Blessed & sweet beyond words.

I see you.

The real you- The you with twinkles in your eyes and love in your heart.

I see your children too.

And guess what?

Your children see what I see… The rest of us see what they see.

The most beautiful woman in the world.

That alone should be reason enough to get in the picture with the family that YOU created.

I am tuned in.

…to hearts & rhythms.

A perfect crescendo.

Patiently waiting, I know it is in that precise moment, where authenticity lives and breathes.

I have a visceral reaction.

Just then… A captured star sparkles.

It is a rainy day here in Virginia Beach.  I would like to share some personal thoughts here on the blog. Don’t be shy- I am feeling a little over-exposed here, so if you are so inclined to let me know you are reading this… please feel like you can.

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On April 12, 1997, I was 25 years old when my father took his last breath.  I was angry. I was bewildered. I was speechless. I sit here with tears streaming down my cheek… the tears take the same path each time. If I had not been living prior to that moment, I had a crash course in it that tragic day.

They were 20 and 21 at their June wedding.

My professional dance career came to a screeching halt, daily crosswords became my vice. I sat depressed, scanning the Chesapeake bay for answers, awaiting my mother’s return from work.  I had left home my sophomore year of high school, been living on my own for ten years. Thought I had achieved my dreams… and I had.  But for what?  To see my family a handful of times a year?  To have my parents & sister patiently waiting backstage after a Saturday night show, so that we could grab a super late dinner, force them to replay every single step, as if that was even possible… only for them to drive the two hours home.  Instead of feeling like I had achieved something, I sat in his recliner, at a house I never really knew, feeling like I had missed everything.

Chronic pain developed over my breastbone… after a few days, it hurt to breathe. It seemed to come regularly, it was a lot of pressure.  I saw many doctors, had various adjustments, and after a few weeks it eased off.  After a few years, I noticed not how it would happen- but when.  It would quietly enter mid-March, get really horrible around March 31st (the same day he was rushed to the ER)… then begin to wane.

During those early years, the final two weeks of his life replayed constantly… a recurring nightmare… except I never woke up.  I’d go over the final days with a fine-tooth comb, knit-picking e-v-e-r-y little moment, wondering what if? If I’d been more aware, stronger, something… anything…just… I don’t know… just more. Those days still sound like heavy rain pounding on a tin roof in my brain.

I watched my mother, my sister.  I watched his father, his sister…many friends of the family…doctors.  He was my person, my family,  my people… As I watched each of them deal (or not exactly deal) with something SO not even close to being in any of our control, I realized that this one person was one step away from each of us.  Our  lives quite varied,  he was this groups common bond.  He was the center, he was our role model, we each needed him and we each stood an arms reach away… Had it been a dance, we would have made a star.

I am about 9 years old here, same age as my oldest daughter, Bella.

It is 2013, and the dreaded month is here.  The annual physical pain no longer forces the same pressures onto my heart… In some ways, its absence scares me altogether.  Perhaps because my life is now so full, in joining with my amazing husband and creating our four special people.  I try to look back and understand what they (my parents) went through raising us… how they taught me, and was it effective?  David and I do a decent job ad-libbing in our never-rehearsed show.  We periodically tell the kids that we really have no idea what we are doing.  (What I want to scream is, “How come no one can make ME a peanut butter and jelly!!!???? When did I become the parent???!!”) 

Then I think if “my people” each raised their arms, one step away from me… we would make a star.

I heard an inspiring talk the other night on the topic of being parents as role models.  One has the ability to make a change, to make a difference in a child’s life no matter how young or how old.  You are the parent until you are no longer the parent… and a child can always learn from the parent.  It doesn’t really matter if you can’t teach an old dog… because we are not dogs.  It is not too late! We are their whole world…

It is never too late… unless, of course, it is too late.

Here I am about 3, and my father must be about 29.

Ironically, my elderly dog, Sofi, just came up to me and gently nudged me with her nose… she hasn’t done that in a long time.

xoxo

It’s not every day that you take three two year old girls to get their nails done… and lunch… and frozen yogurt.  My little munchkin was not sold on the whole sit with a stranger thing, and it was her first time stepping her little tootsies in a nail salon… that said, she hasn’t stopped talking about it since.  It was definitely a bonding experience for us all… And as if we BFF moms had nothing else to do in the world, wine was ordered… and yes, it was before noon… nuff said.

Welcome Liam & Lucus! It was sheer joy when I had the opportunity to meet these two brothers! What an incredible blessing for this beautiful family… Their love was palpable… and the babies were simply delicious!

When I shoot a newborn session, it is more than just a baby posed alone…  Can you remember the magical moments you felt in those beginning days of your most important chapter in your life since your wedding day?  They are fast, fleeting and so often a fog… I have a feeling this family (and all my Sweet People families) will be able to look through their images and feel like they can remember… documenting it *IS* the ONLY way.

Been a little quiet around here for a reason… 2013 has A LOT of fabulous updates! Email elyse@sweetpeoplephotography.com to find out more!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy FIRST Birthday SWEET SAVANNAH, Happy Birthday to you! (FYI- There is NO way to read those words without singing/humming them to yourself -ha!)   This next year for this family is my favorite toddler stage- the best is yet to come, if you can even believe that!

Don’t forget if you haven’t booked your session yet, take advantage of the special offer, or tell your BFF- after all, what are friends for?  Also, if you are an expectant mother, please remember that it is never too early to get your due date on my calendar! Don’t wait to book-2012 is almost FULL.

 SPECIAL OFFER:

*For a limited time only- available on a first come first served basis*

BOOK your session NOW

*anytime between September 2012 and March 2013*

AND RECEIVE AN IMMEDIATE PRINT CREDIT OF $100!

In other words, regular session fee remains the same of $250 (+tax), but you will have an instant credit of $100 in your Sweet People Photography® account to be used towards your purchases.  (Making the session fee only $150!)

When baby #4 was born nearly two years ago, I knew it would be sooner than later that she would be sportin’ her new backpack and heading off to “school” (mom’s morning out program).  I couldn’t really picture it, but knew eventually she would be running down the hallway, trying to copy her older siblings, and do it all by herself.  And today was that day.  Summer went by just a bit too quickly this year.  That said, I actually had a few minutes to exercise today- and it got me thinking that with a few hours to myself a few days a week, I might actually come up for air.