~ Big kids need pictures too ~

It seems like when our kids are little we run ourselves ragged trying to capture milestones and have current family photos on our walls. But then they become teenagers, and you rarely see them. Or when you do cross their path they're some kind of hormonal monster with two heads and you never know which one you're gonna get.

Maybe I'm exaggerating, a little :) These kids don't seem so terrible.

The point is, I love when families reach out to me to capture family photos of their big kids. It's likely the last time you will capture their family in it's original form, before it starts expanding, with spouses and children.

This particular family is very special to me, the Momma-Bear, Kaysie, is a brilliant Kindergarten teacher who is about to be 3-for-3 teaching the Manno kids. Bless her heart.

Sending your first child to Kindergarten is scary as hell, it just is. I remember going to orientation feeling like I was white-knuckling the whole thing.

And then this adorable woman walked in the room.  She had a cute haircut, a sweet soft voice and a twinkle in her eye.  She looked like a Kindergarten teacher....she sounded like Kindergarten teacher... if I looked in the dictionary under "Kindergarten teacher" they should have her photo next to it. I thought to myself "This woman is perfect" - I've hit the Kindergarten teacher jackpot!!!!

And the kids love her too. You know in Disney movies when the princess walks out into the forest and starts singing and all the animals flock to her and land in her lap. Yeah, it's pretty much like that.

I think about 2 months into teaching Rocky, I think I actually threatened the poor woman. Something along the lines of "You are not allowed to retire, quit, or switch schools until all 3 of my kids have had you for Kindergarten, got it?"

She laughed and assured me she wasn't going anywhere. She will make good on that promise in August when Libby Lu starts kindergarten. 

She and her husband have some celebrating to do this year as they celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Jim is a police officer. Marriages in which one of the partners is in law enforcement  have an extremely high rate of divorce. You have to fight harder than anyone else. But these two make it look easy. We are so proud of you guys, congratulations Kaysie and Jim. 

I will be forever grateful that I've had this awesome woman in my life to take my babies under her wing for their first year of school. I'm also pretty fond of her adorable family who have become great friends with our family as well. The Manno's love you guys and we are so happy to have you in our lives.

This one needs to go above the fireplace. The End.