Blessed

I had the great pleasure of going to Boise to visit my family and witness the baby blessings of my new niece and nephew - Charlee and Bear. Of course, we snapped a few photos to remember the occasion. I absolutely adore these little ones to pieces. I don't think cuter people were ever created. ;)

 




 

 

Chosen Family Announced!

I want to thank everyone who submitted nominations for deserving families to receive the gift of a free family photo session. If you'd like more information on what these nominations were all about, you can read about it in the original blog post.

I received a flood of nominations from all over Utah and Idaho. And not only did I receive the names of very deserving people, but I was able to hear their incredibly touching stories, learn about their humbling situations, and read about what amazing people they are. These accounts reminded me of the goodness and rightness that exists within people today, and that there is such a need for kindness and love and gratitude in the world. I know for myself, I stand a little firmer in the fight against evil and negativity, and I'm brought to the core of my own gratitude. I'm thankful that I am able to give back in the name of Christ, and I'm grateful to have clients, friends, fans, and colleagues like you in my life!

I started out on this journey expecting to give away one family photo session and ended up choosing two incredibly deserving families for this gift. I discovered along the way a little more about my divine mission here on earth; to glorify God through the talents He has given me by blessing the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I know by doing this, my own life will be edified and I'll come to know a more rich, God-like love.

The first family I chose is 

 The Jons Family

Brad and Kim Jons have a family of five with three beautiful children. Their days are busy and full of love. About two years ago, their youngest daughter Paige was diagnosed with a type of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma at the young age of three. At first, Paige's mom took her in to the doctor because she couldn't breathe through her nose, and she would hold her head and scream throughout the day and night. After several visits to different doctors, and a few misdiagnoses, they found a tumor behind her eyes that was blocking her nasal passage. Paige and her family decided to fight it hard and went through 28 rounds of sedated radiation treatments and 42 weeks of chemo. Fortunately, they had a lot of support from friends during that time.

Paige gets scans every three months to monitor the tumor because it is something they can never remove. However, because of the radiation she received, the tumor is now a ball of scar tissue so it should always remain dead. At the beginning of this month, Paige's scans came back clear, and she is now one year cancer FREE! Paige has also recently been diagnosed with apraxia so she doesn't say much, but her smile lights up the whole world. She is a beautiful little girl with such a beautiful spirit. I'm excited to bottle up their love and light and let it live on the walls of their home.

"We are so honored that our family was chosen to receive this gift of having our family pictures taken from a professional photographer! I am thankful for my friend who thought of our family and entered us. This means so much to our family!"



The second family I chose is

 The Wood Family

Jason and Cindie Wood have been married for about three years now. They have a combined family of nine with seven vibrant children ages 4 - 22, including a 7 yr old son with Down's Syndrome, and they have another little girl on the way! On Dec 15th, 2012 in Emmett, Idaho, their house was devoured by a fire and they lost almost everything but the clothes on their backs. Then, on Christmas day, they were involved in a minor car accident. They spent Christmas in a hotel and have since moved into a rental house. Everyone is miraculously alright, and, after all that has happened, the Wood family feels wonderfully blessed to have each other healthy, whole, and together. They feel blessed to have support from friends, family, and a wonderful community. And they feel blessed to see the hand of the Lord in their lives. This family is an inspiration to those going through trying times, and they offer a sweet reminder to us all; to cherish what is most important in our lives: the people we love. I'm looking forward to filling their walls with memories of love and growth and sweet reminders of what blessings still remain in their lives. ♥

"We have been doing so much to put things all back together. Our sweet kids struggle with it all and we are looking forward to being back in our house. We are very honored to accept this kind offer."  Photo Credit: Angie Bevan