in 2014 we visited five state parks in virginia. we looked out over the blue ridge mountains, skyline drive, and the potomac more than once. we searched for cherry blossoms as usual. willa spent much of the year with no front teeth, and luella lost her last baby tooth… ever. we travelled to california twice. we dipped our toes in the pacific and swam over and under the waves of the atlantic. lu began creating more elaborate hairdos than i can create (and that’s saying something). we drove south through three states with a million other cars and fell in love with savannah, even though we were only there for an hour. the girls had their hair done like a disney princess and i tried not to cry. i let my six year old daughter and niece bounce me up and down on a magic carpet until i thought we would all fly out from centrifugal force. lu turned ten during spring break in florida with her favorite storybook wizard and it didn’t even matter that we rode none of the rides.
in 2014 cleo caught no less than three squirrels, but did not get sprayed by a skunk. we traveled to a city we had never been to meet some friends we had never met. we slept in a trailer and we slept in a rooftop suite named for rock hudson. in marfa we ate enchiladas with egg on top made by the lady next door, and i drank margaritas with a chihuahua on my lap. we swam in the springs, and jumped texas hills in an old pick up truck. we went to 15 swim meets before the girls decided dance would steal their hearts for the winter. my picture of willa and cleo appeared in an ikea ad. we grew kale in the garden, we rode bikes through the neighborhood, and we spent late nights eating black bean burgers at the pool. willa might have made us laugh everyday. when fall came i learned my husband and my kids are some of the hardest working people i know.
in 2014 i thought a little too much about how i’m going to turn 40. i learned i could be admitted to the hospital for the stomach flu, and that a virus doesn’t care about your plans. not even a smidge. i bought my first under eye concealer. i stopped drinking coffee. i stopped eating dairy (well, mostly). i started sleeping past 7am, and mostly the girls did, too. in 2014 i swam over 75 miles but never wore a bikini. i started taking ballet. i drank moscow mules and danced to a dj in the canyon in muddy rain boots and a mini dress. i stepped out of my comfort zone. a little. i didn’t hesitate to spoil my children. a lot.
i didn’t pressure myself to follow any rigid rules regarding my photography in 2014. i let each day come and go, and shot what i felt needed to be shot. and yet, i feel like many of my images excited me more than they have in years. perhaps there’s something to that…