An Ava story and The Sulser Family

I think it was probably last November when Johnny asked the gymnastics place where we take Maddie Kate if we could get Ava in a younger children's class at the same time that Maddie Kate goes. They had to put her on a waiting list, and then we made the huge mistake of telling Ava that she was on a "waiting list" to take a gymnastics class. The next time MK was going,and Ava was NOT going, Ava started crying and trying to get dressed in a gymnastics outfit, saying, "But I have to go! They are WAITING for me!!" We felt so bad, and have been trying to explain to her ever since what a "waiting list" means! Well, Christmas break was over, and it was time for Maddie Kate to go to gymnastics (or "ranastics", as Ava calls it) last night. Once again, Ava tried to get dressed and was so sad when we tried to explain that she could go watch, but she couldn't be in a class yet. She was in tears, I mean, really falling apart, so I kept her home with me and Johnny took MK alone. I got her gymnastics outfit on her and let her wear one of the new pettiskirts, and that cheered her up quite a bit. The skirts are so twirly! So we took some pictures, and here's a storyboard I made for her:


Then last night while we were eating supper, we got a phone call from the gymnastics place telling us that Ava was in! I told her and we all cheered! She was SO happy! She has been planning on doing the big girl things that Maddie Kate does (school, gymnastics, baseball..) for a long time, and the first one is here! I am so happy for her! ♥

The Sulser family had booked me for this session back in June. At the time, I thought that was crazy, I just wasn't that busy, and couldn't imagine ever being so busy that anyone would have to book me 6 months in advance for a session. Well, it turned out that my fall was so busy that I took December off from sessions, so I guess it's a good thing Tiffany booked me for this one so long ago! I guess she knew better than I did! :)
We took the large family portrait in the seats at the Historic Downtown Opera House in Sesser. It really worked out quite well! There were about 40 people, and it would have been hard to arrange that many people just about anywhere for a group shot! But having the seats made it work well, everyone was spaced out, and the only problem was getting the little kids to look! But I loved the idea, very original!

Then we got all the great-grandchildren together...a few mommies had to stay, the little ones weren't loving it...

And some of the kids with their great-grandma, I LOVE this one!

And some smaller family group shots:










Thanks for giving me the opportunity to meet all of you and figure out one more branch of Sesser's family tree! :)