Let Them Be Little ...

The theme is Let Them Be Little this week over at I Heart Faces.  Having two of my own, I know what the thrill and excitement and pure joy of becoming a mother feels like. It's a new kind of love that you never knew you had. You are blessed with this amazing miracle, so tiny and fresh ... and before you know it, they are all grown up! My children are 10 and 6, and it feels like just yesterday I was in the hospital holding them for the first time - incredible how fast the years fly by. You spend the first year so anxious with anticipation for them to sit up, say their first words, start walking ... and with a few blinks of the eye, they are off and running :)
I think all moms have said "if they could just stay like this forever" ;)  We all know they don't - they grow like weeds, actually ... and while we miss the 'baby' stage, we continue to change as well, learning right along with them that life is about growing, changing, and developing into so many more greater things that we never knew possible.
I love this moment in the hospital, right after my sister had her first child - a baby girl! Daddy snaps her first picture, and at this moment they realize that life as they knew it is forever changed ... and they wouldn't have it any other way :)

Check out how everyone else interpreted this week's theme 

by clicking here

Pretty In Pink

Ever been tickled pink? That's the theme at I Heart Faces this week ... in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
After browsing through some past sessions, I came across Elsie's gallery - how adorable is she?!?
Tickled pink??? I think so :)

Others have shared too ... go check them out here

People's Choice Time

I Heart Faces theme is 'Best Face of Summer 2011' this week, and it works a little differently this time around.  After all the entries are submitted, they will go through and narrow down their top picks ... then whatever makes the first cut will be posted and the voting is open to anyone and everyone :)  Hopefully Wednesday I'll get to announce good news that I made it in the final selection and send you all over to vote for me!
I've taken lots of pics this summer; lots of incredible shots of amazing clients - I'm so grateful for everyone who has trusted me to document a special day or part of your life, you all give me reason to keep doing what I'm doing.
Because it's too hard to pick just one shot from so many great sessions this summer, it wasn't hard to figure out what my choice was going to be. And if you are one of my clients, you know how excited I've been this year, waiting for the arrival of this special little face from my Summer of 2011...

I have anxiously been waiting for this little face since last year, when I found out the exciting news that I was going to be an Aunt.  I've had the excitement a couple times before, only to be saddened twice due to my sister's unfortunate miscarriages.  So although excitement came again, it was with a little reservation. With lots of prayers and the good grace of God, our family was blessed on July 7, 2011 with  7lb 8oz of pure joy ... Baby Bristol was here!
I'm so happy to finally be an aunt ... but even more happy for my sister.  She's my one and only 'baby' sister, and though at first it seemed so strange to think of her as having a baby of her own - she's an incredible mother {just like I knew she always would be ;}  She's been Auntie to my two children for almost 11 years now, and I can't think of a better one - she's changed diapers, rocked them to sleep, read books, tucked them in bed, kissed ouchies, gone to the park, helped set up lots of birthday parties, came to school events, cheered at all their sporting events, taken them at the spur of the moment, sat through lots of emergency room trips, spoiled them rotten ... and loved them just like they were her own.  She's my 'little' sister, my Burrows Girl, my hoo haa ... and my best friend.
Now it's her turn to be a mom ... and my turn to be the Aunt; I hope I can do half as good a job as her. I'm excited to be on this adventure of motherhood together :)  I don't know how many times my kids have gotten mad at me and wanted to go to Auntie's ... and someday, Bristol will probably do the same thing  :)
Seeing our children grow up is an amazing and bittersweet experience, knowing they don't stay little for long ... knowing that my sister and I are there for each other makes the journey special.

So what better face to enter than the sweet little angel face of my first niece;  'roo roo' as we like to call  her :)

You can check out what other's considered their favorites by clicking here

Let The Sun Shine Through ...

Ashley and Scott had a beautiful garden wedding this past Saturday ... the day was as gorgeous as the newly married couple. These two are so much fun. Ashley's smile is just as bright as the sun's rays ... and Scott love for her is just as warm.  I Heart Faces photo challenge theme this week is 'A Touch of Sun' ... I thought this shot was perfect :)  

Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Sampson!

Wishing you the best time soaking up some of that vitamin D in sunny Jamaica :)

Check out some other rays caught on camera by clicking here

Back to School ...

I Heart Faces is having a 'back-to-school' theme week.  My kids are lucky to be in Michigan ... they don't  head back until after Labor Day.  While I love summer break, I also love getting back into a bit of a routine.  And this time of year doesn't just mean back-to-school ... it means football {NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL ;} fall soccer, pots of chili, hoodies ... and all of the other things I love about fall!
And it's not just back-to-school either ... this year is big - I have a 6th grader :(  Yes, I know it's supposed to be exciting, and it is ... but a 6th grader, just the sound of it freaks me out a bit :)  I had my first kiss in 6th grade... the thought of a boy's lips on my daughter is a little disturbing. Knowing that she is growing up gets more and more scary with each passing year ... my 'baby' is at the point of needing a bra - lol - I know it sounds silly, but I'm the mom ... and I'm entitled to freak a little about this :)
My son is a big 1st grader this year :(  Again, I know it's supposed to be exciting, and it is ... but it also means school all day and that makes me sad as well! lol  It just adds more worries to my plate ... what's he doing, is he eating all his lunch, is he listening, is he playing nice at recess???  Legitimate questions to think about :)
Bittersweet to have both children in school all day. This is it, they are growing ... and there's no stopping them. My hopes and dreams are that they will hope and dream big, and make the right decisions along the way to reach everything I know their little determined minds can achieve.
Every year I make them hold up what grade they are in and take a picture while waiting for the bus ... they may think it's silly now, but think of the laughs will have when we look at them 20 years down the road :)

You can head over to I Heart Faces and see some great captures from other proud moms {and dads!} by clicking here.  

And this week's Challenge ...

WHITE!  Over at I Heart Faces, the theme is white.  I think this one of sweet little Addison is perfect ... I love the crisp, clean white and the pop of her eyes, what do you think? {and who doesn't love polka-dots ;}

Check out more here

Mirrors of the Soul

It's all about the eyes over at I HEART FACES this week ... and my little buddy Kaiden has some baby blues that you can easily get lost in ...

I'm so happy to have met his wonderful family. Mom and dad are such sweet people, and his older sister, Lilly, is a doll face as well. As a matter of fact, she visited me over the weekend and we had a special 'tea party picnic' session in celebration of her turning five :)  Hopefully one of her pics will be perfect for an upcoming theme week ;)

You can check out more mesmerizing eyes by clicking here and heading over to I Heart Faces