A couple sneak peeks....

 

Just a couple of quick sneak peeks of my session from earlier today.  Love having kids in the studio.....such a great diversion with everything going on in my life......

My Heart Aches.......(dedicated to my little sister)

A few weeks ago my family began a struggle that I know has changed me and many people.  My little sister suffered from a brain aneurysm while she was competing at a dog show about four hours from home.  She was rushed to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee where she received exceptional care from some of the most caring people I have ever met.  Over the first two weeks she progressively improved.  They were talking about her going home but, she needed to have one additional procedure to ensure the rupture would not occur again.  We all were happy and everyone expected it to be a simple procedure with her coming home in a couple days.  However our world came to a halt…..When the team of doctors went to make the repair they found that the blood vessel was in a severely weakened state and about to re-rupture.  Our worst fears came true and she suffered from a second much more severe aneurysm.  We got news a short time later that this time Sheila would most likely not recover.  We prayed for a miracle but, most of all we prayed that God would do the best thing for Sheila.  After a few days of praying, watching and crying we had to make the difficult decision to take her off of life supports and allow her to go to heaven.  Sheila always said she couldn’t wait to meet Jesus.  Today, I believe with all my heart that she has done that.  I know Sheila would have loved to be on this earth for many, many years but I also know that she lived life to its fullest while here.  She was very blessed …. She had a wonderful husband that so obviously was the love of her life.  She and Wayne have raised two amazing children.  Wayne, Brock and Cheyanna were her world and she loved them deeply.   She also loved her dogs…..they were her babies.  She had actually said one time when she had heard about someone passing away while they were showing their dog that, when it was her time, that is what she wanted.  What a wonderful thing that God granted that wish for her.  Sheila had a spunky spirit.  She had an opinion and was not afraid to share it.  She was strong and loving and touched so many lives.   She taught her children how to be strong and I know that will be the foundation for getting them through this.  My heart aches as I watch her two children, her husband and my parents deal with all there is to do as we move forward as Sheila would have wanted us to do.   Sheila felt strongly about organ donation and as a family, we wanted to honor that wish.  We chose to do as much as we could which made the process take considerably longer.  However, we know that is what she wanted and it gives us comfort to know that she will be saving lives.  Although we don’t want the recipients to feel any obligation to contact us, it is our sincere hope that one day we may be able to hear from or meet someone she may have saved.   Her spirit will live on in them…..

Now we try to find a way to go forward, our hearts ache so bad right now it is difficult to think about the future without her in it.  I keep feeling like she is going to miss so much.   Her kids graduating, getting married, having grandkids and being there for those day-to-day activities that seem so meaningless until a person you love is no longer there to do them with you.   You try not to have regrets….that is not what she would have wanted but, your mind wanders and all you can think of is, if only I would have…..

We do not understand God’s plan but, trust in Him.  We have our faith and that will get us through this.  We did not understand why he gave us two more weeks, only two more weeks after the first aneurysm but, little things keep happening that have shed some light on that too.   

God (and Sheila) wants us to learn from this and I plan to do that.  Learn to treasure each and every day and treat is as though it may be your last because, it just may be.  I know I have another guardian angel who is watching over us.  I know I will continue to talk to her every day.  I will curse at her ever time we get a snow storm and winter is lasting so long.  Sheila loved winter and I didn’t so every time we get a storm – I know it will be her…..I promised I would make a snow angel for her every year.  Since we just got this huge blizzard, we are sure is from Sheila, I decided to do the first one tonight….This photo is the first of many you will see on my blog…..one each year.  I know I will see her every time I see her kids.  I can see her in them, her strong, loving spirit.  I know she will be watching over them and all of us.  I must continue to look for the good in everything…..she had many happy, wonderful years with her family, she is in a much more wonderful place now watching over all of us.  She is saving other lives….she has given the ultimate sacrifice….So many wonderful family and friends have been here whether in person or via email, phone calls, cards and facebook -   praying, taking care of our animals, doing housework, cooking, shopping, etc……the list could go on and on.  We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and cannot thank everyone enough.  You all have truly been the support for us to continue on…..

We need to continue to look for the positive signs as we move forward and rejoice in the fact that she is in Heaven…..We must believe in God’s Plan……..but……my heart aches…..

Art Show.....and a few extra....

A few months ago while I was shooting a senior session on Main Street, the owner of a local art studio (ExVoto) came out to talk to me about participating in a Black and White show she was having in February.  I was so extremely flattered since the owner of the studio is an amazingly talented artist.   I finished my senior session and within minutes began thinking of what I would want to include in the show.  Since the photos were for a show I really wanted to do a few pieces that would be a little more edgy and different.  I asked my daughter and a friend of hers to help me out and we had a photo shoot one Friday afternoon.  I took several hundred photos and we had a great time.  My daughter's friend is studying abroad in Switzerland and was home for a few weeks over Christmas.  Not all of these were in the show but, these are a few from the session I thought I would share.  The first one, second one and the last one were in the show as well as a couple of others that I plan to share in a future blog post.  Also, the last photo is a boudoir shot that was in the show but also a sneak peek to tomorrow's blog post where I will be sharing several from my Boudoir Sessions.  I want to thank both of my models for being so great to work with and also Tina at Creative Edge for the beautiful framing.  She did an amazing job and I could not be happier with the work she has done for me.  Unfortunately the blog posts don't include the framing but, once they are in my Gallery in the studio I will take a pic and share with all of you.....
I know all of these are a little different but, they were so much fun....As always, let me know what you think.  I love to hear comments!

I'm Back.......

First, I need to apologize for being gone for a while......as many of you know, my sister suffered from a brain aneurysm last week.  It has been a long week of praying, crying, talking, etc.  Fortunately, she was in a large city close to one of the best hospitals for situations such as these.  God has answered our prayers and helped her through the surgery and her recovery thus far.  We know that it will be a long, slow process but, we are thankful for her to still be with us.  We continue to pray each day for a speedy and full recovery.  I will be taking her daughter back down to Milwaukee tomorrow so we can see her again but, I am so far behind in my blog posting that I thought I would share one with you tonight.  As I looked through the possible posts, this one jumped out at me....These are two beautiful little girls that I was so fortunate to be able to photograph one morning.  As I was looking at the photos, it made me think of me and my sister as we were growing up, laughing, playing, fighting and sharing secrets.....I can just picture these two doing that as they grow up.  They were such sweet little girls and I so enjoyed taking their photos.  Can't wait for them to come back in a few months as they grow......
Love that part.....