365 Documentary Challenge - January
On we go. To January. No we are still not finished unpacking and yes our home seems to forever be in a mess but it is our home and we love it. This month it is harder to choose my favorite images, but here goes.
Sitting on the bed every morning and then attempting to unpack all day I would catch little glimpses of myself in the mirror, usually holding a kiddo in one arm. I had a vision for this image that didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted but it is close. Even in all of our chaos, I am still a mama. Every day I have to remember to breath, take life one day at a time and be a mama to these two beautiful kiddos. Life may not be perfect or clean, but it is my life.
Logan is starting to hold his head up now. He isn’t perfect at it as it still bobbles around a bit but he is officially big enough to hold like this. I wanted to capture our milestone and be in the frame more throughout the year so what better way that a timed selfie, if you will. Sarah spent many hours being held just like this. Seeing the world, on mama.
Sarah is learning to write. I have been teaching her, you know in all of that mama spare time we share. But she must be picking some of it up when we make the time because she is actually getting it. Her favorite word to write is mom, and I cannot lie, it makes me tear up a little every single time.
This is not a particularly good image in any way. It is small and grainy, out of focus and let’s face it – I took it on my phone. But it is an important image. On this day, I needed that diner cup of coffee. It started as a typical day until our dog, Mack, ran away out the door when Mark went to grab a package at the door. This time running away for the last time (don’t worry he was found and is safe, but he is finding a new home, hopefully one where he will be happier and stop running away). Then a few hours later, I got a call that my great grandma, one of the women who raised me, was in the hospital. She had broken her hip and was about to go into surgery. After spending several hours in the hospital waiting room, where members of my family who had not spoken in years made small talk we found out she did great! I ended the night with my Nana, another one of the women who raised me, eating dinner at a diner – catching up on all the things we had drifted apart on – being thankful for good outcomes and a simple cup of coffee.
My last favorite for the month of January is a simple photo of my pantless children being in awe of one another. I photographed this moment from many angles but the sentiment is the same. Sarah wanting to snuggle with her brother, and Logan learning to roll over to be closer to his sister. These two love one another more than the world right now and I hope that bond never changes.