Soulumination

After Brian and I were engaged one of the first phone calls I made was to photographer Lynette Huffman Johnson, I'd seen her work and loved her style.  When I called I was told that Lynette was focusing on another business venture and wasn't doing weddings at the time, she recommended Kurt Smith who we were thrilled was available - Kurt did our wedding and photos of our family when Georgia was 11 days old. 

Photos of your child and family are so precious so when I heard that Tara Clark another very talented photographer was doing a fundraiser called "Giving Everyday in May" to raise money for Soulumination, a non-profit organization - I thought, win, win - get a couple of professional pictures of Georgia at six months old while helping a worthy cause.  Little did I know this organization would soon be coming to help me.

Turns out the business venture that Lynette was focusing on at the time of our wedding was Soulumination, this organization celebrates the lives of children and parents facing life-threatening conditions by providing professional photographs, free of charge.

In the weeks after Georgia was diagnosed several people encouraged us to have Soulumination come to take pictures, I hesitated at first still coming to grips with the fact we were a family that qualified for the work they do.  I am so thankful that we did, Lynette herself came and captured pictures during a very delicate time in our lives, Georgia was at the end of losing her hair.

Just a few days before being discharged after transplant I got an email from Michelle Enbo, a photographer who'd learned about our blog through a friend.  She offered to take pictures for us, free of charge just because our story touched her.  We took her up on it, she documented a monumental day, Day +100 post transplant.  She is now a Soulumination photographer.

Each of these photographers as well as several others make up this awe inspiring non-profit organization.  When I saw on Facebook that they were looking for volunteers to help with a mailing project, I responded, hoping I could give back to this group of amazing people who has given so much to us.  When I picked up the mailing materials Lynette said, Georgia looks so wonderful, we really should do a follow up photo shoot here at the studio... Lynette is amazing, always giving and giving and giving.  Later that evening I read on the Soulumination Blog that Children's Hospital had called, there was a baby in the final hours of her life and the family would like to have a photographer come, she was there a short time later.

I can't tell you how important these pictures have become to me, you don't typically take pictures during intimately painful times but I am so thankful to have these moments - they serve as a reminder, of where we've been and how far we've come.

The mailing I am helping on is for Souluminations 6th Annual Artists' Holiday Sale, I have shared the information below. You can also find out more about them at http://www.soulumination.org/

Kurt Smith:

Tara Clark:

Lynette Huffman Johnson:

Michelle Enbo:

Soulumination Artists' Holiday Sale Info: