My friend Kim took beautiful photos at Vacation Bible School years ago (like 7-9 years ago!) and dug them up last week to share with us. I'd never seen any of them before. How I love them.
His hands. Ahh. Ouch. The concentration. The vise-grip hugs. Those cheeks.
If you have photos of someone who died, I encourage you to pass them along to family. It will hurt and help and heal all at the same time.
Got to love the one of Margaret at the end! I assure you I've NEVER seen that look before.
Ever since I started reading your blog, I have been taking so many more photos. I don't want to be without those memories. Such precious photos of Jack, especially the ones with you!
ReplyDeleteThese literally just made me cry. More memories to treasure. I agree about the photos. xoxo
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful gift!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. What precious images. Warm moments forever captured. Love that last face! xo Diana
ReplyDeleteEvery single one is beautiful. <3
ReplyDeletewow!!! i love them all. ordinary moments are so precious...these are all just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat kind of hug can only come from a little boy who loves his mama like no other.
ReplyDeleteA long lost photo and you're hugging your son? Speaks volumes...
For the record, I have the exact same photo(s) of my daughter.
I loved your recent post re: your entry into the world of boys. I am the middle of 3 girls and now have a son (and daughter). I completely understood every spot-on word you wrote.
What a blessing photos can be. And thank goodness for friends and their cameras.
ReplyDeleteThat mutual hug at the end says so much.
((Hugs))
What beautiful pictures. A true gift.
ReplyDeleteOh Anna, what lovely photos - that smiling boy just melts my heart!
ReplyDeleteOh woah - I am SO happy you have this, even if it's painful to see. I feel all choked up just thinking about what it would be like after all those years.
ReplyDeleteAnd ... Margaret doesn't seem to be a big fan of VBS.
(teasing you Margaret)
Ahh - that hug speaks so many words. Pure love from a son to his mother. Adorable!
ReplyDeleteHow can you stand it? How can you do anything but stand it? Ohhh my. I see my sweet son in every picture of your sweet Jack. And it hurts my heart. And brings a smile to my face that only a son can conjure up from a mother's heart.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. What an amazing Jack hug!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the photo of Jack hugging you from behind. You both look so adorable! What a great find to have new photos...and such fantastic ones at that. Big hugs, NoVa Mom Jen
ReplyDeleteThat's what LOVE looks like...all smothered up in love.
ReplyDeleteThis just made my morning. I'm so glad your friend had these. The one of the hug is my favorite, especially the one where we can't see your faces because -- I don't know why. The way you're bending into him? I can't explain it.
ReplyDeleteAnd Margaret's face. Oh boy.
I absolutely LOVE the picture of you hugging him!
ReplyDeleteJust love it!!!!!!!!!!
luv2run
it has taken me 18 months to work up the emotional wherewithal to wade through thousands of images, searching for the face of someone who is no longer with us...i have loved anna these past 30 years of our friendship...and her family now as well...and each image i took at the time reflects that. thx, anna, for the singular joy of being invited into your life. and for the honor of being your friend.
ReplyDeleteThese are beautiful. What a precious gift you have given a dear friend. These pictures clearly reflect a very deep love. You obviously had no idea at the time what these pictures would mean to Anna someday. Thanks for sharing them with all of us.
DeleteWhenever you post pictures of you and the children the first thing I ALWAYS notice and feel is the love bursting out of each one. Such a testament. These pictures are breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteLOVE these. I have a lump in my throat just looking at the one of Jack hugging you. Such treasures.
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious, sweet gift from your friend! The photos of Jack made me smile, and tear up - and laugh when I saw the last picture of Margaret...what a face! :)
ReplyDeleteI take so many pictures of my son almost everyday and now with the digital technology I immediately delete the photos that arent the perfect smiling pose. I might save a couple of action shots, but not many. Now I know how important those are. You have pictures of life happening. You can actually see him thinking and creating! What a treasure!
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh Anna,
ReplyDeleteSweet April hugs to you today.
Such precious pictures.
My heart aches for you but at the same time I like to think Jack is sending a big HUG to you this way.
What a thoughtful thing to have given you. I'm glad you have these photos and that you've shared them with us.
ReplyDeletelove,
jbhat
LOVE. Especially the one of the two of you hugging. LOVE TO YOU. xoxo
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt must be really wonderful to have something new of Jack. I'm so glad your friend gave those to you. They are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI know the sting and the joy these photos bring my friend. I have asked many of Mike's friends for videos of him, how I wish I could see him moving and talking, laughing. Nothing yet but I keep asking :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a gift! I love these and I'm so glad you have them.
ReplyDeletethe one of you bent over in embrace with Jack is B R E A T H T A K I N G.
ReplyDeleteCan't help it, just crying looking at the hugging picture.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that you received the gift of new photos of Jack. How awesome!! I love the very first one, it is filled with so much love from both of you. That picture of Margaret is hilarious too.
ReplyDeleteOh, Anna! The pictures...they are just beautiful and capture how much you love each other. The picture of Jack with his arms wrapped around your neck. I know that hug...it is the best.
ReplyDeleteThank you, as always, for opening your heart to us and for sharing your amazing Jack (and Margaret and Tim:))
Much love, sister.
"New", never before seen pictures are the best!
ReplyDeleteLove these, Anna! Thank you for sharing them with us. xo
ReplyDeleteThese pictures are beautiful. I am glad your friend gave them to you.
ReplyDeletePriceless. Truly priceless.
ReplyDeleteOh, that beautiful hug for his mama! I, too, can't help crying. I love that picture.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to trust you: that they heal, (I know they'll hurt) Love to you, always, Anna. xo
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to have some surprise images from somebody else's point of view to treasure. I have usually been the one behind the camera and have a ton of photos of Zoe that I am so grateful for. I always remind people though, step out from behind the camera sometimes and let someone else photograph you, even if you hate it, because some day it may be memories of you they are looking for.
ReplyDeleteOh goodness - that hug. xoxo
ReplyDeleteAmazing Kim, beautiful you, that sweet sweet Jack. The one of you bending over him for that hug got me most.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how it feels seeing pictures you had never seen before but seem like a special gift too. ((HUGS)) Love your hair in those photos and the hug is just amazing.
ReplyDeleteI'll take a moment to fawn over your beautiful kiddos! Love the hug photos and Margaret's chubby-cheeked pout!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful beautiful beautiful boy who will always be so beautiful. I ache when I think about how much you miss him.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures are pure everyday love - you holding your plate of food away from Jack's sweet face. Then the hug felt around the universe. Ouch is right. My heart breaks while praying yours heals.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Having looked at these a second time, I thought these must be professional. Maybe the person who did the great holiday photos? Nope, not the same, but I wasn't surprised to see that Kim is an artist. I can't imagine how she got that glow around Anna and Jack in an interior hallway, which isn't the best lighting. Wow.
ReplyDeleteHa! Margaret! Love that face.
ReplyDeleteOh my heart...those photos of you and Jack are so precious.
You are a source of light and strength and courage to me.
LOVE, love, love! So hard to explain. Amazing that it is so easy to see in a snapshot.
ReplyDeleteThese photos are such treasures!!Jack was such a beautiful boy. We lost our 11 year old son Brandon in a bike accident a few months after Jack, and someone posted your blog address on the comments section of my blog. I am just now over a year later finding your blog. What a blessing you are and many of the things you express about your son are exactly the emotions I am feeling. Our boys are having a blast in heaven together and you and I just have to endure a little longer! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
ReplyDeleteThese are great memories to cherish. Wonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteYour family will be in my prayers this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for the losses mentioned, and I hope Laura's friends will find some footage of her husband. Keep asking!
You are so BRAVE!
ReplyDelete<3
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious gift for all of you! This warms my heart and breaks it at the same time!!!
ReplyDeleteThese photos are SO beautiful! Tragically beautiful, especially that wonderful hug. You continue to be a wonderful mother to both of your children.
ReplyDeleteoh my God I love these.
ReplyDeleteand i adore YOU.
Thinking about you and hoping you are warm and surrounded by love.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing gift these photos must have been. I remember grilling my family after Hadley past to see if anyone had one more photo that I may not have seen. He was such a handsome boy, but you already knew that :).
ReplyDeleteVery nice, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI have followed you so so long now...i have cried, laughed and prayed with you....there is mother who lost her son recently and i am posting her facebook page here....if you could leave her a note i know it would mean a lot to her...one of her posts just tears my heart out of my chest....https://www.facebook.com/TeamDeven thank you...so much...i want to tell you i took my grandson to the Lego store in Chicago Water Tower Plaza recently..I just took a moment once again to look at all the boys running from display to display...and i said a prayer to Jack...thanking him for teaching me stop and smell the roses....
ReplyDeletechris
Those two of him hugging you literally brought tears to my eyes. I have never left a comment before but your story, and Jack's, lives with me. I also went to JMU and was sorority sisters with Glennon which is how I originally came across your blog. Sending love...
ReplyDeleteAmazing that you should receive a few more precious moments with Jack in picture form. Blessings for sure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful and painful picture all at the same time <3
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful photos. Still praying for you and your family every night. xo
ReplyDelete