Birthday Portraits

Every year since the girls turned one I've been taking them to get photos done. It's not like I don't have hundreds of photos of them that we've taken over the course of the years but there's something about having a professional take them that makes it extra special for the girls.

Unfortunately, I was very behind in getting their appointments made so it's really [K]'s 7 1/2 year portrait. I was late on [E]'s too but at least it's closer to her January birthday. The only downside to being late is that there won't be such a big difference in her physical appearance between these photos and her 8 year ones.

Here is [K]'s yearly photo for the gallery wall:

This is the one I selected for a smaller 5x7 frame:

Lastly, I let the girls select one that they liked best and this is the one [K] picked. She told me she liked this one best because she looks so happy. I love that :)

Here's a link to recap how [K] has changed over the years.


This is [E]'s yearly photo for the gallery wall:

Here is the one I selected for the 5x7 frame:

And this is the one that [E] selected for herself:

As a recap of how she's changed over the years, here's the link to her previous photos.

Lordy, Lordy, Look Who's 40!

I remember when I turned 30. It was a big deal for me. I had an idea when I was in my 20's about where I would be in life when I turned 30, and my actual life was nothing like what I pictured. By the time I was thirty I had been married and divorced, twice (yeah, I wish I had waited until I was a little more emotionally mature), I lost the house in the divorce so I had to move back in with my parents, and I didn't have kids yet. Definitely NOT what I had in mind for myself at 30. It was a very hard year.

But now that's 10 years behind me. Sure 40 sounds old (to me it does) but I don't feel old. Most of the time I still feel like a teenager and wonder when I'll feel like a "grown up." That's not to say I haven't had to deal with many grown up issues (being <thisclose> to buying a house but then backing out at the last minute, losing close relatives, the loss of our second child at 30+ weeks) but through it all I've never become bitter or cynical. Sure, I may not be in the shape I was when I was 30, but I'm *happy*. I have an amazing partner and best friend in my loving husband, together we have two beautiful, polite, kind daughters, we recently made a huge life change by moving from the Midwest to the South East, and I have the incredible love and support from our wonderful families and friends. And when it all comes down to it, I think that's all you can ask for, no matter how old you are.

Take care,

{J}