Category: Family

father daughter dance

father daughter dance

This is not my image. It was taken this summer by Keegan Adriance, the AY-MAY-ZING photographer for my oldest daughter’s wedding (http://gentandalady.com). I shared this on my personal Facebook page, but wanted to share it with my WordPress family as well. When the pictures were sent to us this one grabbed my attention and the words below are my reflections.

we danced under the stars that night
just like my heart danced
when i first held you

and the stars were singing then
as i sang my first lullaby for you
a father, daughter dance

we have been dancing
together
ever since i held
your tiny finger in my hand

i’d rather not let you go
but it’s alright
it’s okay
it seems the time has come
time to see you dance
and shine
oneness is your song

i’ll never forget
this father daughter dance
i’ll hum with the stars
as i watch you grow
dancing with your lover

Andrea
always remember
the stars are still singing
step into the story
of the dance
He is weaving

i am still holding you
i suppose in a way
in my heart
i’ll never stop dancing
the father, daughter
dance

waves for cami

waves for cami

We are back from our conference in Florida. While in Florida we had the opportunity to see family that we don’t often get to see, since someone long ago decided to place Florida and Illinois so far apart from each other! This is my niece, Cami, enjoying the ocean. We spent an afternoon on the beach with her and other treasured family members. Taken at Ormond by the Sea.

wedding 2

wedding 2

Another shot of the “wedding barn.”

wedding 1

wedding 1

The first to two images of the barn where my daughter had her wedding earlier in August. It was a lot of work to decorate this space, but also lots of fun! The bride was beautiful, the father cried, and a good time was had by all.

dustin and andrea

dustin and andrea

So my oldest daughter got married this past weekend and, as father of the bride (and one of the pastors of the wedding), it would not have been appropriate for me to walk around with my camera taking all kinds of pictures, even though that is exactly what I wanted to do  😉  I did manage to take one picture with my phone. This is an image of the artwork that my colleague (and other pastor in the wedding) created during a song, and while I took the couple through communion and their vows. It was a weekend of love, fun, celebration and, beautiful artistry.

a father and his boys

a father and his boys

The summer here has been so kind….cool nights and warm days….usually we are just in sweltering heat in August… took a motorcycle ride and it was too cool an evening to go much further with the light jacket I was wearing, so I stopped at one of my favorite parks and caught this man just spending some time with his boys…

jones beach water tower 5

jones beach water tower 5

I had the joy of spending some time in New York with my parents this past week. My parents are elderly now and have their share of physical struggles. They still live in the house I grew up in, so it is such a wonderful gift to go “home”…..and just….love them. My oldest son came with me…so my parents were especially happy to see their oldest grandchild. We laughed, enjoyed the sights and sounds of New York City, ate my mom’s AY-MAY-ZING Puerto Rican cooking, and this homesick Mid-westerner enjoyed a walk on the boardwalk with my dad and my son. I will post a couple more shots from that day, but for now a shot of the base of the Jones Beach Water tower, which by now, I think I have officially photographed to death!  🙂

beach stroll

beach stroll

 

Speaking of the bride to be (see previous post) here is our oldest daughter strolling along the shore of Jones Beach, NY, the summer we picked her up when she returned from The World Race. What is The World Race? Well, it was an opportunity that changed her life. If you like, you can read about it here. That’s all for now…the father of the bride is getting a little teary eyed…

seaside4

seaside4

Back to my favorite beach: Jones Beach, NY. For me, the nature of the shore brings a welcomed reminder of my smallness…. a sense of wonder… a sense of story…. it’s funny that I really don’t have a desire to be on the sea… but taking a walk along the shore…the music of the waves…the sea gull choirs… the refrain of the ocean advancing and retreating as my feet are swallowed up by the sand… salty air you can taste… and memories… clinging to my dad as a child while he fearlessly carried me into – what was for me – the great deep ocean…i was terrified and overjoyed all at once…. or watching my dad effortlessly float on his back as he sailed away… my mom breaking out delicious food and making sure we had sunscreen… lots of sunscreen!….. hope you are having a great weekend…

 

when winter goes

when winter goes

In celebration of the end of winter (he said with great hope!) here is another picture taken at Matthiessen State Park when I was there a few weeks ago with my son and his buddies. We had a great time exploring these falls, and, considering where the boys climbed and explored, lets just say it’s a good thing that no moms were present!