Carrying on the Legacy

"If pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it's this: I was here. I existed. I was young. I was happy and someone cared enough about me in this world to take my picture." ~anonymous

My dad, an avid photographer, captured the wonder of Christmas in the photo above, taken when I was 4 years old. It embodies the essence of what I think we try to do as budding photographers - capture the authenticity of life's moments, whether they be significant or mundane - or perhaps making the mundane, significant!

This is the agronomist and the home economist, parents to one little girl. Among the legacies left to me from my parents is a curiosity about almost everything and a desire for continued learning. From my mother I gained a desire to be like her - positive, organized, faithful, compassionate, musical, patient, wise, and a thoughtful cook. I'm still working on it (practice, practice, practice)! From my father I gained an appreciation for travel, other cultures, languages, and peoples and to document it all in pictures. They both taught me that it's possible to learn to do, to make, and to try many new things. From this tiny family unit, my world has quickly grown to include all of the people in the photo below...

...and they are the reason that I do what I do in life. My husband is my best friend, advocate, and support. Our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren are my favorite people in this world and I am so proud of them, their character, their abilities, their accomplishments, their enthusiasm and energy. Each adds a unique and "awesomazing" thread to the tapestry that is our family. They are my whole motivation to become the master of my camera and fulfill my desire to artistically capture our important moments in time.

"It's not so much the choosing which door that matters,
but pulling one open and enjoying the journey." ~Thomas S. Monson

Huge thanks to Brooke for allowing me to join her journey and
sharing the things that she has learned along the way. To my classmates, I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing your photos each week and hope that our paths will cross in the future!