While I realize Christmas is over for the time being, I had to share some of the most beautiful photos I’ve ever taken.
No, they’re not perfectly composed, and there’s almost no light in most of them, but they shine for a different reason.
We all have this basic need: to be loved.
Have you noticed sometimes we expect to be loved the way we want to give it? Our husbands and wives probably notice. Sometimes it does come that way, wrapped in a neat package with a perfectly tied bow, an embrace and an “I love you” right back.
Other times, most times…it’s not simply words.
Love comes to us in many different ways, and many different forms, and as much as we’d like to be the loved our way by everyone, it’s often those unexpected forms that cause us to pause. To marvel.
It might be a snuggle on the couch with the woman who taught you everything.
Or the seeing your child in the arms of the woman you remember along side you while you took the time to make mistakes and grow up on your own time.
It might even come to you via a game of Taboo.
A really great game, I might mention.
Especially when you play with the right people.
Love peeks around the corner in helping hands, in compliments paid, in quick text messages.
Sometimes all it takes is one look.
And you know.
They love you…and you love them so much it could crush all the evil in the world.
Sometimes it’s the way they love each other.
Or your pride in their accomplishments, in who they’ve become. And the knowledge they feel exactly the same way about you…without ever having to say so.
Some of those moments seem to pass by too quickly.
While living the day to day can sometimes play tricks on our clocks and our hearts, all of these moments are rare, fleeting.
Feeling the urgency to live in the moment, and be right where you are–love comes to us in those spaces too.
I see it in my children…I want it for them so badly, and for myself, too. To be present.
A photo of a photo can wash little bits of happy all over you.
Isn’t it crazy?
We’re so programmed to hurry, to see love in the ways we want to see it.
I dare say we should breathe a little quieter.
Open our eyes slowly, and look around.
See love in the unexpected moments.
And let it take you soaring.
Shaunna those are just precious pictures and truly shows what
life is all about ❤
beautiful photos and words! so heartwarming! thanks!
Dear Shauna,
How absolutely beautiful and true. That is the way we need to live, in the moment and with much gratitude.
Thanks, Pam
And this is the reason why I love you, and look forward to your posts. Your decorating is beautiful, but your heart is inspirational!
Shaunna, you have a gift, well actually many gifts, of what you feel and how you see things, and then to put them down to share with others. From this post and the many others before, we now get to share in your gifts. So thank you, Shaunna! Thank you for giving us a perspective we need to have all year, not only at Christmas, but every day of our life. To share our gift of redemption & love, just as Christ has with us. Our family is in a crazy time of our life with 2 teenager daughters and an 8-year-old son, so busy-ness is abundant, and we need now more than ever to step back and to enjoy the process and not rush to the ending. Thank you again for blessing me with your words.
Crying! Beautiful pictures and beautiful post. I love you and your family!! You are so blessed to have them and they are so blessed to have you! Love you!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing…..
I have goosebumps remembering when my children were little. Christmas is a magic time of year, anyway. However, when you see a child’s glow at Christmas…that says it all. Your family is wonderful. Hugs, Jan
Beautifully said. Loved the pictures. You could see the love!
Holly
Beautiful. The loves is in the little things and the little moments.
Oh. I love the picture of the high five. So beautiful.
Thank you for this post! My #1 goal for the year is to be present. I am always wishing myself into the future, reliving the past, fearing the worst. But my life is pretty great right here and now and I somehow am missing it. I am excited to feel love this year. Realizing how much I focus on myself, my fears, my dreams….. and missing the people around me is a great sadness to me! So this year is all about being present and loving the people around me like crazy. It’s gonna be great:)
Oh, your words are so beautiful! I need to run and get a tissue….thank you for all that you do.
Amen!!
janet xox
Beautiful post. I smiled the whole way through and your pictures are lovely.
I love the one of your grandpa holding your family photo.
Love this! So encouraging. One of my resolutions is to take time to be more of a “Mary” than a “Martha”–I feel like I’m always hurrying and I want to be sure to take the time to not only focus on my relationship with the Lord, but also to love my family and friends well. Thanks for writing this!
Shauna,
This is such a beautiful, heart felt post with so many lovely photos of your family.
hugs
Sissie
Beautiful pictures of my beautiful family and my extended Alabama family. Thanks for the wonderful words to go with them. Love, deana
Nothing is more important than family and your words & photographs are a testament to that.
how very sweet, thoughtful…and oh so true
I’m 2 months new to your blog, but it’s fabulous. I just had to comment tonight and tell you that this post is amazing. The photos, the emotion, the words . . . beautiful. It had me choked up and I don’t even know you! : ) It takes a gift to write a post like this. Nice work!
wow…made me teary, and grateful. Thank you!
I LOVE THIS POST! Great photos, powerful words. Thank you for sharing!
That was absolutely lovely! I don’t know your family but cried like I did! beautiful story those photos told. thanks so much for sharing
- lauren
LOVE this post! Need I say more!
Happy New Year!
Diane
What a huge reminder of why I love the blogs I love. I love them not only for the amazing talents and inspiration shared, but for the wonderful unexpected messages. Your words and photos are so grounding, and make me want to stop time to soak up every second with my children, my husband, and the other people I adore. Thanks SO much for sharing your personal moments.
Beautiful family, beautiful photos!
Debbie
What a wonderful post. I find wanting to be “present” more too. Thank you for sharing your family with us!!
As a completely irrelevant question….the doll house in the pictures- did you find that somewhere or did your talented self build that? I absolutely adore it!
Sweet Sweet Photos…
Shaunna, Every time I visit your blog I’m inspired! What a blessing you are! I’ve just started my own blog. I hope I can be an inspiration to others as well!
Small and truly beautiful moments is where real happiness lies…
I love seeing all of these photos! You can feel the love coming right through the images!
your pictures are beautiful but your words say it all! Thanks for sharing .