Mixing my Two loves...Kids and Photography

You know...I love love working with children and hearing their imaginations create new worlds for them. I love even more when I can help them create a little of that imagination into reality.
When the children showed up for Halloween I had them pose in whatever way they thought, the character they had dressed up as, would pose.
Then I took their pictures home and edited their photos. I then made a "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" book out of the pictures. The results were pretty astonishing, I'm having a bound book made as we speak by BLURB.com.
Here are some of the pics below...

If you would like a picture or your child in a similar way and either want to know how ( you must have Photoshop) or want me to do it for you...Just let me know! I would love to!

Now I Know

You know, over these past few years I've gone through a lot of emotions and a lot of questions, but a main one has always been, could I really adopt? Could I make that transition easily? Going from my daily business to a baby in my arms without any pre pregnancy planing, could I love a child out of no where unconditionally as they were my own?

Of course in thought I would like to say yes! But when it came to reality would it be possible?

I can now say without a doubt, oh yes. After finishing my last job working with children under the age of 6, who have disabilities, and obstacles of poverty that many of us do not even have to deal with in our nightmares, I can say oh yes I definitely could.

Their humor and unconditional love for me has really touched me. Friday was a fairly emotional day for me saying goodbye to those kids who have helped me through more heartache than they will ever know. They lightened and mended my pained heart helping me to heal. I looo-ved all of the funny things they said and did, but mostly when they would tell me they loved me, or invite me to their birthday parties, or hug me for no reason, or sing crazy songs with me and draw me pictures to take home. Or finally "got" what Ive been trying to teach them, and watch them turn around and teach another child.

Some of my favorites have been:

1. Whenever it was time to keep our mouths quiet and a child would scream, " Miss Leisa, look what I did, aren't you proud of me?" I would quietly give them a huge smile and give them a big thumbs up. One day I asked the kids if they were happy about something we had just done, and when I turned around to look at them and see why they weren't answering me I got 12 thumbs up from all my 4 year olds.

2. "Miss Leisa, you are my favorite, and because of that you can sit by me at lunch and listen to my mp3 player." (He is 4 years old!)

3. " If I am a female, and my daddy is a male, what is an email?"

4. I asked one girl if she needed special lotion for her chapped cheeks, specifically wondering if she had prescription lotion and she said, " uhmmmmm.... I think because I am a special girl that I DO deserve special lotion!" She is three years old.

5. When I asked a girl what "Love" meant to her to put on her valentines car for her mom...she said..." It's being joyful about something that you got but didn't really want."

6. I'm 5"10 and get a lot of comments on my height like....." Your Huge!" " Are you still growing?" ...... and my favorite, I was trying to tie a knot in a balloon but my fingers were too big to fit through the hole and one of the kids told me that it was because I have " Massive hands"

7. I was asked on my first day there by a four year old if i lived at home by myself, I said...no, that I lived with my husband. I was then asked if I had kids. I said no, not yet. And this little girl said to me, " Don't you know that when you get married you are supposed to have kids? All you have to do is go to the doctor and get him to take away some blood and poof! you have a baby."...(I also had a little girl tell me that she was a potato in her mom ma's belly until "one day i just popped out!")

8. I asked a little boy what the word "Family" meant and he said... "My heart"

9. One day I looked over at a little girl playing house with a boy and girl doll. apparently they were getting married because they were talking and then they kissed. But while they kissed she made sure to sing " I know you I walked with you once upon a Dream" and then stopped the song when they stopped kissing. Someone watched a little bit of Disney I suppose!

10. A couple weeks ago a little three year old boy pipped up and sang " TOO MOR OW, TOOOO MOR OW, I Love YA TOMORROW, YOUR ONLY A DAY AWAY!" over and over to me. Oh I love it! I wish i had written more down each day I worked there.


11. And I love everyday that a child clings to me, or happily screams my name, or wants JUST me to do something for them like tie their shoes or read them a book, or teach them how to zip their coat or fix a puzzle. I play football with them outside and they all want me to catch the football so they can run and try to catch me as I dodge their little hands. Or when I dance with them and teach them silly little line dances or swing dance with them picking them up in the air. I just love those little happy giggles, or being the only one who can calm their little tears. I sure will miss them more then they know.

One of them asked me on my last day why I had to leave them and take a new job...ouch...I wished I could have explained to him why. But no answer seemed good enough for him. But he took the news with stride and opened up his mp3 player to play his favorite song.."TNT" one more time for me.....if we all could take changes in life so easily!

But the unconditional love I have for each of these children reassures me that without a doubt I could love any child placed in my home and has healed my heart in preparation for that exact future moment....whenever that may be!

Christmas at the Wimpees!

Christmas this year was really special for me. it was the first time I got to host my family at my house. I love Christmas, and love, love, love to entertain. So when my family said they were coming to me for Christmas I was really excited.

My sister flew in the early early Monday morning, which I was so happy about because Ive been really sick and definitly needed the help. She helped me prepare for my family who came in Tuesday night.

That night we started a new little tradition where we each had $2.00 and went to the dollar store. We drew names and then timed our watches for 5 minutes. It was so fun to scurry around the store trying to not get caught and find something in that little store for each other. Then we came home and laughed as we each unveiled our prizes. The funniest gifts have to go to Becky getting the " Ever growing man" for Tim, and Tim for getting Dad a Santa hat ( which he continually tried to hide the entire week)

Wednesday night was Christmas Eve and after our traditional feast of favorite appetizers we played, Catch Phrase and other fun games. I think everyone that night but me! I havent always enjoyed playing games but im starting to warm up to it more and more.

Christmas morning I woke up the family with a breakfast of Cream Cheese and berry filled freshlyl made crepes, Hashbrowns, Biscuits and Gravy, Orange Juice, sausage, Hot Chocolate, and Hot apple Cider. All on their requests.

We then had a leisurely morning opening presents one at a time and enjoying one another! We were really blessed to had recieved some very thoughtful gifts. And enjoyed seeing the reaction as we gave our gifts out too.

We then went over to Jacobs parents house and enjoyed our time with them and his siblings and their kids. I love this time of the year when we all get together and laugh and tell stories. It's always a joy to be at Jacob's families house, somehow we didn't get pictures there either. I guess Im just not as dilligent about picture taking as I used to be!

That night we had Christmas dinner and headed for Lookout Mountain to walk through the Enchanted lights. Its this massive rock garden where the decorate all the paths with many different Christmas light displays. For us it was just a good photo opportunity!

We have been really blessed this year. We have had our share of trials and sorrow, but have been uplifted and blessed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by our family and friends who love us!

Merry Christmas!