Kindnessgirl

There is something about having an old friend in your life. Someone that knew you when you weren’t even sure who you were but still saw your heart. Then you lose touch, you go off, get married and have babies. Thanks to the Facebook gods,  Marilou and I found each other again with even more in common than before. This is such a treasure to me because in so many ways I feel so very different from that girl I was before and it’s special to find someone old and yet still feel familiar as the new me.

I didn’t really have any grand plans when I started Soul Parenting, I just wanted a place to share something real and hopeful. Real in the mess and hopeful in the intent. …and in the wise words of Lucy yesterday when I was having a freak out of sorts- “Mom, I just wanna share my power so you can have hope and stuff…” …and that feels about right. I know the power of images that give us hope- hope because someone else’s kitchen is messy too, hope that really beautiful connection is happening, hope that there is another parent out there with a delightfully sassy 8 year old.

I was so drawn to Marilou’s images, because I know her and yet it’s been so many years that I don’t at the same time. Her photos make me wish we were neighbors because everyone needs a witty and kind friend next door…I wish I knew her kids because her captures of them make me feel like our kids would be buds…like we were. She has a way of showing you the soulful beauty of childhood with kids that are stepping fully into their hearts every day, so effortlessly…like we all should. This makes me want to pepper her with questions and adoration.

I know you will love her (and her work) and I am so glad she will be part of Soul Parenting. It feels so special to me to have her on this path. You can find her images on the Facebook page once a week and daily on her site here.

More about Marilou:

Marilou is a marketing manager for Corporate America. In her free time, she is a photographer and small business marketing & design consultant. She spent 15 years as a computer programmer before switching to the creative side. Her kids go to bed late and her house is a wreck. She is currently ignoring those facts, pulling from both her computer geek and photography pools of knowledge, and creating a photography workflow course for the everyday family photographer. You know – the one who uses her phone, or her fancy DSLR camera, to capture life as it unfolds around her – and then wonders how she’ll ever organize all those pictures, much less make an album out of them. You can find Marilou at http://mariloujaen.com, when she is not glued to her iPad.