Grace and Joy comes with Community

When the idea of the Motherhood Journals started to come together, I knew I wanted it to be more than just pretty images or candid lifestyle images that made you feel something!

I do absolutely want it to be about those two things so incredibly much but I also wanted the Motherhood Journals to be about bringing women and mothers together for something greater than ourselves!  I wanted it to be about community and about raising us up in a time when sometimes it feels as though every step of the way we need to continue to turn inward!

I never in a million years thought that this idea, this crazy idea that started deep within my heart would actually hit home with others!  I never thought that just with an introduction and a small blip it would spark enough interest and create a fire within someone, let alone quite a few many someones, to want to actually step in front of my camera and be a part of this!

I am truly blown away!

As I continue to grow this idea and meet and speak with everyone,  I am learning and gaining soo much more than I ever could have anticipated!

This community that I wanted to happen, this dream of women and mother’s coming together to share our stories and lift one another up… ya’ll IT IS HAPPENING already!

I’m experiencing it and it is overwhelming in a way that I could never put into words… beautifully overwhelming!

I think when you can be around so many women who positively feel the same way you do and want the same things there is just a joy that happens naturally!

I’ve been learning so much and most importantly what I have learned in just a weeks time is that there is a Grace and a Joy that fills up the space when you can get together and create a community of like minded people!  What I mean to say friends in words that could never really explain what I’m feeling is this…

• When you start talking about the real, genuine you and start to let all those perfections go and just LET GO… REAL relationships happen!  Friendships happen that are deep and meaningful even if they are created in a space that hasn’t lasted that long!
• REAL conversations come in and go out!  It’s the funniest thing in the world to listen to us talk, especially during the Motherhood Journal session where I am taking portraits of just my moms!  The conversations are some of the most meaningful that I’ve had in a very long time but they can span the distance of what we’re eating for dinner, potty talk to the most crucial of conversations that might include the passing away of friends and family!  All this can happen in a matter of minutes!  We can laugh and we can cry and we can do both at the same time!
• Every one of us feels the same way at some time or another and we are never alone!  We have all had “those days” and “those moments”.  Although they may be slightly different, we have all had them!  We are all human and as mom’s we sometimes forget that small fact!  Recently, Christina and I (you will meet her soon) were laughing about how the two of us were just trying to GET to the session and I’m not talking about being physically present for the session!  The second I walked in the door the two of us were laughing and sharing our stories of how our evenings had turned crazy and we both just needed a few human moments to do just one thing for ourselves but as mom’s that’s just super hard when you know you need to prepare and either get your family ready (which was her case) or for me get ready to serve a family!  That laughter… that needs to happen more often because as silly as it is to think about laughing in the kitchen about nail polish or unwrapped goodies it just also feels good to let that guard down and say YES GIRL, YES!
• Beauty truly does come from inside out!  Some of the most beautiful moments I have captured with my camera have everything to do with the feeling behind it!  These sessions in particular I am learning that each one of us defines beauty in such a different way!  No matter how you define it or what makes you feel beautiful on the outside when we can get together and find that grace and that joy, you can see beauty just start to shine!  I know that sounds hokey but it is the gosh darn truth friends!
• As mom’s, most of us feel the most special in our role as mother’s!  When it’s time for me to start diving in to the family and asking these brave and amazing women about their journey as mother’s and what most about motherhood do they want to capture and hold on to.. I am finding that THIS is where everyone shines!  At the end of the day, we are all just striving to be the best we can for our little ones!  We are loving every moment we have with them and trying to appreciate every second!  It’s not the prettiest moments we love the most or the ones where we find the time to put on our best outfits and smile for the camera’s.  What I am learning (and what I feel myself as a mother) is that those moments that are so dear and so wanted in print are those moments that are our every day moments in life around our house!  The tasks we often find ourselves doing every single day that make us mom’s are the ones we value so much!

These are just a few things I’ve learned so far in my adventures with these beautiful Motherhood Journals!

Later this week you will be introduced to Christina… and she will bravely and with such an open heart invite you into her world of Motherhood!

Until then…

Here is just a sneak peek from her session!  This was just one of those beautiful in between moments that happened as we were sitting on her front steps!  There is more to come later this week so stay tuned and check back to read her full story in her own words!

I am so thankful for all these women that have opened their hearts and stories so far!  I hope you know that you are teaching, loving and guiding with every word and every image you allow me to share!

You all are truly amazing and I am forever thankful!

*To find out more information about the Motherhood Journals or to be a part of the adventure with me and help raise up a community , send an e mail to Brooketuckerphoto@gmail.com!