so many people i know are expecting right now….
it brings up such feelings of longing for me…now let
me be clear, i have a full house & i am oh so happy….
although my mind is clear that 3 is plenty…i do miss the
sweet lilt of a newborn in my arms….to all of you blessed
with a bun in the oven, i am thinking of you…& if you
come around me, can i please hold your baby??

some things are so worth waiting for….xoxo

absolutely beautiful…

xoxoxo

a little more sweetness....

xoxo

is the ultimate contact sport…

and somedays, we all need a little help….

a hug…a kiss….a smile….

to get back in the ring to go another round….

of love….xoxo

a little more sweetness....

sometimes when you are close to people & see them all the time, it’s easy to forget to let them know how special they are….my mother is an amazing kind hearted person…i feel so lucky that she is my mother….she’s the kind of woman who is always thinking about other people…when she comes to our house, she’s always organizing, folding laundry, doing the dishes…to the point where it drives me a little crazy…i always ask her to sit down, relax….and she’ll laugh at me, as though i’ve said the most ridiculous thing ever….she also loves to embellish when she tells stories…it’s wonderful….it makes for really good stories & lots of laughter….she’s very kind to my children, which is sweet…i understand now how she feels….how much you love your children & how much they’ll never understand….we are somehow compelled to make our own ways in life…but i know in my heart, that i am greatly influenced by my mother…one of my fondness memories of my childhood, was when i was twelve years old….my mom let me stay home from school for no reason at all & we went to a local garden & got a huge basket of strawberries…we ate all of them…don’t get me wrong, we had chores & responsibilities…and i was a relatively good student…but she made “playing hooky” for that one day so special….i try to make mundane things special for my children now…going to the post office can be a serious adventure if you do it right….now some of you may wonder why i am writing this here….my mother used to be an english teacher….so every day since i started KISS THE GROOM, she proof reads it & sends me corrections, for my many misspellings & grammatical errors….i am a creative person & often don’t have time to check every little thing i write….so i have always appreciated this…so this is a surprise for you mom….thanks for editing for me, even when i never asked you to…thanks for folding my clothes, even when i’d wish you’d sit down & relax…thank you for being so kind & generous & funny…thank you for teaching me how to be a good mother….i adore you & hope you have a beautiful mother’s day…know that even though i don’t always tell you, i think you are the best mom ever

i love you…elizabeth

of motherhood….

is hard to describe…..

xoxo

expecting love…xoxo

i’ve always been fascinated by the way people blend…two people fall in love & create a little life…this sweet little person is a physical manifestation of love…we look for pieces we recognize…he has your “smile”…she has your “ears”…but really they’re an unimaginably perfect blend…years ago when i was pregnant with my first child, “the blessing project” was born….all children are blends…

but i’ve been particularly interested in how beautiful children from parents with different ethnic backgrounds blend…the sweet union of differences is amazing…so much beauty….and i think there is something powerful about a new born life looking up at two different faces & loving them the same…not knowing any difference….only learning later in life that there was a difference to begin with….

there was a moment when my four year old daughter looked up at me & asked me, “mama, if i scratch my skin….do i look like you underneath?”…my heart dropped to my stomach & i looked at her sweet face….i realized my answer was both yes & no…her brown skin would always be hers…just as my fair skin was mine….yet if you scratched either of us, we would bleed….we are, as all humans are…utterly & in the most important ways, simply the same….we love…we bleed…we dream…we are….

as i continue to photograph the blessing project…i do humbly & aware that there is much i do not & will not ever understand about the world…but one thing i know for sure, children are blessings….

xoxo

tori & dean & liam & stella