Thursday, December 20, 2007

Happy Holidays!




Just a reminder to anyone who needs me before the holidays that Friday will be my last working day. I will be shutting off the computer/email/phone for 4 weeks to spend time with my children and family and will not be available until January 11th. Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time.


I love all of you and wish you all the happiest of holidays with the ones that you love.

Monday, December 17, 2007

The true spirit of Christmas

First of all, congratulations to the family of our little sleeping star baby, whose image got the most votes for image of the year!

I had the absolute coolest thing happen to me tonight. I opened my door to yell at some construction workers who were working on our street at 9 pm, look down, and noticed a little package and card sitting on my doorstep. I decided to forego the yelling out of curiousity :)

I opened the letter and saw this:

"December 2007

Dear Deanna,
This holiday season our family is celebrating the people who have decorated our lives with the light of Jesus Christ. You are one of these people. We have noticed that you are a very caring and thoughtful person. You are very generous with your time, talents and resources. You have a great capacity for love that causes you to reach out to those who are suffering. We admire you for the way you offer your heart to others. Thank you for being an example to our family and showing us how to be more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!

Love,
Your Friends"

I cry as I type this letter out to you guys. I hope that whomever left this on my doorstep is reading this right now, because if I could give you the most giant hug, I would. It meant more to me at this time in my life than you could ever know and I can't thank you and your family enough. I will keep this letter close to me always and read it countless times. I've never experienced such a gift before and I am truly, truly grateful.

I share this with my readers to "pay it forward"...maybe this will spark an idea for you to do something kind with your children to show them the true meaning and joy of Christmas. Such a thoughtful gesture could go so much further than you will ever know.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

In Memoriam

I have sad news today. One of our Emily Project families said goodbye this afternoon to their loved one much much too soon.

Nancy Pinnell fought a very hard fight against her cancer and unfortunately, the cancer took over her body in what seemed like a very short amount of time. Krista, Nancy's daughter, is a friend of mine and I am devastated for her and the entire family. Krista we all love you and are praying for you, your family, and your Dad.

Mr. Pinnell wrote this today on his updates via Nancy's Caring Bridge page:

"This is the one update we all dreaded the most.
It with a mixture of so many emotions from grief to joy that I tell you that Gibby went to be with the angels and her God at about 1:00 PM today.
She fought the good fight and we all got to say goodbye to her for the last couple of days. Our pastor Ron Henderson came this morning and we all shared a prayer and some scripture with her. As she passed, she was surrounded by family and some of her closest friends. As always, she had it organized down to the last detail.....
Words fail me now in my ability to tell you how much she meant to me and to this world and how she touched so many lives.
She would want me to tell you all thank you and goodbye. A class lady to the end."

I know that Krista and her family would appreciate all your prayers, not just now but in the next few weeks when the shock wears off and they must face reality without her.
Gibby will be missed by so many. God bless you guys.
D

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Limited Hours

Hello everyone,

Just a reminder to please continue voting in the contest below! The first and second positions are within 20 votes of each other right now, it has been a close race to watch! I'm astounded at the number of votes, about 1200 as of this writing! Wow!

Also, my baby has somehow managed to come down with RSV and is very sick. I am limiting my office time so that I can care for her, so phone calls and emails may not be returned right away per our norm. However, if you do not hear back from me within 48 hours of email, please call or email again as I may not have received it.

Hope you are all enjoying this blast of winter that seems to fit the Christmas season so nicely.

Deanna

Monday, December 10, 2007

Contest

We will be closing the Image of the Year 2007 contest on Saturday night at midnight.

It's super-close so every vote counts!!!

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

It's that time again- IMAGE OF 2007!

It's time once again for you, the readers, to vote for your favorite Devine Memories Photography Image from 2007!

The finalists were chosen by me as images I am personally proud of and would put on my website. Your job is to vote for the image you think is best according to this criteria:

1-It jumps out at you
2-Tugs at your heartstrings or makes you feel emotion
3-It defines the Devine Memories Photography style

The image chosen as this year's Image of the Year will be featured prominently on my website, and the subjects featured in the image will win a complimentary 8x10 of the image and a $50 gift certificate. The runner up will also receive a complimentary 8x10 of their image.

Here are this year's finalist, and you can vote below:


#1-Big Sister Kisses Baby Brother

#2-Little Girl Smells Flowers

#3-Gorgeous Couple Expecting

#4-Baby Girl in Tutu

#5-Baby in Stars Smiles in Sleep

#6-Beautiful Mommy Snuggles with Baby

#7-Baby in Green Chair Reads Book

#8-Sisters Snuggling on the Steps

#9-Sister Leads Brother

#10-Newborn Baby Sleeps You can vote only once, but if you feel strongly about an image, invite your friends and family to come vote too!


Gift Idea!

Out of ideas for your loved ones for the Holidays?

Did you know that we sell gift certificates in any amount? The perfect gift for Grandparents, sisters, brothers, friends, teachers, husbands, wives, or even yourself :)

Even better, avoid the crowded malls and stores. Heck, don't even leave your chair! Just give us a call or send us an email, and we will mail your gift certificate right to you.

Clothes go out of style, gadgets become obsolete---portraits are the gift that lasts forever!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Thank you!

Thank you so much for all the offers for help!! I'm finally getting caught up and need to publicly thank Suzanne for helping me the last few days. Without her, you would all probably be sending your cards out closer to Valentine's Day. Thank you Suzanne!

Also just one last reminder that ALL PRINT ORDERS needed in time for Christmas must be in Friday morning. Any holiday orders received after 10AM Friday will be subject to a 50% rush fee.

Back to work :)
D

Monday, November 26, 2007

Help Wanted

Help! Any mommies out there interested in earning some photo credit? I need help the next two weeks with office work, packaging orders, making albums, etc. Email me for details if you are interested!

Deanna

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Back from Vacation

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I am back at work Monday but am up to my elbows in emails and phone messages. Please understand that I will make every effort to return your emails and phone calls as quickly as possible but it may take me a couple of days to get to them all.

Rest assured all of your orders will be ready in plenty of time for the holiday.

Also, we will be implenting a rush order fee for anything needed before Christmas beginning this Friday. The fee will be as follows:

Friday Nov. 30th through Fri. Dec 7th- 50% rush fee
Dec. 8th-14th - 100% rush fee
No Holiday orders will be accepted after Dec. 15th.

Thank you!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Thanksgiving according to my kids

Featuring Mikey-age 9, Gabby-age 4, and Maddy, age 13 months.

Q: What is Thanksgiving about?

Mikey: It’s about how the pilgrims met the Indians and they had a big feast. Americans celebrate it every November. And Canadians celebrate it in October. Canadians should probably celebrate it on the regular day.

Gabby: Being happy and having lots of food, playing games.

Maddy: Ah dah.

Q: What did the Pilgrims and Indians eat?

Mikey: Berries and turkey and pumpkin pie and corn and sweet potatoes and ham and cobbler and that’s about it.

Gabby: I dunno.

Maddy. AH Ca da.

Q: What's your favorite food at Thanksgiving?

Mikey: No question. Turkey!

Gabby: corn and cheese.

Maddy: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Q: Why do we eat turkey at Thanksgiving?

Mikey: Because the pilgrims had turkeys and we think it’s very very delicious. I’m not kidding.

Gabby: Because it's special

Maddy: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Q: Who’s going to win, the Cowboys or the Jets??

Mikey: I hope it’s the Cowboys because TONY ROMO ROCKS!

Gabby: The COWBOYS! Because they're COOL!

Maddy: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


Five things we're thankful for:

Mikey
1- Gabby
2- Turkey and pumpkin pie
3- Video games
4- My "Blame My Sister" shirt and all my t shirts
5- My mom

Gabby
1- My family
2- Noggin
3- My room
4- pigs or piglets
5- Dora Castle

Maddy (if she could talk)
1- my big brother and sister
2- milk in a sippy cup
3- Lovey our dog when she licks my face
4- dog food
5- my teeth

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Ever heard of Speed Dating??

Well, this is speed blogging....
I've been a bad blogger, so here are some of my favorites from as of late.




DON'T FORGET!! I will be off next week (Sunday through Friday) to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and will not be checking phone calls or emails. ORDERS NEEDED IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS MUST BE TURNED IN BY TOMORROW: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH.

I will return to the office on Monday, November 26th and will return all messages at that time. I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

D

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Outtakes

Some funnies that I'm collecting:

Imagine these going out as your holiday cards, now THAT'S a card people will remember!!!



Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Just a reminder...

All orders due in time for Christmas delivery are due this Saturday as I will be off all next week celebrating Thanksgiving with my family.

If you have not yet received your gallery and had your session before the deadline, it's on the way!!

Thank you all for your continued patience as I continue to catch up from this unbelievably busy holiday season, my busiest in years!

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Emily Project for November

Wanted to introduce you to the latest of my Emily Project families. I love telling all of you about these families because I hear from so many of my clients and readers how you pray for them and think of them often. I am still asked about past recipients constantly and I love that this blog gives me a venue to request prayers and thoughts for those who need it. Could there be a better use??

The Davidsons were nominated by a friend of theirs, Kris, an angel who wrote me to tell me about their heartbreaking situation. This one hit close to home, as baby Sadie was born last October and is the same exact age as my baby girl, Maddy.

Sadie, at age 4 months, was taken to be seen for what her parents thought was a bad case of constipation. Jennifer, Sadie's mom, told me the story yesterday about how they were sitting in a room full of sick kids, waiting to be seen, and many of the sick kids had croupe. Jennifer remembers looking at her husband and saying "Well, at least she doesn't have croupe!" No, she didn't have croupe... from Jennifer's Carepage journal, from February of this year--Sadie was then 4 months old:

"All of her tests are mostly complete and it is confirmed that she does have Neuroblastoma cancer that has stemmed from her adrenal gland on her left side to the nodes in her liver. This caused her abdomen area to grow quite large and we hope that the size will be reduced in the coming days. The DNA test results are not back yet but we should hear something by next week sometime. The good news is that her bone marrow and bone scan tests both came back negative. Sadie has started her chemo treatment this week and will undergo additional treatments for probably the next 9 to 12 months. She is handling the proceedure fairly well but I am sure would rather be home with her brother and sister. She will be in the hospital for another two weeks where she will take a additional chemo treatments as her tests require. "

Later more bad news:

"News just came back today on Sadie's MYCN gene tests and they are not good. The MYCN gene test shows that the gene has extra copies of the cancer. Her stage now is 4 and she is in the high risk category. The Doctor has said that the results of the test are most rare and Sadie will now have to undergo the most agressive of chemo treatments every 3 weeks for the next 6 months. After next series of chemo, in approximately 2 weeks, Sadie will have surgery to put in a catheter to enable the Doctors to collect stem cells for upcoming procedures. After the 5th or 6th round, (in about 6 months), Sadie will have another surgery to take out any diseased cells including portions of the liver if necessary. Shortly after that procedure, Sadie will have to undergo a bone marrow transplant. During this procedure, Sadie will have a stay in the hospital for a 6 week period. She will also be very vulnerable to any type of infection. "

What is not said here is that Jennifer and Jason were given a 20% survival rate for Sadie. Think about that for a minute...

And reading back over this journal is why I was SO AMAZED at the little baby that I photographed yesterday. She has now completed her chemotherapy, her bone marrow transplant, and is now in a clinical trial therapy which is, as Jennifer described to me, like an atom bomb to her system. But the good thing is that after the treatments are finished and she is on a break from them, she feels great. At our session yesterday, I did not see who I expected, a sick baby recovering her tiny 13 month old body from cancer. I saw a fighter, I saw eyes that were enjoying every sight and sound, I saw a healthy glow and HAIR, I saw a precious belly that was full of raisins, I saw smiles and hand clapping and outright JOY. What's more is that, aside from poor big sister being sick, the JOY was felt by the entire family. After spending Sadie's almost entire life of watching her suffer, her loving family is now able for this short time to watch her learn about what it feels like to be outside during a Texas Fall, what grass feels like, what big kids look like on Field Trips...and they were taking every second of it in and enjoying every. last. drop.

Imagine that. Imagine having pure joy at our childrens' smallest accomplishments and victories. Imagine living right in this very moment and loving it. And if we learn anything from their story...imagine it NOT taking cancer for us to do that.

Jennifer and Jason have the attitude of "It could be worse." Imagine THAT. Imagine waking up in the morning and rather than focusing on everything that is wrong in our lives, taking the time to realize that every moment is a blessing. Even in the face of cancer...of a baby. WOW.

With that, I want to introduce this amazing family to you. I wish I had more pictures of their middle daughter, but poor gorgeous blue-eyed baby woke up that morning with a nasty cold and felt not-herself throughout the session. We are getting back together after the holidays to make sure we capture sisters and big brother all together, since that has been Jennifer's dream since Sadie was born.

After you view these pictures, I want you all to do three things for me...

1-Jennifer mentioned to me yesterday that prayers and other's support are one of the things that gets her through, so leave a comment below for the Davidson's with your support and prayers--let's try to get at least 100!
2-Visit Sadie's Carepage and read more about her story and pray for her.
3-Think about their story and try each day to tell yourself that no matter how bad things get, things could always be worse!

***Edited to add: Many have asked how to leave comments--just below the last picture, click on the part that says "xx Comments"...a box will pop up, leave your comment in the box and fill out your name (or you can choose to be anonymous) below that. ***

The whole family, enjoying Sadie being able to STAND UP!!

Even 2 year old Delaney seems to realize how special this is.
The clip was a huge milestone for mom, who has waited for that hair for so long now...


She kept leaning down to kiss her handsome big brother, he was loving it.
This is what pure joy looks like:
And this is the face of strength, courage, and victory!
She loved my camera...

Monday, November 05, 2007

My new best friend

Funny story while I was in Houston....

My wonderful client, upon my arrival, asked how my flight had been.

I should've said "Wonderful, thank you."

But the truth is that I hate flying, and in the past, usually have my doctor prescribe me a lil' sumthin' sumthin' to take the edge off. Because I had been so crazed I had totally forgotten to ask the dr. for it this time, and just grit my teeth thru the arriving flight and dealt with it. When I mentioned this to my client she said "Oh, I've got some Xanax, here take one for the flight home!" We joked about how I'd probably be so relaxed that I'd fall asleep on the flight and the attendant would have to wake me up.

So I hadn't eaten all day and scarfed down a sandwich before my flight, and then remembered that I should take the little blue pill now so it would take effect by the time we took off (the worst part for me). I took it, finished my sandwich and answered some emails, stood up to throw away my trash, and felt my legs wobble a little under me. What the heck?? I went on to my gate where I was feeling incredibly friendly considering that normally I am such a nervous wreck that I can't even look up at the person taking my boarding pass. Got on the plane, sat by a window, and just realized that I felt GRRREEEEAAAATTTT!!! No racing thoughts of how many sessions today put me behind, no flying anxiety, just GREAT!!!!! I put on my headphones, closed my eyes, and the next thing I know the flight attendant is tapping me on the shoulder preparing me for landing. Wha???

Came home and asked my husband about it, who works in pharmacy, and when I described the amount I had taken we both realized that I had taken a double dose. My sweet client had told me to break it in half but I hadn't remembered that part. Oops.



But that was the most relaxing afternoon I have had since Cozumel!!!

Anyways, in great thanks for the happy pill, I present this sneak peek of her beautiful one and a half week old baby boy:

I love newborn faces!!!


(Remember their gorgeous "risque" maternity from a couple of months ago? )


And I was off to my second Houston session with this gorgeous blue-eyed cutie and her adorable mommy and daddy!



One of my faves:

Many recently have asked about my travel sessions: Basically if my schedule is open, I will travel to your area and just ask my travel costs to be covered. If leaving the state I require three session bookings in the area during the period I am there. You can save on the travel cost part by having your friends book, and split the costs with them. I love to travel and am open to just about any area! I am planning a NY trip to see a client in the winter, so if anyone in that area wants a session, let us know!

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Massive Cram Session

Some overdue sneak peeks...

My old friends...



It must be hard to be this cute:
Snuggling with Mommy
I promised ice cream at the arboretum and I deliver!! The closest I ever came to getting little man's attention...but couldn't you just eat him up??
One of my new favorites...
Brothers...
And more old friends...I adore these guys
Hip Mommy=Hip daughter
And although I know these kids and mom very well, I was so excited to meet Dad for the first time!
So he gets his own sneak peek.
peek a boo!

What's that I see in the distance??? Could it be....a light? At the end of the tunnel??
(and the light disappears as I realize I have 4 sessions I haven't even downloaded yet...) :)
Houston people, you're next! But that has to be a separate post because of my funny story I have to tell :)