My Thespian Kids

Something about the word "thespian" makes me cringe a bit, but there it is: at least two of my kids are born thespians!

This week my middle son, Gabe, is performing at Lynden Christian High School's "The Scarlet Pimpernel." He has 4 roles, beginning with the Executioner in which you can only see his cold hand of death clinging to Madame Guillotine. After a short scene dancing at a wedding he plays his two best roles, and as he noted himself in his bio, the only 2 roles which really exist: the leader of the French during the Revolution, Robespierre, and the leader of the British, The Prince of Wales. For Gabe, much of the fun is in the frequent costume changes and portraying two violently different characters.

As I've written previously, my daughter Laine is studying in Uzbekistan (you look it up!) at a theatre conservatory. She grapples 6 to 7 days a week with character development, fencing lessons and elocution, all in Russian. She's comes home at last in July to finish her degree at UW and face the world of auditions. We can hardly wait! To see lots of photos of her and her classmates in action, check out her blog at http://lainemullen.blogspot.com, or just click on her link to the right of this column.

Among the great joys for me in having kids who love drama, is that I get to be involved with the productions (at least the local ones!) and photograph the kids. I love teenagers, and I love watching them grow and shine. Seeing these kids on stage is a thrill for me, whether they are my own or not.

I invite you all and watch them perform their spectacular rendition of "The Scarlet Pimpernel," with shows on Feb. 5, 7 and 8 at Lydnen Christian High School. See you there!
Karen

Love Grows

Almost 2 years ago I flew to Switzerland to photograph my best friend's daughter's wedding. Chari met Christoph at an international church in Zurich while she was working as an Au Pair (nanny). The wedding was fabulous and they loved their album.

Today they still live in Switzerland and have added baby Jack to their loving famiy. I photographed Chari, Chris and Jack this week while they visited Chari's family in Lynden. My heart melts with this privilege – recording the loving embraces between a father, mother and their precious child. Through my work I am blessed, and I hope I bless others as well.
Karen

Joy to Your World

I've been struggling this fall with a lingering viurs. I found myself whining the other day, and God brought to mind how small my trials are compared with what He has allowed others to endure. Here are three families I love and intensely admire for their strength, endurance, and joy in the midst of it all.

Scott Sessions was our paster for several years. We loved him and his family and when my husband died, Scott was there to help me cope and get some firm ground underneath me. Last year Scott was diagnosed with ALS, often called Lou Gehrig's disease. Unless God provides a miracle (oh please do!) Scott is going to die young. His courage and perspective, and his wife Julie's grace, have been a light for Whatcom County this past year.

Jennifer and Craig have a six-year-old boy with more than 18 serious illnesses. Dominic was born 16 weeks premature. Taking care of this precious boy is more than a full time job for them - it's a life-long, every day, every night commitment. Their steadfast love and willingness to devote themselves to their family in a way most of could never imagine is an inspiration and admonition to me. What is really important in this short life? I think loving those God has given us with the same kind of love He has lavished on us.

Finally, my dear friends Sam and Brie Russell found their lives in a spin cycle this year. Sam, whom I've known and loved since he was 2, was riding his bike at his workplace for Trek Bicycles when he hit a jump too fast and crashed head-first into a tree. Sam is paralyzed from the waist down. They have three daughters under the age of 6. Sam pushes himself so hard he is already hop-walking with braces and has ridden an arm-peddled bike! Brie is so focused on finding joy in their trials that reading her blog makes you think she is superwoman in disguise as a mom and wife. They've been in and out of ER so many times, yet Brie says they are glad for the cable TV time!

May we all find joy this Christmas in our family, our friends, our lives, our loves, in sunshine or rain, in good health and in trials. God's blessings pour upon you this Christmas and New Year. Karen

p.s. the photos picture Scott with his daughter, Jody; Jennifer and Craig with their kids; Sam and Brie with their kids and Sam's folks, and me with Nancy Russell, Sam's mom. If you want to read Brie's blog, contact me and I'll give you the details.

Christmas Card Keepers

This year we are offering Christmas cards for the first time! They are exceedingly cool and worth keeping.
By way of Merry Christmas (a bit early, but I want you all to know about this!) I am posting here our combination Christmas card/ad. Have a fabulous holiday season, hopefully with those you love and cherish.
Karen

My Sabbath

Tonight I left my home full of stress and confusion. I've had a difficult fall season - business is great, but I cannot keep up with my normal speed of delivery. For the future, I will adopt the motto that art takes time, and give myself and my clients plenty of waiting room for their portraits.

So back to tonight... my studio is almost finished, my yard and home are in mayhem, and my family is coping. This evening I noticed someone in the front yard and found my friend Jody with her son and a friend raking my front lawn! A great rage of conflict stormed my mind. How wonderful, how amazing, how embarrassing that I need help, how lovely of God to meet my needs through this friend, how come I can't do this on my own? And as I tried to join in and help she put her arms around me and told me to go back to work – inside, on the computer. Tears escaped my eyelids - a rare sight from me, the "strong one." My little son Leo and his friend helped bag the leaves, while inside, I made doctors beautiful. I left an hour later, frazzled and fatigued, for a Healing Network leadership meeting at church. I don't do much volunteering anymore except for leading a support group for grief recovery. At the meeting I couldn't muster enough strength to share a prayer request. Then the lesson began... the importance of taking a Sabbath. And I listened and saw myself, a recent Sabbath truant, on account of work and the studio. No wonder I am so tired.

So join me in taking a Sabbath - maybe on Sunday, maybe just a lunch time away from the desk, strolling down a quiet path. Give yourself time for rest and refreshment. And listen to God. He sometimes speaks in a whisper.

These photos are from a Healing Network retreat last spring. We took an hour Sabbath, and I used my time for a photo Sabbath - away from work, and into creation. Enjoy.

Ages and Stages

One of the many fun things about my job is getting to know people over a period of time. Three and a half years ago I photographed Cheryl, a senior at Lynden Christian. She was awesome - focused, smart, and a blast to photograph. Last spring I had the privilege of photographing her wedding. She is still as focused as ever, heading for a degree in law. Her new husband knows what a treasure he holds. You can see it in his eyes. Congratulations Cheryl & Andrew!

Blog again, Blog again, jiggety jog

I am finally back – after many months of craziness!
In the meantime we have been converting our garage into a studio. We hope it will be done in a few weeks. We really, really hope! We've been living in severely cramped quarters while studio supplies pile up.
On the brighter side, we've had a great time photographing many lovely people. I'm going to highlight some of them in the coming weeks.
Thanks for your patience!
Karen

Budapest Report, part one

We are home after rendezvousing with my daugter Laine in Uzbekistan. The trip brought together that which I love most: my family and travel. Okay, I also love God, but He is always with me!
I have trimmed down my 500 + photos to a few favorites. I'll add more in another post.

"I'd do anything, for you dear, anything..."

So says the Artful Dodger in the musical Oliver. And that's how I feel about my kids. And I'm blessed beyond imagination to fly with my three sons to rendezvous with my daughter in Budapest this week! Laine is studying theatre in Uzbekistan (next to Afghanistan) for the whole school year. It's a tough place to live - see the link to her blog on the right-hand column and you will understand a bit. And I do miss her so! We will stay in a youth hostel near the Danube River. You will see post-trip photos, but for now, here is Laine on San Juan Island last summer, ready to conquer the world.

Why I Photograph High School Seniors

Just look at these young people, shining like stars in the galaxy. They have come so far and will grow so much in the next few years. They are at the edge of an adventure that, God willing, will take them through their retirement RV touring years. I love their fresh spirit, their soul-searching, and their breaking free of childhood fears.
God put a love in my heart a long time ago for teenagers. I worked with Young Life during college and later a youth group at church before my own kids multiplied and called me home. I am blessed to spend time with high schoolers while I photograph them. Looking into their eyes and cajoling them to turn this way and that, their character and light pours out and colors the digital media that becomes a portrait.

Madalen's Many Faces

Madie, age 3, is the proud big sister of Adrienne, born Oct. 28. Madie posed for me with her mom shortly before the big event. Madalen's mom was my teenage next-door-neighbor years ago. Today she is a wonderful woman with a loving husband and two dear daughters. You will meet Adrie soon!