14/52

"A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Maile: Jumping up and down, holding firmly to her Dada's hands.

Though surely imperfect to the eye of a trained photographer, I love the light in this photo. The placement of the sun on Tim's wedding ring, on our beautiful daughter, on her trust in him. Tim, in the shadow, but there ... strong, present.

Roughneck families are often on the receiving end of a lot of trash-talking. Literally, being called "oilfield trash" (and that's one of the nicer terms), and figuratively, because of the lifestyle. The weeks -- sometimes months -- away from children, wives, homes. What these sad individuals don't see, don't get, is that the majority of these men work this work not to be away from their families, but because of, for their families. They rough their hands and add years to their bodies because they care so much more about the ones they leave at home than they do about themselves. I wanted to add a longer description this week because it is that beauty, that sacrifice, that is represented to me in this photo. It is my hope that you see it, too.