The other day, I packed up some of my childhood trinkets in an old suitcase and headed downtown to get my picture taken by my wonderful husband, Ryland. I have been thinking about adding a section to my blog that would include descriptions of things I like or things I do. (A lot of photographers do this to relate to their brides,moms, families, etc. and to show that behind this internet facade, we are all just people, who like things.) Anyway, I began to wonder what I would put on my “Things I like” page and as I thought about things I like, I started to remember things I like-d. That is where I got this concept: it is a lot more meaningful for people stumbling across my blog to see where I have come from rather than where I am. Where I am is all about me. Where  I have come from is all about the people around me that have encouraged and built me up to be who I am today. Knowing who those people are is abundantly more significant than knowing what my favorite kind of pop is (or soda for you southerners)…by the way, its Mountain Dew. haha.

It is such a blessing that right after I did this photo-shoot, I received a cd of photographs in the mail from my mom. The pictures are of my grandma and grandpa in the early years of their marriage. It is so cool to see them like that, in their great vintage fashion. haha.  As you might have read in my “bio” section, my grandma is one of the coolest grandmas you could ever have. She has a british accent, she is always laughing (or making us laugh), and she knows how to have fun in simple ways. I just love her! I was never able to meet my grandpa because he died at the age of 44. However, his legacy lives on through my mom and I—as both of us love photography like he did.

This is my mom and my Uncle Rich when they were young-ER. Do you think I look like my mom!?

I have no idea what this next picture is about or WHY it is in the bunch of photos.

Knowing my grandma though—I wouldn’t be surprised if she was the trouble maker in the back row.

My grandma and grandpa met in an ice-skating rink. She fell down and he helped her up. Isn’t that sweet!? They got married when she was 18 and moved from England to Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh was nowhere near as beautiful as England but my grandma made the Steel City more beautiful just by living there.

 

AND NOW….The suitcase photos…(Photos by Ryland, Editing by me).

 

SUMMER PHOTO ADVENTURE CHALLENGE! If you are sitting in your air-conditioned cage this week wondering what you should do with your life, make your own suitcase. Get out a box, a basket, or a bag and fill it with things that are meaningful to you. Take a photo of your suitcase and email it to me at weber.katieleigh@gmail.com. I will post it on the blog and link it to Facebook. Share your story with us!