Celebrating Adoption

So there is this group I joined...called Celebrating Adoption. The basic idea is that anyone who has adopted in the last year (from anywhere, a child of any age, etc.) can contact any of the photographers on the website (www.celebratingadoption.org) for a free portrait session for them and their family, plus they will receive 20 free 4x6 proofs.

For me, this is not only a chance to randomly give back, but a chance to advocate for something I believe in. I have always wanted to adopt, and have known in my heart that I will. Three and a half years ago I met this amazing person, Kristopher, who I will be married to in exactly 37 days. He was adopted at age 11, after both of his birth parents passed away. I know the hurt he carries from this experience, but I have also seen how blessed he has been by the family who adopted him. He became the youngest of three kids, and was blessed to be raised by such a wonderful, Christian family, who I will soon be "adopted" into myself.

We have just been given a big choice of our own...a family member of Kris' is raising her grandson, and is dealing with some pretty major medical issues. A little under two weeks ago we were asked to take on the responsibility of Godparents...that is, to agree to take this woman's grandson if anything is to happen to her. We are both pretty young, I am still in school, and at first we were shocked almost beyond words (side note: me being speechless does not happen often. at all.) Last night we made a decision that will change our lives forever, I'm willing to bet in ways we can't even fathom. We are now Godparents (that's all I can think of to describe this duty...) to a bright and rambunctious 6 year old boy. Heaven help us.

So, that is why, in a rather large nutshell, that this form of serving others and giving back has become so important to me. When I signed up for Celebrating Adoption, we had not yet been asked to take on this responsibility, and never would have fathomed it.

Multiples at the park

Last week we had a multiples playdate at a local park. It was fun to see all the adorable twins running around! Here are a few pictures from the day:

This is Sophie. You all know her by now. Mom and sister Anna are in the background.

The troublesome twosome (ok, not really...more like the adorable twosome!) heading down the slide.

This little cutie and her sister sat quietly and patiently in their stroller...ah, those are the days!

More pictures!

This is another of Sophie, the other day at the park.











This is Audrey, a friend of the girls. How adorable are those glasses?

















Here is another of Annabelle. She is definitley more pensive than Sophie.










And...this is Ethan. He is adorable, but hiding in that crop of blonde hair are devils horns!

More of Sophie...

...who is my favorite photography subject, even if she doesn't cooperate all that much! So I know that I haven't said much about Sophie, but she is one of the three adorable kiddies I nanny for full-time. She has a twin sister Annabelle, who I've also posted pictures of, and an older brother Ethan, who's debut on my blog will be happening soon. Sophie is the sweetest little thing I've ever seen, and you'd never know by the smile on her face that she's been through many major surgeries, had a tumor removed from her face and spent almost the first half of her first year in the hospital. She is such a trooper, and such a happy little thing.

Took these over the last few days...

Here she is on a tear through the playtube...

This is my favorite lately of Sophie. I took this blind...just stuck the camera into the playtube and clicked. I love the expression on her face and the composition.

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This is my favorite picture I have ever taken of the two of them. It is so stereo-typical Sophie and Annabelle....Annabelle moving very fast towards the thing I want her to get into the least, and Sophie sitting back, having a drink (of milk), bossing Anna around. This is how things go around here. When they were about 9 or 10 months old, Anna was the bigger and faster of the two. Now, she still moves a little faster, but not because Sophie can't. Rather because Sophie is just too laid back to care. Talk about the one who rules the roost...Sophie "dramaQueen" Clinick!