(Sunday Snapshot) Summer Vacation

 

"Happiness is a Summer breeze, sand between your toes, and your best friend right beside you."

 

~ unknown

 

 

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), It's always our self we find in the sea."

 

~e.e. cummings

 

 

I call it beach therapy, for us also known
as our Summer vacation.
And the beach can be at the ocean, a lake or a bay.
I've had a love affair with being near water for most of my life,
so naturally my children would love water too.

These were taken two weeks ago while we were in Door County
enjoying some time together in the town of Ephraim.
I had great plans for taking even more photos that
would eventually be used for our Christmas
card but that didn't happen.
We came home a little bit early as our oldest son
was ill, thankfully
he's well now.

 I have found that my favorite photos are the ones where I just sit back and observe what's going on.
So I'll let the rest of the images speak for themselves.



(Grace created this woven wreath herself with things she found
on the beach,
a twisty vine and leaves made a beautiful headpiece).
 



 

Please link up with Stefanie's

Sunday Snapshot.

 

 



A Season

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the road less
traveled by, And that has made all the difference in the world."

~ Robert Frost

The Robert Frost quote is one of my favorites and could be called my life quote.

To me it speaks of my life and how adoption changed it profoundly
in so many wonderful ways.

{The good stick that broke.}

For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a mom.

I'm the oldest of 4 (all quite close in age) and used to play teacher or mommy to my younger siblings.

My mentor is one of the best...my own mother, Barbara.

I have an incredible mom.

From her I learned patience, not to sweat the small stuff, 

give my children choices,

and be a good listener...our children have so much to teach us.

Both of my parents gave me the gift of compassion and it means very much

that my children have that gift too.

This time with our children is short and truly in a blink of an eye they've graduated

from High School and gone to college or are working full time in a job.

I know that first hand because I've raised one son who's now in his 20's

and it seems like yesterday that I first held him.

5 years ago in August of 2007, I started this blog. It was just after Grace's 5th birthday.

My husband Dan thought of the name, 'Aging with Grace,' it

was a little comment on our age (at the time in our 40's) and life with our little girl.

She was such a little peanut then.

The blog was a way to journal our wait for our second adoption.

Blogging has changed greatly in 5 years...

I used to blog nearly every day

and many of us participated in cute little memes, contests and giveaways.

It definitely was a sweet and supportive time in my life.

I can whole heartedly say that through blogging I've met

some amazingly supportive and kind people.

Good people.

Unless you've adopted and gone through the long, arduous, soul searching process,

not many folks understand the experience and

the emotional investment and deep love we have for our children.

We truly are a special little group.

4 years ago we made the trip with Grace to Fujian Province, China to adopt our William.

I wrote every single day about our time there, it was such an emotional time. 

Both of those trips to the birthplace of my children were profound experiences 

for both Dan and myself. 

It's not possible to travel to China and not be changed on some level.

Over time the blog became more of a photography one.

I was given a DSLR camera by my husband 4 years ago.

The goal of me wanting to learn to use that first camera well and take better photos, soon

 changed to me wanting to learn all that I could about photography.

I took photos 'from the heart.'

That part was easy for me, I'm a heart person.

A sensitive soul, I feel deeply and love the same way.

Shooting from the heart means shoot with a passion,

and don't get consumed with all the technical stuff at first.

That will come.

Maybe shooting from the heart as it relates to photography 

is a great analogy for how we all should live our lives,

passionately, deeply, and always in the moment.

I have an incredible life, a beautiful life some would say, I suppose.

I'm blessed in ways too numerous to count, but the the most important being with good health,

 people that love me unconditionally and a loving Father

in Heaven that cares about me.

I've learned that photography is a journey, just like life.

I will always be a photographer... whether as a professional or hobbyist.

It's a lifelong love and passion,

and it's really through photography that I've found myself.

The Gail that has always been there...the nurse/ mom/ artist/ caring / altruistic person.

I'm at a very good place in my life.

I have learned that one of my greatest joys is photographing my children
 and second to that is giving back with my gift.

Who would have thought that I can use this gift to give back to newly adoptive families

 through Red Thread Sessions and to volunteer with An Orphan's Wish,

an organization that serves 'the least of these,' orphaned special needs children in China.

I feel called to help these children and bring attention especially to the older ones who wait for their 

forever families.

So as life is a journey, I'm going to be enjoying it to the fullest.

We only have one time on this Earth.

Thank you for the last 5 years...the friends that I've met through my little blog
will always be a part of my heart.

 I've loved every single moment of this 'season' of our lives.

A little snapshot in time.

xo

As this is my last blog post (the 777th!) I can now

 be found at my new blog, A Mother's Art Photography.

I'll post favorites from client sessions and there

will still be some posts featuring my two littlest loves.
Follow along if you like.

(My heart)

Beach Days (Sunday Snapshot)

{A little beach fun...Door County style}

Why do we flock to the beach (whether it's near a lake or ocean) every Summer?

Maybe it's because everything about it is calming and renewing.

All stress and anxiety leaves.

We all need a little 'beach therapy' from time to time in our lives.

I have always loved the beach.

Maybe it's the sensory part of it...the sounds of 

the water, my children's laughter, the feel of sand, sun and wind,

and the obvious visual appeal of textures and color.

We took advantage of the little private beach where we stayed

last week. We were the only ones there for quite a while.

I happened to find the perfect vintage sand pail

and playing cards at a little shop that added some charm to our little beach themed shoot.

When I uploaded the photos I could really see how much my 

children had grown.

Time is flying by and I cherish all these images.

All the little details.

They stay young for such a short time.

I loved the image of Will's little feet in his flip

flops with the sand on his toes.

Someday I'll look at that photo and remember these precious days.

We have had a perfect Summer in so many ways

and are a little sad to see it leaving.

 

These were taken with two different lenses, my 35 mm 1.4 for the wide shots and
85mm 1.4 for others.

The first one ~
Nikon d700
85mm 1.4
f/2.2
1/6400 sec.
ISO 160

A very quick edit was done in PS with one of Florabella's new Colorplay actions.
I used an action called 'Matte Film' which
gave the perfect vintage matte finish which is
exactly what I wanted to add to these images.

Sunday snapshot - vacation days

So as I look back at the many pictures from our little getaway recently,
I can't help but smile and remember this special place.
I think I'll call it one of the best kept secrets as far as vacation spots in the U.S.
My husband and I started coming up here before we adopted Grace, so this
was a first for our two littles.

There are quaint little villages that have Norwegian, Icelandic and French Canadian influences,
that have names like Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Fish Creek, Sister Bay, Bailey's Harbor
and others.
We stayed in Ephraim which is known for it's views of Eagle Harbor off Green Bay,
and it's charming white buildings and stone fences.
You can see why Door County is sometimes called the 'Cape Cod of the Midwest.'

(At historic Anderson dock in Ephraim, WI as the sun is starting to set).

Some of our favorite parts of the trip was our time at Wilson's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor,

swimming twice a day, the beautiful sunsets, delicious tart cherries, perusing a few antique shops, the food,

 seeing the lighthouses, wine tasting and watching the sailboats on the bay.

The best part...spending time with the people I love the most, my husband and Grace and Will...just us.

Looking forward to returning again soon, someday!

black and white Wednesday - a day at the beach

Smile and say 'cheese!'

"Happiness is a summer breeze, sand between your toes, and your best friend by your side."

~ unknown

(Will showing a little of his gymnastics capabilities).

 Living in Wisconsin we appreciate Summer, no matter how hot and humid it gets
 because Winter lasts just way too long here.

I'm making a promise to myself to look at these pictures again when I'm shivering in January and February
and longing for warmer days.
They'll help me remember our time last week at the beach
in the quaint little town of Ephraim in Door County, WI.

We brought sand pails, shovels, a raft and Will's fish floatie.
And though they were all used and played with, it was the 2 vintage cameras
that I brought that were the biggest hit.

Even though it was all in fun and not for real as far as them taking pictures,
the element of 'pretend' is still much of Grace and Will's play.
(which I dearly love)

Below is Will just before he went out in the bay (with Daddy of course).
And also one of him as he's taking a little rest wrapped up in his towel.
Swimming (rather kicking with a floatie supporting you) evidently is hard work!

(Will getting ready to hit the waves).

(And Will taking a little snooze).

The Summer has flown by.
Yesterday I registered both kids for school...when I look at the calendar
we don't have much of this season left.

We start school Sept. 1 and I have mixed feelings about that.
I'm going to miss these two being with me during the day.
So we'll be making the best of the time they have left.

It's Wednesday!

See what's going on at Lisa's ' black and white Wednesday' for many

more black and whites and some fabulous photography.

31/52 - Door County, Wisconsin

Catching up on my weekly photo project...this one's from our vacation last week.
I walked down to the little beach which was in front of our resort and found these chairs sitting in a row.
The sun was setting in a cloudy sky over Green Bay which is just off of Lake Michigan.


I haven't even begun to go through the pictures I took but will do a couple more
posts this week about where we were and what we did.
We had a fabulous time and came home relaxed and refreshed!