Project 52

9/52-New Beginnings
{“Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.”}

New beginnings invigorate me. A fresh start, a new outlook, the possibility of so many amazing outcomes. This theme had me thinking about what to photograph and it brought me to well, me. I’m done growing babies. I grew three inside of me; and for the first time, I understood that my worth was not correlated with my size. My whole life I have held onto fat as an adjective. I’ve hid, overshadowed myself, and overachieved to prove my value. And then I had three babies and my value to them would have existed regardless of any outward physical flaw. A love that was just simply true.
As I emerge from the fog that is postpartum everything, I can’t help but feel invigorated about this new beginning in life. A new chance to focus on my health without the setbacks of hard pregnancies. A chance to put my body and mind before the one growing inside of me. A chance to focus on our futures, and look forward to a life as a family of five. No more hiding–just moving forward. Saying goodbye to my baby bearing life and hello to now.

10/52-Portrait

It’s been a busy week, and I didn’t get out of the house without kids to allow me the flexibility to approach a stranger for a portrait as was suggested. I wanted to, but it didn’t happen.
Instead a portrait of my middle kid. She often feels like a stranger to us. Her personality is BIG and there is so much unpredictable about her. She rarely gives us a still moment or silence. When this happened, I was glad I caught the second of stillness she offered. Her sincere sweetness shines through and sometimes its hard to remember that its in there when she spiraling.

11/52-Inbetween

In-between the seasons when boots are required but so is fresh air. Their little legs fit so perfectly together between each other through the hole in the swing that sways them and twirls them between screams of adrenaline and joy. The yell of “faster mom!” in-between the laughter and excitement of childhood that transports me to a place somewhere in-between my own youthful moments on the playground and the blissful moments I had driving around with my windows down listening to music daydreaming about what life would be like when I would finally be a mom as a young twenty-something. It’s those in-between moments that make the now and then so worth living.

12/52-Blank Space