A Tribute to my Father and His Father

I have a vivid memory of my grandfather rocking my baby sister to sleep in his chair at his house.  He was crying, and my 7 year old self didn’t understand why.  Shouldn’t he be happy? He was rocking his newest granddaughter, a moment that all grandparents love.  I remember then asking my parents, “Why is Poppa crying?”  They said, “He wishes Grandma could be here, too.”  She had died just a few weeks prior to this moment.  I wish I had a picture of that precious moment of my Poppa rocking my sister.  I take comfort in knowing that there are lots of pictures of him with the babies of the family because he always loved rocking them. 

 

And like father, like son, my dad likes rocking babies to sleep as well.  He waited years to have a grandchild to rock to sleep.  Finally on his birthday 6 years ago, I gave him his first grandson. Then 19 months later, another one. My brother and his wife brought the first granddaughter into our family for him to rock, and a week later my husband and I had the 2^nd granddaughter in the family.

 

I am so grateful to witness so many precious moments of my dad rocking these babies. It is a joy of his heart and I am overjoyed to be a part of it. This Thanksgiving there will be another grand baby for him to rock to sleep, thanks to my brother and his wife. His cup overflows!

 

With Jacob, the #1 Grandson

With Luke #2 Grandson

With Kiley #1 Granddaughter (photo credit: Cindy Patt)

With Abigail #2 Granddaughter

 

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Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: Indianapolis Rememberance Photography

Almost 7 years ago, we lost a baby to miscarriage, and being that it was our first, we of course took it pretty hard.  Our wedding photographer contacted me shortly after we lost sweet Therese Marie, and told me about an organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. (NILMDTS)  I immediately checked out their website and knew I wanted to be involved!

NILMDTS is a non-profit organization started in Colorado, by photographer Sandy Puc and a mom, Cheryl, who had just lost her son.  Sandy took beautiful images of Cheryl's son after he unexpectedly passed away shortly after birth and a beautiful organization was born out of her experience.

Remembrance photographer not only gives reality to parents in the midst of their pain and shock of losing a child, but it is also a huge part of their healing process as they grieve the loss of their precious child.  Volunteer photographers go into hospitals, free of charge and take professional portraits of a baby who was either still born,  being taken off life support, or not expected to live very long.   The families receive a disc of all the images to use, print and share, again free of charge.

I am beyond honored to be a photographer for this amazing organization.  People often ask me how and I why I do it.  My first answer is I do it because it is a way for me to honor our daughter that we lost.  We lost her so early in the pregnancy that we of course didn't have any pictures of her, so I want to be able to give to families what we couldn't have.  How do I do it?   I know that my daughter is in Heaven praying for me to have the strength to get through every session.  I love on that baby, as the precious gift that they are.  Even though they are only on this earth for a short time, they are still the beloved daughters and sons of their parents.  I am so grateful to be able to give them professional photographs to hang in their home of their child, just like they would of any other children. Or at least to have them to look at when they want, even if they don't choose to display them on the wall.

Several years ago, as I was editing one of the sessions, God gave me a beautiful realization.  These children that I get to photograph, will KNOW me when I get to Heaven! I got so excited to know that I will meet them in a whole new way someday!

It is such a privilege to get to meet some of these precious ones that are only here for sometimes just moments.  An honor that sometimes not all family members even get. 

This recent session was especially important to me.  I met Stephanie and Adam a few years ago when my husband and I were coordinating one of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University Classes at our church.  I immediately connected with Stephanie as our youngest children were about the same age, so as tired, new moms again, we understood each other very well!  =)

A few months ago I was excited to see that she posted on Facebook that she was expecting identical twin  girls. I was really excited for them, because I have always wanted identical twins!

I followed her pregnancy, joy and anticipation as she waited for her girls to arrive.  I prayed and hoped with her, as the health of one of the girls, Laynie, was not doing so well. The doctors decided to do a c-section at 27 weeks because Laynie's cord was not looking good. After they were born, everyone was still hopeful and I prayed daily for Laynie to get stronger and for the wisdom of the doctors.  I knew it was possible that Laynie may not make it, yet I continued to pray. I didn't want to tell Stephanie about NILMDTS because I didn't even want that to have to be a possibility for her, but  I kept a close watch for the requests that come in for NILMDTS sessions.   As I was picking my son up from school on a Wednesday afternoon, I got the text message for a session request for a twin baby girl being removed from life-support.  My heart sank, as I of course, assumed the worst.  I confirmed with our dispatch of the family  name, and immediately responded that I would take the session.  I wanted Stephanie and Adam to have a familiar face as they went through this difficult and painful time.

Stephanie had no idea that I was a photographer for NILMDTS, so when I walked in the room, we just embraced and cried together. I was so grateful that I was able to be their photographer.  Sweet Laynie, the fighter that she was, although had been removed from life support for about 30 minutes when I had arrived, was still alive through out our whole session.  Her heart kept on ticking!  She had such the sweetest features and LONG feet! I loved it! Daddy was holding on tight to his little girl and I loved capturing that love that I was able to witness.

The reason I wanted to take so much time to write this post, is because I want more people to know that this organization exists.  It breaks my heart when I hear that someone lost a child and was never offered the services of NILMDTS.  Please, although sometimes difficult, share this organization with families that you know who are in need. 

Laynie's twin sister, Lorelai is doing awesome and getting stronger everyday. Stephanie told me that night, that they believe Laynie's purpose in life was to get her sister here safe and sound.  Mission accomplished!  Now they have a saint in Heaven praying for their family everyday!

This is Lorelai. The nurse took off her C-PAP machine when I came over with the camera so I could snap a few pictures.

She was clearly posing for her first professional photoshoot!

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52 Week Challenge: Week 10 Accomplished

It is a big day in our house!  Jacob finally learned how to swing all by himself! He worked on it all last summer and something finally clicked when he first got himself on the swing this week. He was so excited and I was so proud of him.  It is little moments like this when you see your child accomplish something and how excited they are some of the sweet moments of motherhood.  As I watch my oldest son become more independent, accomplish new things and use more grown up words and know what they mean.  I want to stop time!

That is why I couldn't pick just one image this week.   I love the sun kissed one as you see him in his glory!  I also love the black and white one, because in my mind, it has captured that moment in time as a memory.

That is one of the things I love about photography, is capturing those moments in time that too quickly pass. In fact that is one of the main reasons I got into photography and started my business.  Life happens so fast and photographs are the way to slow it down a bit so we can remember those moments that happen too quickly and are only a memory.

Enjoy the sweet moments of life...and take a picture, it will last longer!  =)

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52 Week Challenge: Week 9 Sillouhette

Remembering to post my pictures is harder to do than I thought.   This is from last week.

I was on retreat last week and it was at an old monastery called St. Felix Catholic Center up in Huntington, IN  This place is amazing!!  So peaceful!  Each person gets their own cell to stay in.  Very simple. A bed, a desk,  a small bedside table, and a crucifix on the wall.  I had a beautiful view of one of the courtyards out my window and I couldn't resist capturing the simple beauty of the old windows.

Going on a retreat is always a good practice.  Good to get away for some quiet, fellowship and prayer time.  I had a delightful time with my fellow sisters in Christ as we drew closer to Jesus during our time away.  We might have laughed a bit too, ok A LOT!

Be sure to check out their website to learn more about the retreat center. 

With the weather warming up I am excited to start heading outside for some photography phun!  =)

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52 Week Challenge Week 4: Sleep

I know there is a picture of me when I was about two or three years old, sleeping with  my legs up on the wall, hair a mess, and happily asleep!  I often find our four year old son in similar predicaments.  It always cracks me up how he sleeps, cause I can relate!

This past week, I had a long night with our daughter, and I was finally ready to go crawl into bed, and I found our four year old, Luke, happily sleeping at the edge of our bed.  I couldn't help but take a picture.  Although I wasn't about to bust out the big camera, so I used Brian's cell phone. Sometimes you just have to use what is closest to capture the moment before it is gone.

Then the other night, Brian found this picture of him when he was about the same age!

Yup...he looks like Daddy!  When we showed this picture to Luke and asked him who that was he said, "That's me, with a kitty!"

This week's topic I believe was given to me by my Dad.  Someone commented on my blog, and the name said Da, and I keep forgetting to ask him if this was him, but being that the first topic suggested was sleep, I knew it was a fair bet.  You see, my father is the first known Olympic Sleeper!

Be sure to comment with topic ideas for next week!

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52 Week Challenge: Week 3 Comforting Annoyance

This week's topic comes from my Mom.  "Comforting Annoyance."  It took a lot of thinking to decide what kind of image would portray this theme.  I thought about a picture of little, tiny, legos all over the floor.  Comforting that my boys love to play with them and love them, annoying to clean them up.  But that seemed to easy....I kept thinking.

Then this past week, we had some unseasonable warm weather and Jacob was animate about going outside to play when he got home from school.  We got home late that day, because he had Tae Kwon Do class after school, so it was 6:30 by the time we got home and I let them go out while I finished making dinner.

They played on the slide for a few minutes and then noticed the ducks on the pond and decided they needed to be fed, so they came inside looking for bread.  They happily fed the ducks!   It was starting to get chilly outside, but they refused to come in.  Instead they decided to get their chairs to sit and watch the ducks.  The scene was too cute, so I had to grab my camera, with my zoom lens attached. I stood at the door and didn't want to disturb their moment.

Comforting: watching our boys have such a sweet moment together and enjoying such a simple pleasure of nature.

Annoying: That I had to be so worried the whole time about them getting too close to the pond, worrying "What if they fall in?!" That annoyance robbed me of enjoying the moment and letting them have the freedom of enjoying nature.  I know...they are young, I should be cautious, it is water, it is frozen...so maybe I am annoyed that I don't have a fence....then I would be annoyed because this moment would not have happened if we had a fence.  So, instead I positioned myself at the counter to finish making our dinner, so that I could watch them the whole time...and it was beautiful!

On a side note, the next day, they told me that it was "Gus" the Duck's birthday party that they were watching down there!  I have no idea where they came up with that!?  Now I am annoyed that I didn't have a mic on them recording their conversation, because it must have been hilarious!  And I am comforted for their imagination!

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52 Week Challenge: Week 2 Family History

I am a little late in posting this week's image, but better late than never. 

A few weeks ago, I was reading one of my many photography magazines that I have stacking up next to my coffee chair.  (The pile is finally getting smaller, and I know my husband is glad).  I wish I could remember the photographer's name or what magazine I read it in, but there was an article about a photographer who took a "portrait" of a family member without the actual person in the shot.  They used objects that belonged to this person that reminded the photographer of them and personified them by their personal belongings.  I LOVED this idea and knew that I wanted to do that someday, but feared it would just sit on my list of things I will do "someday."

Then steps in my dear friend from college, Ellen, who gave me my topic for this week's challenge. Family History.  Perfect! I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

So, this week's image is a portrait of my Paternal Grandmother, Mary Patt, who we affectionately called "Schoolmama" (she worked at the school).  Although my grandmother died when I was only 7 years old, I have fond memories of her and have always felt close to her, even since her passing.  We were living in Wisconsin when she died, and soon after moved back to Ohio to be near family again.  We lived right around the corner from where she and my grandfather lived. Poppa lived in that house for many years after she died and I loved going over there and spending time in her room and wished she could have been there, too.

When Poppa finally did move out of that house, I inherited my Grandmother's bedroom set, which I always loved growing up.  It was a sweet moment when I moved her dresser into my daughter's room a few months ago.  As all of us grandkids know, this dresser was special because of the glass top and all the pictures and funeral prayer cards that she kept under it.  (I still have some of the originals packed in a box somewhere, and when I find them, i will re-do this image).

So, here you have...

• The dresser, with a funeral card from my Uncle Tony and a photograph of my Poppa and I.

• An Anointing of the Sick Cross that belonged to my grandmother

• A Mary Statue that my Grandmother gave me when I was little, and it was always in my room.  This statue is now in the boys room.

• Her glow in the dark Rosary that always hung on her bedpost and I carried on our wedding day

• A purse made out of her wedding dress (thank you to my mother-in-law) that I also used on our wedding day

• Her prayer book that my cousin Stephen gave to me

• Her watch that my Uncle Richard gave to me

• A small Mary Medal that someone found and gave to me, (It  might have also been my Uncle Richard)

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52 Week Challenge: Week 1 Kids Were Here

Several people I know have started a 365 Challenge, where they take a picture a day for a year.  I did this once...Jacob's first year of life, I took a picture a day for his first year. I tried with Luke and failed, I didn't even try with Abigail, but did succeed in a monthly picture of her.  So, needless to say a 365 Challenge kind of stresses me out just thinking about it. 

Although I like the idea of being challenged to make sure I am capturing moments other than when I am on a job. I like the idea of being challenged to grow in  my photography skills when I am on a job.  I like the idea of challenging my creativity with my photography.

So, I realized I could do a 52 Week Challenge!

I also thought I would add another twist to it, by giving other people an opportunity to give me my topic for the next week. The first person to either comment on the blog or comment on my Facebook post with a topic, skill, technique, etc., that is what I will step up to the plate for the next week.

I asked my friend Beth to give me my first topic, as her 365 Challenge inspired me to do this.  She gave me, "Kids Were Here" and I knew I wouldn't have to wait long for an opportunity to arise to capture such an image.

Can you tell what my boys got for Christmas!?

Now accepting topics for Week 2

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Mini-Sessions: Sneak Peek (Session 1)

For years I have seen photographers do mini-sessions in time for Christmas cards, and while I have always wanted to do them, I never put the date on the calendar soon enough to make it happen...and as I recently read somewhere,"October is to photographers, what April is to accountants" I knew I needed to make it happen this year.   I love the fall and I love taking pictures in the fall! The beautiful warm colors and awww...the GOLDEN HOUR!!!  Par for the course this October was no less crazy and busy and full of fantastic weddings and photoshoots.

That being said, this year I finally got in the game in time to do mini-sessions and did my first set a few weeks ago and have my next set this Sunday. (Weather is still  looking good despite the cold we had today!)

I have always wanted to put a piece of furniture where it doesn't belong...love that juxtaposition.  I was super excited about being able to rent a piece of vintage furniture from Violet Vintage, here in Indianapolis. The color of the chair, the golden light and everyone's outfits worked perfectly together!!

I am so excited to share a few of these with you! I loved working with all the families! (Your links to your galleries are coming soon!)

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Heartbeat Club: Sneak Peeks

The days are numbered before Baby Sweetness arrives, but the workload is not light yet...I still have 5 photoshoots to complete before the month is out.  Clearly with October being one of the most beautiful months of the year, it is clearly the most popular for photoshoots.  Which is fine with me, as I LOVE THE FALL...and especially October. (Our anniversary is this month!)

The second weekend of October we headed to Cleveland and I was able to get 4 photoshoots done for my next installment of my Heartbeat Club babies.  I got 3 of them done at an excellent location near my parents house called Squire's Castle.  I went here on fieldtrips in gradeschool and went there for portraits on our wedding day (and my sister's too 5 years later to the day!)  The place was hoppin' with wedding parties, engaged couples and just people out to enjoy the beautiful fall day.  We had fun setting up our own little spot.  Baby Hannah and Baby Elliot are now 6 months old and Baby Blake will be 1 next month (we started a month late with his sessions so we are a little off schedule with him).

I also completed a full year of Heartbeat Club sessions with Baby Nora and now she is going to be a big sister next month so we also did a maternity shoot for her baby brother.  Nora's mom, Gretchen and I are due around the same time and have known each other for years, so we got her husband to take a picture of us together with our baby bellies!

Also pictured is Baby Jules 3 month session who I photographed a few weeks ago.  Wedding editing has been keeping me busy, so I was finally able to get to hers.   

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