A Summer Day in Michigan

I moved away.  Do you live near your family?  I grew up feeling very mobile even though we lived in the same house from the time I was five.  We have close family all over the U.S. and we saw them regularly.  I never felt tied down, I felt independent and free and mobile.  And each time I moved away I knew it was temporary and that I could move home again soon.  Nine hours away to college in Houghton.  An hour and a half away to an internship in Toledo.  Five hours away to an internship in Pittsburgh.  But then I moved eleven hours away for a job and a boyfriend.  And even that wasn't forever.  Until it was.  Somewhere along the way roots started to grow and I knew that I wouldn't be moving home again.  

I didn't know how hard it would be.  I didn't know how much I would miss them.  I didn't even know how little I would see them.  My nieces and nephews are growing up without me and my kids are growing up without half of their aunts and uncles and grandparents.  It makes me sad to think about all the missed dinners together. 

This wasn't supposed to be a sad post actually.  I moved away, but we go back at least twice a year, often times more.  For each visit, we spend a week immersed in my family and sharing the happy life I had there with my own kids.  I do get to see my parents as grandparents.  <3

I decided to use a film to document a day one of those visits. 

 

Michigan Summer 2016 from Briar Jenstad on Vimeo.

If you enjoyed this, I encourage you to check out Francesca Russell's Life in Motion film!  She is a superstar of family film making :)  This post is part of a film blog circle and it's a great way to see the work of a few artists by following the links at the bottom like this one.  Enjoy!

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briar marie photography