Isabella Rose

Isabella Rose McGee entered this world on Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 12:14 a.m.  Happy first Father’s Day, Sam!

She weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 20 inches long.  My friend, Judy, thinks she might have been pointing her toes in order to slip into some nice fancy shoes. I had hoped that she would come on Father’s Day in order for Sam to always be reminded about the greatest gift a Dad could ever ask for….a precious baby.  When Kristen was born 30 years ago, Gary brought her yellow roses.  For every special occasion since then, he has continued the tradition.  The last time he gave her yellow roses was the night of the rehearsal dinner.  I think that he thought his job was complete.  However, about two weeks before Izzy arrived, I dreamed that Gary brought the baby yellow roses.  Was it a girl?  Was God giving us a heads up?  You know he is a master at details and I can’t help but wonder if he was chuckling, as he knew how much pleasure it would bring Gary to restart the tradition.  So, when Izzy was born Gary brought her a single yellow, all they had down in the hospital florist shop on a Sunday morning.   He even talked them into taking it out of an arrangement.  When Kristen, Sam and Isabella left the hospital for home on Wednesday, he had a florist arrange a brand new dozen yellow roses for Izzy’s arrival at her new home.  I can’t help but wonder about all the special occasions that will “require” that little love language between a father and a daughter and now a grandfather (or Coach, as he is called) and a granddaughter.  

I have been reading a book by an author whose first book I first read thirty years ago when I had young children.   Prudence Macintosh is the author and her first book was about the trials and tribulations, but mostly joys, of raising three young boys. Her later book that I am now reading is about watching her boys launch into adulthood while also telling her aging parents goodbye.  Prudence was very close to her dad and grew up at his knees as the editor of a small town newspaper.  When her dad was at the very end of his life, he asked her the question, “Do you know why I want to live forever?”  She guessed so that he could wear that Brooks Brothers’ suit that wasn’t worn out yet or to go to the Master’s Golf Tournament again.  His answer was beautiful…….”So I could love you forever.”  Well, Isabella Rose McGee, I can assure you that Coach and Cici will love you forever.  It will be an imperfect love unlike the love of our Heavenly Father, but it will be steadfast and unwavering.  You can always come to us as you are and we will love, listen and help in any way we can.  I hope we have dozens and dozens of yellow roses occasions ahead.

JOYS AHEAD.

Cindy    Cici   Cease

Final Countdown

This is the week that we have all been waiting for……Kristen, my daughter, well, I guess that would be our daughter, and Sam are expecting their first child and the due date is Friday, June 12th. The doc says that she will probably go another week past June 12----so June 19th. We are ready to drive to see our third grandbaby when we get the word that he or she is ready to enter this world. I can’t help but have Psalm 139 go around and around in my mind…..Psalm 139:13-14
 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

God has been busy at work from the very instant that baby McGee was conceived. He has created a unique and beautiful person and we will get to watch as that life is presented to us in a few days and be a part of the miracle. What’s the song? ”I Stand Amazed!” Well, I stand amazed that within a few days, our family will have a third grandbaby and another little somebody to love! Here are the last of the maternity pictures before we welcome him/her into the world. There really are joys ahead!

Lili is Dos

Lilli’s two year old birthday party was Saturday.  I started my business photographing children’s birthday parties 29 or so years ago.  I’ve come full circle and man was it fun.  They are such a pleasant family and there were so many great details that Joan, the grandmother and Jenni, the aunt had made to make the birthday special.  It was a tutu party and there were tutus and boas for all ages.  We did the invitations and I couldn’t stand to not see the final result.  Enjoy the fun of Lilli turning two.

Today I was made an honorary member of the Thurmond family. Jeannie has three grown girls and they are adorable. The grandmother, Jeannie, the great grandmother, MeMaw, Shelley and her two children, Bonnie and her two children and Tracy were here for a BIG “girl members of the family” session (As my granddaughter, Sarah, would say, “Dirls only!”). Oh wait, boy children were allowed to participate. Jeannie and all her girls. And a few grandsons. They were so much fun to be with and were so much fun with each other. Being an only child, I am very envious of all that fun. SOOO they made me an honorary member of their family. Take a look at all the fun of five adults and four children ----two two year-olds and two two month-olds. MeMaw is one good looking great grandmother!

Whose your Coach

Sometime in March, Gary and I received a letter from the school that Jack and Sarah attend. Grandparent’s Day was scheduled in April and we were invited to come . We had been to Dallas several times and had several more trips scheduled and felt like we just couldn’t attend. Normally, we would have crawled on our knees if we had to, but this time it just wasn’t possible. On Monday, Gary received a call from Curt that Jack was hysterical that none of his grandparents were coming. Was there any way that Gary could jump on a plane and come for the day? Gary had a hearing and I had a shoot, so we were out. The other grandparents were equally tied up and it was Aunt Kristen, (who lives in Dallas) to the rescue. There was only one other little boy that didn’t have any grandparents attending and they paired him with Jack and Kristen. I am thinking that Aunt Kristen was the only pregnant grandparent rep there, but that is another story and another blog on families being families. One of the activities was doing a family tree. If you remember, Jack calls Gary, Coach. The other boy didn’t have anyone to help, so Jack ask him “Who’s your Coach?” Of course, he must have had a coach somewhere in his tree and before the activity was over, the guest little boy had Coach written in his family tree. I keep laughing about someday when he finds his pre-K family tree, there will be listed Coach in one branch. Can you imagine the confusion? I also keep thinking about how easy it is to ask “Who’s your Coach?” and share with them someone you treasure.

Joys Ahead

Kristen and Sam came to Houston last weekend for two reasons. Sam was riding in the MS150 and Kristen was being given a baby shower. On Friday, we had maternity pictures scheduled, as this would be the last trip to Houston before the baby, Queso, is born. Queso is the name that my granddaughter, Sarah, gave to Kristen and Sam’s unborn baby. Sarah’s mom, Margo, is also pregnant and Sarah gave that baby the name of Cupcake. Wouldn’t you know that we would have food items to describe our family, even by a three year old! Oh, well. Back to the shoot…..we started about 11:30 and around 12:30 Sam left to meet some of his friends. About another hour to 1 ½ hours of shooting should allow us to capture everything that we needed. I am usually the one saying “Let’s just do a few more….and a few more, well, and just a few more.” But this would be my young, energetic full of mommy hormones daughter. By 4:30 we had to stop because we had a manicure/pedicure appointment that we had already moved once. Let me say, or as Jimmy Buffett says, “The party lasted way too long, and I had too much fun.” I was out in the pedicure chair…..sound asleep. Kristen did treat me to a mani/pedi for all the “hard” work.

Well, the first day of the MS150 was cancelled and we got to have Sam around a little longer. But here’s the summation of this entry…..At the shower, they had a picture frame with a big mat for everyone to write something to the baby. My friend, Liz Ellis, wrote something that captured my attention and my heart. All she said was “Joys ahead. Liz Ellis.” I have been captivated by that simple expression now all week. If we had a road map of our days, shouldn’t every sign that we see say

“Joys Ahead.” So what if there are a few curves ahead, we know that the Joys Ahead sign is always there. So my new closing phrase is born as well as the new grandbaby in June. Keep your eyes on Liz’s sign and let’s celebrate all the reasons that we have to be thankful.

Joys Ahead,

Cindy

Baby Passion!

So many good things to write about! Let me combine two exciting and motivating updates. First of all my daughter, Kristen, gave us some exciting news Thanksgiving. Her husband, Sam, and our son, Curt, share late November birthdays and we were gathered together in Dallas to celebrate. Sam suggested that we all gather around the table and snap a quick pic, as he often says. We were all smiling at the camera set on a timer on the staircase. As we were watching the blinking light, Sam said “Everybody say ‘Kristen’s pregnant!’” Smiles turned to screams with mouths wide open. Not a good look for the family picture but great for capturing joy. I immediately cried and jumped up and down. He had set the camera on burst and he captured all the joy in a series of several pictures. I’m afraid my chins are going to need some retouching since my mouth was the widest of all. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Baby McGee in June. Any extra prayers that you have time to offer will be greatly appreciated.

Following this big announcement, I have been in baby mode in full gear. Gary and I just spent a week in Phoenix, Arizona at the Professional Photographer’s Convention with two days in Sedona. I took a day long class with a husband and wife team. It is so good to stay current with all the up and coming ideas. The convention and trade show are brimming with new ideas and exciting products. We have some wonderful new products that we will be implementing in the next month along with a new session called Rise and Shine, a new maternity/newborn plan and a baby plan. The convention was topped off with a two hour presentation by Anne Geddes. I wasn’t exactly a huge fan of babies in flower pots; however, she spoke of her passion to be herself and develop her own style, despite criticism to do something else—basically, to follow her instincts – and she inspired me! What we do have in common is her passion for children and the sense to follow our instincts. She absolutely is passionate about infants. She ended her presentation with a video of babies and songs sung by Celine Dion. Now I am a fan of Anne Geddes and Celine Dion. Such passion, gentleness and kindness! Since I have babies on the brain, I am passionately planning all the images of Baby McGee. I might even pull out a flower pot or two. Stay tuned for how I can let Anne influence me without being a copy cat. I have always believed “to thine own self be true” was a great motto. We shall see how these images emerge. Ride the wave with us with your baby if you are so inclined. I promise you some priceless images.