Home is a privileged place to be.

I have struggled with being content while being at home. I was constantly on the go when I had 1 little one, then I had 2 little ones and that didn’t slow me down one bit. Then I had 3 little ones and oh my! I barely left the house for almost a year. My third child thought the car seat was going to eat him and would scream if it was more than 5 minutes (he never had that precious muted newborn cry). Depression? I saw it, felt it, lived it. It was a time that I vaguely yet vividly remember, if that makes sense at all. Have you read “The Life Giving Home” by Sally Clarkson? I highly recommend it! I love how Sally describes home. She calls it, “…the haven of inspiration, where the art of life is expressed and taught. …the place where the whispers of God’s love are heard regularly. …the place where stories of heroism, sacrifice, love and redemption are heard, embraced and celebrated. …a place of ministry. Home should be the very best place ever to be.” I love that so much! Home should be the very best place to be. So why are we always trying to get away from it? I want to remind you, you are NOT just a mom. Get rid of the “just”, because I’m going to tell you who I am as a mom and I know you are also this kind of mom too. I am a warrior, armed with my little tender shoots that with my guidance while they are young and God’s covering, will grow up to be strong branches. So when the time comes for those branches to be turned into arrows, they will fly far (can’t shoot a flimsy branch very far) and wherever they land they will impact the world greater than I ever could, all for God’s glory; if I am faithful with the little. -Luke 16:10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…”

Documentary or storytelling photography captures what is good, what is truth. God didn’t tell the prophets and writers to only put the clean, tidy and good parts in the Bible. We read about the mess ups, untidy, ugly parts because those parts make the Light shine brighter. The goodness of God unmistakable and undeniable. I love how honest documentary photography is. Those hard days are there for my growth and my children’s character training. The easy days are the reminders, the little peak into what all this hard work produces if we don’t give up. Sally Clarkson quote: “I have learned to see others through the eyes of God, to look at their heart, to seek to see their God-crafted beauty of personality and dreams, rather than judging them by performance or perfect behavior.” When we slow down to notice and observe our children, their character and their features we are affirming to them that God created them just the way He intended to. He never, ever makes mistakes and though we all are imperfect sinners we are who we are suppose to be and it should be celebrated and documented. When I’m taking a picture I must be intentional. It forces me to slow down. Really, slow down, take a deep breath and start observing my surroundings. It’s hard when I’m on survival mode but that is actually the best time to start. I’ve always been a pretty observant person. I think that is a “quiet” persons strength (anyone else an infp?). But as my to do list expands my observation skills become mediocre at best and my patience grows thinner and thinner. Photography allows me to put my blinders on, and focus on what is right in front of me and what is most important, which is this moment, right now. This is what a Family Story Session is all about. My goal is to document your family culture and interactions. Having a portrait session is usually the end result of all the hard work. I want to not only capture that but more so, capture that prep work. I want to document your family doing what your family does, whatever that might be. It might be, meal prepping, living room dance party, house work, yard work,chilling on the couch, reading stories, playing games, or being together yet doing separate things.  This is your family and all families will look different. If this sounds like the type of session you would love for your family click the Contact Alaina link and fill out the form. I would love to tell your family’s story with a Family Story Session. Blessings, Alaina