Children in Poverty: A Home of Their Own

 I loved spending time with Lorie, her kids and her friends at the Missouri Hotel for the Children in Poverty series.  Here's my edit of their story.  See the photo gallery here.

Loriebell Cork, 26, helps her three kids with snacks retrieved from her trunk in the parking lot outside the Missouri Hotel on June 18, 2012.  Cork has struggled to provide a home for Xnyra, 4, Sam, 2, and Nickolai, 1, since her marriage to the boys' father dissolved.  The family slept in their Ford Taurus for about a week before moving into the Missouri Hotel, a homeless shelter that requires rehabilitative programs and life skill training.

Xnyra Leon-Guerrero, 4, pauses while playing in the car that she, her mother, and two younger brothers slept in before moving into the Missouri Hotel. 

Loriebell Cork, right, eats lunch at the Missouri Hotel with her three children, Bernadine Luckett, left, and Michael and Krystal Luckett on June 20, 2012.   Loriebell and the Lucketts formed a close bond in the shelter and help each other out with childcare and moral support.

Loriebell Cork, mother of three young children, covers her face outside the Missouri hotel after an upsetting conversation with her ex-husband on July 19, 2012.  Krystal Luckett holds another friend's baby in the background. 

Loribell Cork waits to make sure her kids and Jazmine and Anthony Luckett are asleep at the Missouri Hotel before leaving them with Krystal Luckett so she can run errands on June 18, 2012.  Loriebell said her kids kept her motivated to improve her situation.

Loriebell Cork walks downstairs at the Missouri Hotel on June 21, 2012.  "She came in exceptionally motivated to get herself out of the situation she was in. She had clear goals," said Jarrod Field, case manager at the homeless shelter. "She was always on top of everything from day one. She was driven to get out for herself and her children."

Loriebell Cork high fives Teresa Ogelsby, coordinator of residents services at the Missouri Hotel, after signing the lease on a house as Krystal Luckett looks on.  She was able to lease the house through a new community housing program, a partnership between The Kitchen Inc. and the City of Springfield. 

Krystal Luckett helps Loriebell Cork pack up her room at the Missouri Hotel while the kids are with their dad on June 25, 2012.  Loriebell's siblings, who live in Springfield, sometimes take the kids for a few days at a time so she can take care of things and job hunt more easily.

Loriebell Cork walks across the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge from the Missouri Hotel to her new house on moving day, June 27, 2012.

Loribell Cork smiles up at her youngest son, Nickolai, as Sam explores the new house on moving day, June 27, 2012. On their first night in the house Nickolai "literally crawled in circles, he was so happy," she said. "...It was awesome to have space. I just let them loose and let them have their freedom."

Xnyra Leon-Guerrero plays in the water in her new backyard with friends Jazmine and Anthony Luckett on June 27, 2012.

Xnyra Leon-Guerrero hugs a pillow in her new bedroom on moving day, June 27, 2012.  Housewares, furniture, bedding and small appliances were provided through the Kitchen, Inc.'s Fresh Start program.

Loriebell Cork plays with her kids, Xnyra, 4, Sam, 2, and Nickolai, 1, in their living room on September 11, 2012.  Loriebell continues to look for work that will allow her to stay home with the kids in the evenings.

Children in Poverty: Ellie

Here's my edit of one of three families I spent time with for the News-Leader's Children in Poverty Series.  I wish I could've spent more time with the Ammermans.  They're such a sweet and loving family.  Photo gallery of the Ammermans.

Ellie Ammerman, 11, looks out the window on the way to school on August 24, 2012.  Ellie sometimes worries about her family's financial situation, but knows that her grandparents will always help them out if they need it.

Ellie takes a sip of her mom's coffee after her morning shower on August 24, 2012.  They have moved many times since Carmen divorced Ellie's father and now live in a trailer owned by Carmen's mother.  Carmen pays the bills and remodels it in lieu of paying rent. Carmen also works two jobs and is pursuing a master's degree. 

Ellie Ammerman, 11, rides to Pipkin Middle School on August 24, 2012 with her sister's dog, Zoey, in the van given to her mother by a family member.  When Ellie chose to go to Pipkin, her mom, Carmen Ammerman, wasn't sure how she would get her there.  "It may not be the best car in the world but it does what it's supposed to do," Ellie said. 

Ellie Ammerman matches words to their definitions in Scott Draper’s advanced humanities class at Pipkin Middle School on August 24, 2012. It’s hugely important to Ellie’s mother, Carmen, that Ellie makes the most of her education.  Ellie chose the school because of its International Baccalaureate Middle Years program.   "Giving your kids a solid foundation, educationally and emotionally, is every bit as important as giving them financial support," said Carmen.

Ellie Ammerman kisses one of her two kittens after school in the family's mobile home on August 16, 2012. 

Ellie, 11, and Carmen Ammerman pray before a dinner of pulled pork and corn, Ellie's favorite vegetable, on August 16, 2012.  Carmen is frustrated that healthy food costs so much more than unhealthy food.  "I love family dinner," Ellie said.  It's a family ritual for everyone to share two favorite things about their day.

Ellie hugs her mom, Carmen, before dinner on September 12, 2012.   "I could get three jobs, but in 20 years, I'm not going to care about those jobs," Carmen said. "I'm going to care about the job I did with these girls and whether or not they got an education and love themselves."

Carmen Ammerman reads "To Kill a Mockingbird" to her daughter Ellie, who wanted to go to bed early after an exhausting second day of school on August 16, 2012.

I didn't include photos of Ellie's sister, Shelby, because she wasn't around much when I was and I wanted to focus the story on Ellie.  Shelby is a warm and articulate recent high school graduate who is trying to figure out what to do with her life. She works at a restaurant and goes to community college full time. 

Black Widow

Jamie found her in the backyard the other night.  I wished I had a macro lens, but Jamie talked me into trying to get a shot anyway, so I used a 50mm, knowing I'd want to crop.  I also wished that twig wasn't in the way, but I wasn't going to move it!  It was plenty creepy getting close enough to photograph the little monster.

Maramec Spring Park

About 3 weeks ago, Jamie and I took a short trip to Maramec Spring Park.  The weather was perfect and we couldn't get over the beauty of the place.  It's near St. James, Mo., where I volunteered for the Missouri Photo Workshop a few years ago. I remembered a photo story on this place, but never made it there during the workshop.  We only camped one night, which didn't seem like enough, so we hope to go back soon.  It was perfect for us, because there was plenty for me to explore while Jamie fished for hours. 

Near the spring.

Our campsite was close to this bridge, so we took a walk there after dark.  The stars were reflected in the water, and then we saw glow worms along the bank.  It was sparkly and magical.

Jamie fishes shortly after we got there.

The deer were everywhere!  I saw at least 30.

The Maramec River trophy trout area was cross from our campsite, number 3.  We loved this site and will always try to get a campsite in the single digits. 

We had a great dinner.

Maramec Spring, where groundwater emerges from a cave.

Trout in the sunlight.

the last sunflower

Yesterday I realized that we have one sunflower that hasn't fallen over yet, and figured I better document it, since I kind of slacked off shooting and blogging during the heat of the summer.   Jamie played the role of light stand for me.

 Our plan was to have a big hedge of amaranth, but it never grew tall like it was supposed to.  Maybe I should have thinned more/earlier.  Or maybe the sunflowers sucked up all the water and nutrients.

When the sunflowers fall over, cardinals and goldfinches sit on them and eat the seeds, leaving a pile of shells.

early morning fishing

We got up around 4 a.m. yesterday and went to Cooper Creek access on Taneycomo.  Jamie has made the early morning trip several times lately, but I had never gotten up in the middle of the night with him before.  

He got the spot at the corner of the dock and started catching fish right away.

Anyone know what this is?  I haven't figured it out yet.  He was pretty skittish.

After the sun came up and Jamie was (finally) ready to go we continued the adventure with breakfast at Persimmon Hill Berry farm, where we got a tour of their shiitake operation, more fishing and swimming at Baxter access on Table Rock, and antique shopping in Crane.  

backyard flowers

A sunflower from a plant that sprung up near the roses. It has multiple buds on it, which I didn't know was possible, but Kelly Bigbee from Farmers Market of the Ozarks told me that it might have come from a bird feeder with black oil sunflower seeds. 

a firefly on a sunflower leaf 

I think this is clematis? We tore out a crazy mess of honeysuckle and vines to put in scarlet runner beans, red malibar spinach, strawberries, and flowers. I was pleasantly surprised these grew back.