Give a boy a camera... : Here comes Elliot...

I really thought I knew how significant the shift would be. How becoming a parent would truly be a life-changing, profoundly altering experience.

My husband and I waited for years, sixteen to be exact, after the early passion of our relationship grew into something more balanced, thoughtful and sustained. We waited until after we had each graduated from a major university and after we lived in, and thoroughly explored, several cities and communities across the country, making lifelong friends at every opportunity. We waited until after we had backpacked in most States west of the Rockies, setting up our tent miles away from the crowds, on top of some of the most glorious mountains with the best vistas to be had. We waited until after we started a business, working every day and most of every night, for two years and beyond, to make our dream come true. We waited through all of these experiences to make the big leap into the unknown world of parenting. We said that we were ready.

I had no idea.

And now. I'm a mom to two truly amazing kids who make my make my heart ache with love and who sometimes also make it hurt like hell... The latter the consequence of loving your children so much that your heart aches.

My four year old son, Elliot, like all of us, sees life through his unique lens. He is the son of two parents who are always planning their next adventure and while this seems to suit his outgoing, engaging, curious, energetic personality now, I savor and cherish his excitement, knowing so intimately that these subtleties of life, the things we so often take for granted, can change so quickly.

Elliot is also the brother of Owen who, without words, conveys his deep-seated joy and the love for his family with each, broad smile. While Owen's entry into this world was tenuous at best, the determination and courage he's displayed in his mere six years clearly illustrates that within him is a spirit and richness of life that many adults spend their entire lives looking for. Elliot and Owen share a language of their own and a journey that while unpredictable, is profound and beautiful.

I recently gave Elliot his own pocket camera to take photos of the things he finds relevant and fascinating in HIS life, free from the guidance or eyes of adults. He's been taking photos now for several weeks, picking up his camera when he is drawn to telling a story.

We hope you enjoy the images we choose to share, along with the stories we have to tell. Perhaps it will encourage you, and your young ones, to pick up a camera and tell stories of your own.

The captions are, always, Elliot's entirely...