This weekend I had the treat of spending time with my dad and grandpa, who live out of state. While they were at my house I pulled out an album to look at together. I'd had the opportunity to make copies of photos from my grandpa and other relatives in preparation for my grandma's funeral in 2021, so it holds the earliest photos I have of my grandma from a young girl up to her 80's just before she passed away.


As we flipped through the pages we talked about how cute she was as a girl, how beautiful as a woman. Grandpa told stories I'd never heard and we shared memories and details we each remembered of her. And he mentioned something that will stick with me forever. His memory isn't as sharp as it once was and he said that sometimes at night he will intentionally do his best to recall different memories of her, and bring out albums to aid his memory.


That time/conversation with my grandpa served as a reminder why I do what I do, and how much it matters.


  • It demonstrated that photos only increase in value over time.
  • It reminded me why I chose family photography specifically: because I'm passionate about family. God's heart is for everyone to be a part of a family, and it's one of my deepest values.
  • Try as we might, we can't possibly recall all the details of our experiences. But they're often still a part of us, tucked away in our hearts and minds–just a photograph/sight, scent, sound, taste, or touch away from being remembered.
  • Art holds intrinsic value. But art tied to genuine relationships, emotions and experiences? That's priceless.

My Grandma enjoyed cats. Coincidentally, I just realized that my last in person memory with her involved her admiring some tiny kittens.

I know this is a bit of a sober post today, because it's sprinkled with grief. Yet I can't help but think that I grieve because I love. And love is the best thing one can experience on this earth! I consider myself blessed to be able to grieve the loss of someone I got to love so much.

My Grandma was always up for adventure! Here I'm taking her for a ride on my pony. I held quite the grip on his lead becauase he was cantankerous. No Grandma's were harmed that day. LOL

Two precious souls still very much in love

Love is the greatest gift we can experience.


It can't be bought. It can't be weaseled or forced or bargained. If it could it wouldn't be genuine! It must be given freely. I'm so grateful that I've not only had the chance to experience love so deeply and continuously throughout my life but that I have the opportunity to hold it in a place of honor and memorialize it in the work that I do everyday. That's my "why."