It was very intimate to have the black and white on our bed, in our home. You have no idea how insanely happy and content I felt in that moment! Our photographer was sweet enough to come back once summer arrived to take some outside pictures. I love that we're photographed in front of the home we have been raising our children in.
The next photography session came a few years later thanks to a local friend of mine who at the time was honing her skills. I was so thrilled with her artistic vision and I went along with everything she recommended... like taking our living chair and hauling it to the location where this blessed event would take place. Oh - and I failed to mention to dear husband until we were walking out the door - ah, could you grab that chair and put it in the back of the van? To which an explosion of words were exchanged between us that made smiling for pictures a slight miracle.
Don't you just love the sunset?!!! And the chair looks awesome, by the way. I can see how maybe it was hard for "someone" to see the vision ahead of time but he got it eventually. Don't worry, we made up:)
FYI - the quilt pictured is the one that my aunt made us for our wedding. It has maple leaves all over it in different fabrics of red.
Wayne picked the location of the shoot. He had always been impressed with the size of this enormous tree across the street from the Agriculture Museum. It was the end of May - and it was freezing! I still wore sandals.
Years passed and time was soon approaching to send Will to LPS. I had always wanted a fall picture taken and if we were going to do it, now was our last chance. So in the fall of Will's grade 8 year, we met my friend again this time at the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec for an iconic Ottawa view of Parliament.
You have no idea the stress it is to coordinate your family but not be too "matchy, matchy". It is the hardest thing about family pictures. I am grateful that all my family members have been agreeable to being dressed by me when the occasion calls for it.
I am so in love with these fall pictures! I love the fall colours. I love the beauty of Ottawa! In these moments my family is perfect despite our many imperfections.
Which brings us to our most recent family photos and their debut (assuming you don't count Facebook).
Since Will is now taller than any of us and Zanna is on the cusp of puberty, we thought now would be a good time to capture our family.
My friend just birthed her number six so I thought I'd give the gal a break and not bother her. Pretty nice of me, eh?
After some light brainstorming, I remembered that a member in our church up in Poltimore, Quebec has a photography business. I contacted her and got the ball rolling. It didn't take long to agree on a location. We thought that since we've done the home pictures and the iconic Ottawa pictures, that it was time to capture some moments in the area of the other church that Wayne serves.
Poltimore couldn't be more different than the city/suburban life of Ottawa and I kid you not - despite the extra work it takes, it helps to keep him sane. These people are the definition of salt of the earth. They're friendly and fun and laid back and happy to be in the house of the Lord's. Weddings up there are a blast and all about friends and family and starting a life together in the Lord. Babies are born and brought to the font of baptism. The sound of the little ones rock the country church on any given Sunday challenging Wayne to preach as loud as his voice will allow!
Out here in the country of rolling hills and a little white church with a graveyard in the back would be our new photo shoot location.
Unfortunately the day we had scheduled to trek up there the hour and fifteen or so it takes, we were due for a wicked thunderstorm threatening to roll through at exactly the time we would be out. All day we looked up at the blue sky and wondered if the weather channel really knew what they were talking about. After going back and forth about whether we should go ahead as planned, we got dressed and ready and prepared to head up anyway.
We didn't get very far and it started pouring rain. It rained all the way up there along with the promised thunderstorm and occasional lightning thrown in for fun, I guess. Here in our vehicle we were nice and dry, our outfits coordinated and everyone on board to get their pictures taken. To reschedule would be so defeating!!! I prayed all the way for a miracle.
Turning the corner to follow the hill up to the church the rain stopped as if on cue. The storm moved off to the side and the now setting sun came out! Thank you, Lord!!
We met Shelley and hightailed it across the street to a field so we could get this show on the road! Off in the distance, a herd of scattered cows grazed and did their thing (whatever their thing is). We positioned ourselves in front of a fence and started smiling. The cows were apparently curious and all came over to get a closer look at what we were doing.
We got photobombed.
It was hilarious! And of course, they took turns peeing which is always a pleasant sound.
Next we went into another field. Although it wasn't raining, the grass was obviously wet. Considering how it was a half hour previous, I wasn't going to complain. But my kids are clearly city folk and so between wet, tall grass and avoiding cow pies they were put out.
I was thrilled we weren't dealing with black flies (a local nuisance) or mosquitoes, etc. There were however, little bright green bugs in the grass that were jumpy. They didn't bother me but Zanna kept complaining that they were going into her cowboy boots. I told her to suck it up and keep smiling!
Which explains the look on her face here that clearly reads "I've got bugs in my boots".
She did in fact, have bugs in her boots I realized shortly. Her boots seemed to gap more than mine and sure enough - they were in there! She powered through and we got a few more pictures before she couldn't handle anymore!!
Finally we headed back over to the church where I could shake the green bugs out and were able to get a few more photos in.
So thrilled with how they turned out! And very grateful to have these photos that reflect another meaningful aspect of our life here!
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