It’s the Street Family!! Yes, I’m excited to announce that the Streets welcome Declan Elias Street to their family!! We used to live near 1604 and Oconnor Road, and this precious, amazing, wonderful, generous, loving, sweet family was our neighbors for a time.  We used to walk to their house a couple streets over and vise versa, our kids would play and we had the occasional late night, laughing and talking as if we had been friends for life. I actually met Rachel at the park that was right next door to our house, and it was so crazy because we hit it off so quickly as friends that it felt like we grew up together or something. I loved seeing her through my window at the park or getting a text that she was on the way because it meant I had a friend to talk to and share in life’s mommy moments together.  Sometimes I would see their daughter, Macaley, with an older gentleman with long hair and kind eyes, swinging her and talking to her about the airplanes flying by or making funny jokes which made her laugh pretty hard.  Come to find out, this gentleman was Howard, or more formally known as G-Pops! I loved watching him interact with miss Giggles (Macaley) because she seemed to always be laughing in his presence. Needless to say, this was an unforgettable era in my life.

Macaley and Ethan as siblings are two wonderful individuals and often I feel like asking Rachel what her secret sauce is to such amazing children! They get along so well and are amazing with chores, helping out with the farm – goats, chickens, LOTS of turtles due to Rachel’s non-profit business, Eden Animal Sanctuary. I often wonder if some of Macaley and Ethan’s positive attitudes and cheery dispositions have to do with knowing what a precious gift life is. Losing their amazingly talented and unconditionally loving G-Pops four years ago had to be one of the hardest things in life to happen. I’ve watched family and friends over the years with the loss of their father/dear grandfather, and there is just no measure of anything to fill that vacancy.  Rachel Street is one of the strongest women I know, and I adore her to pieces because even with that vacancy in her heart, she smiles, laughs, loves and gives. June 3rd she gave life to this precious son, and although he won’t get to know G-Pops like Macaley did, I know that Rachel will be sharing videos and the sounds of his voice singing and playing guitar, and I know that Declan will understand if even a piece of who Howard was.

Declan has been born into a beautiful family with wonderful dreams and a joyful home. He’s being welcomed into Howard’s legacy, and I have a feeling that he will carry on the musical talents that this family seems to freely gift its family tree. I can’t wait to hear Declan Coo, Laugh, and sing for the first time. I just know he’s going to be amazing. Rachel, Michael, Macaley & Ethan, thank you from the bottom of my heart for having me out to your home for this incredible session. Your new addition has me smiling ear to ear, and I feel honored and blessed to have been a part of his world as I felt I was in the presence of greatness. Declan, Sir, you are going places.

~Hannah Charis