Robin Dodd Photography

I remember stumbling across the Heart Gallery of America  six years ago, when we were in the thick of the emotional roller coaster that is international adoption.  There was a reason I clicked on that site then, and two days ago I started to fulfill a dream that I've had for a long time, it was just packaged a little differently. But as the poem Desiderata says "the universe is unfolding as it should". I posted this image last night on my  facebook page .  I had the pleasure of photographing this little at the   Theater Bug  last Saturday. I thought her beautiful spirit represented what I wanted to say about every kid. They all deserve a family..I don't think I'm allowed to show the images of the kids in the foster care system on my blog, although I will make certain, because the six kids that I took pictures of are all teenagers and all legally free for adoption. Their photos will be up at the bandshell in Centennial Park at  The Walk for Adoption  . Meet

Life is all about perspective.. said the woman who had two kleenex stuffed up her nose while she drove down the street and shocked all the nice mid-westerners at the traffic lights, so much for trying to write an intelligent blog post today.. LOL it's the nose for the win ladies and gentlemen

I haven't been able to run in quite some time. The last time I did so consistently was in the spring of 2011. I stopped and started a few times over the past couple years and pretty much resigned myself to walking. I love to be outside, and it gives me a great sense of peace but unless I walk a marathon every day it does nothing for the very large butt that seems to be following me around.. "oh is that mine?" Today I had a very familiar feeling as I stepped off the treadmill here in Cincinnati. Endorphins.. Oh yah.. Did it feel like I was running with a small child wrapped around my waist. Yes it did. Did I have to stop and make sure my heart rate was under 180 beats a minute. Of course. But I did it. And it was the beginning. Or the return of the beginning. The next step is to step away from the bread. STEP AWAY FROM THE BREAD. One day soon I'll be jogging on the open road.. Leroy, Texas..

Even though it's early October and today is one of these kinds of days.. and I love a good rainy reading kind of day.. we are waiting for the time when we can go back to this..

Did I ever tell you the story about my mom trying to get me to sit for a portrait with her? She's smiling like an angel of the Lord and I won't show my whole face and look like someone was forcing me to drink a green smoothie at the age of three in 1971, no doubt. We lost that pic in a fire almost twenty years ago. I remember every thing about that photo. Her Marge Simpson hair, my huge pouty cheeks and my page boy haircut.. What I wouldn't give to have that photo back..These littles in this family photo remind me of that pic. sometimes it's not about the cheesy smile. Well, most of the time for me, it's not.

Those of you who know me know how much I love to get up at 4:15 am. We have to be at the gym on Wed morning by 6:00 am and with the time change that translates to the butt crack of dawn. Grace crawls out of bed this morning and says "I didn't sleep AT ALL!!!" well I know better because I heard the snores through the night from the other side of the room. I suppose you know when a kid likes something when they are sleepy but raring to go. Today she told me, "Mom I could see the sleep lines on the girls faces.. and some had on pajama pants over their leos." Which in Grace's world translates to "maybe I can wear pajamas out in public." We've been gone a little over 24 hours and last night we face timed for 30 minutes while cooking dinner on our little stove at 9:30 pm after gym. And when I say face time I mean that Shawn makes ridiculous Blair Witch project faces the entire time while I'm busy examining all the wrinkles on my neck. I miss