I just came home from taking photos of one of the great families I have met through photography. I first met Elizabeth and Patrick five years ago when they came to me for maternity photos. The energy these two have for life and each other is just amazing.
Fast forward to today. As I arrived at the "lake house" they call home, Elizabeth asked me once again if I was sure I wanted to take pictures in this “not so perfect” space. I understand Elizabeth is an interior designer and frankly, doesn't feel very proud of this home. However, I love the serenity and simplicity this space holds. They are living in an old 1920's cottage that was never intended for year-round living. The wood pellet stove they put in a few months ago is one that is "an interior designers nightmare", as Elizabeth describes it. Unfortunately, it was the most economic and efficient choice for heat.
The plan is to tear down this cottage and build their family home someday. In the mean time, they have simply painted over the grey paneling and painted the old uneven floors. Elizabeth told me to keep my shoes on because under the floor is just the ground and it is always cold. As I assured Elizabeth, this was the perfect place to take photos because I promised her that there will be a day she wants to remember this space and this place where they have lived now for over a year.
The current economy is pushing their plans to build a new home back to an unknown date. That is another great reason for my first story on this blog to be with this family. Like many of us in our 30's and 40's, their housing dreams have altered. They lived in a beautiful Heritage Hill home in the city before being pulled by their desire to live on a lake, something that Michigan constantly tempts us with. They found this cottage knowing that they could tolerate the space for a short while. However, as all of us are being humbled, so are they. Their plans have had to change.
The good news is that it doesn't change the enormous amount of love their home holds. They are a couple in love with each other and their 4 year old and 8 month old. I asked Elizabeth to wait until I got there to have lunch. She did, and when I got there she even let me feel the "real" place she lives in, which means toys all over the floor and lots of finger prints on the table.
At this stage of my life where I have an eight and twelve year old, helping Elizabeth pick up a Fischer price bus, matchbox cars, and little odds and ends gave me great memories of day gone by. I had brought some dresses for Ava to wear and before I could get in the house she was in the bathroom changing her clothes. There is nothing like a four year old in a fluffy tulled dress. Instantly she was a princess.
Next thing we heard were the footsteps of Daddy coming home for lunch. The "da, da, da" came out of Easton's mouth with the million dollar grin of anticipation while he was waiting for Daddy to take him in his arms. As Daddy played as only Daddy's can do with Easton, Mommy was making lunch in the kitchen. As usual Elizabeth didn't disappoint me with my style of lunch like macaroni and cheese, but instead offered her elegant style of lunch, a pizza with homemade crust and pesto and chicken. I still dream of the walnut cranberry cookies Elizabeth's sister Victoria made for me during Ava's Newborn shoot four years ago. As they sat down for lunch the typical four year old power took over of not wanting to cooperate with saying grace. However, once again the parents won.
After lunch, I snapped a few more images of this beautiful, full-of-sunshine cottage on the February day. The lighting was just as I asked for, and there was no need for studio lights, always pleasing to me. Patrick sat down and gave a bottle to Easton while Elizabeth and Ava blessed me with a few more shots.
The wind-down was starting to happen as 1:00 pm approached. Seeing this woman who I met five years ago having everything in its place and everything in her life perfect now humbled as a mother of two, was such a joy. She told me what a pleasure it was to have a second baby who she didn't have to worry about bringing to endless doctor appointments. You see Ava, her oldest, was born with a cranio-facial deformity that required a year of wearing a helmet 23 hours a day. She had doctor appointments or physical therapy appointments every week. Now she has found such joy with no schedule and not working. Though she longs to be an interior designer for other people again, and has a folder of images she pulls out of magazines, she has settled in to the business of being a mother.
This is what I have been blessed with time and time again… terrific families like Elizabeth and Patrick and the positive energy they are bringing to the next generation. The lesson from their family is no matter what space you are currently in, it is the right space for now. When you have the love of two people like Elizabeth and Patrick, it doesn't matter what space you live in, but only that love will fill the place to be the most beautiful one imaginable.
