Honoring Mothers: More Alike Than Different

This month Laura and her girls are in the blog. Four beauties...and another one on the way!

I'm learning so much from each mother that I spotlight through our Honoring Mothers project. I'm even learning from their children. I love the dynamics between siblings. Its sweet to quietly watch as they play and laugh and also take care of each other. And it's even nice to see them argue and struggle too...as that is part of being a sibling. I think we learn about how to interact with our peer and friends through interacting with our siblings. It's like a "safe zone" because all is forgiven moments later.

These beautiful girls laughed, played, smiled, and even argued during our session. And they wiggled their way right into my heart. As Laura said, "they are more alike than different."

Motherhood: The Journey with 4 Teens

As many of you know, I've been photographing and blogging about mothers and their children. 

Right now, I am focusing on Mothers whose children have special needs. I have truly been inspired in different ways by each of these mothers. This month, Susan and her four teens are in the blog. 

Can you imagine being the mother of 4 High Schoolers? 

Susan's oldest daughter, Kristen, is developmentally delayed and physically challenged. She also has a contagious smile, a love of horses, and a vibrant spirit. It was my pleasure to photograph Susan and Kristen as well as their entire beautiful family. 

Each and every mother that I photograph for this project inspires me. You give me energy and fill my soul. On that note, I want to mention Susan's work as Vice President of an amazing organization called SMILE Mass. 

SMILE Mass has a mission to create day trip or a vacation opportunity without barriers. This foundation seeks to enable individuals and families with a disabled member to enjoy a getaway similar to those who have no special needs. Please visit their Web site to learn more: SMILE Mass 

And enjoy these images and Susan's story.

Motherhood: The Journey

I am about half way through photographing the mothers in this portion of the Just So Designs Honoring Real Mother's Project. I have met such wonderful people as I create these images.  I am enjoying seeing (and feeling) the love between mothers and their children. Jessica, the mother featured in today's blog post has been extremely supportive of the project and has inspired me to take it to another level...more on that to come.

In the meantime, here are Jessica and her two beautiful daughters--Bella and Violet....

Summer in the Garden

I love summer. LOVE summer. And as a child and family photographer, I have fallen 

in love with photographing families in a summer garden. There are some amazing local 

gardens and I continue to expand my own garden studio. Look at that...I somehow 

became an amateur gardener along the way. ...which is handy because 

I love summer. Did I mention that?

Susan Ogar is a Northborough, MA based family photographer serving the MetroWest
and Boroughs area including Southborough, Westborough, Sudbury and Hopkinton.

Touching My Heart: The Just So Designs Mothers Project

The Just So Designs Mothers Project truly started when one of my sweetest clients, Melanie, suggested I read an article in the Huffington Post about mothers not getting into pictures with their kids. Mothers who felt too self-conscience about their extra baby weight or some other flaw they saw in themselves to have a photograph taken with their children. They were missing out. Their children would grow and change and it was a real loss to not have these photos…. I started to encourage my clients to get in the picture. Mothers with small children, mothers of high school seniors...all mothers.

The project has grown and evolved in amazing ways over the past two years. If you have been following the blog, you know that my high school friend Heather was my inspiration for the second part of this project—focusing on Mothers whose children have special needs.

This past week I photographed 3 remarkable mothers with children who have special needs…Each with their own story. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and getting to know each one. I look forward to posting about them in the coming weeks. As I was driving to a session yesterday in the late afternoon sun, it struck me that I feel as if the project is beginning to come full circle. I also photographed other clients throughout the week (not for the project)…those mothers had their own stories as well. One was a generational session which included a young daughter, mother and grandmother. Another was a beautiful mother of 3 who wanted me to photograph her children in front of a special tree in their yard. She went on to explain that she and her family had planted this tree in honor of their baby who died 1 day before she was delivered. As she spoke, my eyes instantly filled with tears.

The journey we take as mothers is unscripted and unpredictable. The road is often rough and we may stumble along the way. There are so many shining moments that we all celebrate. There are also many quiet, solemn moments that remain unspoken. It made me think about how every mother (every person) has so much going on inside that the world around them doesn’t know about. I was touched that she shared this intimate, personal tragedy with me. I saw her as a beautiful and capable mother of three sweet kids…which she is. The idea that she struggles through the pain of the loss of a child overwhelms me.

And as I write this, Melanie, the mother who unknowingly started me on the journey two years ago sits beside her daughter’s bed at NYU Hospital while wires and monitors follow her brain activity for seizures. Her beautiful, spirited young daughter is suddenly struggling with a form of epilepsy. It’s not fair. It kills me to imagine how tired, worried, and scared this mother is. She is also full of love. And I believe she thankfully has a network to support her and her family.

Today I’m more energized than ever to share the stories of mothers through words and images. Please support the mothers around you as they support their children. Thank you. 

Official Kick-Off: Honoring Real Mothers

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in our world...

I am thrilled with the response to my Honoring Real Mothers Project! Just one month ago I posted that I was looking to photograph a small group of mothers with their special needs children (and all of their children.) Please take a look at that post:

http://justsodesigns.blogspot.com/2014/04/honoring-mothers.html

Here is a small piece, "As mothers, we all love our children, encourage our children, and fight for our children. How we go about that day-to-day might look very different. Some are encouraging their little ones to be brave enough to make a new friend, try out the goalie position in soccer, or read out loud in class. Others are navigating the world of special services and health care. We all strive to provide the best and most meaningful life possible. And to show them the love that is in our hearts."

Thank you to everyone who contacted me! I'm happy to announce that I have booked several sessions and am finalizing the dates and details with the others. I have so enjoyed speaking with each of the mothers and getting to know a little more about their children. Above is a special duo who will be part of the project. This time around we will get portraits of this beautiful mom, Liora, with both of her amazing children.

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It is with an unbearably heavy heart that mention the loss of a special boy. Nicolas has gone to be with the angels. His mother, my childhood friend, is the inspiration for this project. I was to take their portraits later this month. Nicolas lost his brave battle with Batten Disease early Friday morning--which was also his 11th birthday. To learn more about Nicolas and Batten Disease, please visit Our Promise to Nicolas.

When I heard about Nicolas' passing on 2 days ago, I thought maybe I should cancel the project. Then, after a little thought, I've decided that I'm more motivated than ever to share the stories (and images) of all moms!

As part of the year-long project, I will include a fundraiser in honor of Nicolas and research and awareness for Batten Disease.  If you would like to schedule Real Mothers Portrait Session (which can include your whole family), a portion of the session fee will be donated.

...

Please find a special way to honor the mothers in your life today.

Happy Mother's Day.

My Boston: We will not be defined by the hateful actions of few, but rather grow and live on in the strength and love of many

The countdown to the anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombing has been echoing loudly. Each day there is a new story on the TV news, Facebook, and in the paper. Part of me wants to eat up every story and emerge myself into the pride of "Boston Strong!" But as I read these stories...stories of a very long and hard year for the survivors and the families of those lost...I don't feel strong. I feel overwhelmed by sadness and overcome with emotion. I feel the weight and sorrow of a wounded (but not broken) city.

I feel an immense amount of pride in being from Boston--and have long before the tragic events in 2013. I posted a blog last April on the night that the bombers were caught. As I wrote, the Police and FBI were chasing the brothers through the streets of my world. The streets where my parents and grandparents grew up, where I went to college, worked for many years, and made a million wonderful memories with my husband and children. I did not know of the chase, bloodshed and manhunt until that next morning. 

Here is what I wrote that night:  Boston: We Build This City

I felt angry and sad. I still do. I felt an overwhelming connection with with people who lost their lives. It's as if the 3 souls lost at the marathon finish line represented all of Boston. An international college student who chose to come to Boston for it's amazing educational opportunities, a beautiful girl next door enjoying one of the best days of the year in Boston, and a young boy full of potential. (And later, a first responder who took such pride in his job.) My own son would be the same age as little Martin and my daughter the same as his little sister, Jane. We have never met the Richard family and most likely never will. As I read the Boston Globe's thoughtful and thorough two-part article about their journey, I felt that the details of their daily life before the 2013 Boston Marathon were so similar to my own. The backyard baseball and street hockey. The requests for last minute sleepovers from 9 year-old boys. The endless scramble to get out the door including 11th hour clothing changes... It is my own life. How could their very ordinary, yet beautiful world be rocked to it's very core? I respect their efforts to hold onto some privacy and create a new normal for their surviving 2 children. I wish there was something that would truly help them. I honestly don't know what that would be.

Doris Kearns Goodwin quoted Hemingway on Meet the Press last Sunday, "The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." I do believe that Boston is stronger and hopefully also safer after the 2013 Marathon Bombings. And I also feel that our beautiful Patriot's Day is forever changed. 

We were strong before the 2013 bombing. People like Dick and Rick Hoyt remind of us the depth and possibilities our true strength. 

I will not be running the marathon in the memory of those lost or making any large public efforts, but rather, I will quietly love my family and try to pay it forward. 

I love Boston. Boston is a real city. We will not be defined by the hateful actions of few, but rather grow and live on in the strength and love of many. 

These are some of my favorite day to day moments in our beautiful city.

This is My Boston....