Family: Germans

When you travel through life, it’s often difficult to pinpoint the moments that compel you towards a decision that suddenly feels essential. Shelly’s a mom of three pretty incredible teenagers whose tight bond is evident to anyone who spends time with them. She saw a reel of our work and knew she wanted a JDP style to lock down their bond in portrait. There’s also a very special anniversary the German family is preparing to celebrate as well that propelled these portraits into production.

When Shelly brought Dale, Alexis and Trista to me for our studio tour and vision casting, she resonated deeply with the portraits she saw on the walls. She realized it had been far too long since their last portrait time and was eager to jump into the creative process. Her babies are all teenagers now and time is marching forward at an ever increasing pace.

As I got to know these three teens, it was so cool to see each of their personalities shine through as they told me about what they love in life. Alexis volunteered to speak up first and she shared about her love of volleyball and lacrosse. She is a sought after player for both her teams and brings a grit and tenacity to her play that is highly valued.

Alexis also has an inner circle of BFF’s that keep her social life very busy outside her competitive sports. She loves animals as well, especially horses. As an equestrian she is training as an English rider.

Through our vision casting time, I ask a lot of questions to get to know the person I’m creating for. I asked Alexis if there was someone who was living or dead who she could meet, who would it be. “I’d meet Whitney Houston and get her autograph so I could give it to my mom as a birthday gift,” she said. All the heart strings on that one!!

There’s a special bond between Alexis and her mom because her mom has walked Alexis through her journey with diabetes for the last 10 years. November 11, 10 years ago, Alexis received her diagnosis which rolled through their family like a shockwave. Fortunately, Alexis’s diabetes is managed well and she’s able to participate in everything she’s eager to pursue. The family is hosting a 10 year celebration party for Alexis this spring.

Trista spoke up next to share about her love of lacrosse, cheerleading and theatre. She’s only 13 and has been in 3 major theatrical productions already! Would have been a 4th if Covid hadn’t canceled it! She’s been in Music Man, Mary Poppins and Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat. She’s got the voice of an angel, making her a sweet addition to any production fortunate enough to have her!

Trista lights up when she speaks about her theatre involvement. She drives her twin sister a bit batty because she walks around the house singing all day! Trista has been playing piano since she was in third grade and her vocal abilities include opera! As Trista has worked with vocal coaches, Shelly was told, ‘you can’t not nurture this voice!’ Apparently she’s got an Alicia Keys style voice!

This little creative soul you’ll find knitting and baking when she’s not at practice or rehersals! Pretty sure she’s singing while she creates! Shelly is fully aware this creative component came from her Aunt Shi-Shi, not herself.

And lastly Dale, who sat back and observed while his sisters shared. Dale’s an oldest child through and through. Excellence is top priority for everything he lays his hands to. He’s a fierce protector of his twin sisters. He didn’t hesitate to jump right in and make these portraits happen for his ‘Mama Hen’ as he’s always called Shelly.

Dale plays baseball, football and is a wrestler. He’s also an avid reader ready to take in the story that’s around him. His observant nature serves him well in his role as a baseball catcher. His job is to run the game he sees before him, calling pitches and directing. His steady calm brings order to chaos around him. Dale met one of his closest friends, Jackson, through baseball. Jackson is deaf and Dale learned ASL to be able to chat with him. His heart is big and Dale won’t abide anyone ever feeling left out if he’s around.

I asked Dale where this protective nurturing side of him came from and he pointed to his mom! She’s his role model in this life and it’s clear he’s on a mission to make her proud! This caring for others starts with his family as his highest priority. But, it also takes the form of having the right words to encourage his teams and build the camaraderie necessary to be competitive. His empathy is evident in any interactions with him. I saw this play out with humor and encouragement for his twin sisters throughout our time together in a way that must make Shelly so proud.

What a delight to partner with you all in the creative conquest to mark your lives for your Mama! I wish you all the best in your pursuits as you continue to strive for your own personal greatness! And Alexis, keep kicking diabetes can! You are a warrior!

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Family: Germans

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