My Girl, Dancing In the Rain

"Leave the rest to God. Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain. Choose this day to not simply be alive but to LIVE."

-Vivian Greene

This is my girl, who had her tonsils & adenoids removed a week ago. It has been one tough week, with round the clock pain management. So heartbreaking for us to see her in so much pain, but I cannot express how proud I am of her and her recovery. This is a girl, that through the dirt and grind in life, still dances in the rain, with a big smile on her face. My husband and I couldn't have done this, without her courage and strength, and daily reminder that she is resilient and will fight through.I shot these images right in my neighborhood a couple days ago. It was day 5 of recovery for her. It was early morning, my husband and one year old were still asleep. Maren had been begging me to go outside and play, so i told her I would take her on a stroller walk. My creative outlet has been itching, so quickly, I threw a dress on her, and took some ribbons off my desk (the ribbon I use to package Cd's) and literally tied her hair up real quick in piggies. We spent the majority of the morning walking in neighborhood. The air was cool, so Im sure it felt good on her throat when she breathed it in. When I saw this pretty spot, I of course "pulled over" and let Maren dance it out ;) She twirled and danced, and sang. She smelled the flowers and had the biggest smile on her face. It was so relieving to see her smiling. I got some of the best shots of her, in literally ten minutes.Thank you for everyone who prayed and thought about Maren and our family during the past couple weeks. The rest of these images will be posted soon once I finish editing them!!