The Bean Family Chronicles | “How come you never take pictures of us?”

I felt like it was my birthday.  Normally when I ask them to let me take their pictures, I get a scowl, a silly face, and a shot of the back of their heads.  I’m sure it’s a result of their over-photographed early years, but my kids (except for Avenlea; that’s another story) HATE when I try to take their pictures.  I haven’t been super busy with clients lately (it’s hot!!!), so when Noa asked, “why don’t you ever do photo sessions of us?”, I was on it like white on rice.  This is the same location I posted about the other day, and i was so excited to take my own kids there to take advantage of that amazing evening sunlight.

 

 

My firstborn.  It’s been a really long time since I took pictures of him.  So much passion, energy and confidence in this one.  I wonder sometimes

how God is going to use his opinionated, restless, and impulsive personality in the future.  Reminds me so much of myself….

And my Banyan.  Polar opposite from his big bro in every way possible.  Timid, shy, eager to please, and so content to be

by my side.  I prayed for a girl for 10 weeks when I found out I was pregnant with him.  I’m so so so thankful that

God knows our needs more than we do.  This little boy is such a joy to parent.  He can be the whiny-est little thing

sometimes, but when he’s good, he’s very very good.

Avenlea Wren.  Her feisty little personality was not at all what I envisioned when I dreamed about who my daughter would be.  She’s a female version

of Noakea with all the independence of a patriot.  Oh, my daughter….

And, then, this.  All three of them.  What a tough little quiver of arrows they are that God has given Austin and I.  Shooting these

three into the big adventure that God has drawn for each of them is an exercise in faith that I could never have prepared myself for.  When I think of

all the obstacles they will face as they grow and learn, I am well aware that there is little I can do to adequately prepare them for the winding road full

of twists and turns that life’s road is going to place before them.  I pray for them often.  For many things, but above all else, I pray that they would have

an insatiable  desire for the things of God.  I pray that they would love him with a depth and breadth that would like like a bottomless cup in

need of filling.  I am humbled and brought to my knees by the responsibility of shepherding these three hearts.

These pictures make me laugh.  Not that they’re funny, necessarily, but the who process to taking them was just so fun.  Avenlea is

really obsessed with posing right now.  It’s almost like a game of freeze.  I can position her into almost any position and tell her to

“wait, wait,” and she will stay just like I posed her.  So fun.  She thinks it’s a game.  I’ll take advantage of it while I can.