{miss ruby- a generation session}

rebecca contacted me over 6months ago

to try to schedule a generation session.

her children, her mom & her precious grandmother, miss ruby.

miss ruby has been sick & in and out of the hospital

so getting a date on the calender was tricky.

we had already rescheduled due to yucky weather.

that sunday i was so hopeful that our rare springlike weather in january

would hold on a little bit longer...even if for just an afternoon for this priceless session.

i was to come to miss ruby's home.

we would take as many as she felt like, needing to put back on her oxygen canula

several times.

bless her, if she wasn't the cutest great-grandmother

& just LIT up when she smiled.

the above image is in my top 10 personal favorite images.

how many of us wish our children had a glorious snapshot with one of the great grandparents!!

the next day rebecca let me know that miss ruby had taken a fall

& was in the hospital.

later that week she would develop pneumonia.

i think miss ruby is still in the hospital.

rebecca thank you for the privilege of photographing your family

& for allowing me to meet the very special miss ruby.

i asked rebecca if i could share a little bit about her grandmother...

in her words...

"Her name is Ruby Opal, and she's everything That a Grandma should be. 

There wasn't anything she couldn't bake, and she made holidays so special for all of us. She never rested always up doing something. She raised 4 children, and like I said, has 10 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren who adore her! 

Her health has been getting a lot worse lately, which is why these pictures are so important to me. But even with her health the way it is, she always tries to put everyone else first. The last time she was in the hospital, she was more worried about whether I had eaten yet and wanted me to have her dinner.
On Saturdays I take her grocery shopping if she's up to it, and we always stop for a donut.
She truly means the world to me!"

Proverbs 16:31  “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.”

being in the middle and being stretched

 

 

 

i climbed in the bed last night,

exhausted.

not physically exhausated neceassarily

but mentally exhausted.

the last week to 10 days have been full of so much excitment,

so much newness.

& even more "big" things ahead in the next month..."big" for me anyway.

i looked back over my goals for 2011

& found so much of what i prayed for has come to fruition.

almost all within a relatively super short period of time.

my mind is whirling around with all my to-do's.

thankfully i'm not planning a graduation party

or a wedding!

within 48 hours i had the privilege of photographing

2 beautiful people.

one is miss ruby.

miss ruby is 81 years old.

i also photographed audrey claire

in all her 7 day newness & deliciousness.

(each one i'll share about on their own little feature)

 

pictured right in the middle is me.

almost exactly in the middle of their ages.

right in the middle of two vastly different stages of life 

is me.

i thought it a sweet little ironic reminder to me

that all of our days are so important.

i read the status of one of my daughter's friends on fb the other day

& honestly i made me a little sad.

it was something to the effect of enjoying the happy because it doesn't last forever

but don't worry about the sad because that doesn't last forever either.

now, maybe i was being a little too introspective

but i thought that was so sad.

so temporary,

because our happy moments & how we respond during even the simple

everyday

makes an impact in those around us

forever.

even when we're gone from this earth, a forever imprint on those we love

& those that simply watch us from afar....

i looked at the glorious smile on the face of a woman

who has lived a life of joy for almost a decade

& doubted that she thought the happy things didn't last

or that the hard things didn't weave together with the good

to make her journey a beautiful story that

her great grandchildren she's pictured with

will most certainly always remember

& be inspired with...

anyway...

i'm trying to soak in all that's going on right now.

trying to be thankful for the adventures that i feel were basically dropped in my lap 

from the lord,

trying to push & stretch myself to try new things.

i've never done a session of a senior citizen

& i technically haven't done a newborn session

( not since really learning about my camera).

i didn't want the irony to be lost in the business 

but i'd rather see the two as opportunities for me to grow,

grow in my new skin as a photographer

grow as i bravely sink in to my passion of photography

grow & expand my comfort zone as the lord brings more opportunity into my little world

& 

remember that the happy does weave together with the sad

& form our beautiful tapestry

that does last longer than just the moment...