The Reimer Family

You'll see it.
Just keep scrolling down.

Love.

And lots of it.

It's in the way they look at each other.  In the way they hold their little one.  It's even in the way they place their hands on the adorable belly that is currently housing their soon-to-exit daughter/sister. 

And I just consider myself honored to have had the privilege of capturing it.  And pressing pause on this beautiful moment.  One filled with giggles, loving glances, a daddy willing to wear a headband because his daughter wanted him to and an adventurous 3-year old who is so full of wonder. 

Laureen, Martin and precious little lady, thank you so much for inviting me into your lives.  For climbing, exploring, laughing, chasing, and just getting caught up in each other.  You three (soon to be four) are so wonderful.  And I can't wait to meet the newest little lady.  I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I did taking them...

Yes, she is that stunning...  Just wait until you see her mom.

Oh my goodness, I love her serious little face.  She was just looking at the river and taking it all in.

Sister hugs are the best.  Even in the womb.

Oh how I love this.  Laureen, you are beautiful.  And such a great mommy.

It's pretty obvious they like each other.  A lot.

LOVE

Laureen.  You. are. GORGEOUS.  And I can't wait to see this little lady!!!

Dreams

Questions.
Spinning.  Bouncing.  Dancing.  And all kinds of other acts of movement within my mind.
Dreams intertwined with what seems like a world of impossibilities.

I don't know where this is all headed.

And I sometimes long to just know.
To look ahead and know the path ahead.  To somehow see if and how these dreams might just be able to become reality.
Ah, but where's the joy in that?

After all, doesn't that whole not-knowing thing make for a better story?

It's hard.  It hurts.  And yet, it's really beautiful.


Here's to nights filled with questions of where are we headed, facing the very real possibility of falling flat on my face - like an epic face-plant complete with bruises and a potential black-eye, and yet seeing the beauty in the risk and the realization that playing it safe is settling for a very boring story. And that's just not how I roll.  Or at least not most of the time.

But even in this moment, I remember He loves me.  And He's a good story-teller.  Actually, the best.

And now...back to editing...

No Words...

You know.
I know you do.
Or maybe I just hope you do...

You know those times - the times when your heart is full.  Full of emotions that cannot quite be summed up in useful words like grateful, love, wonderful and the like because it's just too intense.  (And you are intimidated by thesauruses so you dare not try to find more adequate words)

You sit down - ready to put it all out there.
Ready to bear your very heart that is brimming with all these warm fuzzies.
And you sit.
And become frustrated.
And angry with yourself.
Because the words your fingers type are lame.  And sound cliche.  And go a whole bunch of nowhere.

Today is that day.

I love these pictures that you're about to see.  (Provided you've hung in with me this long)
I love these people in these pictures.  Big time.
I am so grateful for these client-friends that I can't find words.

So take a look at these pictures and maybe my heart will somehow be translated.  And maybe someday the ones who are missing (you know who you are) will get to be there next time, too.

And to these precious people - thank you for being you.  And for being you with a camera in your face a decent amount of the time.   Because as I hope you see - you let me in to the real you.  You forgot the camera was there.  You embraced that moment.  You played freeze tag.  You tickled.  You breathed in all that it means to be little.  And you weren't afraid to show it.  Thank you.

Just because

Today we ate ice cream.
After lunch.
Why?
Because life is short.
And I'm learning that there is beauty in being a parent that desires to teach and keep their kids in line.  But not every moment is a teaching moment. And sometimes - just doing something fun, something out of the ordinary and loving every second is the best lesson I can leave with my kids no matter what sugar high induced behavior may greet me later.
And the ice cream was really good.

PS:  My mom is doing better.  Thank you to everyone who has prayed for her, left me incredibly kind comments and just been so gracious.  You all rock.

PPS:  The ice cream?  Americone Dream by Ben and Jerry's.  Sooooooo good.  Check it out.

PPPS:  There are so many pictures and blog posts coming your way this week you may be overwhelmed.  "You" being my mom and anyone else that might check this out...

My mom...

One phone call.
Just one.
Changed everything.

It changed plans.
It changed perspectives.
It changed hearts.

Our plans?  Go visit my parents.  Laugh.  Eat really good food.  Laugh some more.  Go on an adventure or two.  Leave adorable kids in their more than capable hands to go take pictures of incredibly awesome people in my former stomping grounds of Louisville, KY.  (Yes, I just said stomping grounds - and I liked it)
What happened?  A phone call.

Wednesday morning it came.  My mom had gone to the doctor.  She'd been low on energy and just couldn't understand why.  And she was told by someone at work that she looked yellow.  So even though she'd gone to the doctor on Friday to be diagnosed with only a sinus infection, she went again ONLY because in classic Peg (my mom's nickname) form, she wanted to make sure she wouldn't get my kids sick.

The nurse practioner noticed a heart murmur.
So she ran more tests.
And that's when they told her to go to the hospital.

I don't remember my conversation with her.  I just remember a gong going off in my head.  And a lot of spinning.  And a lot of questions.

A lot of words were shared over the phone that day... internal bleeding... jaundice... hepatitis... kidney infection... hospital... needs a blood transfusion...  hemoglobin of 4.  (Which I learned that your hemoglobin should be 14.  A 4?  Yeah, not good.  My nurse friend who works in the ER says she's never seen a 4.)

And what happened?  My gracious in-laws rearranged their schedules completely and agreed to take our kids.  My husband got together all the important things and drove my kids to meet up with his parents.  My brothers called and researched and tried to find answers.  My incredible friend came over and laughed and cried and adventured with me as we waited for more answers and debated what to do.  And amidst packing and cleaning and buying Ben&Jerry's "Americone Dream" I secretly begged God to keep my mom here on earth because I didn't begin to know what I'd ever do without her.

We got up at an unreasonable hour of the morning and drove through northern IN, Indy and random parts of southern IN that our GPS didn't know existed.  And we finally made it over the river and through the woods (literally) to KY.  And there she was.  My mom.
And again, I begged God.  Please, please, please let her stay on this earth.  I need her.  And I love her.  And we have more laughs to share and more ridiculous stories to live out.

We laughed.  Because...well, it's what we do.
And we waited for answers.
And we waited for blood because they needed a very specific match that they did not have.

And finally, it all came.

My mom has been diagnosed with hemolytic anemia.  It's an auto-immune disease.  (And thanks to an amazing friend, I actually know something about those)  And it's usually very treatable and manageable.
And my heart could do back flips over this.

Because life is short.
There are no guarantees.
And yes, one phone call can change everything.

But for today, I have my mom.  Even though she's on bed rest.  And her levels haven't improved just yet.  But she's still here and we're still laughing.  And I will treasure EVERY last second.  Because, my mom?  She's a gift.

*  I would like to say thank you to my incredible clients this weekend.  Thank you for being so wonderful, so caring and for being such wonderful people to spend time with after a crazy few days.

We are family

Sometimes.
Sometimes you meet those people and exchange that "Hi, my name is" and suddenly you find yourself a few months down the road wondering how you lived life without them.
They waltz into your life and plunge beneath that friend level to family.
And not the kind of family that causes your left eye to twitch as you contemplate Thanksgiving, but the family that has that ability to make you feel "home" no matter where you are or what you're doing.
These girls.  These girls are my family.
Which might explain why I've been teary eyed ever since they left to go out to various places in the world. 
And why I can't drive past Wheaton College without fanning my face in an attempt not to cry.
They're family.
And I love them.

Catherine, Erin, Hilary and Kaitlin...  Oh my goodness.  I love you ladies.  For real.  Thank you for letting me into your lives.  Thank you for entering into mine.  Thank you for being a part of some of the greatest chai latte conversations and chocolate chip pancake breakfasts I've ever had.  Thank you for diving into the messiness of my life.  And for still coming back.  Thank you for being the ones I could call at 1 am when I thought I was in labor and wasn't.  Thank you for walking through it all with me.  Thank you for cursing during horrendously hot half-marathons and making me feel a little more human.  And thank you for abandoning your schedules, homework and life as cool college students to be a part of mine.  Gosh, I love you ladies.  And though Europe, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Peru and downtown Chicago are very lucky to have you and I'm thrilled for your time there, our house feels a little less like home without your cars in our driveway and our polka dot mugs in your hands.  (I may retire them for you until you come back) 


So, meet some of my family...

Erin

Kaitlin

Catherine

Hilary