I’ve wanted to share these pictures for awhile but I’ve been staying busy shooting and sharing the pictures of others and just finally got enough of them polished to share with you. :)
For those that don’t know I’m from a large family.. take a guess.. think of a number…. have it yet? Good.. remember that one and at the end I’ll let you know if you are correct!
I grew up in the sticks of Nebraska and absolutely loved it but in high school after traveling to a leadership conference I boarded a jet plane for the first time in my life and traveled to the East coast alone (hmmm.. maybe that’s why traveling the world solo has always been natural for me! haha) I had a connection in Atlanta and still remember that flight as though it was yesterday. Somehow for a girl that grew up in the sticks among horses, cows, and wild open plains I fell in love with the East and with the people of the South whom I lived with for 11 days and the monsoon rain storms and the trees. When I got home I decided I wasn’t going to Maine for college but wanted to go to Georgia and I was determined to get there… and just over a year later I found myself at Berry College.
Since then I’ve never lived at home and only go back to visit. It’s amazing how much easier it was as a poor college student to make a trip home compared to having a job and working and not having set vacations and several weeks off every year. I went back for a week in August and truly enjoyed every minute of it- as crazy as it may have been! It’s amazing how fast kids grow up and change and amazing how seeing your brothers and sisters grow up will make you feel much older than you really may be! People say kids age you- and I know kids come with stresses and lots of responsibility but they also grow and change so quickly and it’s showcased in front of you everyday… every week and every year.
So here’s a little sister- Javonna riding her horse down to the creek as we are getting ready to have her pictures taken. :)
Maggie couldn’t be left out and neither could Onnikka, or Tiyonna.
They were the three youngest for several years and refer to them as the triplets.
Javonna has the greatest expressions and biggest blue eyes!
Onnikkia’s turn!
Tiyonna has the blue eyes too!
Bring in Duwrango! He’s got quite the personality.
Shakeeya’s got the brown eyes too. :)
Jennaya has the biggest brown eyes and a beautiful smile. She’s quite the little cowgirl and loves reading Louie Lamor books and wearing her spurs!
I really love this black and white of her and her well worn hat.
I was on the other side of the fence and a horse my dad had been working with was pretty friendly… and very curious! He came up behind me to say hello and then continued to follow me around the round pen. :)
So I really, really love black and white photos. Just sayin’.
Riyatta is a little older but still quite a bit younger than I. She’s in high school now and loving every minute of it.
Wrustler… oh my you know when your parents tell you something and you never believe them.. well they always said my little brother would be bigger than me one day… and needless to say it’s true. I could still take him down through my highschool years but something must have happen once I left for college because it’s never been quite the same! He’s at least 6 inches taller than me is far stronger than I am or have ever been or ever will be. He’s the one responsible for this picture here: flipping bride. He’s made a home for college in Oklahoma but still enjoys going back to Nebraska to help Grandpa at the ranch and dad with the horses.
Shianna wasn’t there for pictures as she’d already left for the weekend so I missed getting pictures of her and I took pictures of Natosha with her family and had done Tashonna’s senior pictures that morning so she was resting and done with the camera. ;) I had one left and that was Lattigo.. he was born last Fall and this was the first time I got to see him. I don’t think he liked the big black camera or the strange girl taking his picture- he wasn’t a fan initially…
but then he found a dry weed..
and it wasn’t much longer he seemed to forget about the scary camera and started having a good time. :)
This is the group of them together minus myself, Natosha and Shianna, Tashonna, and Wrangler (who had gone to stay with Natosha for a couple of weeks).
Typical sisters…
best friends. :)
So just in case you lost count or didn’t quite get the math (let’s be honest.. I had to count and then realized I was missing one.. then had to go through and name everyone and remembered Wrangler was gone too!) There’s 14 of us. Fourteen and our names are:
Tessa, Natosha, Wrustler, Shianna, Tashonna, Riyatta, Jennaya, Wrangler, Shakeeya, Duwrango, Tiyonna, Onnikka, Javonna, and Lattigo. There are roughly 24.75 years between the oldest and the youngest and when we get together it’s pretty crazy, it’s loud, never quiet and well you learn how to deal with craziness and naturally have to have an extra helping of patience.
It’s a different life than what I live now and it’s one very few quite understand.. hidden beneath a hill, having a cell phone that only works in town and just recently having the opportunity to have “high speed” internet (dial up was the only option before- that’s right surfing the web on a modem- not quite so cool anymore!). It’s their life and they love it and honestly I don’t mind going back every now and then- disconnecting from the craziness of my life and having some fun spending time with family.
I’d love to hear your comments below- and if you have any questions about what it’s like being the oldest of 14… I’d love to hear them!
by Tessa
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