As I’ve fallen a little complacent in updating my blog lately I’ve had some of you wondering how things are going. Life has been busy. Crazy. And full of…well, life. With Chance going through so many medical moments this past year I suppose it’s worth sharing a bit of an update as we just went through his second spina bifida clinic earlier today.

We feel blessed that we’re close to breaking a record in how long Chance’s shunt has lasted without a revision. The longest we’ve went without a  shunt revision or shunt related surgery is 4 1/2 months…exactly 138 days. We’ve felt blessed that he’s been out of the hospital for so long now and we’re only about a month away from breaking that record. Yes, by this time next month…right around his birthday we’ll be ready to celebrate if this shunt continues to function well for my baby boy.

I have to admit having him go through so much this past year has left me incredibly nervous, especially when he begins to present some of the symptoms of a potential shunt malfunction. Sometimes I worry that I’m overreacting when I begin to worry but I continue to be reassured not to doubt my instincts and that it’s better to be safe when concerns arise. Just one week ago we found ourselves worrying about Chance’s shunt as it began to swell a bit around the area on his head where it’s located and along the tube that drains the fluid from his head to his belly. That night he was very irritable and had me up nearly every hour and his soft spot kept going between being full to soft. To be safe Chance and I took a trip to the ER Saturday morning and he underwent a CT scan and an x-ray to confirm that his shunt was intact and draining properly. It wasn’t quite where we wanted to be for several hours last weekend but we were able to rest a lot easier afterwards knowing everything was okay. This darn shunt of his definitely keeps us on our toes as we watch this little guy grow.

It’s hard to believe Chance is nearly 11 months old. We’ve been enjoying watching a lot more of his personality shine through.

His big sister has been a huge help. A couple days ago she thought it’d be fun to have Chance sport a faux hawk. I suppose it’s fitting for super Chance to look “cool”.

Hope has begun to refer to him as the “chancinator”. Yes, not only does he have super powers…but this kid is tough…I suppose like the terminator.

This morning we went to the spina bifida clinic for Chance’s second clinic since being born. Right now he is scheduled to go every six months and due to his spina bifida we see a list of specialists that help us ensure he’s receiving the best care possible. When we arrived we took Chance to get weighed in. Suzanne Mckee who leads coordinating the spina bifida clinic in Orlando scooped Chance up just before she weighed him and shared with him some of his photos that are hanging in the clinic. I don’t think he quite realizes it yet but he’s loved by quite a few people in the spina bifida community and has helped bring a lot of optimism to the spina bifida community. Yes, baby boy…you have super powers to touch the lives of so many people…we sure are blessed to have you here.

I have to admit that I found myself growing quite nervous before clinic again. It’s a day that we get to chat with all the doctors about Chance’s care and as he grows we anticipate that we may need to adjust to the changes spina bifida may bring to his (and our) life. Thankfully as the day went on I was reminded that it would be a memorable experience…it sure helps to have such amazing people caring for our baby boy.

With as much as Chance has been through we’ve grown quite close to so many caring for our baby boy, especially Chance’s neurosurgeon. Hope absolutely adores her and made her this sweet note. We really do think she’s the best neurosurgeon in the universe!

I was a little surprised that I was able to hand Chance over the Suzanne today…he’s gotten really attached to me and is going through major separation anxiety these days. So it’s uplifting when anyone besides me holds him and he’s not crying.

So it was no surprise to see him crying in the arms of most others, including his favorite doctor Dr. Johnson. Okay, perhaps he remembers all the surgeries…the rule is we’re not allowed to say the “s” word around my baby boy because we don’t want him to ever have to undergo another shunt revision or surgery again.

Hope was out of school today so she got to accompany us to Chance’s clinic. She found her doctor’s coat and sported it this morning. Chance’s doctor has made that much of an impression on our baby girl that she has begun to proclaim this year that she’s going to be a neurosurgeon someday.

Dr. Johnson is not only great in caring for my baby boy but she has become such an awesome role model for my baby girl. As she had to take care of other patients she gave Hope instructions on how to care for all the patients in the spina bifida clinic.

As I began to head to clinic I recall hearing her throw all sorts of big medical terminology out at Hope to remember and we all just laughed…yes, the morning was memorable.

We headed off to clinic and as we waited to see about a half dozen specialists we waited. Hope got lots of attention from all the doctors who were thrilled to see her aspiring to be a doctor some day. Some even gave her a little bit of responsibility and by the end of the morning she ended up being nudged to consider being a neurosurgeon, nephrologist, urologist and a few other types of doctors. Yes, Dr. Hope had a lot of fun today.

The morning went fast. In between waiting to meet with doctors we got to chat and catch up with a few of the other families we’ve become connected to since Chance was born. I recall when I was pregnant with Chance being scared of all these doctor’s appointments…yes, they still make me a bit nervous but the last two spina bifida clinics have almost been a lot like a mini reunion with other families with children with spina bifida who have become a lot like family to us. Chance was quite content most of the morning…he slept for a good hour or more of it.

You’d think the kids would have been acting up with as much as we waited…but they were amazing and had fun. Jaylen enjoyed having Jason with us this morning…they goofed around a bit towards the end of the morning and Jaylen was incredibly happy to get all the attention.

Before we went to the clinic I had considered letting the kids perhaps spend the morning playing elsewhere with some of their friends…but I’m glad they accompanied us. Being in a doctor’s office all morning all morning might not be the ideal place for kids but being at the clinic really feels like a family event for us to be together for. This baby boy of ours is going to need lots of love and support in the years ahead and it’s going to take all of us…thankfully the kids did amazing.

By the end of the morning we found ourselves relieved that Chance’s second spina bifida clinic went well. I suppose all the photos are great but that you all might be interested in how Chance is doing now that we’ve talked to the doctors more…so here goes:

• Chance’s shunt is doing well. All the tests came back great and now we just keep praying that it keeps working well. It still continues to get poofy or swollen at times but it’s likely due to growth changes and congestion that he’s had in the last week. We’ll just keep watching it closely and praying for no more surgeries.
• Chance’s kidney and bladder tests came back great. The doctors seemed thrilled to tell us how well he’s functioning in these areas. With spina bifida bladder and bowel problems are common. It’s still too early to tell how he may be affected with these concerns but right now we are thankful that he’s able to void on his own without assistance and that he hasn’t had any urinary tract infections. His bladder and kidneys are growing well and look very healthy so we’ll keep caring for him like any other baby and pray we won’t have to intervene any.
• We met with the doctors and physical therapists and to discuss his physical therapy. He’s still challenged with sitting. He can sit independently but he wobbles and will throw himself back out of fussiness. We’re told that’s likely behavioral and that it’ll take time for him to correct. He’s still not crawling but his upper body is incredibly strong and he can pivot around and slightly scoot on the floor enough to reach for toys. Though he’s behind in comparison to other babies his age, for a baby with spina bifida we were reminded that they will all be different and we just need to be patient and work with him the best we can around his capabilities and in his own time he’ll show us just how much he can do.
• Chance underwent an x-ray this morning of his hip to ensure neither of his legs were dislocated. During the last clinic there was a concern that one leg might have been dislocated but the x-ray this morning confirmed it was not. We got to chat with the doctor this morning about his orthopedic function and this far we’ll keep working with getting him strong enough to want to move. He’s still no where near standing on his own so we have to wait and see how he’ll be when he reaches those milestones. They suspect that he may need AFO braces eventually to help give his legs a bit more support to stand but we’ll wait a bit longer to see just how much he can do on his own.

Yes, I was reminded before we took Chance to his clinic how tough it is to not be in control of all these uncertainties that come with him having spina bifida. I recall last night really thinking all over again about how much I wished he didn’t have spina bifida…but he does, and we can’t change that. And now today after clinic as I breathed a huge sigh of relief I was reminded that not being in control really can be a beautiful thing…we’ll just have to keep trusting that the Big Man above is control and will take good care of our family and this amazing little boy of ours.

We’re only hours away from celebrating a new year. I’m thankful that we’ve reached the end of 2011. The year has been a roller coaster full of ups and downs and I can’t help but be hopeful for beginning a new year. It seems each year brings it’s own blessings and challenges. This year has challenged me and my family in ways I never thought possible. And now as 2012 approaches I have thought long and hard about a lot of things and among the many commitments I have for the year ahead – I find myself gearing up to join “Team Spina Bifida”. In 2012 I vow to find it in myself to run a half-marathon in support of my baby boy and all those that have been affected by spina bifida.

Nearly a year ago I was contacted by a mother who has a son with spina bifida. A woman I never knew or met in my life wrote me while I was still pregnant and she said she was running her first marathon and that she was doing so in support of her son and so many others affected by spina bifida and that she would be thinking of me and my son and praying for us as she ran her first marathon. Back then I recall thinking of how inspirational it was for a complete stranger to reach out to me and to give me hope. I thought about it last year and recall thinking of the little I knew about spina bifida and I knew back then that Chance would be born with a birth defect that we all would have to endure for his entire life. With his life, much like a marathon…it’s not how fast we can reach the finish line…it’s that we can endure the challenges. Endurance is defined as “the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions” and as I think of my baby boy I think of how much he has had to endure in just the first ten months of his life. He’s went through 11 surgeries. He’s spent more than a month of his life in the hospital. He’s now beginning to require physical therapy to help him with his mobility. His future is so promising…yet, I know it is uncertain what challenges he may have ahead. I am so optimistic but I realize our family must endure the challenges his spina bifida may bring to his life.

Yes, endurance. Most people who know me know that I am active but to be honest, I’ve always hated running. I was in the military for nearly six years and I swear they ran me to the ground. At times I was held to 18th airborne corp standards and was no where near the fastest runner. In fact, for a couple years I was the only female in a platoon and I suppose God never blessed me with endurance when it came to running because distance running was always what challenged me most in the military. I recall having a special forces platoon sergeant who use to run us 4 to 8 miles some days and it seemed so impossible in my mind…but every run I some how finished, definitely never the fastest, but I always finished. I could road march all day long in the military. I even walked 15 miles nearly 3 years ago for relay for life but I have never ran more than 8 miles. And it’s been 14+ years since I ran that far. Usually 2-3 miles is a reasonable goal for me…anything more is pure torture. Yes, I fear running long distances.

Yes, I am ending the year and ready to begin a new year and support my baby boy and all the others out there affected by spina bifida by running a half marathon this year…likely in Kentucky at the end of April. Call me crazy if you like…but I think about my baby boy and if he can endure so much just in his first year of life…I can endure running 13.1 miles along with the hundreds of miles I’ll likely run training for it. Perhaps along the way I might be able to once again do some good and help create some awareness for spina bifida. It’s so easy to want to give up on the things that you know will hurt…on the things you fear…over a year ago that “thing” was spina bifida. I was scared to death and wanted to give up. But I’m so glad I didn’t. And now it’s time to do something in support of my baby boy, even if it’s something that seems like torture to me….it’s time to do the things I once thought I never could do. I will not give up…just like I’ll never give up on my baby boy. In the near future I will share an update and let you all know ways you can help support me in this crazy little goal I have for 2012.

We LOVE you Chance…together we can endure anything…always remember “Love bears all things, Hopes all things, Endures all things. Love never fails.” (Corinthians 13: 7-8)

This past month he started physical therapy. He has been sitting for a while but not quite what I’d say independently. He loses his balance easily and is known to throw himself back. He hadn’t shown too many signs of having a desire to be mobile either…no matter how much we tried to get him to move those little legs he was content just laying around enjoying the things around him. At physical therapy we mostly have been working on getting him to do things to strengthen his body in the areas needed to sit confidently and independently and also to roll on his own out of desire…not just out of fussiness. Here I was wishing for my baby boy to show a desire to crawl…and he still was working on things that most babies his age typically would have done months ago. Every time he’s been on his belly he’d just leave those legs locked out straight and it’s tough not to let my momma emotions wonder how long it’d possibly be before he’d begin to show signs of wanting to move around…and yes, crawl.

In the last week he’s made big progress. We can’t lay him down without him rolling right on over. And he’s begun to scoot backwards. In the last few days he’s begun to move those legs in a bit more of a bent and at times upward position…yes, a little more like this little guy will crawl before we know it. Go ahead Chance…show of those little legs moving!

He knows we’re quite proud of how well he’s been doing. Something tells me he’s proud to be moving around a bit more now too.

He’s begun to stick his tongue out more too…it’s the funniest thing. Okay, this was just the start of it today…just wait, this kid will have you laughing.

Chance has another surprise…if you’ve been on facebook you’ve likely heard about it…take a guess…Yes, two new teeth! Finally they’ve popped up just enough for me to photograph. He smiles so big that they’ll likely be in all his photos now. Okay…this kid is cute…but get ready for his silly side.He’s found this tongue can get most people to look at him…and even laugh. As if the kid didn’t get enough attention…he’s quite funny this past week with this new trick.And yes, he knows he’s funny.Seriously…he cracks me up…the last few days he has spent a good portion of the day sticking his tongue out. We spent a little time today just admiring this little guy before he grows too much more. And yes, this little guy rolls all around now…it seems we set him down and he ends up on the other side of the room. We’re still trying to figure out where he learned this trick…seriously…half the day this kid is humoring us like this. Ten months old…geez where has time gone. Today reminded me once again to admire just the simplest of moments…yes, I had no intent to take any of these photos today…it all began much like it ended…with a little baby boy who was fascinated with cartoons moving around on the floor. I’m thankful for the memories…every single simple moment that has come and gone…thank goodness for photos to remind me of the priceless unplanned moments.

Now that Christmas has come to an end…I thought I’d take a moment to share a long overdue update on my blog. We celebrated Christmas…and felt a little more blessed to have this little guy celebrating his very first Christmas…at home!

Yes, I say that quite happily because this year has been challenging and uncertain at times and we’ve been quite thankful that we’ve been out of the hospital with Chance now for 2 1/2 months. We say lots of prayers that it’ll stay that way. We were reminded how fortunate we are to be home as we’ve learned of some of our spina bifida family who have found themselves in the hospital this Christmas and also having our niece in the hospital with leukemia. This year has definitely helped me cherish the little moments a little more. Chance has been in physical therapy for the last few weeks and is gradually gaining the strength needed to sit more confidently, roll around, and scoot a bit. I imagine it might not be long until he’s crawling.

We celebrated Christmas at home with the kids. Aside from the excitement of opening gifts majority of the day has been calm. We feel blessed to have such amazing kids. They were a tad bit excited to see all the gifts santa brought them.

I thought I’d take a moment to share our holiday cards online with all of you. Some of you have likely already received yours…and it’s possible that some may be in the mail still. It seems that every year our mailing list grows a little bit because this little silly idea of mine to make our own cards has definitely become a tradition that will continue for many years to come. Every year I seem to be told by a handful of people that our cards were the “keeper” of the stack they received…I suppose now that leaves no pressure every year. For me they’ve become not only a tradition, but almost like a gift to give myself…something that helps me cherish my family a little more each  year….and something I can then share with those special people in our lives that we adore.

This year I elected to do a bit more of a photographic theme. It seems only fitting. To be honest…I took so many photos of the kids I wanted to share that after sifting through all this year’s photos it made me want to turn our cards into almost like a photographic “highlight” of our year.

The cards were made to have an accordion fold so they’d open a bit more differently than a normal card. I felt it left a lot of room for me to include photos. I included a bit of type that seemed fitting like “for unto us a child is born” and “may god’s blessings be yours this Christmas”.

On this inside of the card I included some of Hope’s handwriting along with her illustrated version of our family. It’s neat to see how much her illustrations change every year.

On the inside of the cards we have a family photos taken at the last minute as I began designing our cards. Yes, rushed…but still a priceless candid moment with my family. I felt it important to include: “Love bears all things, Hopes all things, Endures all things. Love never fails.” (Corinthians 13: 7-8) beside our family photos. Our family has been through so much over the years but this year has undoubtedly been the toughest. I often don’t write nearly as much as has affected us. I just trust there’s a purpose in everything…and I trust God’s using all these challenges that have been thrown at us to strengthen us. As we tried to get the boys to open up a bit more happily in the photos taken we realized it was worth just letting them be themselves…and goofy moments prevailed. Thankfully Chance’s shunt plays along with him being upside down…he really does seem to love being turned upside down.

Our cards were two sided so the back includes more photos along with giving Hope a little credit for helping me with our cards.

I’ve had a few of you express an interest to see the past year’s cards this year…so just in case you’ve never seen them you can view them here…now I’ve got less than a year to plot out an idea for next year’s cards. Yeah, well…no matter how much time I give myself to think out ideas…it always leaves me sending them out the week of Christmas the last few  years.

• 2006 cards
• 2007 cards
• 2008 cards
• 2009 cards
• 2010 cards

I hope you enjoyed this year’s cards…and if for some reason if I missed sending you a card this year then be sure to send me your address. I lost a few addresses early this year when my laptop crashed so hopefully I didn’t miss too many of you.

Happy holidays to you all.

Just over two years ago I began volunteering as a photographer with Now I lay me down to sleep. If you’re not familiar with the organization it is one where photographers volunteer their services to families who have or are expected to lose their baby. A lot of people ask me “why” or “how” I could ever volunteer doing such sensitive photography of something many consider to be “morbid”. Trust me, I never thought I’d be the one doing infant bereavement photography…I’m convinced it was all a part of God’s plan. As I began learning photography I recall wanting to find ways to give back and initially considered it but felt it was something I wasn’t quite strong enough to do. I felt that way for a good year before I miscarried in 2009. It took that experience and a month of surreal medical experiences where I thought I might never have another child that made me think a little more about stepping up to volunteer. I’ve heard many people say they have that “moment” with God at some point in the lifetime. That miscarriage left me in the hospital for several days after going through three surgeries and I recall waking up the very last night to a dream of my mother hurting badly. I don’t recall a lot of the details but just recall waking up very worried about my mother who I hadn’t been in touch with much that month. I woke up wide awake and checked my email to find a heartfelt message from my mother letting me know she had been thinking of me and told me a bit of her own experiences miscarrying close to halfway through her pregnancy before she had me. It was something I knew had happened but it was never talked about growing up. As the tears fell, I realized it was a sign from God that I was strong enough…if I made it through as much as I did that month I miscarried then I could certainly help other families. I went ahead that same night and signed up to be considered as a volunteer. I recall thinking about my own heartache but knowing that many other families had went through so much more losing little ones much further along than I did and I felt that miscarriage finally gave me the strength to know if I could make it through that surreal month then I could make it through anything.

By December 2009 I was accepted as a volunteer photographer and was quickly thrown in the fire as a photographer. I joined when there were only a few photographers available and I was quickly needed that month for several sessions. There was never an opportunity to train or shadow other photographers…I was needed and I had no time to think about how tough it might be for me to do this type of photography because I knew I was stepping in to help them in some of the most special moments of their lives…their final moments with their little one. Exactly two years ago I was called to the hospital to photograph Ashley & Paul’s son, Caiden, who had unexpectedly lost his heartbeat at 28 weeks. Ashley had went a little longer than normal before Caiden was born so he was very fragile and still to this day it was the toughest sessions I’ve ever done for Now I lay me down to sleep. Over the last two years their family has kept in touch and I was uplifted earlier this year to hear that they were expecting a little girl at the end of this year. In mid September I met with the couple on the day they passed the 28 week mark of their pregnancy. We were all thinking of Caiden that day. They brought along this photo I had taken of Caiden’s hand grasping Paul’s two years ago.

At the end of November Caiden’s little sister, Kaydence, arrived. This past week I got to meet her for the first time. Yes, she’s an amazing little miracle.

I feel like I’ve been waiting in anticipation of this little girl nearly as much as I have one of my own…boy was she worth the wait.

At just two weeks old she had the most adorable little personality.

I wish you all could see every single little expression we got to see…perhaps this snapshot of thumbnails will help you all smile a little more.

Okay, I can’t resist it…I have to share an outtake. As we worked on posing her and keeping her head stable she totally played the perfect baby model. Yes, this little girl cracks me up.

Thankfully she didn’t take long to doze off…you know I love sleepy newborns the best.

Thanks to Erin Sharma I had an extra set of hands to help with Kaydence and as she stayed content Erin joined me in photographing her. Erin and I took some photos behind the scenes to help you all see a bit more of what a session really looks like. It takes a lot of work to get these little ones looking perfect.

We spent a lot of time admiring Kaydence. As we did we reflected on Caiden at times. Her mother and I agreed that she definitely resembles her big brother.

I think a lot of people who view newborn photography think of it as being “easy”…and many think it takes just a few minutes to take the best shots. Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only do we have to have a cooperative little one but I’ve come to learn photography of newborns has so much more to do with other things…like light…and fabric. I’ve become a little obsessed with blankets and fabric over the last four years. One thing I despise in my photos is wrinkles. I picked a fabric for Kaydence that was a little more pesky with wrinkles…I suppose some might be humored by this. I’d rather spend a few extra minutes getting the wrinkles out this way than in photoshop because photoshop really can’t perfectly fix everything.

Even after fabric is steamed I’m constantly working out the wrinkles once the baby is comfy. Some fabric is more cooperative than others…this fabric was more challenging than the baby.

Thankfully Kaydence was a little angel for us. Erin was kind enough to hold the fabric down nice and tight to help keep the fabric as wrinkle free as possible…and yes, it was a hilarious moment so I can help but share another smile from the day.

As I photographed Kaydence in Ashley’s arms I couldn’t but have a flashback of taking a similar photo of Ashley and Caiden. You definitely never forget moments like those.

There’s definitely no forgetting Caiden…but boy are we all so glad to celebrate having Kaydence here this year.

I swear this little girl makes the cutest little pouty faces…something tells me she knew we were thinking of Caiden a lot that day.

You can’t put a price on being able to take photos of Ashley & Paul with Kaydence because taking nearly the same photos with Caiden are still some of the most touching and unforgettable moments I’ve been a part of as a photographer.

Yes, Paul is a proud father…he now has his baby girl here safely in his arms. Something tells me he’s going to be holding her real close for quite sometime.

I was told Paul had Caiden’s name tattoo’d on his arms so it was a perfect opportunity for me to take another memorable photo of Kaydence.

Kaydence will grow up knowing she has a very special big brother in heaven…there’s just no forgetting that sweet little angel.

Yes, Kaydence…we still miss him…something tells me you know that.

This past weekend I invited Kaydence’s family out to do some outdoor newborn photos. It’s a tad bit more challenging to work outdoors so we had a goal to get one perfect shot of Kaydence. Erin joined me again…she helped me test the light where we would shoot the photos of Kaydence.

The plans were to photograph Kaydence on a large tree that had been knocked down. Safety is the absolute most important thing to me so as we positioned her and made sure she was cozy everyone had hands on her helping her feel a little more comforted and safe.

Once we got her into position and we knew she wasn’t too squirmy we began taking tons of photos.

And here she is…sunbathing in the awesome December Florida sun.

Ashley & Paul best wishes to your family. Kaydence truly is a blessing just like her big brother. Something tells me he’s up there smiling as we all watch his little sister grow. Happy birthday Caiden…you’ll never be forgotten.

Arabella also joined me this past weekend to do some outdoor newborn photos. Erin Sharma joined me again to assist me given the unpredictable disposition of newborns it was helpful having another set of hands. I’ve worked with Erin a handful of times the last two years when our schedules have worked out. We had this dream of Arabella sleeping on this tree. She decided she’d prefer to stay awake and was a little too squirmy for us to try this shot.

Because Arabella was so alert and squirmy it was a huge help having Erin positioning this sweet little one because I literally had a split second between Erin working with Arabella to take the photos I ended up most pleased with.

Yes, great teamwork…

Diana brought along her nephew, Arabella’s much older cousin. He sure loves his new cousin.

Congrats once again Diana. Arabella surely is a blessing. Best wishes to your family…I can tell you all are totally in love with your sweet little girl.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly four years since I began this little journey of photographing newborns. What began as just a personal interest and hobby has certainly come a long way and I’ve learned so much about photography and newborns over the last few years. As I’ve shared my work and begun my business I’ve gradually had people not only interested in having their babies photographed but there have been many interested in seeing what goes into photographing a newborn. It’s definitely not as easy as it may look and takes a great deal of patience and time to work with the little ones. Over the last few years more and more people are beginning to contact me to ask for tips, ask if they can shadow or intern, and I’ve even been stopped a few times by strangers while out and about asking about opportunities to be present during a newborn session. So offering opportunities to let others join me during a session has been on my mind the past year or more but as many of you know life has been incredibly busy…but finally, I’ve begun to coordinate a last minute opportunity for those of you who’d like to join me in a newborn shoot and have a bit of fun observing and being a part of a session.

Of course there’s more to it than me looking forward to sharing my knowledge…I have a desire to give…once again. Yes, a bit of a different giving opportunity I have for you all. If you’ve been following along on my blog you may have heard that my niece who is just 2 years old was recently diagnosed with leukemia. She’s been in the hospital for about three weeks of the past month and her family is expected to be challenged as she fights leukemia. In addition to the hardship leukemia places upon her family they’ve recently experienced troubles with both of their vehicles. They’re also close to halfway through with a second pregnancy. We’ve established a fundraiser for my niece’s family that ends THIS Friday, December 16th at midnight.

So here’s your opportunity to join me in a newborn photoshoot this Saturday morning at 9am at a local park outdoors in the Orlando area. Before I share the details I must first introduce you to two incredibly adorable babies that will be present for the photo session.

If you’re interested in this opportunity here’s all you have to do…

• Visit my niece Raven’s fundraising page and make a donation. I won’t set a minimum…I know it’s the holidays…at this rate knowing you have a giving heart to help my niece is enough for me to extend this opportunity to you.
• Email me (amanda [at] amandakern.com or just use the contact button on my blog or web site) as soon as you make a donation and let me know you want to join me for the photo session. Again, it’ll be 9am this Saturday, December 17th, 2011 at a local park in Orlando. I’ll send you specific details as soon as I receive your email. I anticipate the session to last 1-2 hours but the exact duration will depend upon the cooperation of the two adorable little ones I’ll be photographing.

Please note that only a limited number of people will be able to join us so the first to donate and email will be the first accepted to join me. I will be sure to let you all know when we’ve reached capacity. If you join me during the session you will be able to observe, participate, and take photos during the session. Of course you’ll also have the opportunity to ask me questions and hopefully along the way I can help share a few tips with those of you interested in learning a bit more about working with newborns and/or photography.

Yes, I’ve learned a lot…now it’s time to share a bit of my knowledge…and in the process it’ll mean the world to me if more of you can help me give to help my sweet niece Raven and her family as they have been so challenged with the news that she now has leukemia.