UPDATE: Our favorites from round 2 have been added below. =) Thanks to everyone who participated, and we hope these portraits helped bring some smiles and messages of hope to help you through the long days of social distancing.

Our personal project — “Windows of Hope” is wrapped up and we wanted to share our favorites with you.

Meeting each family at their home was a treat, and we were careful to give each one plenty of space as they sheltered in place there at home. The hospitality, gratefulness and strength of spirit at each home was really inspiring to us.

This family was so sweet and the kiddos laughed almost the entire time… We later heard that each child was allowed to make up a fictitious name so when we arrived, they just kept cracking up as they introduced themselves to us through the window. =) Brilliant! I may have to remember that for future family portrait sessions…

Thanks for having us over, Caitlynne and family! Y’all made us smile and I expect everyone who sees these will be smiling, too.

This next family cracked me up… Gas mask, wine, a good book, and a plea for help. Covers the entire spectrum of quarantine life, right there, doesn’t it? Thanks for having us out, Heather and Brooks! Loved the creativity and thought you put into it! As promised, I’m not posting the outtakes. Hahaha!!!

We tried for a serious one… But the smiles were really hard to keep down. =)

Love love love this next family’s series of portraits… With Dad on the front lines at the hospital, the kids made a sign venerating their dad as their hero. Well earned, sir. So grateful for your hard work and sacrifices for our city!

Dad (doctor) home in his medical gear… Scrubs and PPE. Love this portrait so much…

And finally a portrait with Dad inside, too. So much love and hope. The hand-made sign has a rainbow on it, which is lost in B&W… But it’s there. A really great symbol of hope through the ages.

This next portrait was so much fun… The daughter set the theme — Frozen 2! [CORRECTION: “Tangled!” I should know that having 3 daughters…]

You’re probably familiar with the age-old story… Rapunzel is locked in a tower in the Kingdom of Corona, wondering “when will my life begin?” Mom writes, “It wasn’t until she found love when she realized ‘I’m where I’m meant to be.’ If that’s not what this whole experiment is, I don’t know what is!”

Dad (the king) is wearing a crown and beads, and you just know this guy is such a great dad to be on board with his little girl’s ideas. Love it!

Oh my gosh, I think we all just about cried on this next one… This sweet lady moved here just before the pandemic struck, ahead of her family who are still trying to wrap up the moving details at their old home and join her.

Another front-line health care worker, she hasn’t been with her family in 4 weeks… Crises like this are hard enough when surrounded by your entire family, but to be alone through it takes a strong and special person with a depth of resolve and character.

And here’s where our 2nd round of Windows of Hope portraits started…

Many thanks to everyone who participated in this personal project… Loved the idea inspired by Stephen Live-in of Brooklyn, NY in this article, as mentioned in our previous post.