I always interview my clients to get a sense of what they are looking for in a photography session and to learn more about the kids and their personalities.  One of my standard questions is: “do the siblings get along?”

Well, the short answer to this question was “no.”

As we talked, I learned that there were some things the girls liked to do together, and I was determined to get those girls getting along and being happy for our session.  When we first started our session, I could see what the mom was talking about as the girls fought over some props I had brought to the session.  But soon the sibling rivalry that I saw rearing it’s ugly head disappeared to the sounds of happy peals of laughter.  Ahhhh…. success!

This picture just might be my most favorite picture of the session.  I love her squooshed little nose and happy laugh.  I can almost hear it.

And here’s another favorite.

Gosh, so many favorites….

Thank you so much M family!  I loved our session!  If you can get 35 of your friends or family to comment on this blog post with their email (only viewable by me), you’ll get a free 5×7.  If you can get 50,  you get an 8×10.  …

Such a little sweetie with super cool parents. 

I love how dad’s arms and legs frame her here.  She’s still too young to sit up on her own.

Her parents actually got married at this park and now, they return with their sweet bundle of love.  I loved how these turned out!

And I think this photo is one of my favorites from the session.  I just love the wonder of it all.

Thank you M family!  If you can get 35 of your friends or family to comment on this blog post with their email (only viewable by me), you’ll get a free 5×7.  If you can get 50,  you get an 8×10.  …

Forgiveness.  I’ve been thinking about forgiveness today and what it means.  Why?  Because my son is so dang cute and says the sweetest, cutest things. That’s why. 

A while back, I was teaching him about saying “sorry” and what that meant.  I want my kids to understand empathy.  We talked about really paying attention to how our actions can affect someone else.  Look at their face.  Are they hurt?  How can you tell?  We talked about saying “sorry” and asking for forgiveness.  We talked about what it means to forgive someone.

Kinda deep concepts for a 4 year old, maybe, but something I think is of much value and worth the time to teach early.

He has taken this lesson to heart, and it’s just very cute.  When I tell him “I’m sorry,” he will quip back: “That’s OK!  I forgive you!” in the sweetest voice you have ever heard.  His voice makes my heart grow wings, take flight, and soar high into the sky while I smile in delight.  Ahhh…. my boy.

Does he really understand what he is saying?  Maybe not yet.  But I’m planting the seed.

While I have often believed that forgiving someone is a gift that you give to someone else, there is much more to it than that.  You are saying that while you have been wronged, you are not going to be angry about it.  You are not going to hold a grudge.  That is wonderful.  And you know what?  That benefits YOU.  Forgiving is not just about absolving the other person of their actions.  It’s giving you the freedom to let go of that anger.

Forgiving is about freeing yourself from anger.  Why hold onto that feeling?  How will holding a grudge  really benefit you?

My mom taught this to me.  Years ago, we were talking about someone who really really wronged her.  In my mind, she had every right to never forgive that person.  But she did.  Why?  I asked?  WHY?  Did he really deserve to be forgiven?  She answered that she forgave him for HER.  She forgave him so that she could move forward and not hold onto that indignation.  It freed her to forgive.

It freed her to forgive.

I love that.  I love that lesson she taught me years ago, not just through her words, but through her actions.  I love that I have a forgiving heart.  Holding onto anger doesn’t do me any good.  I’m not saying that you have to keep on hanging out with someone that constantly wrongs you.  That would be dumb.  I am saying that not forgiving someone isn’t really punishing them, it’s punishing YOU.  It’s bogging you down.  It’s making your heart heavy.

So, for whatever reason, this was on my mind today.  So, I thought I’d share. Maybe not my typical, happy and crazy blog post, but maybe it will touch something in you, for what it’s worth.

You got someone you need to forgive?  Do it!  Let it go!  It just might make your heart grow wings, take flight, and soar high into the sky.

It just might make you feel like this.

And I’m thinkin’ that’s a good thing.…