some of you may remember THIS POST from a few months back…well i have been given a second chance to be a part of something special…a second chance to be held accountable…like i said in that post today is a new day, a fresh start and chance to make right what went wrong yesterday. EVERY SINGLE DAY is a lesson, learn from it.
So as you will see i have joined a circle of incredible women and am forever grateful to be a part of this. these women speak my language. they FEEL every moment of their lives, the good, the bad, the frustrating and the so happy you can’t catch your breath ones. AND THEY SHARE THEM. these letters will move you through a range of emotions and be prepared if you are like me and you cry at songs or commercials you will prob shed a tear to two. As you will see our lives are so very different and so very awesome in our own ways, in fact we are located all over the world..but we all share one simple common thread, we love our baby girls with every ounce of us. and after all i can’t imagine a better thing to share.
after you read my letter please follow the circle…start by heading to my sweet friend Amy Lucy Lockheart | Minneapolis Photographer her twin babies are beyond divine and she writes to them in such a way that i truly feel like they are my neighbors, ha.
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also you can read the first post from last month HERE
“Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.” – walt disney
My sweet freckles and my little squishy,
We just got back from a whirlwind, surprise trip to Disneyworld! Yes i have been planning this trip for 9 months, and believe it or not i kept it a secret!!! (someday you will know more about my utter distaste for secrets and surprises and you will know how hard this one was for me to keep, ha) While i could write about how we had the time of our lives, or how exciting your first plane ride was, or even how i sat on the curb for 3 hours using a camera bag, waterbottle and a bag of cheetos as placeholders just so that you two ladies could have the most perfect seat in the house for the light parade and fireworks over the castle….i wont. I mean we seriously have a flip book of pictures documenting every second of our trip ( i think daddy took almost two thousand ;)). while all of that was wonderful and we have stories upon stories to talk about for years to come, the part of our trip that struck me the most, the part that crumbled my heart into a million little pieces was the magic of it all through your eyes. Im not sure i can really put into words the way your face lit up when you saw who or what was coming around the corner on the next float, or the way you both instinctivly threw your hands in the air and twirled and laughed til your bellies hurt when we walked onto mainstreet and it was magically “snowing”, or even the look on your faces when you met the princesses, or the gasps when you saw yourselves in the mirror all “fancied” up after the bipitty bopitty boutique. But what i do know is that in your own words “your dreams come’d true” this past week! And THAT baby girls is what you do for me! every day living life and see’ing the world through your eyes is a dream come true for me.
I want you to know baby girls, that life is about having dreams and living them…
it’s about making your own magic and spreading it to others
see’ing the glass as half full
and knowing that somedays are not just a mess but a beautiful mess, you just have to look a little harder
but just know when you need a little help jumping over that puddle or see’ing the beautiful through the mess, daddy and i will always be there…we will always do what we can to continue make all of your dreams come true.
keep dreamin’ babies, love you
– mommy
so so touching, i can imagine what it must have been like for your little girls to see their first real princess. i’m teary for you.
shalonda, i love how you are able to distill what is really precious about life, so easily, so accessibly. i remember disneyland with my girl and my mom, when she was four. your words, and these joyful images really brought the feeling of it back to me. the advice you give them is so perfect, and it is yours. it is a piece of you. there is nothing happier than watching our babies be happy. it just does not get better. you did such an amazing job of capturing the trip, their eyes, the wonder and laughter. such a pleasure to get to know your beautiful spirit xoxo
I am the same exact way with secrets!! Kudos mama for being able to keep this one! I wouldn’t have made it phew! LOVE these images. You can really see the wonder and enchantment. I just adore every single one! You are such a beautiful soul and I know I have said it MANY times but you really just blow me away!! Such a special post sweety. Thank you for sharing with us all!
What a beautiful, wonderful, surprise! What an awesome and amazing trip! We are headed out to a Disney cruise in Feb and these just make me want to go back to the Magic Kingdom, instead. They are so colorful and magical! You are no doubt you will win the best parents in the world award from those lovelies! Perfect memories! Definitely a trip of a lifetime. Gorgeous images.
Oh how adorable your images are of your sweet girls. This is an experience that they will treasure forever, I know. Childhood is so magical and you do such an amazing job bringing this into their every day. <3
Love your advice to your daughters in this letter, Shalonda. Dreams keep alive. I can imagine their surprised faces, maybe with their jaws dropped…lol. You have given the one of the best gifts in a real experience and in your word of advice.
So perfectly magical and what amazing memories for the girls – as a big fan of travelling I love how you make it about the memories and the magic of the place and the feelings, even more than about the place itself – they will remember how all of this made them feel and your beautiful words and pictures will keep that alive for them forever. And PS I’m so impressed at you keeping a secret that long – I couldn’t!!
Beautiful words wrapped with amazing pictures. Am speechless & teary eye after reading this post !
Oh their little faces and closed eyes while hugging the princesses, is just way to precious and perfect their very dreams coming true. They will keep that feeling in their memories and hearts for the rest of their lives. How amazing that you were able to keep that secret for 9 months!!! Wow I don’t think I could keep it for more than a couple of days haha! Beautiful, touching letter and images!
Love the letter Shalonda and the photographs that go with it.. I can just see how much they loved the trip to Disney. My letter is about showing love through actions.. and you did just that… planning a trip and keeping it secret, making sure every little detail was there so your daughters would have a magical time and they did! That is what I loved best about Disney too.. watching my then-4 year old, tapping her feet, eyes full of wonder, watching Mickey dance at the castle. This is the gift of children… the ability to see the world through a whole new set of eyes. 🙂 xo
What I would give to take photos like you!!! You truly make life MAGICAL!!!
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