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(The little gate we went through on the path to her "party.")
Days seem slow but years fly not so much. Each year she passes through another gate, further down the path, to the woman she will become. I am loving watching.
Bucket full of little goodies she made for the shoot.
It started that afternoon at Thrift Town as we waited out Shelton's guitar lesson. There was the red dress for a penny under two dollars. "What do you think?" I asked, "Does it look like a fun dress for a photo shoot?"
She smiled, "Red is happy." I agreed.
No, I'd not publicly dress and send my daughter out in an old red dress, aqua tights and the over-kill decorated white shoes, but for a whimsical birthday shoot?  Well, there is nothing quite like the joy of playing dress up and it being fully acceptable and fun for us both. Morgan delights in this kind of thing ~ I happen to too. That's the fun of a planned photo shoot -- playing dress up is completely acceptable.
We bought the dress and brought it home, washed, ironed it and hung it in the laundry room. Slowly we built our birthday shoot plan around the little red dress ~ hoping one day it just might work out for the two of us to sneak away and create some whimsy.
The hotter the summer got, the more pregnant I became, I began to wonder if we'd ever get a chance to use all the fun things we'd collected, created, and imagined. We had put a basket in the laundry room next to the red dress and it was filled to the brim with creativity by the time her 8th birthday rolled around. . .
But still our little birthday shoot seemed elusive. . .
Until just last weekend.
As we were looking at the pictures the other evening Morgan suggested we take the pictures and make a photo book of them so she "can remember it forever." Even if we don't make a book, I'm pretty sure I will remember it forever anyway.
Our little party location: her favorite tree.
DIY party hat we found instructions to online. Crazy silly, but she loved it. We just used the fabrics and paper we had here at the house.
Obnoxious shoes just for a party. We took an old pair of white shoes and embellished them. Not exactly these pretty things. . . but still, fun.
One summer afternoon we made these little things together out of her pick of paper and ribbon we had around the house.
She wore her special necklace I bought her last time we were at the beach. One side has a little bird on it, the other, her middle name.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I think Morgan's favorite part of her little party was eating the special treats I brought along! ~ that and picking things to put in the vases as we walked, and then setting up her little party near her favorite tree. She was very particular about where things should go. I like that about her - she knows what she likes.
After we set up the party, took some pictures, ate and drank our treats, I put the camera away and kicked my shoes off too and we sat and talked. We admired all the little things and how it turned out. She pointed out what she liked best, told me what else she would have liked to have made and then said, "Next year lets bring more food!"
I'm sure some kids would rather have a big birthday party with lots of people. But this was Morgan. One on one, person to person, chatting up a storm where she is most comfortable - out in nature, amidst creativity, eating yummies with mommy.
Though I did not, I think she actually forgot how hot it was.
~
I've not thought about writing as much this long summer. Maybe the inspiration will come again one of these days. . .
There are so many thoughts, so many things flooding my heart and mind but not the mental energy to put into words as I'd like - photography comes so much easier for me. Oh, and I suppose somewhat (though not completely) less critiqued.
I also relish the day I will write from a less emotional state of mind - i.e. non-pregnant. Right now I feel very passionate about everything - intensely so. I have spent my early morning quiet moments re-thinking, re-studying and re-analyzing the biblical roles and calls of a woman. Seeing things differently. Seeing things maybe correctly for the first time.
Or so I hope. The world is so sure they are sure what a woman should do and be. And the homeschooling community at large is so sure and so legalistic about what a woman should do and be. I have been setting aside both and asking God to show me what it is for me.
Maybe one day I will have the guts to write about it. But probably not. 
A. Ann |
| | Posted 8/18/2011 12:50 PM - 2669 Views
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