Dear friends,

Thank you for your support of my participation in the National Charity Model Search. I’ve enjoyed submitting many wonderful portraits of our community’s beautiful children to the contest, and I’m proud that by working together we’ve raised over $94,000 for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.

The date to enter portrait submissions has passed, but there’s still time to rally the final vote and raise more money for charity, as well as voting to keep your model in the standings. If you’ve been putting off placing your vote, please do so now. Also, please urge your family and friends to vote. The contest selects America’s Cutest Kid, and the winning child receives great prizes, including a $5,000 US Savings Bond and a Canon PowerShot G10 digital camera. Remember, each dollar generated by votes goes toward providing infant bereavement photography to parents who have lost a child.

Interested in casting your vote? Click here.  This adorable little girl Click Here is in 2nd place for Cleveland so it would be awesome to vote for her if you don’t already know someone in the contest.

If you didn’t participate in this year’s contest, I hope you’ll join in the fun next year.

Little K and M are 4 months old…not really an easy age to photograph and then to have 2 of them at once!  Their parents were so patient and sweet with these babies.  They even managed to get them to fall asleep! The babies were so sweet and happy…just a joy to photograph!

I have so many great images and can’t wait to show you the rest!

This little cutie has been coming in here since she was a tiny baby.  Miss B is so tiny and sweet and just makes my day when she comes to visit!  She is on the go now that she is 2 and wasn’t all that interested in modeling, but I managed to capture some very sweet images of her.  Can’t wait to show you the rest, mom and dad!

So many people have asked me about Shawn over the past few years.  I photographed Jeff and Shawn’s wedding about 4 1/2 years ago.  She was fighting cancer when they met and married, but Jeff married her knowing it would be a fight.  That is how strong their love and connection was.  Over the months her health had declined, but she sure was a fighter!  In October I was honored to take her to the hospital for a radiation treatment - she was having such a good, healthy day.  Spending the day with her is a memory I will always treasure.  Her health wasn’t very good during that time, but that day she seemed happy and energetic.  I was wishing so hard that our visit was under different circumstances.  I really didn’t know Shawn that well, but you only had to meet her once to know how amazing she was.  Life had dealt her so many trials, but her love for Jesus was stronger than most and I admired her so much for that.  She taught so many people so many lessons about life and about Jesus.  If you met her just once, she made a strong difference in your life.  That is no exaggeration.

Saturday morning I received this message from my friend - Shawn’s closest girlfriend:

Jesus took Shawn home tonight about 11:30 p.m.  Thank you so much for praying for her.  She is rejoicing in heaven with a perfect body and dancing like never before.  She loved/loves to dance and I am so glad she is able to do that again.

She talked about her own grief in the email and ended it with this sentence that has stuck with me: We do not grieve as those with no hope.

I can’t believe little O is a year old already.  He was in the best mood when he got here - smiling and laughing…and totally making my day!  He really IS a little “rock star!”

I have so much more to show you, but am struggling a little with my blog and getting the photos on here.

So, you might remember this story.  A contest called “Giving is Awesome” was held all over the country.  Kristi sent me an email about her mother and she gave me permission to share it:

“I read about the contest for the photo giveaway to someone in need and I have the perfect candidate!  My mom was diagnosed will small cell lung cancer just over a month ago.  She is currently going through her second round of chemo and will start radiation next week.  We had to shave her head a week ago but she looks beautiful with her new bald head.  My mom is single, is unable to work, and is waiting to be approved for Medicaid (to pay all of her medical bills/prescription costs) and Disability/SSI.  My sister and I have been trying to take care of her personally and any and all costs that have arisen since her diagnoses.  I would love for us to have a photo shoot with her.  I think it would be something so special to cherish when she is gone!  There is so much more to the story but I thought that I would keep it short and simple!  I promise you that my mom is a VERY deserving candidate!  Thanks for your consideration!!!!!”
Kristi

Last week I had the honor of doing this special photo session for Kristi.  They are such a beautiful family and it’s clear they love each other so much and they are enjoying their time together.  Kristi’s daughter loves her grandma so much and their images show their connection.  Little K loves pulling grammy’s wig off and she doesn’t mind and they just sit and laugh together.  It was really awesome to watch.  After the session I emailed Kristi to make sure it was OK to show any of the images, including her mom’s bare head, and this was her reply:  “I am so proud of my moms courage and strength and would love to show it off :)”  Her mom is an amazing and strong woman and I felt so honored to have the opportunity of capturing their special relationship.

I’m so excited to finally have my new blog up.  It took some time, but I love it!  My new blog is just one of many things I’ve been working on.  I have so many new things to show you…albums, coffee table books, preview boxes that are pretty amazing, a new senior model program, baby love - baby’s 1st year program, a super cool mural…just to start.  :-)  Stay tuned…