Magic and Joy

So the pictures I had printed are now on my wall, looking great, I might add.  The pictures of my cousin’s (now) bride getting ready for the wedding turned out pretty great, not amazing, but then I’m a solid photographer, not an amazing one.  And to top it off, I just finished a photography book!

I've been trying to put together a book of my trip home – the trip to Europe – for over a year and it just hasn't been going well.  I think I've been too intimidated.  Recently, I asked for some advice and received the best piece of advice about it I've ever heard or read – start small!  Photobook girl recommended that I start with a smaller project to get a feel for everything and gain some experience before jumping in to such a large project as the Europe trip.  So I did!

I’m proud to say that yesterday I completed my first photobook, and ordered it (man, they expensive!).  I called it Magic and Joy and it’s filled with pictures I've taken of the children I've had the pleasure of spending time with over the past year.

 

when it arrives, I’ll let you know what I think of it and how the Europe book is going.  Here’s the intro to the book.  

Children are a very special kind of magic, what makes this this way, more than anything else, is the people around them; their family.  Whether the family is born or made, the people in a child’s life are key to who they become.  I have been blessed to be a part of creating the magic in the children on these pages.

This story doesn't really have a beginning or an end, but the story itself wouldn't exist without people that I hold dear.  Julie, mother of Christopher and Elizabeth, isn't just my father’s brother’s daughter, she’s my cousin; an older sister (without any of the drawbacks).  Dawn, mother to Aidan and Lilly, isn't just my cousin’s wife, she’s a part of the fabric of our family.  In both of these women, I admire their dedication to being mothers and their sense of family.

My nieces are among the children in these pages as well.  I am blessed that my brother, Joseph, father to Isabella, I have always been able to call friend.  My husband’s family is my family and Cassandra, mother to Xylia, I admire her dedication to her daughter.

The pictures inside these pages may not be all that remarkable, yet if they convey a tenth of the magic and joy I have found, then I am happy.