In the spring, I donated a family session as a silent auction item for the Greater Severna Park Mom’s Club annual gala to benefit Sarah’s House. Sarah’s House, established in 1987 through a partnership between Anne Arundel County, Catholic Charities and the U.S. Army, provides shelters, meals and other assistance to families in need in Anne Arundel County. I was pleased to hear that my session was one of the highest items bid upon, helping to raise money for this an institution that gives so much in my community. I didn’t know who had won the silent auction until August, when Amanda contacted me to set up her fall family session.
Through a few emails and a phone call, Amanda and I both did some location scouting for their session and finally settled on Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, Maryland. After our phone conversation, I was excited to meet her two boys, Erik and Andrew, as I could tell they were going to be much like my own – full of spunk and energy, and ready to tell me all about themselves (after they warmed up to me, of course).
The day of their family photo session arrived and we could not have asked for better weather. We met at the South River Overlook in Quiet Waters Park, which provided a variety of scenery and even some fun dirt trails (i.e. just enough space for the boys to make a little mischief). Also joining us was sweet Penny, their 13 year old pit bull, who may have been one of the most gentle and tolerant dogs I have ever met.
As the sun sank in the sky, we captured some sweet family moments, as well as some brief quiet moments between Amanda and her husband, Dustin. Erik told me who was going to be which Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for Halloween (he, of course, was going to be Leonardo) and Andrew shared with me that his favorite candy is candy corn (someone has to like it!). Amanda and I connected over the struggle to actually read a parenting book (you make it 3 chapters in and then put it down for 6 months until you’re desperate again), and when I shared that I didn’t have cats and dogs growing up but now have an abundance of them, maybe as a form of rebellion, she made Dustin promise not to rebel against his childhood.
I had a blast getting to know this family. At the end of the day, I was exhausted from our adventures and I think they were too. Thank you, for trekking the trails with me and spending your evening with me. And give sweet Penny some extra love from me for hiking the trails with us!
To learn more about Sarah’s House and find out how you can give, visit https://www.catholiccharities-md.org/services/sarahs-house/
If you are local to Severna Park and would like to learn more about the Greater Area Severna Park Mom’s Club, you can get more information here – https://gspmc.wildapricot.org – or you can ask me!
