Enjoying Moments...a Large Family Blessing

    The vast majority of people outside our little homeschooling community think we were nuts for rejoicing on the possibility of a fifth child in our family.  I could not disagree more with the majority.

    The Bible described children as a blessing, and large families were a reward from God.  Nowhere in the Bible does a large family equal a curse.  I would agree having a large family however can present a challenge from time to time!  So far nothing I've faced is insurmountable, just a great set of challenges.

    With the arrival of child number five, good young John Paul, I look forward to enjoying one more round of moments like this one above.  I have the seasoning of parenthood four times before to know snuggling with my baby on the couch, in between diaper changes, is one brief moment in time.  The only moment in which I get to love my son with these cuddles.  In a few years, he will be all boy and want to wrestle the old man into submission!  

     I received five wonderful sets of moments like this.  I am looking forward more good times ahead, with the full knowledge valleys of darkness will exist as well.  It is all part of the large family blessing I behold day in and out.

-ehw

P.S. Photo credit to my favorite assistant Carrie Wojtkun who caught me sleeping on the job!  I did all the post processing for her!

Boy to Little Man at 12

    Today I officially received two more grey hairs.  Kalen turned 12, and John Paul celebrated eighteen days!   Kalen planned out his birthday almost all by himself.  

    The day started last night with vigil mass for the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.  Kalen organized a simple get together today with good friends for a day of Nerf gun wars and legos.  He made his gluten free cakes with Grandma, a time honored tradition, this AM to provide dessert.  For lunch?  Simple hot dogs with gluten free buns for those of us on the dole with him for sensitive tummies was his planned menu.  It was his party, followed by a family pizza night where he watched a funny movie about Penguins from Madagascar.   Tonight he went to bed beaming with the joy of friends and family being with him today.

    All of his actions got me to thinking about when does a boy crossover to become a man?  I could only think of the answering: "The man arrives when the boy begins to seek and take responsibility for his actions."

    This young man is doing just those actions.  It makes me proud to know he will do everything in his being to be a real man as he grows older.  It makes me sad to know my eldest is no mere boy any longer.  It also worries me, since I know this little man tries to take on more than he can chew or is responsible for.  

    I am still happy today to keep the promise made 12 years ago today.  I promised to always get to church on the Feast of the Assumption and say a prayer of thanksgiving for a healthy child.  Just attending mass with him last night was pure bliss in an of itself. 

-ehw

P.S.  John Paul is not a noisy child...unless he needs momma's special blend.  He is also not a huge believer in flash bulbs!    

Faith of our Fathers

    This past Saturday we had the privilege to baptism our son John Paul in the faith of our forefathers.  I am happy to know the faith in scripture and tradition handed down from the Apostles themselves resides in all of our children.

Acts: 38-39

38 'You must repent,' Peter answered, 'and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God is calling to himself.'

    Now back to living the faith, and striving to be the example and teacher our children God needs me to be.   Thank God for family, friends, reconciliation, Holy Eucharist, and the Holy Spirit to help us meet the mission.

-ehw

P.S.  Yes it is hard to hand over the camera....but sometimes you have to live the moment. 

Go and Baptize...John Paul

    Matthew 28:19:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

    Today we fulfill our first of many parental tasks as Catholic parents, the baptism of our son John Paul.  The family gown gets one more run into the church, and we will celebrate the moment our son is washed clean in the water of life.  There are few moments as special to me as the first sacrament of a child's life, and the solemn promise a parent makes to provide a Catholic home.  These two thoughts humble me.  I would be overwhelmed if I did not know, the grace John Paul receives today is the same grace which sustains all of Christians when we submit our will to God's.

-ehw

Dad was I this small?

   Kevin: "Dad was I this small?"

    Dad: "Yes son you were once that small"

    The joy of teaching a culture of life to your children is that even when the baby gives a yelp, the older kids know this is part of respecting life from conception to death. You know you succeed in reaching their souls with with this understanding when they have such great awe for the new members of the domestic church...and all people created in the image of God around them.

    My older children saw the trials Mom went through for nine months to get John Paul to birth.  They understand more than ever the depths of love she had for each of them before they were born.  Each of our children, at the age of reason, now understands this baby was their baby brother from the moment of conception in the womb (even if they haven't had "the talk.").  

    The big kids will soon will associate what Mom suffered as part of her agape love for each of them, when only our God knew their name and destiny.  The older kids now also understand in a larger sense why abortion is decidedly agains the commandments of God. John Paul was never a bunch of harvestable organs and stem cells. John Paul was John Paul when two halves became one whole.

    As crazy as the calendar is now these are the good times.  As crazy as life will get it the coming days, months and years if we get the concept of agape in their heads and hearts I think we have a good chance of succeeding as parents.  I hope we raise children who fulfill the Lord's two great commandments: To love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul.  To love your neighbor as yourself.

   I pray to God we, and parents everywhere, achieve this noble goal as well.  For there is no other option than this if we are to form a civil society where peace can reign.  

-ehw

Boys by Fireworks

    Boys like their summers filled with wonder and awe...and this year both found fulfillment in home based fireworks over the Fourth of July!  If you remember your childhood, I bet it was moments like this you remember for a lifetime.  I know memories like this are seared in my mind!

-ehw

P.S. Always a challenging shoot when darkness is involved, and you will not use the flash.  The rewards for catching the special moment of light are immense.  

Pray-The Timeless and Priceless Tradition

    Today our parish celebrated four men from our parish, and are working their way through seminary discernment of their vocation.  It was a wonderful moment to see the men up there.

    One of the seminarians reminded us we were a parish of 4,000 families, and many more vocational discernments exist in a parish that size.  He asked us to pray for vocations from the men and women in the pews to continue filling our seminaries.

    I remembered what good priest told me about a year ago regarding discernment.  He told me all the hectic activities we do today divert both adults and children from prayer time.  Just think of the distractions we all face: secularized schools where God is forbidden up to ten hours a day, too many sports, too many dance classes, entertainment celebrating drunken and drug filled activity on every station and TV show.  Every marketing company seeks to get you attention with each second of your day to sell their wares though logos, tunes, and embedded messages on other media.  It creates a mess for forming individual prayer life.

   The challenge to each of us is to create the space and habit to pray in the midst of this clutter.  We need to pray in silence at first.  In a world filled with so much marketing this is actually the greatest challenge.  Adding sacred music and art in our prayer time later is a bonus, which when used properly, will draw our minds up to God.  From these mountains of life we can feel and see the glory of the Lord.

    When the valleys of life come our way (say a 3AM infant which does not want to sleep or the 3 year old having a really challenging day I am talking to between sentences) we can always fall back to our basic memorized prayers bring our daily life back to focus on God.  Using these prayers we still remain connected with God despite the noise around us.

    Whether we are young or old, we must learn the timeless and priceless traditions of prayer.  I am finally understanding this, at the age of 43. So there is hope for us all!  John Paul seems to prefer the early morning Rosary already...he made it a point to schedule me in three times already!  The boys have me each night for boy prayer time, and my big daughter seems to live her life as a prayer.  This is all just wonderful...and I hope a set of traditions we continue through thick or thin.

-ehw

P.S.  This photograph is a real challenge with my camera in one hand and three limbs trapped by a semi-sleeping baby.  Battery box attached to my forehead, changing apertures with a loose thumb...it was definitely not a textbook solution.   It worked though. 

My Woman of Worth

  At the start of the month I began my proverbs review.  One chapter at a time..and since the month has thirty-one days I get to read Chapter 31.  This is a chapter I have to read aloud to her, and I must say she deserves it in spades.  I cannot match the beauty and wisdom of the Bible so her are the words of Proverbs, and some photos to follow showing the riches my wife brought to our family.

Proverbs 31: 10-31

10  Who can find a woman of worth?  Far beyond jewels is her value.

11  Her husband trusts her judgment; he does not lack income.

12  She brings him profit, not loss, all the days of her life.

13  She seeks out wool and flax and weaves with skillful hands.

14  Like a merchant fleet, she secures her provisions from afar.

15  She rises while it is still night, and distributes food to her household, a portion to her maidservants.

16  She picks out a field and acquires it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17  She girds herself with strength; she exerts her arms with vigor.

18  She enjoys the profit from her dealings; her lamp is never extinguished at night.

19  She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle.

20  She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy.

21  She is not concerned for her household when it snows—all her charges are doubly clothed.

22  She makes her own coverlets; fine linen and purple are her clothing.

23  Her husband is prominent at the city gates as he sits with the elders of the land.

24  She makes garments and sells them, and stocks the merchants with belts.

25  She is clothed with strength and dignity, and laughs at the days to come.

26  She opens her mouth in wisdom; kindly instruction is on her tongue.

27  She watches over the affairs of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband, too, praises her:

29  “Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all.”

30  Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.*

31  Acclaim her for the work of her hands, and let her deeds praise her at the city gates.

Proverbs 31: 10-31 from the USCCB in the New American Bible for Catholics

I hope you can see the love on these faces!  It is real.  Their work and prayers helped get us here.

-ehw

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Kellie Meets John Paul for the first time.  "John Paul has nose!"

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Kevin marvels at his new pine cone picker upper helper

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Kalen wants to cuddle with baby all day long.

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Julia loves having another sibling

Child, Hear your Father's Instruction

Proverbs Chapter 4

THE TEACHER AS MODEL DISCIPLE

1  Hear, O children, a father’s instruction, be attentive, that you may gain understanding!

2  Yes, excellent advice I give you; my teaching do not forsake.

3  When I was my father’s child,  tender, the darling of my mother,

4  He taught me and said to me: “Let your heart hold fast my words: keep my commands, and live!

5  Get wisdom, get understanding!  Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth.

6  Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;  love her, and she will safeguard you;

7  The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; whatever else you get, get understanding.

8  Extol her, and she will exalt you; she will bring you honors if you embrace her;

9 She will put on your head a graceful diadem; a glorious crown will she bestow on you.”

The New American Bible for Catholics, Proverbs Chapter 4

-ehw

Welcome John Paul

    Our fifth child is here!  John Paul Theodore entered the world at 9:09 PM weighing in at 8.5 pounds and 21 inches in Atlanta, Georgia.  Mom and baby are doing fine.  Brothers and sisters are excited and unable to get to sleep.  He is, for a few weeks, the newest addition to the Regina Caeli nursery!

    A special thank you to all those who have prayed with us on the journey thus far...we could never make it this far without your support and intercession with the Lord.

    More later...but for now we are all smoked!  We have a date in the nursery floor in about an hour...so I need to pack up the gear and get ready for our first move.

-ehw

P.S.  We will never forget our babies already in heaven from miscarriages.  We love all of you: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta.  Thanks for guarding your brother these last few months.

New Seat at the Table

      As we await our fifth child, I must confess the lifetime calculators have me worried.  Birth, food, college, weddings, dance lessons, music, school, medical, housing and of course food...they all cost something. Many people tell me we are nuts for having this many children.  I always tell them I could never give up one of these wonderful lights in my world.  We believe nothing should be free to us, or we sinned by enslaving someone to us without a just salary. So I cannot cheat someone of a just wage.  We already sacrifice things, and care for 30 year old sofa's because they still work just fine.  Yet I still wonder how I will make ends meet over the next 25 years or so! 

   The weekly readings sounded a timely note in my home.  The disciples fearing they could not feed the 5,000 before them wanted to send them away to find food on their own, lest they riot or go hungry.  Jesus on the other hand calms his disciples, and feeds them miraculously.  

   So as I listened to the Sunday sermon, and the divine office yesterday, I found myself comforted.  I'll find a way to provide if I listen to our Lord's call.  We'll find a way to make due because he will help us find a path.  We just need to do our part, listen to his call, and maximize the tools God gave us.

   We know the lives in our home have the potential for doing a special missions for our Lord, that we could never dream of.  Maybe a priest, nun, or a parent of God fearing family...maybe someone who saves a life for the Lord physically and spiritually...maybe a simple child who inspires with simple acts of faith.  I now find myself relishing the unveiling before us in the coming years.  Sweat and tears in the years ahead for sure, but what good things come from a life of complete ease?

  I hope to live out  for my parents and experience the following words from Proverbs 17:6

"Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their parentage."

-ehw

P.S.  We are supposed to be at the hospital this morning, but there are no beds right now...please pray for good news soon!

Ready to Climb

    A playground always brings out the best in kiddos...open spaces and fresh challenges every day!  I always love to watch the little guys and gals climb the slide backwards for the challenge and shortcut to the top!  In the case of this mountain climber the hill will pose no obstacle!

-ehw

P.S.  for you tech-cats  this was the X-T1 sporting the 18-135 zoom.  A nice all around tool in good light.  When you hit the playground it is good to have a tool which reaches out and goes wide at a whim.  You don't miss too much action that way!  If you hire a photographer for an event, make sure he has the tools for the job you need done.  That is why a good guy will have to charge a little bit more...he has to pay for the right gear and it costs a good amount to purchase.

Buds posing perfectly

    What happens when you take three sweet little girls, from three different grades, all growing up together over the years and let them play?  Magic smiles and poses appear!  Their different heights made a naturally interesting composition!  Maybe this will make it past the yearbook editor and get a thumbs up!

-ehw

P.S. Ok Fujifilm fans this was my often neglected 35mm prime set at F2.0 to handle the poor gym lighting.  Yes the ISO is 3200, but the X-Series RAW file handles it well in Capture One 8.  Even the jpeg was excellent!  I just enjoy playing with RAW files whenever possible because I adore the extra headroom to craft my final images.

Raging Good Time!

    Back to school picnic 2015!  Kids reunite with old friends, and new friends learn our favorite games.  Oh the fun and energy of youth just cannot be beat when I go on assignment!

    I often get asked,"When is the best time to photograph children?" I always reply when they are at play.  I should also add right after they ate and before they need a nap!  The photo above contains all those elements, and the reward to me the photographer is an image I can enjoy and share with many parents!

    Well incase you are wondering....the school is Regina Caeli Academy (or http://www.rcahybrid.org/)  and it is a wonderful place to call home!

-ehw

P.S.  For you techies out there...Fujifilm is on a roll right now.  They just updated our firmware on the X-T1 to improve autofocus on erratically moving subjects like these kids!  In a poorly lit situation the camera locked on and captured some nice photos, suitable for yearbooks, school websites, or parents refrigerators! 

The magic of the 56 at 2.8

    About two weeks ago I splurged on a tool used for a job I did this past weekend: A Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 prime lens.  This is primarily a portrait lens, and it fits right into my goal for the year, to take better portraits of people.  Last year when I test drove this lens for ten days I was sad to see it go home, and I vowed to one day find it one sale.  I found this copy used without the box and lens hood...but for 30% off retail it was a good deal.

    I will be the first one to tell you, it is not the equipment which makes a photo. The photographer makes the photo using the equipment at hand.  I know people who can shoot circles around me using manual film cameras and while developing film in the darkroom.  I will also tell you it does not hurt to have a special piece of equipment or two to use from time to time.  

    So here is one of my first four shots from my short telephoto (ok purists a 56mm on an APS-C sensor is an 85mm on a 35mm camera so yes it is a short telephoto).  A really nice shot of happy boy, who is growing before my eyes this summer.

    I look forward to sharing more from this lens in the years to come.  With a little permission from my last customer maybe I can show you the work I did this weekend for some wonderful women.  Fuji made a classic lens, and I am very lucky to have one to learn more of my craft.

-ehw

Teaching Virtues

    The hardest part of virtue training is we all need to do it everyday.  The most fun you can have in virtue training is to come up with ways to make your children remember the experience. On this night my buddy Les worked up the game and the stations for our club.

    Each child went to the start point and put four weights on the arms and legs.  They then faced the questioning period of three questions.  Successful answers removed one weight.  Then you ran the obstacle course to me...standing in for St Joseph where you recited your St Joseph prayer.  I told the boys to talk to their mother.  Then you went to Mary, portrayed this evening by a lovely four year old, to say the hail Mary.  Mary then sent the boys to her son Jesus (represented by a crucifix) to recite their Act of Contrition to dump their final weights.  The whole event gets timed and champion crowned.

    I think it was fun to see this little girl's reaction to the boys coming to her, especially her big buddy above.  For the record...the boys did pretty well on answering the questions.  

    This is why photojournalism is so much fun. Capturing real life, not made up stories or events designed to draw the press in is what excites me!  It makes you think on your feet as a photographer with your tools at hand.  When the action happens you have to grab it fast!

-ehw

P.S. The boys you see above are all part of the Blue Knights Boys Club we started two years ago...we hope to grow a little this year at a new home....praying hard it can work out.

Almost time to be a Big Sister

    My baby big girl will only be a baby a little longer!  I cannot believe how she grew, and how our family of six changed since we moved to Roswell, Georgia three and quarter years ago!  Any time between now and the end of the month Baby Echo will be on his own here in the house, and little big girl will be a BIG SISTER in a family of seven!  She'll always be my rascal princess.  She will be full of life and opinions until the end of her days.  She also makes a cute picture perfect cutie from time to time!

-ehw

P.S.  This is exactly why I always try to have a decent camera with me...cell phones are great...but I just cannot hold them steady.  So to me a proper camera is still a decent one.  In this case my XT-1 with a walk around 18-135 zoom.  Using the new version 4.0 firmware, the lens and camera combo are like a thoroughbred.  So instead of wanting a new camera, I become willing to purchase new (to me used to you) lenses and hold the camera a lot longer.

God, Family, Country

    As the sun sets on this 4th of July weekend I had wonder about the radical changes sweeping our country.  Lots of mixed emotions in this land.  I cannot believe how much we've changed as a people in the last 25 years.  I still need to sort it all out in my head.  Until then, I will snap up a few more pictures evoking the memories of the land I swore with my life to protect 26 years ago....before it disappears forever.

-ehw

The Big Guy

    This boy will be looking down on me in a few years.  He probably grew two inches in the last  four months.  His feet are ripping through his shoes as well!  He is working hard to be a good boy everyday and just finished up his first job this week!  Great news for an eleven year old!

The Proverbs Challenge!

    I have a challenge here for you!  I want us to help each other wear out our Bibles a little this month.  Since July has 31 days I suggest you read Proverbs all 31 chapters at a time each day. It is even better if you read it aloud with your beloved!  I've done it almost everyday for a year with my wife twice.  

    This challenge radically changed our spiritual lives, and assisted us as we started on our journey with homeschooling.   It helped us open our eyes to see the Lord's plan existed before time began, ran through the Old Testament and right through the actions of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It also reminded us the Lord gave us a timeless game plan to live a life full of virtue and spiritual happiness.