Six months ago Penguins were all the rage. She couldn't get enough of them. But today, they're so 2007! Life now revolves around princesses — Cinderella, Snow White, Jasmine, Ariel and even that red haired girl who sings really well from the movie Enchanted. Such is the life of a 3-year-old girl.



Three years old...Today! Wow, it doesn't seem possible. Every parent says it seems like it was just yesterday, but it really does. May 8, 2005 was Mother's Day and that's when Graycen arrived.

The last three years we've spent every day teaching her to sit up, crawl, walk, drink from a straw, drink from a cup, sit in her high chair, sit in a booster chair, sit in a grown-up's chair, eat on her own, put on her shoes, put on her clothes, brush her hair, brush her teeth, sing, dance, laugh, play, sleep, make-believe, and talk to Jesus.

Today we marvel at what she has spent the last three years teaching us: love, patience, compassion, forgiveness, peacefulness and devotion. All abstract concepts that are developed over time and perhaps never fully mature to completeness. But she has also taught us something more concrete and tangible. In the midst of the busyness of life, we're so much better off if we follow her lead by singing, dancing, laughing, playing, sleeping, making-believe, and talking to Jesus. And after completing a task, clap wildly for yourself and then gracefully take a bow.

As photographers, we continually search for art and symbolism in each image we create. The following image speaks volumes to me. As Joy and I have been blessed to travel the world we've become increasingly aware of how enormous the world is and how small we truly are. As parents of a little girl who wants to be a big girl and do everything on her own, this image proves just how small she really is. The world does not revolve around us, we revolve around it. It's full of possibilities and potential, but one must go out and find them.

And finally, one of my favorite images that we've created in a long time. If someone would have told me that we would someday have a daughter and dress her up as a fairy to photograph her, I'd think they were crazy. But now that my perspective has changed, maybe I'm the one who is crazy.

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One is roots: the other, wings." -Hodding Carter

Happy Birthday, Gray. read more »