I am totally drawn to pictures that show ordinary life in a beautiful way. I'm also drawn to portraits of people who have walked this earth a long time. I think I love both the ordinary and the elderly because they are compelling to me. Pictures of ordinary days help me see the beauty of daily life. What often feels dreary or boring is so much more; it's the kind of stuff I will one day really miss. And I love the elderly for lots of reasons. One reason is because I have a huge growing respect for elderly people. Each day that I attempt to love my husband, parent my children, clean the house, fix dinner, learn how to fix broken things, keep up with bills, maintain friendships, I realize that growing up is hard to do, or at least hard to do well. So people who have done all of those things and more throughout the years are like superheros to me. I just want to hug them. And cherish their wrinkles, because I think for many they've been earned. Lord willing when I am 70+ I will have good stories to tell and someone will take my picture. So today I took pictures while at our close friend's house, the Woodards. I could write a lot about them, how they have been such a big part of Jared and I's story, how they have loved our kids and us with meals, babysitting, phone calls, and lots of chocolate chip cookies. So today I took Ethan and Andy over to their house to visit, and I brought my camera along in hopes of taking pictures to capture our daily life. Bapa was there visiting from Minnesota (i.e. Kenneth Rocky, Alice's dad, but known to us and the grandkids as Bapa) so I got to see him and asked if I could take his picture, too. He just celebrated his 86th birthday. Bapa is a neat man with lots of stories and quick wit. He's traveled a lot, lived in India, raised 2 children, and given a lot of himself and his resources to help others. I think Alice told me that he sailed at 17 and lived in South Africa for a time. I'm sure there is so much more that I haven't heard. This man has had many ordinary days, and I felt lucky to capture this one. I was able to get some pictures of him doing his crossword puzzle, and some of him and his little girl, Alice. I thought I'd include some of my little people, too. Andy sat on the couch watching TV while Ethan played the piano. Oh, and some of Ethan making cookies with Alice. This ordinary activity happens a lot more frequently than you might think, and anyone who has had Alice's cookies knows why Ethan asks to have them EVERY time he goes over there. I am learning to enjoy my daily life, and somedays pictures help me to do that more. Here's a toast to the ordinary, knowing that someone day it will be the very thing that was most precious about my life... 
here's my little andy. he is precious to me
notice the necklace in the above picture and the below painting. same one- it is generations old...