Yesterday......

Yesterday was a day of reflecting......as it had been three years since my beloved Mother left her earthly bounds.

One thing that I have realized for a long time, is that I am usually the one behind the lens, capturing photographs of the moments of my and my families life journey. As I sat and watched the images of my Mother on my screen, I realized that I needed to make sure that I'm in more photographs, just for memories sake, as I would have been so sad if I did not have these little glimpses in time to reflect back on and remember how my mother looked throughout her life time.

Photography has always been a passion of mine [but I really dislike myself in photographs, so hiding behind the lens has always been my way of staying out of photographs]

So yesterday, after taking a few hundred photographs of our day......[which I need to share of Emma Sage] as we went for a walk, went to a book signing [Jerome the Gnome] went to the graveyard and then I was off to a babyshower. Of the 400+ images I shot of these moments, I decided to turn the camera on myself and take a self-portrait. I shot 8 frames [actually, Emma Sage shot them, as we set the camera up on an upside down clay pot [from my garden bench] placed it on the picnic table and then I set the timer, and when I sat down, I had Emma Sage push the button, giving me 10 seconds to stare into the lens and pray a good image was captured.....trying to look deep into the lens so that when my children look at this photograph many years from now, they will say "I remember Mom at 45....."

So here is what I came up with.....





and here is one that Emma Sage took of my Mother and I, the March before she passed away. I treasure this photograph, as I don't have too many of she and I together as adults ~ as I was usually the one photographing, or we were always in big, group shots.



So, I guess the point of my story here is, feel good in your own skin, take the time to capture moments....but make sure you are in the photographs some of the time, and hug your Mother, as when she is gone, the loss is great.

I miss you so dearly Mom......

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Flower Shop.....

My dear friend Fran is at it again......Thank you for bring a huge smile to my face and lifting my spirits!! You truly are a gem and I'm so blessed our paths have crossed.

Remembrance......

Eight years ago..........September 11, 2001


Eight years ago.............our world shook. It wasn't because of a natural disaster, like the Tsunami or Hurricane Katrina, but it was a far worse disaster ~ because it was created by human hatred

Life for our family is good [we are truly blessed] and the morning of September 11, 2001 found us in our typical daily routine.........up early, breakfast, drive the children to school and then Emma Sage and I would come home to a quite morning.

Rick was in Montreal, Canada, for school [we had been up to see him a week earlier and spent a glorious vacation touring Montreal, driving home Labor Day weekend.........because of the terror attacks Rick was not able to return home to us for days.]

I dropped Katrina and Greta off at Woodglen and then drove down the valley to drop Otto off at school at Valley View. On the way to Valley View I noticed a plane flying very low..........lower than I have ever seen a commercial flight on the flight pattern we see from our area heading to Newark Airport. I notice planes all the time because of Ricks career in aviation. I shrugged it off as maybe I was just off my bearings that morning.

It was truly a glorious September day,,,,,,,,,,,,,the sky was bright blue, the air was dry and warm, the landscape was draped in light that just made it look like a Rembrandt painting.

Emma Sage and I got home and went inside to hear the phone ringing. I answered the phone and it was my sister Patti, telling me to turn on the news as a small plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I had a brief moment of fear..............I had worked for years in the area and at one point in my life, had dinner at least once a week at Windows of the World,,,,,,,,,,,,,and then another sinking fear, I was supposed to be at a financial conference put on by Risk/Waters magazine this morning, but I had turned the job down because I just couldn't leave Emma Sage.


I watched the TV,,,,,talking with Patti on the phone. I said to her that I couldn't believe a small plane could have done such damage. I started to cry...........holding Emma Sage in my arms, pacing back and forth, kissing her sweet head and talking with Patti.........
and then BAMM!!!!

In horror my sister and I [on the phone with each other] watched the second plane crash into the second tower. I knew as I watched the plane that it was a big commercial plane and at that exact moment I knew this was a calculated attack.

Patti and I were both crying,,,,,trying to come to terms with what we just saw. All along I clutched this precious child of mine to my chest. Not wanting to let go of her, afraid of what was going on.

This was familiar territory to me..........buildings that were an important part of my life. I watched these buildings being built,,,,,my father driving us to the city from time to time to marvel at the progress of the towers going up,up,up,,,up. A fellow skydiver friend of mine jumped off the Trade Center. I dined at Windows of the World weekly for a few years, I traveled through the towers everyday to the American Express tower in the Financial Trade Center and the building I worked in for Merrill Lynch was the last building to fall on that fateful day. As I watched the TV screen, I was paralyzed by fear and overcome by a sadness that was, to this day, so utterly profound.


I tried to call Rick and was finally able to get through to him in Canada to let him know what was happening in the states.

I then I felt so alone. Watching the horror unfold............talking to my sister and crying, and holding my precious little girl.


As time has moved forward, I realize that there is a reason for everything [sometimes many reasons] and I know that Emma Sage is a blessing in multiple ways..........but one incredible feeling I will never release is the feeling that I have knowing that her extra chromosome [her Down syndrome] is a major reason I was not at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.


Her birth made Rick and I realize that my being home with the children [but especially this child],,,,giving up much in the way of income,,,,meant that she would have only family to care for her..........to work with her,,,to help her develop to her fullest potential, and it kept me home on that fateful Tuesday in September.


Today I remember a dear friend, David E. Rivers,Editor of Risk/Waters Magazine.......You were truly an amazing man, editor, writer, friend, husband and father. David, you are missed dearly and will never be forgotten.





This is the memorial at our township park.....these are beams from one of the World Trade Center buildings.




3,715 flags.......

Otto helped place these flags on the field on Wednesday evening with his Boy Scout troop.......he said that each flag he placed, he had to hold back tears......


Writen by a child........may we always remember.

Thank you Fran......

My Dear friend Fran is at it again.....look what she created this time. You know me and Angels and Fairies, so this just melted my heart!!!!

Thank you!

This is for AB&Cs Mom

You asked what was on Emma Sage's T-shirt......



I do think in the one picture the little girl was looking to read her shirt, but I have to share, that I have so many pictures that I have taken over the years, that capture how children 'stare' when they meet Emma Sage for the first time [or two] and are trying to figure out what is 'different' about her.

Isn't this the coolest shirt? I got it at the Princeton Down syndrome Awareness program. I can't remember the name of the vendor, I assume they must have a website and if I find it in a search, I'll post it.

Field Hockey 2009

The field hockey season has begun, and this season there is a new Hintz out on the playing field. Emma Sage is going into second grade this year, and is now 'Officially' our newest player. Even though the kid has had a stick since she was a baby [I have to go find it and take a picture of it, but it is the cutest darn thing ever...so small]

Eleven years ago, my friend Alison and I started the Lebanon Township Junior Field Hockey program. Greta was the first 2nd grader in our township to play, we had one 3rd grader [Alison's daughter] and 8 ~ 4th graders [Katrina and my friends daughter Stephanie, and six of their friends] so it has been so wonderful to see the program come full circle for me as Emma Sage is now out on the field.

Emma Sage loves hockey, indoor and field hockey, so she has been so excited all week. Unfortunately, it has been hot and humid, so it does wipe her out a little bit, but she is such a trooper and is all grins on and off the field.

One of the things that has hit me the hardest as I watch my little girl out on the field, is the realization that it seems like yesterday that Greta was my 2nd grader out there playing, and time has moved forward so swiftly and in reality, she is off to college in one week.

The other thing that brought tears to my eyes watching Emma Sage was that one of the few things that I wished and dreamed for after Emma Sage was born and we realized she had Down syndrome was for her to [1. read,,,,,,,that I truly did pray to GOD for and ask that she be given the gift of learning to read] and the other was that she would be able to participate in field hockey and other sports and activities [as sports are such a big part of our lives] so here she is........learning and playing field hockey.









and in action~*~*~*~*~





and one tired girl ready for a water break:


I have to go find and scan in pictures of Katrina and Greta at their first practice......

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship."~Ralph Waldo Emerson

*~Please Vote for Emma Sage~*

My photograph of Emma Sage eating a delicious ice cream cone along the banks of the Raritan River has made it to the final round and now it is time to vote:

VOTE FOR EMMA SAGE [click this link]

Thank you so much for your support!!!!!

But we are not a family......

"But we are not a family" are the words spoken from my little girl.

"Otto, Greta and Nini are not here so we can't be a family" she continues.

Awe.........

That was the response I got when I told Emma Sage that her Daddy was taking she and I out to Gronsky's Milk House for an ice cream treat [her most favorite thing in the summer] and that were were going just us, as a 'family'.

But to her, we are not a 'family' as three members are missing.

We miss you Otto, Greta and Katrina [and look what you are missing.......Gronsky's Ice Cream!!!]

Tis' the Season ~ Raspberry Time

This is the Columbia Trail, that runs from the town I grew up in [High Bridge] up along the river to just north of Califon [where we have lived for the last 22 years, and where Emma Sage's Daddy was born and raised] It used to be a train bed [and when we were younger and out berry picking along the tracks, we would sometimes hop on a freight train that were creeping by.....they went sooooooooooooooooo slow, that you could run faster than they were going]

Now it is this amazing running/hiking/biking/horseback riding trail through one of the most picturesque places I know.



So last night, this little Imp and I went down to High Bridge to hop on the trail and berry pick [she also had an ulterior motive, as Gronsky's Milk House is also in High Bridge and she wanted Ice Cream too!!!!


And look what we found..........Japanese Winesap Berries.



More than you could ever imagine.......just stretched for miles along the trail [we are heading back out today with two big pails and a little more time on our side to pick] Yesterday's trip were eaten as we walked.



So sweet and delicious!


Yes, this is what you call a Raspberry overload face.......Yummy!!!



We then called PopPop and he ordered a Chocolate Ice Cream in a cup and we brought it up to him to finish out a wonderful evening out, just me and my littlest one.



This was taken two years ago, with a little of our bounty from our property. Rick has been busy clearing out all the stone walls around our property, and thus, our berry patches are gone. We have a few left, and I've been rooting the canes as they are cleared out, so hopefully next summer we will only have to walk out our door to pick.

Foever......

This will make you smile....tear a little from the realization that there is just so much LOVE and ENERGY surrounding this union.

Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!
Look to this Day!
For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
In its brief course lie all the
Verities and Realities of your Existence.
The Bliss of Growth,
The Glory of Action,
The Splendor of Beauty;
For Yesterday is but a Dream,
And To-morrow is only a Vision;
But To-day well lived makes
Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,
And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.
Look well therefore to this Day!
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!
~Kalidasa

“May your days be many and your troubles be few
May all God's blessings descend upon you.
May peace be within you may your heart be strong.
May you find what you're seeking wherever you roam.”
~An Irish Blessing

Missing my Mother dearly today.......off with Emma Sage for a walk up the lane to the graveyard to visit. May your day be filled with an abundance of Blessings........

My little dare-devil

This child has no fear.....she will try anything, and usually with a smile on her face.

Tubing on the Delaware with her cousins......fun stuff.

Yummmmmm.......Ice Cream, Blue Bunny Ice Cream

5 Minutes for Special Needs is running a photo contect......

Here is my little ice cream lovers entry.

Go check it out and enter your little ice cream lover........

I scream, you scream ~ We all scream for Ice Cream!!!!!

What children pick-up......

One of the things that has always amazed me is how children pick-up everything that is going on around them, even if it is in bits and pieces.

A case in point: Emma Sage does not watch regular TV, she can watch the Disney Channel or DVDs, History Channel or her current favorite, The Weather Channel [she is hysterical with that one, as she is now my little weather forecaster!]

But there is TV in the home from time to time [especially if Daddy is home] and it is usually the news.

I had yet to mention the passing of Michael Jackson to Emma Sage.......first, because she truly is moved when she knows someone has died [and why expose her to more death than she has to be aware of] and secondly, I don't think she even knows who Michael Jackson is [I like his music, loved him as a young girl and I know how to do the Thriller Dance.....but that is as far as my fan-ship went] so it just hasn't been discussed here around her.

Well, she comes up to Rick the other night and has tears in her eyes......he asks her "What is the Matter?" and she says, "Jackson died....I really Miss him" He proceeds to say "Michael Jackson?" and she says "Yes, Jackson....he was FIVE" lol!!!

The kid has picked up from the background news programs [and I think now reading the covers of the tabloids at the grocery store [she is becoming a great reader] that a 'Jackson' has died and has figured out he was five because she must have heard 'The Jackson Five' a few times.

Too cute.

So, I sat down with her and explained who 'Michael Jackson' was and she is now learning how to do the 'Thriller Dance' herself!

R.I.P. Michael.....knowing you have a new little fan.

This was created by my dear friend Fran.....Thank you.

Let Freedom Ring......

"Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better." ~Albert Camus

This child of mine......

just makes me laugh, often.

Tonight we were all out getting some things that Daddy needs before his trip and we were driving in the car. Emma Sage turns to Greta and says "Greta, Text me" [she had my phone in her hands]

Greta turns to her and says "Why?"

Emma Sage replies "It will keep me busy!"

lol!!!!!