The Mothers Who Deserved Medals Too
NAPERVILLE - WHEATON - GLEN ELLYN - ELMHURST - GENEVA - ST. CHARLES - BARRINGTON - BARTLETT PHOTOGRAPHER
Lilacs from the garden in our bedroom.
Hello my friend!
This week felt like one of those rare, deeply satisfying weeks where life moved at exactly the pace I needed it to.
Dan and I spent most of the week working in the gardens. And I know it probably sounds like that’s all we ever do this time of year, but when you live on over an acre and love manicured gardens, there’s always something waiting to be done. Irrigation. Weeding. Mulching. Spreading new pea gravel. Planting containers. Expanding the kitchen garden. Seeding the Zinnia’s. Trimming things back that somehow grew wild overnight.
Every year, I try to get everything caught up and then inevitably dream up one more project so that each season leaves its mark on this place in some new way.
And honestly, it feels a little more manageable this year because Dan isn’t in the middle of building a studio or tackling some giant house project. Instead, he’s been beside me helping get the gardens under control, and it’s been so nice working together out there again. There’s something incredibly rewarding about finally seeing the plants we put in last year begin to mature and fill out the spaces we once imagined they would.
This in-between season is always one of my favorites. The rush of high school graduations has slowed, and there’s a small pause before the next wave of senior sessions begins. It gives me room to catch up on home projects, breathe a little deeper, and simply enjoy life outside of the constant busy season.
Though I still had a couple beautiful sessions this week.
One was an engagement session in Chicago for one of my longtime senior clients and her family, which always feels especially emotional to me. There’s something so beautiful about watching life come full circle with the families who have trusted me for years.
I also photographed one of my longtime family clients this week. I’ve been photographing their family for thirteen years now, and I just love watching them grow and evolve together. They are one of those genuinely kind families that cheer each other on through every stage of life, and you can feel that love when you’re around them.
And as if the week couldn’t get any sweeter, we were lucky enough to have an Ellis grandson sleepover too — which always feels like the biggest win of all.
Beautiful weather. Meaningful work. Time at home. Time with family.
Weeks like this leave me feeling incredibly grateful for the life we’ve built here.
And this Memorial Day weekend, I’m also feeling especially grateful for the men and women who served our country and sacrificed so much for the freedoms that allow us these ordinary, beautiful moments at home. To all of our veterans, and especially to those who never made it home to their families… thank you.
Soft Focus: Weck Canning Jars
There’s a small piece of jewelry tucked away among my family keepsakes that I’ve always been drawn to. And now, after generations of hands before mine carefully protecting it, it belongs to me.
I wasn’t drawn to it because of the gold or diamonds, but because of the story attached to it.
The pin is large—nearly half the size of my palm. Crafted in 14k gold and shaped into a bold “V” for victory, it holds a gold Liberty coin at its center, surrounded by three quarter-carat diamonds. Each diamond representing one piece of my great-grandmother’s heart. One for my grandfather Gerald, serving overseas during World War II. One for Edna herself. And one for my great-grandfather Arthur.
A tiny portrait of their family during one of the darkest moments in history.
If you read my essay about the wooden carved shoes my grandfather brought home from Europe after World War II, then you already know a little of his story. Normandy. The Battle of the Bulge. Remagen. Places forever etched into history because of the sacrifice they demanded from so many young men.
But this week, I cannot stop thinking about the people who waited for them to come home.
Especially the mothers. But fathers too.
Because while my grandfather was fighting overseas, my great-grandmother Edna was fighting a different kind of battle here at home. And she wasn’t carrying it alone. My great-grandfather Arthur, a gentle and quiet man, waited beside her. Edna even had a gold “V” tie tack made for him to match her pin, though somewhere over the years it was lost.
I like to imagine the two of them wearing those pieces together, carrying the same fear in different ways. The silent kind. The kind that settles deep into the chest of parents with their only child at war.
She bought war bonds. Supported the war effort however she could. Like so many women of that generation, she carried fear quietly while trying to remain hopeful.
And somewhere in the middle of all that waiting… she designed and commissioned this pin.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started seeing it differently.
Not simply as jewelry.
Not even just as a patriotic symbol.
But almost as a medal.
My grandfather came home from World War II with a Purple Heart. A medal honoring the wounds and sacrifice he endured during the war. And deservedly so.
But there were no medals for the mothers who waited.
No ribbons for sleepless nights.
No ceremonies for the families who lived suspended between hope and fear.
No recognition for the mothers who opened newspapers with shaking hands or held their breath every time the telephone rang.
And especially no medals for the mothers who lost their sons and daughters entirely.
So in some ways, I think my great-grandmother created her own.
A large gold “V” for victory.
Three diamonds representing her family.
A Liberty coin at the center.
A mother’s medal.
Not for fighting in the war itself, but for enduring the agony of loving someone who was.
Because while soldiers carried the visible scars of war, families carried invisible ones.
I imagine her fastening this pin onto her coat before leaving the house. Straightening her shoulders. Trying to carry on with ordinary life while extraordinary fear followed her everywhere. I imagine her listening for updates on the radio and wondering if her son was cold, hungry, wounded, or afraid.
I imagine the pride she must have felt.
And the terror.
As a child, I simply thought the pin was beautiful. Glamorous, even. Something elegant from another era.
But now, as a mother myself, it feels entirely different.
Now when I hold it, I can almost feel the ache attached to it.
Because motherhood has a way of making history personal.
You suddenly understand that behind every soldier was someone waiting for them. Someone praying for them. Someone trying to keep living while part of their heart existed somewhere far away in the uncertainty of war.
And this Memorial Day, I find myself thinking about the mothers who were not as lucky as Edna.
The ones whose sons and daughters never walked back through the front door.
The families whose folded flags replaced homecomings.
Whose final letters became treasured heirlooms.
Whose waiting never ended the way they prayed it would.
My great-grandmother got her son back. So many others did not.
And maybe that’s what makes this pin feel so emotional to me now.
It represents relief as much as fear. Gratitude as much as sacrifice. A mother who understood how close she came to loss.
This Memorial Day weekend, while so many of us gather with family, cook outside, and welcome the beginning of summer, I hope we also pause for remembrance.
For the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.
And for the families who carried that sacrifice beside them.
A gold “V.”
Three diamonds.
A Liberty coin.
A “medal” created to represent the story of a mother’s love that outlived the war itself.
My great-grandmother Diez wearing her V for Victory Pin.
WHAT I’M LOVING THIS WEEK
Inspiring Follow: @Yogawithnaz
Lately I’ve been really loving @yogawithnaz on Instagram.
She’s just starting to grow her following, but I stumbled across her page recently and immediately felt like her content was created specifically for people like me.
After more than 30 years of photography, my posture has definitely paid the price. The weight of heavy cameras and lenses combined with the awkward angles I put my body into while shooting has left me with constant tension, tight shoulders, neck pain, and honestly… terrible posture.
The stretches and poses Naz shares have brought such noticeable relief. They’re gentle, approachable, and incredibly effective for releasing the exact areas that tend to hold stress and tension.
It’s one of those accounts that makes you realize how much your body has quietly been asking for care.
If you spend your days carrying stress in your neck, shoulders, or upper back — or if your posture could use a little love like mine — I highly recommend following along.
What I’m Loving: WECK canning jars
I’ve officially fallen in love with WECK canning jars.
This summer, I fully intend to pickle vegetables from the garden and make a few quick jams, and somehow these jars make the entire process feel a little more elevated, charming, and European-inspired.
I purchased mine at Crate & Barrel, though I’m sure they can be found plenty of other places online as well. What I especially love are all the different shapes they offer. The Tulip Jars and Cylindrical Jars are currently my favorites — they somehow make even simple vegetables feel beautiful sitting on a shelf or table.
This summer I’m planning to pickle carrots and asparagus for my oldest son, which I already know he’ll love.
There’s just something about beautifully stored food in glass jars that makes everyday life feel a little slower, a little more intentional, and a little more like a kitchen tucked away somewhere in the French countryside.
Local-ish: Chalet Nursery
This week I stumbled upon one of those places that immediately makes you want to add every plant they have to your garden ASAP.
I stopped at the summer pop-up attached to Jayson Home in Chicago, assuming the beautiful outdoor garden area was part of the store itself. But apparently, I had been wrong all these years — the outdoor space is actually owned by Chalet Nursery.
And let me tell you… it was absolutely lovely.
The plants were incredibly healthy and beautifully cared for, which you immediately notice the second you walk through the space. There was such a gorgeous selection of plants, garden accessories, and vintage-inspired decor that it felt a little dangerous for someone like me.
I somehow managed to leave with several plants and seven vintage-looking pots that felt so perfectly French and collected that I truly felt like I hit the jackpot. I was so excited about them that it took me less than 24 hours to get them planted and worked into the garden.
Naturally, now I’m completely intrigued by Chalet Nursery’s main locations in Wilmette and Lake Forest, both of which have officially made their way onto my summer bucket list.
If you’re local and love gardening, beautiful outdoor spaces, or anything that feels even remotely European-inspired… this one is worth the stop.
1879 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago
Vegetable Garden Minis
Dig into the simple joys of childhood with our Vegetable Garden Minis.
Styled with oversized carrots, gathering baskets, watering cans, and a vintage garden cart. These sessions capture the magic of outdoor play and the sweetness of a summer harvest. They feel a little nostalgic in the best possible way — like summer afternoons from another era.
Perfect for children who love to explore, get a little messy, and make memories in nature’s most charming corner.
Investment: $395
Includes:
5 fully edited digital images
Option to purchase additional images
Weekday late afternoon and early evening appointments are also available
Style Tips:
We recommend neutral or earth-toned clothing — think linen overalls, cotton dresses, sun hats, and soft textures in creams, browns, muted greens, or warm neutrals. Rubber boots or bare feet are always welcome. The more timeless and natural, the better.
with love and light,
Alicia Staley Johnson
of Alicia’s Photography
If this newsletter made you smile, inspired you, or gave you an idea, pass it along to someone else who could use a little joy in their inbox too. And if it was forwarded to you, you too can receive the newsletter by subscribing here scroll down to “Stay In the know”.