He believes in my abilities.
"In giving us children, God places us in a position of both leadership and service. He calls us to give up our lives for the sake of others—to abandon our own desires and put our child’s interests first. Yet according to His perfect design, it is through this selflessness that we can become truly fulfilled."
Finally, I feel so grateful to know this "fulfillment." Yes, His perfect design, is just that--perfect. The more I mother my children, putting them first, the more I see how complete my life truly is.
I hope this message can be one of encouragement to all mothers today. We have been given a special role and gift by God and for that we all need to be thankful. We are blessed.
Happy Mother's Day. Much love to you and your families.
I want to thank Rashmi Pappu, an amazing photographer with a heart of gold, for posting the first quote about motherhood by Rajneesh. It is beautiful and resonated with me immediately.
“Photography is (a means by which we)…learn to see the ordinary.” David Bailey In March I was blessed to teach my first photography workshop called Everyday Beauty with the Bloom Forum. I am really excited that I will be teaching it again in July. I made many wonderful new friends through my class. I have grown to love their hearts and talent alike. What a gift it is to watch them grow and challenge themselves daily to document their families. When the ladies in my class decided that they would form a blog circle to continue their everyday beauty exploration, I was over the moon. I was even more excited that they wanted me to join them for this project.
Each month we will have a different theme to capture in our home. The theme for this month is pretend. I have to be quite honest in that these were pictures I had shot before the theme was given to me. My camera has been in the repair shop for over two weeks, but I didn't want to miss this first month. I hope to get more creative in future months--I've missed my camera so much.
Be sure to go to our Cherish This Day blog to see the other beautiful pretend images. I am blown away by their images this month.
And thank you to all of my students. I am so blessed to have you each in my life now.
My sweet e.
We are fast approaching your 9th birthday. This birthday has brought so many emotions for mama. It is your last single digit year and half way to 18. I had planned that today I would write your annual birthday letter to you, but I have decided to do something different. I am going to wait and give you your letter to you on your birthday. I want you to read my words, only you, and not an audience. I've come to realize that there is so much about life we share with others, yet there is so much we need to keep for just us.
Today I want to share some of the highlights of the last year while you were 8.
As I look back on 8 the one thing I will remember forever is that this was the year you asked Christ into your life. As a parent I do not think there is anything that can bring more joy than knowing your child's eternity will be spent in Heaven. Your daddy and I knew this had been something you had been thinking about for a long time; something you took very seriously. It was such a blessing to see the peace and excitement you had when you shared this with us. I will never forget the night we sat as a family, hands held, while you prayed to our Lord.
This year you have gone from enjoying soccer to absolutely LOVING soccer. You dream of being a soccer star. I love watching you on the field. You are atleast a foot shorter than all of the girls you play against, yet you don't let that intimidate you or stop you. You are fast on your feet and you truly amaze me with your skill. I love to see how you always cheer your teammates along, even when you have been the "under dogs" this season. You are still filled with enthusiasm and encouragement.
You love to sing and dance. I don't think there is a day we don't have a performance going on in our home. You create plays and you choreograph dances for you and your siblings and cousins. These are so dear to me. You've been teaching yourself piano on the Ipad and I love to hear you perform your song choices. Your latest love has been learning the "cup song." You taught yourself the whole rhythm and lyrics via you tube. I love hearing your beautiful voice sing.
I've told you this before, but I have to tell you again. You are an amazing big sister. I love how close you and your brother and sister are. It is something I will not take for granted ever.
You love American girl dolls and you love to play pretend. I love to watch you. You have a favorite tree that you love to climb. In that tree your imagination is endless; it's a gift indeed. Childhood is precious and I love that you aren't in a hurry to grow up. You really seem to enjoy being 8 and living for today.
You will try any food and have such a great variety of foods that you enjoy. I spent my childhood being a picky eater and I am so glad that you aren't.
You are enjoying learning to bake and do things in the kitchen for yourself now. It is fun to see you gain your independence.
You still love to sleep with mama and daddy. There isn't a night that passes that we aren't snuggled up together at some point during the night.
You are a lot like me in that you get your feelings hurt easily. You wear your heart on your sleeve and it's hard when others do not return the love you give so freely. This will be something that you will always find hard. I know.
You love to read and write, but don't enjoy math too much.
You are not a morning person. It is rare to find you awake before 9 :00 each day.
You love to make things...crafts, clothing for your dolls, cards, drawings--you love it all. You have such a creative mind.
I am so proud of the girl you are and the little lady you are becoming. It is hard to watch you grow and give you your wings; but I know with God leading you, you will do wonderful things.
I look forward to seeing what the next year will bring in your life.
I love you to the moon and back,
Mama
I have joined a group of other mothers writing letters to our children each month. Please head now to the blog of Bee Chalmers. Her work and heart are equally breathtaking. I adore the way she is able to capture her children.
“We want our children’s lives built on meaningful influences. What relationships and activities each family chooses will be unique. That uniqueness is precious. By filling our days with what is important to us, we take charge of our own lives." Laura Grace Weldon How often do your children ask to do something where your immediate answer is NO? As parents I am sure we've all experienced this. And to be honest, there are many times we should say NO. But, I've really been trying to make an effort to say yes more often rather than immediately answering with no. Perhaps at times my no answers were out of my own laziness or inconvenience. For example, not wanting to clean play dough off the floor or not wanting to get out my daughter's sewing machine and take the time to work on her sewing skills. Or maybe I had a lot of laundry to finish and didn't want to stop and join the wii game going on. I could list many examples of times I said no or maybe later, instead of embracing their desires at that given moment. We can't always say yes at the time we are asked, but it's worth examining our heart and thinking a bit before we immediately answer with no.
I've found that saying yes really does make such a difference. Yes encourages them. Yes ignites something beautiful within. Yes shows our children that we are listening. Yes can bring happiness. The yes can be a powerful part of childhood and it is worth saying more often. When you say yes, you let go of the no, and you embrace that moment of discovery with your child.
This week my three year old asked if she could "paint her toes all by herself." I have painted her toes many times and she has seen her big sister paint her own toes, but never have I let her do this by herself. This afternoon I decided to say yes. What was the worst thing that could happen? The nail polish could spill everywhere or she could get nail polish all over her body? I loved watching her concentrate painting each toe over and over again with a new color. She was so proud of her toes and she couldn't wait for daddy to get home to show him the rainbow she had created. She did do it all by herself. And she did spill an entire bottle of pink nail polish, but that was okay. I am thankful for these moments we shared together and I am so thankful I said yes. 
After sharing my post this morning, my dear friend Carey Pace shared with me a post she wrote on this same topic last year. It is filled with beautiful words and images alike. I have been so blessed to meet so many amazing mothers on this journey and Carey is definitely a friend close to my heart. Thank you for sharing Carey and thank you for being who you are.
each month i'll be documenting a "time of play" with my children. you can read more about this monthly project here. what child doesn't LOVE play dough? i know all three of mine do. i think it is honestly great for each of them because it truly allows their creative minds to go to work. one morning this week we went outside and all made some sweet treats. it was the perfect activity for a cloudy overcast day, hence the lack of any sunshine in my pictures. (but this project isn't about getting the best pictures each month. it's about documenting quality time together).
head on over to the blog of my dear friend Jude Wood--she is always up to something fun with her four children.
Our sweet baby girl, I look at you daily I and am still amazed. The journey we took until you joined our world was not an easy one, but I would not trade one moment of the road we traveled.
In January of 2009, Daddy and I found out that I was pregnant. A short week later we found out we would no longer be having that baby. It was hard to understand at the time, but we knew God's plan and timing are always perfect.
A month later, in February 2009, we received the news that we would be having a baby in November. Daddy and I were so excited and very surprised. I will admit that I was nervous because of what we had just experienced, but I knew I had to put my faith in God. My pregnancy with you was wonderful. I can still remember the moment the sonogram technician told us you were a girl. I was shocked and so excited. At that moment we knew we would call you Caroline Grace. Your brother and sister both have names that have been in our family, but we knew this was the name we wanted for you. We loved the meaning of your name: Caroline, beautiful woman and Grace, Grace of God.
In September of 2009 everything took an unexpected scary turn with my pregnancy. One day I began swelling, which I had never done before with you or your brother or sister. It was very unusual and it didn't go away. The doctor took my blood pressure and realized after some other tests that I was very sick. I was diagnosed with severe pre- eclampsia. I was admitted to the hospital that day and taken by ambulance to another hospital the next day about an hour away. I had to get to a hospital that had an adequate NICU for you to be admitted into upon your arrival. You were still not due for almost 2 more months. I was scared. I was terrified. I remember being in the ambulance so frightened, worrying about what was going to happen to you and me. I had never felt that sick in my life. We made it to the hospital safely and they started Mama on a drug to help with the sickness I was having. I was also given shots at this time to develop your lungs.
One day later, you were delivered; almost 2 months earlier than planned. I honestly do not remember anything from the first two days you were born. I was so sick. In addition, to being on the drugs to help with my blood pressure, I ended up having a spinal headache and could not move until the Dr. went back into my spine and performed a spinal patch.
Those first few days were so emotional while I was so sick and you were in the NICU. I am so grateful for Daddy and Mimi for all they did for us during those early days. BUT then things got better and I finally got to hold you. All of the rest did not matter at that moment. And you were amazing. You were a little thing at 4 pounds 10 ounces, but amazingly healthy. Your doctor named you Super Star, because you did so well. You didn't need alot in the NICU, only to feed and grow. I began to pump my milk for you around the clock, and those moments when I got to feed you and hold you were some of the most special moments of my life. And then finally you were able to actually nurse and it was so encouraging to see you begin to thrive. It was so hard to leave you on the days I had to go back to our home, but I knew your brother and sister needed me as well. I will never forget the day the four of us drove together to bring you home from the NICU. It was a moment like no other.
I remember being so worried that the time we spent apart would affect our bond. I was scared that things would be different with you than with Sissy and Bubby. I couldn't have been more wrong. Today we share a beautiful unique love and I am grateful for it; yet I feel like none of my words would adequately describe this love to you. I know that you feel it as well and that is more than enough for me.
I share this all with you, because this experience taught me so much about life. I have always tried to plan things...it's just who Mama is. But in those days I learned that I have to give God complete control of my life. I have to have faith that He alone has a plan and that if I trust in it, everything will work out in His timing. I pray that you and your sister and brother will live with this faith as well. I have seen time and time again without fail, that any hard experience God has brought me through; I've been left with lessons learned, blessings, and so much to be thankful for. His plan; it is perfect. Yes, I say this, even on the hardest of days.
Today you are 3 1/2. You are the light of our lives. You are always filled with so much joy. You say the craziest things and we all just watch you and laugh. You dance wherever you go. You always say "mama, watch me, watch my twirl". You love painting and usually create something special most mornings while we do school. I love how you say "Mama I LOVE you BIG"...or sometimes you will say "little" just to watch my sad face...and then you giggle so sweetly. You love to bake with mama, though I think licking the bowl is what you really love! You are strong willed and determined to get your way (whenever this side of you comes out, I think of the little preemie in the NICU who thrived beyond any of our expectations). You still carry your pink blanket wherever you go. Last week we took your crib down, and admittedly it was so hard for me to see it go, but you were ready.You are definitely your own little person now, and we couldn't be more blessed to have you.
Caroline Grace, you are such a gift and I look forward to watching you become the beautiful woman that God has planned.
Jeremiah 29: 11 " For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"
All my love,
Mama
Each month a group of talented ladies and amazing mothers also write letters to their children. Next in our circle is the beautiful mother and artist Jennifer Warthan. I always love seeing her life on the farm.
“to me, photography is an art of observation. it’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… i’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” -Elliott Erwitt
good morning.
ikea cinnamon rolls.
ice cream treat.
twirling.
back yard fun.
swinging.
down by the lake.
picking flowers.
bath time.
kisses goodnight.
This post is part of a 10 on 10 project I participate in with a group of talented and lovely friends. Head on over to the blog of Bee Chalmers and see what 10 she has this month. Every image of hers blows me away...always.
"A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people." -Annie Leibovitz i really do treasure the shots i have captured of my children and myself through this project. there are many pictures i may have not taken otherwise. i didn't start 2013 off very well with missing january. to be honest i almost backed out completely this year, but i really do realize the importance of doing this each month. i am challenged and want to continue this project for my family.
this month my oldest daughter had fun exploring my camera and began to work on framing her own shots. this was one of my favorites.
i am participating in this project with a group of dedicated mothers. next in the circle is my sweet and very talented friend Hope Toliver.
"when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" -psalm 62:1 my heart becomes so heavy as i think about all of the needs of this world and the people hurting and in pain. my husband recently returned from passion 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia and upon his return we discussed all of the people in human slavery. it is gut wrenching to hear these awful tragedies. our church continues to do missions to Guatemala, Brazil and other parts of the world and last summer my husband was able to take part in a mission to Guatemala. the images he shared with me of beautiful little girls searching through a trash dump are still vivid in my head. these delicate souls searching for shoes, food, and comforts we have taken for granted since birth.
i follow photographers whom i admire for their own courage and grace as they have gone abroad to capture those who so desperately need their stories told. one of those photographers is Deb Schwedhelm and i have been so moved by her work in Tanzania. she is an amazing photographer and the way she has been able to make a difference inspires me in so many ways. last week i came across the work of Sarah Robertson who moved me in the images she was able to capture while overseas in Kenya. and another photographer and friend, Breeze of Love Resembles, is currently raising funds for her own trip to Africa and i couldn't be more excited to see her journey in pictures. i know in my heart that God has given me my gifts to use them for His Glory and purpose and i really believe one day that mission work is a piece of this plan.
some days i get frustrated and even critical of myself because i feel like there is so much to be done and i am doing so little. but then God gently reminds me that the place i am at is where i am needed today. we still have three young children whom are home with us full time as we home school. my husband's job keeps him very busy. i am the constant for my children and am their rock in many ways right now. there will be a time when their needs will not be as great, but for now i need to remember that i am doing God's work right in my own home. my husband and i pray that our children will grow up to love others of the world more than themselves and that we can demonstrate servant-hood to them through our own actions daily. each day servant-hood within my family plays a different role, never one more important than the other. by loving each other in all we do, we are sharing the love of our Lord.
my husband left on a trip with work a few days ago and my oldest daughter is always very upset when he leaves. this morning she came up to me and asked me if she could make a recipe "all by herself" from her cupcake book. this meant that we would need to head to the store and get all the ingredients. my first reaction was "maybe", thinking she would get busy and forget. our youngest daughter has been sick and fussy and the last thing i really wanted to do was to take them all to the grocery store again (we'd just been there last night). but after a few moments, i went and found my daughter and i said yes. today, serving meant making this happen for her. she is always such a help to me and though it didn't feel convenient at the time, i knew how much this would mean to her. servant hood means being present for my children and seeing what is important to them and why. it was fun to watch her create her tie-dye cupcakes all by herself. she felt independent and special. but most of all, for a little while her mind was off the pain she felt on a Sunday afternoon not having her daddy home to spend time with.
and let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. -Galatians 6:9
in december i opened up about a conversation i had with my oldest daughter that i will never forget. if you didn't get a chance to read it, you can read it here. during that time i realized i need to play with my children more. it isn't that we don't have lots of quality time together because we have a lot of it and it wasn't that i felt like i wasn't being present, because i really make an effort to be present with my family. BUT i realized something very valuable was missing. and that was time that they planned out. i realized that even though i planned crafts, activities, outings, etc, they had their own ideas of what was fun and exciting. i began to consciously make an effort to play more, to say no to their requests less, and make the time we share together even more meaningful to them. it turns out i was not alone in my thinking and realizations. jude wood, a friend i made on this photography journey, began a project this year entitled child's play. you can read more on her thoughts behind the project here. last month she invited me to join her. there are not any rules for our project per say, it's just an effort as mothers to make sure we have no regrets. time with our children is so precious and so fleeting and i never want to look back and wish i would have prioritized things differently.
this month i have documented a simple afternoon to the library. this is something my children LOVE to do. they ask to go to the library a lot. and many times, i have said no. some days to be quite honest it just stressed me out to take all three children into the library. although she is cute as a button, my three year old is not very quiet and she loves to grab everything she sees with no regard for the order of the books. but even with all this said, it is such a joyous thing for my children to go to the library and pick out their own books and to explore. and it is a children's library after all, so i am not quite sure why i was so worried. now that i have let those worries go a bit, i have found i really enjoy taking them all to a place they love so much. the fun didn't stop there. they each came home and enjoyed all of their books and when daddy came home from work they had the best time re-living the story of star wars.
now please go visit Jude Wood and see how her child's play looks this month.
dear bubby, for your birthday a few months ago i shared a letter with you about how you complete me in so many unexpected ways. having you, our only son, has taught me so much about love. you have shown me that love doesn't always come easy; it can be messy, hard and challenging. but wow, what a gift your love is. it can be quiet and tender and so thoughtful as well.
you are all boy in all you do. you are fearless and competitive and you love to be rough and explore the world around you. i often wonder if somehow you are missing out by being surrounded by girls all the time. you are the middle child in our family with two sisters and you live on the same street as five of your girl cousins. sometimes, i get sad as i see all of the girls playing, that you do not have a boy to share your childhood with. yes, you have friends, but not a brother or a cousin close by in age or proximity.
i have come to realize that you are just fine and you are going to be an amazing man one day because of being the only boy. you indeed are all boy, yet you have a tender side to you that is beautiful. you care how other people are feeling and you express empathy for them. you have learned patience as your sweet girl cousins admire you and always want to be near you. you have learned to find your own "role" in your sisters' pretend games. God had an awesome plan with blessing our family with you as our only boy. we all have learned so much through you.
thank you for being who you are. thank you for the laughter you bring into our home and the love you speak, not with words, but through lovely actions. i am so blessed to have you as my one and only son.
i love you to the moon and back.
te amo, mama
i am blessed to be a part of this circle of amazing artists and friends to write letters to our children each month. up next in our group is amy grace. she is always able to use her incredibly soulful words and images to capture the beautiful love she shares with her children.
"where there is love there is life. "-Mahatma Gandhi
this month i decided to do my 10 on 10 a little different. my goal this year is to use this monthly post as a time to capture 10 images captured throughout one day to tell the story of our daily life. BUT as an artist, sometimes other visions creep in and play out differently. today i am sharing 10 simple images of our two daughters together. these were all taken in a span of about 5 minutes, but the story of these images would take me forever to tell.
with these images i share ten words i hope and pray my girls will always remember when they think of one another.
companion.
love.
respect.
humility.
joy.
empathy.
compassion.
forgiveness.
appreciation.
guardian.
i am extremely blessed to being doing this project with a wonderful group of ladies that i have already grown to love so much. i am amazed daily by all of their talent. please follow along our circle and see what the beautiful and extremely talented Summer Murdock has captured this month for her 10.
"every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures" -Henry Ward Beecher our three year old has fallen in love with painting. every morning while her big brother and sister do their school work she paints. i love to watch her as she colors her canvas. she concentrates, she sings, and she even dances as she makes her art. it is serious work to her and she always asks me if her work looks pretty. some mornings she does many pictures, while other days just one is enough. i was happy to capture her in her element yesterday morning. this is her at three--an artist painting what is inside of her soul. i cherish these moments with all of my heart.
"everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets up back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. gardening is an instrument of grace" - mary sarton a little over a month ago, i found my old canon rebel 35mm camera. it had been in a box through many of our military moves after being "replaced" by numerous digital cameras in the last 10 years. i have admired and watched artists who have recently pursued film and done it with such beauty. i was intrigued. i was lured by the colors, the depth, and the feel to film. in addition, i loved the idea of minimal processing. i knew i had to give film a try, yet i was without doubt that there was so much i did not know. i honestly didn't even know if this old camera of mine still worked. i read an article on let the kids dress themselves and i was encouraged. then, i got the FIND book for Christmas which is an amazing read that i keep reading over and over. i began asking a million questions on the bloom forum from some pretty amazing and open ladies. and i began shooting. i've gone through a lot of film the past month. i've tried different brands. i've tried different processing sources including CVS, walgreens, and Indie Labs. i've been excited, frustrated, nervous, excited, frustrated and nervous. i circle with emotions, but i haven't given up.
this film journey has been a wonderful reminder of grace and that we all need grace in our lives. i have to remember i did not become the photographer i am today with my digital camera overnight, and this journey it will take time and patience and more time and patience. there are things i love about my digital nikon d700 which i just don't think i could ever completely give up, but i am excited to learn more and play in this fun world of film.
the images below are some of my favorites so far. they are shot with fuji 400H and developed at CVS. and i ended up having to have the negatives re-scanned at our local walgreens because for some strange reason all of my pictures originally had lines going across them. grace & patience...i must remember these words.
this week i set out to create a memoir for my children of 2012. i could never have narrowed this down to one blog post as i went through thousands and thousands of pictures, so i decided to make a movie. i am so grateful to have these every day moments of my children to cherish for years to come. as i look back on the year i see we spend a lot of time in our backyard at the lake and a lot of time together. both of these are amazing blessings for our family. when we decided to home school our children, family time was one of the benefits at the top of the list. if our children were off at school and preschool we wouldn't have had so many of these memories together as a family and for that i am thankful. we had 1000's more pictures with cousins, grandparents, friends; and of course, mom and dad, but in an effort to eliminate some, i chose to pick some of my favorites of just the kids. many of these are far from technically perfect, but the memory that goes with each one was of far greater importance to me than if it was "perfect". i could say so much about 2012 but i think the images speak best on their own. i look forward to seeing God's plan for our family in 2013. much love to you and yours as we look ahead to the new year.
a look back on 2012 from Ginger Unzueta on Vimeo.
it has been a most joyous few months as we celebrated birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving and finally ending this week as we celebrated the birth of our Savior with Christmas. i will be quick to admit, no matter how hard i try, the holiday season becomes very busy and filled with a lot of fun (but time consuming) activities. it has been nice to have the past few days to just relax and have no plans on our "agenda". i have even taken a few afternoon naps which have been quite enjoyable. these images were from one morning this week. i stopped to observe our three year old as she was just enjoying some down time herself.
