We’ve got a few brief things to share today, and we hope for your comments & thoughts on any or all of it!

First up, is an amusing little story:

You know the stories you’ve heard, of instances when a baby has been left on someone’s home doorstep, or at a hospital?  Especially since the ‘Safe Haven Law’ went into effect, there have been numerous stories of such cases in the news.  But most of us have heard similar stories, going way back before the law was enacted. (Starting with Moses in the basket, floating along the river, in hopes someone would find him, and keep him safe and loved.)

Well, something QUITE similar happened, not at our home, ….. but our church!

And it wasn’t a baby that was left…. but a lop-eared bunny!

HE (it’s been guessed) was found inside our empty church on Saturday, by one of the Knights of Columbus!  He was left there, in her big, clean cage, supplied with fresh food, fresh hay and full bottle of water.
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There was a note, that simply stated that he was not being taken cared for well enough anymore, and that was it!
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He’s just beautiful.  BIG, SO SOFT, such a gorgeous gray coat, and very handler friendly.

And get this…..

HE’S POTTY TRAINED!

We had heard the story after Mass on Sunday, and went right over to the parish center to see him.

Yesterday, we just had to go back, so I could get some photos of him.  I was right on time, because a parishioner was there and had him out of him cage, trimming the his nails.  This guy is really good with animals, and seemed to know a few things about rabbits.

Look at him,  checking out his reflection in the window.
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And there is nothing cuter, than watching him wash his face, with his paws.  We just about melted.
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 Surprisingly, our pastor fell quite smitten with the bunny, and decided that if no one claims him as a joke or something, the church is keeping him!!  He already named him, ‘Kreature’.  (Borrowed from the story of ‘Kreature’ from Harry Potter, I guess…which we’re not familiar with.)

He’ll be living at the parish center, where he will get PLENTY of LOVE and ATTENTION, from our huge parish family.

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I considered several different activities, in the couple of days prior,  to do in light of Candlemas. (Light…lol…no pun intended. ; )  But, nothing was really appealing to me enough.  In the end, we just decided to have a ‘circle breakfast’, representing the solar system and light, and talk about again, all of the meaningful events, that are tied into Candlemas.

For those of you who have never heard of Candlemas, I would be happy to link you to information, but would never be able to CHOOSE exactly what to link you too.  It’s a complex day, honoring several events, that interestingly, can be said to be all tied to one another in some way.  So, may I be so nervy as to suggest you just Google ‘Candlemas’ yourself, see the abundance of links, and click on one or 3, that draw your attention.

It’s all worthy of a little celebration.  But knowing the days will grow longer and longer with daylight, certainly makes us happy.

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In our day to day life, I think any one who really knows us, will tell you that I am one of THE most protective mothers out there.  Some say, ‘over-protective’, even – which sits quite fine with me.

As parents, most all of us go to certain extents also, when using the web, to protect our children.

As a professional child-photographer, I do all I possibly can do, to protect the identity of my subjects.  While I use their photos online, on marketing material, and in displays, all with legally-signed permission from the parents, I never ever use the children’s names, or give out any other information relevant to their location or safety.  I am actually more of an advocate about that, than most of my parents even seem to care about.  After all, what harm can come of anyone seeing a photo of a child online, and knowing their first name?

Which brings me to the point of this post, in relation to OUR life, specifically.  Like so many parents do with their own blogs, etc., I have used a substitute of sorts, for our own children’s names.  Some parents come up with fun nick-names, etc., that represent their children.  Everyone has different circumstances, and there is also a wide variation of feelings and comfort levels on the matter.  Which I respect 100%.

So this post is in no way an argument about the relevance or importance of doing so for any family in part, or as a whole, but more directly about US, in particular.

From the beginning, we have opted to use our children’s initials, inside of brackets.  When we started this blog, I didn’t have very strong feelings on making an effort to protect our children’s online identity, per sey.  Naturally, as a child-photographer, I’m all about photographing children. And as a mother who is in love with her children, and of which this blog revolves around, I definitely was going to be posting TONS of photos of our own children.   (Their Dad is quite fine with it as well, by the way.)  But in using their names, I was sort of ….undecided.  I couldn’t really think of a single reason, in OUR life circumstances, how using their names would jeopardize their safety, on any given day.  But just in case I thought of something later, I embarked on this blogging journey, using the bracketed initials.

But lately, I have been asking myself WHY we do that, and what harm could possibly come of using their names?

I’m just starting to feel a little…..silly, I suppose, using their bracketed initials.  Silly, when I consider the following facts:

• In home schooling our children, they are pretty much under our wing at all times.  They don’t take a bus, walk to or from anywhere on their own, nor are they ever really anywhere without us.  They know full well, anyway, that just because someone knows their name, does not mean that they KNOW them, nor should they trust them.  We have a safety plan in place & in practice for everything.  Even just playing in the yard.  These are things that we talk about frequently, and they are tested on them as well.
• Our whole family was on national television, for goodness sake, and their faces and names were used. That show has aired a gazillion times, and probably will continue to for some time.
• Between our 2 home-based businesses and 2 sets of growing clientel, in and around the surroundings areas, many people know us because of our lines of work.
• Then of course there is also the blog here, which is gaining a growing audience all of the time.  For those local to us, they know our names anyway!  For those who aren’t local, what harm could they be when they are not even in close proximity to us?
• We end up communicating with many visitors of this blog.  We really enjoy communicating and networking with so many of you.  I am willing to bet that many of you, reading this right now, KNOW what our children’s names are anyway.  Do YOU?
• The kids are also involved in activities or programs here and there, and we are also out about the world a lot. We don’t live in a bubble, and our crew seems to attract attention every where we go.  In part because 1/2 of our family is seemingly the exact same size.
• In our REAL LIFE, people see their face, and learn their names, whether on a personal or casual basis.  So what is the difference?

So, I guess I’m just thinking out loud, in a way, and asking you to share your thoughts on this matter for US.  In our particular situation.  Not a general opinion on the matter, because again, I feel everyone’s situation is different, and it IS up to the respected discretion of each and every parent/family.  But maybe point out something we haven’t thought of, or share the notion that you really see no risk in it either.  Generally speaking, I am thinking more of the now 7 year olds.  Our oldest is more independent and grown up enough to keep herself safe.  She has a different set of safety rules.  I think I stopped worrying about her physical safety as much, right around the time I realized she is WAY bigger than I am! Still,…..I will always be protective of my children, and instruct them on safety.

Somehow, I thought this was going to be a brief question for you.  But I guess a little background might be helpful, for you to offer your thoughts, if you will, on the use of our children’s names on this blog.  I don’t know what our final decision would be, but I would love YOUR food for thought, and consideration.  To help us ‘think outside the box’ on this one.

We value your comments (on anything), as well as your respectful opinion!

UPDATE-2016:  I continued refer to the kids using their initials in brackets for years.  Just because I started out doing so, even though I wasn’t all that uncomfortable with their first names being out there, with their photos on the blog. As they got older and continues blogging, in time, I just using their names, and do so today when blogging.  So in full disclosure for this very old post now, here are their names:

{A} – Alexis….more formally know as Alexis Grace – the oldest girl
And the triplets:
{J} – JackMichael
{O} – Olivia (Faith)
{S} – Shane (Jacob)

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