The Winows of Her Soul

   With eyes such as these, how could I ever not give her my all? So innocent and pure, these are the windows of her soul. This is a photograph that my wife and I will always cherish, because we know she won't stay this way for long.  Indeed, they grow up too fast.

A Pile of Autmn Leaves Filled with Laughter

   It seems to be a family tradition in the making.  An event that our daughter looks forward to every time the Autumn leaves begin to fall from the trees.  As soon as our yard becomes covered in leaves, we rake them all into one giant pile to be used for play.  This is our daughter Ava Jane, as she played in the leaves this past Fall. I made her a deal that I would do most of the raking, if she would let me snap some photos while she was at play.  I took both, candid shots and a few wonderful portraits.  This candid shot however, was my favorite of them all because  I was able to capture many of her wonderful attributes.  Her wonderful laugh and beautiful smile shows just how wild and free spirited she truly is.  She is my heart and soul. She is my everything. She is my Ava Jane.

These are the Days That We Will Remember

   The most important time in a child's life is the time that you spend together.  We all have our time consuming responsibilities that make it a difficult task to accomplish.  However, no matter how hard it may be, it's something we must do.  We must set aside as much time as we possibly can for the sake of our children.  They are the people of tomorrow.  They will carry our torch when we no longer can, passing down our values as well as our teachings.
   This time does not have to be filled with expensive things or trips, in fact they shouldn't be.  This time we set aside for them should be just that, time .  A walk in the park along with a good conversation is worth more than anything that can be bought.  A hike, high on a mountain trail, where you teach them how to push themselves beyond their limits for the experience of personal triumph, is one thing that could never be found on the shelves of their favorite toy aisles.  Even just a reading from their favorite book would mean much more to them than what you may think.  How you raise your children and the things you do will play a big role in the way they parent their own. 
    I've heard many people with no children say, "I would not bring a child into this horrific, God awful world."   However, I say that it is through having children that we can bring a little beauty back into the world.  So, if you really want to make a difference, but feel as though you are not big enough, important enough, or whatever your reason may be, look no further than your children.  Because, believe it or not, when you spend quality time with your children, you are changing the world for the better, one child at a time.

Left Behind

   This is a garden decoration that belonged to my step mother, Diana W. Cupp.  I say step mother but she was actually more of a mother to me than my real mother ever was.  My father and her married when I was just a child.  She helped my father raise four kids, one of which was her own.  Life in a step family definitely had its ups and downs but we were loved, provided for, and taken care of.  She always enjoyed working in her little gardens.  We only had a little yard but she always made room for a few vegetable plants and lots of flowers.  I remember as a kid being so proud to be the only house on the block that had such pretty flowers growing every year.
   A little over two years ago she was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer.  It started out as a barely noticeable bump on the bridge of her nose, as if her glasses were causing some spot of irritation.  The barely noticeable spot quickly turned into a very aggressive cancer and over the next few months consumed her entire face and head.  We thought the chemo would help delay the cancer however, it was as if it only had pissed it off.  She truly fought hard as long as she could but to no avail.  It just wasn't the kind of cancer that could be defeated or even delayed.
   One day after she had lost her battle I was visiting with my father.  As I walked around the yard this statue of hers caught my eye.  As I stood there looking at it, I couldn't help but to think of her beautiful gardens. I wiped away the dirt and the grass clippings for a photo and as I did, I could see the paint chipping and peeling from the statues head and face. I couldn't help seeing the resemblance of the statue's face to her's. This garden statue of her's would just be one of the many things left behind.

For my mother, Diana W. Cupp