Up to the revolving restaurant on top of the CN tower they went.  They were just going to have dinner, or so she thought.  Little did she know this “date” was going to be a very different date.  This date, Reza would give her a ring and propose.   Yasmine had no idea the proposal was coming that night, Reza did good not to let on that anything was out of the ordinary.  Once he did propose though, she didn’t leave him waiting long with the answer.  “YES”!  And now here comes the heavy lifting, planning the wedding!  I have no doubt that Reza and Yasmine’s wedding day will be magical.  It’s so obvious how much they love each other, how much he loves her, how much he wants to take care of her.  There really is something beautiful in that .  For Yasmine, I’m sure it must feel like having her own Knight in shining armour.  And she gets to marry him!!

Our first stop – Union Station.  While Reza parked the car, I took the opportunity to capture Yasmine all by herself.

Isn’t Yasmine just stunning????

Reza quickly caught up with us, looking all dapper himself!

See, told you they make a stunning couple!!!

We went down by the water, we walked near the CN tower, we took photos in union station, outside union station, on a train, on the street! It really was a fun day, and we lucked out with fantastic weather…

Reza and Yasmine, I hope you had as much fun as I did…and thank you for giving me the opportunity to capture your engagement session!

Every once in a while, as photographers we come across unruly clients who just don’t want their picture taken.  Whether it’s because their Diva’s or Divette’s (is that what you call a male Diva???)  Or they were up too late the night before, or maybe they give me the excuse that really goes over well like “Umm…hellllooooooooo, just came out of my mommy’s belly and it’s kind of cold and scary out here!!”  Well, Baby Kyle was giving me the third excuse for his “Welcome to the world” session.  Oh my what an absolute cutie!! He can give me attitude any time of day! As a newborn photographer, I feel like a grandparent, I just want to push through the parents and get to the baby.  I really wanted to take Kyle home with me, but his dad said “NO!” Geesh, you’d think I’d asked for his first born or something.

So even though we didn’t get all the shots we wanted, and under my soon-to-be added FAQ, you will find out as a parent wanting photographs of your newborn, this can be something that comes up, and it’s common.  Newborn sessions take longer than most sessions, so if you book a session with me, I will let you know that I may be there for a few hours.  Most of the session is feeding the baby and rocking baby to sleep.  I can’t feed the baby (unless your bottle feeding) but I sure can rock! So give me the baby, sit back and enjoy the much needed reprieve!

So for Baby Kyle what we did get, of course he’s just gorgeous!! I’m still waiting for the “babysitting” phone call…

How could I have NOT known??? Sigh…and I can’t even attend.  If you know anything about me, you would know that I’m a huge Boston Bruins fan, and probably an even bigger (yes, an even bigger) Ray Bourque fan!! This is a huuuge deal to get to see my hockey idol doing what he does best again, playing hockey! But…I all ready committed to a team poker event on that day.  Oh Team Bourque, how I wish I could be there, cheering you on just like the olden days.  Well, maybe not with as much conviction and will, that I actually almost believed that my silly hockey rituals had some kind of effect on the outcome of the game.  Ah yes, what a hockey geek I was.  (I won’t date myself, but you can look it up on the internet and find the dates if you really want to make fun of me.) I would sport my Boston Bruins Jersey, still got it by the way,  a la 77 Ray Bourque, my Boston Bruins gloves, my Boston Bruins hat, my Boston Bruins jacket would be hanging off my chair (Rest it’s soul), all the while with my black and white tv (ok, not dating myself here, it was just what I had at the time in my bedroom, my brother’s old black and white TV with antenna!) and watch the Boston games when I can.  I was married to the TV come playoff times, and when Boston made it to the cup finals against the Edmonton Oilers twice in three years, I locked myself in my room (literally) and watched those games as though my attention could will the Bruins to win.  If we were up, my hat faced forward, if we were down, my hat faced backwards, and yes, you guessed it, if we were tied, my hat was sideways.

I endured painful moments: at the hands of the referees, game 3 power outages (I know we were going to win that game), almost-power-outages the next year again, benched Peter Klima coming off the bench in the 3rd overtime period to score the game winning goal! (Curse you John Muckler you looked like a genius!), Grant Fuhr,  Bill Ranford…

I had joyous moments: breaking the 45 year playoff curse against the Montreal Canadians! (That in itself was like winning the cup!!) I think that sums up the joyous moments right there…

But really, I was fixated on the #77, needed to know his stats, doodled his number at school continuously, wrote his name everywhere, went to every signing he was at, even brought him what started out to be a cold coke at one signing (which turned warm in my hands, by the time I got to the front of the line)  cause I thought he would be thirsty, only to get to the front, and see a million and one cases of diet coke behind him waiting for him to drink! (True story my brother was there to witness, we still laugh about it to this day!)

Anyways, a tribute to my hockey hero, I may not physically  be able to attend Team Bourque vs Team Salming, but I will be there in hockey spirit, willing your (our) team to win, just like the old days!

My “vintage” Bourque jersey…

 PS: You know, the fan 590 is having a contest: Nominate yourself or someone to be an honorary coach at the game…Ah yes, me and Bourque behind the bench together.   The stuff dreams are made of.   “I would like to accept this nomination on behalf of all of the other crazed fans out there”.  A girl can dream can’t she???

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When Kate asked me to photograph her and her family, of course I said “Heck YA!”  Kate is gorgeous and so is her family…

See, told you they’re gorgeous!

Kate and Jay, they look so happy.  Seriously, I love pictures that evoke an emotion, and for me when I saw the above picture, I smiled.  The picture to me says happiness…

The girls and one of the horses (who insisted on being in almost all the pictures! He gave new meaning to the term “Camera Hog”) .

The boys GQing it out for the camera, again with the “Camera Hog”.

The kids with Kate’s dog…I say Kate’s dog because quite frankly, if you know Kate you would say she is THEE Dog Whisperer!  Any dog she owns is completely and totally in love with her…Eyes only for her…in fact I think Harris has his eyes closed right now because he’s dreaming about Kate!  You think I joke…I’m serious!

Anyways, Kate and family, thank you for letting me into your beautiful home and spending a couple hours with you doing my thing!

…and I knew we were going to have a great day! Kim is all ready gorgeous, but WOWZER! HOT STUFF! And I say that sincerely. She looked absolutely gorgeous!! Jon you are a lucky man…Jon was looking good in his own right!

The bride had all the details worked out…including a handmade garter, made by Jon’s Aunt Doreen…

Jon wasn’t too shabby on the details himself…as he sent gifts (one gift representing his family heritage for his bride-to-be to wear)

And something to enjoy for the day…

a horse and carriage! LOVE IT! How romantic…

It really was a day filled with laughter and fun and so much obvious love.  I think that’s what I love most about weddings, the love that is so obvious from the parents, the siblings, the friends, and most importantly the bride and the groom.

We did have a couple of disgruntled guests who were left off of the seating chart…

Ok, well maybe they weren’t disgruntled at all!

Kim and Jon, thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your special day!

Kim & Jon – Port Hope, Ontario Wedding – Port Hope Golf & Country Club

Nicole & Justin – Port Perry, Ontario Wedding

Ryan and Patricia – Stoney Creek, Ontario Wedding – Grand Olympia Ball Room (second shooting with http://www.momentsbymelissamiller.com/

More to come…

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I have put off writing this because to me it feels so final, as though once I’ve written it, your leaving will be real.  But it is real, whether I put off writing this or not. 

I spoke to you the day before you died, and for the first time ever, I had to carry the conversation.  You could no longer speak.  I wanted to say so much to you, but I didn’t want you to know that I knew you were dying.  So I didn’t say everything I wanted to tell you, but I hope you knew it.  I hope when I told you that I loved you for the last time in this world, that you felt it and that you always knew it.

I will never forget the moment you became my hero.  I don’t know if you remember, but I remember it like it was yesterday.  I was in the bathtub and you and my mom were getting me and my brothers dressed for carnival.  My mom was losing patience with me because I didn’t want to wear the costume.  I was being difficult.  I slipped and fell and hit my head and started to cry.  I will never forget how you got so mad at my mom for yelling at me.  You marched right up to her…and before I knew what was happening…BAP BAP BAP!! WOW! I couldn’t believe it, someone could actually put my mom in her place. (Sorry mom, I thoroughly enjoyed it!)  As a 4/5 year old, I think my jaw dropped to the ground as I stood in awe of you.  You took me in your arms, and let me cry.  (I am pretty sure I was embellishing at this point, but you didn’t care). You let me cry, all the while giving my mom dirty looks.  I fell more in love with you that day, and you became my hero.  Someone who would always be on my side.  Someone who only saw the good in me…even if I didn’t necessarily deserve it. 

You gave me confidence when I had none.  For as long as I could remember, you called me Ms. Universe.  Everytime you introduced me to someone you said with confidence and pride, “this is the next ms. universe”.  You said it with such conviction, I actually remember believing it.  I’ll never forget the day, after Charlaine came along, I heard you tell my mom that Charlaine was going to be the next Ms. Universe.  I was devastated.  I waited til later when I had the courage to ask you “Mama, I thought I was going to be the next Ms. Universe”.  You didn’t miss a beat.  You said “My dear, all my granddaughters will be Ms. Universe”.  hmm…quick thinking, because even though I left still a little suspicious, I was  happy with your answer, contented that you still thought I was your Ms. Universe too.   

I remember sneaking through your closets when you weren’t looking, because I loved to look at your clothes and your old photos.  If I found something I wanted,  I’d sneak past my parents to get to you and ask you if I could have whatever it was I had my eye on.   My parents would want to know what I was asking you, but you always  kept it to yourself.  You would march me back into your room, straight to the closet and say “Elaine , dushi, you can have it, what else do you want my dear? Take it. It’s yours”.      You always gave to me, that’s just who you were and I don’t think if I lived another lifetime I could give you as much as you gave me.

I remember when you would come visit us here in Canada,  how anxious it made my mom.  She wanted everything to be perfect for you.  I want you to know those times you came to see us, were some of my most favourite memories.  It was like you brought magic to our house.  You made my mom so happy.  It was like she became someone else when you were around.  Don’t get me wrong she was happy, but you brought with you something that no one could give my mom, and I can’t even explain it.  But you know, because I could see the same thing in you when you saw her.  You brought my dad happiness too.  I was always happy to see my dad around you.  You took over where his mom left off I think.  Never letting him get out of line and loving him as though he were your own.  To me and my brothers you brought us boxes and boxes of presents, but once the presents were opened and done, you brought us so much more.  You brought us the best present we could ask for…days with just you.  You told us stories.  You often talked about the book you wanted to write.  I made you tell me the story about the hat your dad bought you over and over, because when you told that story, I could see a twinkle in your eye.  I know now what the twinkle was now, because I have it in my eyes, when I think about you.  When you would leave to go back to Aruba, the house was just not the same.  Life went on, but the magic you brought left when you left.  I know your heart broke just as much as ours everytime we said our goodbyes at the airport.  I hated the goodbyes at the airport cause I never knew when/if I would see you again.

I remember visiting you in Aruba.  You are the reason that my dad told me he loved me for the first time.  I don’t know if you know it, but it’s true.  Everyone was fighting and you were so fed up with the whole thing, you fainted.  Everyone stopped fighting, and we immediately called the dr.  I remember visiting you in your bed after the Dr left, and thinking again.  Wow, my hero! How she can get a room full of cackling people to stop what they’re doing on a dime.  I always felt maybe you over dramatized your “fainting” and I never cared, because it worked.  You got everyone to forget what we were fighting about in the first place, and somehow telling each other how much we loved them.  Magic.

Mama, I never got to tell you with words that you are my hero.  But I hope you saw it in my eyes when I looked at you.  I never felt unloved a second I was in your company and I hope on some level I did the same for you.   There were so many things I wanted to ask you before you went.  So many things I wanted to say. I wanted to hear you laugh one more time, watch you dance one more time, listen to one of your stories one more time.  Be with you, one more time.  Hug you one more time. 

I love you Mama.  May your leg be cast free, your body cancer free, may you eat a beautiful meal with God and talk his ear off and may you dance like no one is watching…and whatever you do, save me a spot on the dance floor with you. 

Love,  your Ms. Universe.

Me

 (Directions for my mom  who isn’t computer savvy. Please give the slideshow time to load, and watch it in full screen by clicking the box on the bottom right. It will enlarge the view.)

We had just gotten home from Lonestar and decided to walk off our fajitas for 4!  I whispered under my breath, barely audible, except to the most trained ear, “walk”.  And boy did she come running!! If she could’ve put her own leash on at that point in time, I’m sure she would’ve.  Her counterpart on the other hand, had no clue what was going on, he was just excited cause she was excited.  Putting the “walking collars” and leashes on is an event in itself, the little one (dog that is) gives me such a hard time to put the harness on.  He really lives up to his nickname of Psycho dog, so lovingly referred to by me (the boys get mad at me when I refer to him like that but really if you met him, you would agree!)  Anyways, with our leashes in hand (forgot the poop bags! OOPS, good thing we didn’t need them for this one) off we went.  The sun was setting nicely up the street so I couldn’t resist grabbing my camera for hopefully a few good shots. 

Wow, was it freeeeezing.  I’m pretty sure the feelings in my fingers still havn’t come back yet.  Between the cold, balancing my camera, and dragging “psycho dog” on the leash, it was a sight to see I’m sure.  There were a few times ole phsych lunged forward and almost pulled the camera out of my grasp.  He’s strong for a 6 pounder!  But yet for the most part he strolled right beside me, marking his territory any chance he got.   Maxie on the other hand, pulled at her leash like walks are going out of style and this would be her last one.  She usually ends up taking whoever happens to be holding her leash, for a walk  instead of the other way around.  She has never once stopped to go to the bathroom when on a leash.  I kid you not,  NEVER!  Weird.  I don’t get it.  We have tried taking her for a walk as soon as we get home (after a whole day without going outside) and nothing!  She will wait til she’s in the privacy of her own backyard, thank you very much, before she does her business. 

She does tug on that leash though, she’ll run around in a big circle and tie you up, lie down on the neighbour’s lawn and not get up, find the biggest puddle and roll around in it.  She is in her glory when she goes for a walk, and on this day my oldest had the honour of holding her leash with pride (even when she lay down in the snow and refused to budge).   I was so cold, and when I asked him if he was ready to go back home, he said “Nah, I think Maxie still wants to walk”.  So away we went, a boy and his dog…following where the wind…errr…dog took us.