Anne's children are just so photogenic, it's difficult to take a bad picture of them! But there are other reasons I love this picture.
These photos were the last professional photos taken of all the Lorang children together, and this one seems almost symbolic. Aimee seems to be guiding and watching over the two youngest ones before her, her hands on their shoulders in a caring gesture of love and protection; Alex and Melanie look as if they are ready to sprint into life! Younger sister Liz is leaning on Aimee with confidence, as if relying on her for support. Aimee (who looks like she's all in white) is holding up the whole gang, with Heaven all around them.
And I have no doubt of the truth of these things: Aimee is certainly doing all she can before the Throne of Love and Grace to take care of her brother and sisters, and to pray for the rest of us as well. She took God seriously in this life, and He took her to Himself.
I always pray that my godchildren (and children) will remain near Him, that they will be given the grace to know and live fully the vocation God wills for them, that He will bless them with His peace. So when Anne mentions that Aimee's adolescent angst came in the form of discerning her vocation, I feel as if I had a small part in that, and it brings joy and peace. These are the very things each person should be thinking about at that age, and my heart is filled with gratitude that she gave God a chance by even considering a religious vocation. In this culture, that is very counter-cultural. But that's Aimee - she was not peer-dependent, and was clearer than most about what was necessary and what was not.
Anne mentioned several things that the Lord provided for the family before we knew we needed them - the attitudes, the writing, etc. I would add that He put in Anne the desire to have professional photos taken of her children regularly (something I do not do!); if she did not take them regularly, we would not have these pictures.
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