06/02/2026
Time has a heartbreakingly beautiful way of slipping through our fingers. I spend my days behind a camera catching the light and locking memories in place for others, but watching my own daughter step into this milestone completely broke and rebuilt my heart all at once. There is no greater humility than photographing your own soul walking around outside your body, realizing the nest is getting just a little bit smaller.
I looked through the viewfinder yesterday and all I could think of was a fledgling getting ready for her very first true flight.
For twelve years, I've watched you grow your feathers. I saw the quiet magic of your earliest days, the fierce baby girl who used to chew her binkie sideways. I watched you learn the mechanics of the world like a brilliant, tiny bike mechanic. I held your small hand when you were just a two-year-old hiker, chirping with excitement as we climbed the ancient, roaring paths of Ricketts Glen, completely untamed and unafraid of the heights.
You have spent your whole childhood building your wings, testing the wind, and gaining your strength.
And today, you stood in the grass spinning in purple chiffon and white boots looking back over your shoulder at me. For a moment it was easy to see my baby, the little girl who loved to spin in circles until she was dizzy. Kira you aren't just looking at the edge of the branch anymore; you are looking at the horizon. You have this rare, beautiful energy that makes your flight so effortless. A glow that guides you even in the dark unpredictable sky.
It is a humbling thing to realize my job isn't to keep you safe in the nest forever, but to admire the wings you've grown so far. Go blaze your trail through the next phase my sweet bird. The sky belongs to you, and I will always be right here, cheering on your flight.
You are truly my greatest gift. My heart walking the Earth. A bird gracefully navigating this big open world around you. You are the light of my life. 🎓✨🕊️
