The most cooperative puppies evah!!!

So the other night I had a half a second to spare and thought hmmmm, maybe this would be a good time to take a few pics for this year's Holiday Card. The puppies were fantastic last year and posed so nicely in their winter best. This year, not so much. Not only were they running around and uncooperative, Lilli decided to be the puppy police and reprimanded baby for I guess not smiling cute enough which in turn resulted in a slight disagreement... They don't really know how to bite so when they "fight" they just open their mouths and make very interesting and comical darting movements towards each other. This makes them look even funnier because their mouths never close, so imagine mouths wide open and heads just bobbing and weaving! They are technically teenagers now so it makes complete sense that they are opting out of my yearly photo project. Pretty much like Kristin did once it was no longer "cool" to have her image on a card sent out to family and friends. However, I am not above bribery!




So I sat them down and we did a little meditation and yoga. Shortly after the last downward dog and a peanut butter bone shaped biscuit they said I could have one pic each and that was all I needed =).

Charlotte and Audrey - A Baby Session 10-7-08

Welcome to the world Charlotte! It was not so long ago that I photographed your big sis Audrey shortly after she was born and now it's your turn to strike a pose! Your little smiles were so very precious and put smiles on all of our faces tonight.

All is right in the Universe again =)

So here's the update on Lynn. The surgery went so much better than expected. The tumer was removed in it's entirety. This was done by performing a partial nephrectomy. 90% of her kidney was saved, Dr Malcowitz is indeed a truly skilled surgeon! A huge thanks for all of the concern and well wishes. The abundance of positivity has been so much appreciated. I'm sure that the days ahead may be tough for her as she rehabilitates but I know what was once a feeling of futility has now been replaced with hope and that is immeasurable when dealing with life and it's curveballs.

Much love to all of you tonight!

xoxo
Cindy

The Ironies of Life 7/23/08

The hail striking my window makes a ping, smack, ping kind of sound. It's quite mesmerizing... It plays a background kind of track as I'm listening to the thoughts in my head. I'm finishing the very last page of an album and I just got all choked up. I wish it were because of finishing the album or the wonderful and patient client that it's for but regrettably not. I debated posting this entry because I don't usually post too many entries of such a personal nature but I want to be able to remember exactly how it is that I feel at this very moment. I know I will look back on this day and this blog and say to myself that the weight of all of these feelings were worth bearing , whew we made it through and the feeling of survival trumps everything.

I feel hopeful, sad, anxious, terrified, strong, supportive, apprehensive, reflective, angry but most of all positive. Combining all of these together is both a lethal and toxic blend.

My best friend has Kidney Cancer. Wow, that's the first time I've actually said/written those words. You can't see it, smell it or touch it so it's existence up until this point was like imaginary. She doesn't smoke or drink. She's lives a pretty healthy life. She's the first one to help if someone is in need although she admittedly loves animals more than people. She's spent the past 10+ years working in the worst of neighborhoods in Philly as a police officer risking her life everyday trying to keep the streets safer with little to no thanks from the impoverished communities that she works in..... Yet it's not a bullet, a drug dealer or some other crazy thug that is attacking her. It's Cancer.

The reality struck me as I received a text saying, " I have 2 be at the hospital at 7am 4 admission..." I got that text as I finished page 60 of this album. So tomorrow bright and early I will be off to the hospital - only I won't show any remnants of the vulnerability that I feel now. Just stoic strength and support while I wait as she has part of if not all of one of her kidneys removed.

I have spent the better part of my life capturing the moments that take our breaths away. Yet days like today make me breathless and moments like now help me to remember why the good times are so very good. So spend a little more time today savoring in the moments with your loved ones, marinate yourselves in them, squeeze them a little tighter, hold them a little longer and most of all be present...

This is the T-shirt she's wearing to the hospital tomorrow. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw it. It's true too, Cancer did pick the wrong Bitch. I told Lynn the other day that she was quite possibly the most stubborn person that I have ever known in my life and that she was a gazillion times more stubborn than Cancer could ever be.


I think this t-shirt should replace her uniform that she wears in to work. Do you think the city of Philadelphia will approve. Ha, ha probably not huh.

The website I found these T-shirts is Chucklenut Shirts
I'm a firm believer of the power of positivity so rather than feel powerless I think that humor and positivity go along way in fighting battles and winning them.

Cue Cards to our lives...

Kristin has been saving her hard earned money for her first major purchase. A camera of course, but not just any camera... Her "baby". The value in her having to log hours of work in order to afford the $650.00 price tag speaks volumes. Needless to say it seems as if I haven't seen her in days, it's one adventure after another. She loves to shoot, has a wonderful abstract eye and embraces natural light. Every night she comes home excited to show me what she got and I look at the display and am amazed at the content while I appreciate the sheer simplicity of it all. Taking pictures just because... because the light was nice, because the background inspired, because there is beauty, just because...it is and without it do we even leave our stamp? Is there a record of our lives. Gone may be the days of shoe boxes in basements over flowing with images that were stories in themselves. It's the dawn of a new age but let us not lose sight. Let's not forget to capture the everyday event and find a moment that becomes a memory.

Tonight I pulled out my camera, leaving the flash in my bag and embraced the dim light being emitted from my lamps. At that moment Kris walked in the door and as per her usual scooped up the babies and gave them some love. Here are a few snaps with my added touches.