Monday Confessions, Out of Steam

We are starting week 7 of quarantine if my count is correct and things here in Delaware are getting worse, not better. We got the news this week that school is out for the year and there’s been a steady climb in coronavirus cases, instead of a decrease. This is all extremely discouraging, because it means we are going to be in this isolation for a while. I feel like I am all out of steam. That motivation and optimism I had at the beginning of this is waning. I found a little empathy from a line in an old poem earlier this week so I thought I might share.

“April is the cruellest month, breeding

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain. “

~T.S. Eliot, The Wasteland

I always thought that was a sad way to look at April, but now it makes sense. T.S. Eliot wrote this famous poem during struggles with depression and insomnia, among other things. He wasn’t looking at spring as hopeful, which most of us tend to do. We tend to see spring as the rebirth, the new life springing forth from the cold dormancy of winter. Eliot is writing here that hopeful spring is in contrast to what he’s feeling in his despair.

I can relate a bit to those feelings this year. As a mom and a photographer, May is usually a busy but great month for me. This year, I don’t have any work to look forward to or any of my kiddos events and celebrations. I am also trying to finish strong a semester of teaching and doing “crisis school” with my four children. This is not only hard on my spirits, but extremely hard financially as well with no photo work.

It’s hard to take it all in, knowing that others are suffering so much worse. The heaviness of the COVID 19 pandemic is taking a toll on everyone. I just want you to know it’s entirely OK if you are feeling heavy hearted. We are all handling this differently , so there’s no one right way. Make sure that if you feel acute emotional pain or depression, call a friend! The stress of this season could really impact anyone already struggling. We know we will get through this season together!

Meeting Joe Biden

Last week I had a phone call that changed my week. I was contacted by a family who was holding a small ceremony to honor their father/grandfather for his service to both the country and the world, as his health is failing. He served faithfully in WWII and then came home to serve locally in his hometown in Delaware. Part of his Delaware connections and influences included Joe Biden. This connection with Biden had survived the decades, which is why it was touching to the family that Biden wanted to attend the pinning ceremony for their family member. I want to protect their privacy at a sensitive time but I wanted to share a few images of getting to meet and photograph Biden last week, especially considering him announcing his run for the presidency this morning.

Biden is very warm and personable, which explains his popularity through the decades. He joked with me about photographers being the only ones all over the world to “boss around” world leaders and they have to listen. He also teased that whenever photographers say “just a few more shots,” that we are never telling the truth. It made me laugh and brought levity to the moment when I felt a little under pressure.

He also shared something his mother used to say that stuck with me. She apparently used to say something to the effect of, “courage is the most important virtue because without courage, none of the rest of the virtues will matter.” I can imagine that advice served him well in life, when things got tough or odds seemed impossible. He has survived much loss in his lifetime and yet continues in public service. Although I wouldn’t necessarily politically align myself with a lot of his stances, I certainly was drawn to his person and character. It will give me a lot to ponder heading into the voting booth in November 2020.

I am thinking on all of this today, after visiting the U.S. Constitution center in Philadelphia yesterday. I have to say, it’s a powerful place. It reminded me yet again of the brilliance and beauty of our system of government. It reminded me of the continued fight for equality among U.S. citizens and a striving from those very early days of our nation to create a strong central government, while protecting personal freedoms. The opening lines of the constitution are so powerful and lay out the purpose of our federal government, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…” May we all consider these words as we work toward that more perfect union and work together to bring about things such as justice and domestic tranquility.

*images cropped to protect privacy*

Signing copies of his book Promise Me Dad

Fall Senior Session, Wilmington, DE

      Fall of senior year is a super exciting time with college applications, football games and that slight taste of freedom coming with college ahead. Hannah is a sweet spirit with an artistic side and she's exploring her options for art programs in college. I have had the privilege of photographing her family over the last few years and this year it was her turn for a special session! Here's to the class of 2018!

Summer family session, Smyrna, DE

 "The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year – the days when summer is changing into autumn – the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change." 

―E.B. White, Charlotte's Web

It's August and I am starting to hear those crickets chirp...

   Photography has been such a great way for me to both meet new people and keep in touch with old friends. When I got a message from Brandon, an old college friend, to come photograph his family, I was excited to see them all. Brandon and Hannah have not only a beautiful family but a lovely home that's more of a farmette. They are able to have some animals to keep them busy along with their kiddos. We were so lucky to have some of the milder August weather last weekend to have an evening session. I have to say, it was really enjoyable and the kids hung in there!  They may or may not have been smiling for candy :)  What's not to love about summer white outfits, sunshine and family?!

Abby & Rachel: cousins, seniors and besties!

      I remember back to the autumns of high school and think of chunky sweaters, chilly soccer games and chocolatey hot chocolate! It was such a fun season of life (most of the time ;) and I remember a lot of it fondly. As a senior, I remember that feeling of both being on the front edge of adulthood but also this sense that all of life is still ahead of you. I also remember the stress of school work and wondering where I would end up for college. Do you remember those days? 

    I got two catch up with two sweet senior girls last weekend to capture this time in their lives. Their personalities were just as lovely as their faces! These girls are not just cousins but very dear friends to one another. When I got asked if I would consider shooting a double senior session, I thought, why not?! What I didn't realize is that it would be an absolute great fit both for these girls and a fun experience for me! Each girl helped the other to bring out her own personality during the shoot. I wish them all the best as they plan for the future!

Today is Part 1: Abby