...because paying attention makes me a better wife, friend, sibling, child, employee, citizen, human. This little project of mine, now habitual, keeps me a little more grounded and a lot more grateful. I hope you enjoy the photos.
March 1: Always, seemingly at the top of the to-do list, editing. As in work, so in life.
March 2: Breakfast as an act of self-care. No matter how hectic the morning is, since returning to a more standard 9-5 structure, I've found that sitting down to eat a decent breakfast not only keeps hanger at bay but reduces stress. I've never been a no breakfast kid.
March 3: Albert doing Albert things.
March 4: He may not love a Target run, but he's usually game for coming along for the ride. And snacks.
May 5: On the eve of our 3rd anniversary, a self portrait, because I was thinking about how the best thing I can do for our marriage is take care of me and that before we were married I was as fully alive as I am now. It's that whole put your own oxygen mask on first principle, I think.
May 6: And so begins year four. We've had peaks and valleys and everything in between, and we're in no way experts, but we keep showing up, keep trying to learn, keep trying to grow. And as much as we love each other, we like each other too.
March 7: Not cool, March 7, not cool. (But very cold).
March 8: If newbie New Englanders, then add snowblower to your must-have list. We inherited ours from the previous homeowner, thankfully.
March 9: Long exposure word play.
March 10: Long running accoutrements. They get the job done.
March 11: I spy, or spied, on an afternoon walk. She let me get much closer than I would have thought, and I had a hard time choosing a favorite photo.
March 12: First time I had kids in the studio at the hospital, and this little buddy belongs to a co-worker who gave me a release to share his superhero self as my daily photo. GAH.
March 13: Hates rain; loves snow.
March 14: Disinterested in wet cat food; loves brussels sprouts.
March 15: With daylight savings came the return of the after dinner walk.
March 16: Any given evening.
March 17: Marathon training took a while to fall into a solid rhythm this cycle, but I enjoyed long run days regardless.
March 18: The greenhouse at Elizabeth Park hinted that spring would, in fact, arrive... at some point.
March 19: "Sweetie, let's take a nice photo."
March 20: If twinning at work (and matching the studio seamless), then your boss takes a photo. I'm glad I get to work on a team of incredibly strong and capable women.
March 21: Supervising.
March 22: What did the surveillance camera see?
March 23: I love this simple portrait taken after he stopped by for a lunch date.
March 24: A hot pot dinner party with friends old and new.
March 25: Post birthday party crash, complete with leftover snacks.
March 26: Post run stretch. One of my favorite self portraits I've taken.
March 27: My bestie's little Luci loves birds, so I've started a collection of photos for her.
March 28: Hospital photographer perks include using your lunch break to meet your friend's hours old wee man.
March 29: Hospital photographer perks again so that I could get a few shots of brand new siblings.
March 30: I do a weekly photo collaboration on Fridays, and the prompt on that day was experimental.
I asked people in waiting spaces in my building at work to allow me to take their portrait. It's incredibly uncomfortable for me to ask strangers for a photo for me and not for work, but I did it. In a medical setting, a lot of people say no. I'm used to that because it happens with hospital work, but still, it was hard. I was hoping for nine portraits to compile but ran out of time. I want to push myself in this way, and I think I'll make it a practice to try again on occasion. Because to take a portrait means stopping long enough to see someone, to look them in the eye.
When we walked the dog that afternoon, though, I took photos that whispered of spring's arrival, and they felt like something of a prayer for all of the people in waiting rooms and collaging them felt hopeful. This was Good Friday, and it felt appropriate.
March 31: The alchemy of pizza night.