Abigail's Secret Project

I am not into Reflection contests. It's just one more thing on the homework checklist that I don't want to have to put any effort into if it is not required - along with anything else that ends in the word "Fair". But this year, Abigail was all about it. She saw that there was a category for photography and just like her talented father, she has been bitten by the photography bug. For the past 4 years or so she has asked for some type of camera for Christmas, birthdays, and any other event that would warrant a gift. So when photography was a category that she could enter, she knew that she wanted to participate in the madness that is Reflections.

I was fine with that idea. She can run around and take kookie pictures of whatever. That's groovy. But when she told me the theme and what she wanted to use as her subject to convey said theme, that's when my heart swelled to the point of turning me into weepy mom.

The theme - "Beauty Is...."

The subject she thought would be the best - Grandma.

So, we arranged for her to follow grandma around for a few activities, but always on the low down. Abigail was set on making her project a surprise. She documented one of mom's treatments, grandma playing with Hudson while jam was cooling, and a few other outings where grandma put up with a camera in her face like paparazzi.

Sweet, sweet girl. She thinks my mom going through her cancer treatments is beauty. I've thought so during this whole ordeal, I just didn't know that Abigail had caught onto it as well. I am always amazed at the depth of my little girl. Some kids would cower at the sight of their grandma in the hospital (I have one who did), grandma losing hair, and grandma not feeling so well sometimes. But Abigail sees only the strength, grace, and beauty that has come out of these things. Oh, I love that girl. She's developed more traits from grandma than mom, that's for sure.

Here's the finished work and the pictures that Abigail took herself. Even though she didn't move on in the competition, I still think it was the best entry there.

She cropped me out of this one, thank goodness.