Rosemary and John's trip to Boston, San Francisco, Mountain View and Fresno this summer has been preserved forever and sent to Dublin. I took their photos from the site they posted them for us to see them and the book arrived in Dublin as a total surprise. They were overjoyed with their surprise.
Ken and Tim trip to Ireland to visit the land of their ancestors and direct the music for our wedding was great fun to do, especially the pages of our wedding day! I got the photos from Tim and told him he was to give them to me and don't ask me why. It was all a mystery. They also loved the finished product.
The latest one I worked on was for Joe and Maria and their two children Josh and Ally. They also came to Ireland to do the music for our wedding and spent the early part of their trip in London. I also asked them for the photos a few weeks ago at choir practice and claimed it was the "Leona don't ask don't tell policy" and they would get a nice surprise in a few weeks. This was the first book that I gave to someone in person and it was just amazing to watch Josh and Ally open it up and see the excitement on their faces as they relived their trip. Joe and Maria were also truly grateful and Joe said it was the best thing that anyone every did for them. The best comment of all was from Ally when she said " Oh yuck, the kissy kissy picture" at one of Larry and I kissing a few moments after the end of the mass. What more would you expect from a nine year old? It made me just laugh out loud and love her even more.
Of course my iPhone was at hand to record some photos then Ally and Josh had to play with the camera to capture some funny picture also. We got together in Stonestown Mall as we both finished up last minute shopping last Thursday night and stopped to get some food. Here are the photos:
I love the smiles on Josh and Ally's faces here:
Ally looks so intense here:
One of the kids took the following photos:
Maria and Leona
Ally
Josh
Joe intently looking at the book:
Maria ( eating rice, of course)
What I really noticed in the pictures above what the difference a year and three months make. Here is a picture of Josh and Ally at our wedding:
They are growing up so quickly, Josh has to stop growing as I now have to look up to him even when I have my heels on. Happy Birthday Josh for Friday - Hope your 14th year is one when all your dreams come true!
The one thing I learnt in my creating of my photobooks is the joy of receiving and giving . I received such great joy of accomplishment at using my creativity to make the books and in giving the books I received the joy of watching them being received graciously. I also just realized that I may not have got my Mother's painting genes but I must have inherited my creativity from her but my medium is pictures and a computer, Thanks Mum!
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