Pictures that Captured My Heart

Late June my youngest son, Samuel, turned 4. I have really tried to be diligent about getting pictures made at each birthday and then periodically, get Joshua and Samuel's taken together. Most of the time I go to a typical portrait studio, and they have done a great job, but sometimes they start to all look the same. So, I wanted to do something a little different this year for Sam. Something a little more personal and reflective of who he is as a little boy, and who they are together as brothers.

Almost as soon as Joshua could talk, he was pointing and screaming at the trains we would see. He called railroad crossings signs "ninga ninga's" Since he was only 18 months we have been visiting the Heart of Dixie Railway Museum in Calera, Alabama. A wonderful train museum with running diesel and steam engines, a museum area and a train yard. He loved it every time we went. We even celebrate Christmas there on the "Polar Express" each year, and Thomas the Tank engine also comes there each spring. When Sam was old enough he began to go to. His obsession with trains was as big Joshua's. Most of their childhood so far has been tied to trains. Train toys, tables, movies, parties, books and music. All trains! So I really wanted to have pictures made at this beautiful train museum.

A wonderful, and very talented friend of mine from work very graciously agreed to come with us to take pictures. I had seen some of his work before and knew he would do a great job. Plus, I knew in seeing how he interacted with our patients at work, that he would really be able to get along with Josh and Sam and get to their real personalities in the pictures.

We went on July 3rd, a Saturday and it was a very hot day. Young-Bin came over and got acquainted with the boys for a few minutes, then we all rode together to Calera, only about 20 minutes away. The boys were so excited as soon as we had the Museum in site! We were there for a little over an hour. We intended to ride the train, but they had changed the schedule to only have two runs and we had missed the last one. So we just wondered around the property looking at all the things around.

A few weeks after our fun time at the museum, I got an email from Young-Bin, with 3 of the pictures attached. I opened them and they brought tears to my eyes. I could hardly wait to see the rest of them. He told me he was putting together a book with many of the pictures in it. This Wednesday he brought the book and the CD in to work and gave it to me. I was overwhelmed at the photos. They are exact glimpses of their personalities. The pictures are beautiful and artistic, but personal and meaningful too. So here are some of my favorites:

The train yard is a favorite. We always like to explore all the different ones they are working on.
I love the way Sam is looking at Josh in this picture. It is how he looks at Josh most of the time, as if to say, "What is he doing? Because I want to do that too!"

Since no more runs were scheduled for the day, we had the opportunity to wonder down the track a bit. They loved running and running. It was nice and shady back there so we were able to cool off a little.

Being a Mom of boys, I have learned to pick up all types of critters!

I love this picture because Josh is holding my hand, which is a rarity now that he is 6 years old.


This is Sam's typical questioning face. We see it all the time. I can hear his little voice saying "what? what?"


I love this picture because of the innocent look on Sam's face, and also because of the symbolism of them walking away from me.


They love this old caboose and the lighting in the picture is phenomenal. It is like a piece of art to me.


This is one of the old restored steam engines at the museum. It's beautiful. I am hoping to uses the previous two as art work in their playroom or their rooms.


I love that this one shows how tall Josh is getting and that he lost his two bottom front teeth this summer.


I'm not sure I have a favorite out of all these pictures, but this one sure comes close. I noticed right away how sweaty Sam was here. He and Josh had been running hard down the track. It is again an accurate portrait of how they are each and every day. Sam goes goes goes all day, seemingly endless energy. I love the youngness of his face here.

I could go on and on about each and every one of the nearly 60 photos that Young-Bin took that day. He didn't pose them or set them up, he just took them. And somehow, intuitively knew which moments to catch that were really and true portraits of their personalities. To have these memories to treasure is priceless to me, and a gift.