Some quick updates!

Well here we are, it's officially Fall. I've waited all Summerfor Fall and now it's here and BOY AM I SWAMPED! I'm going to do my best to update!

Update 1: It's October so that means SPINA BIFIDA AWARNESS MONTH!! Every year we do a little something to help raise money for the local chapter of the Spina Bifida Association. We usually have an amazing turn out but I realize this year times are just tight on everyone! I was enthusiastic and set a bigger goal (usually we set the goal at $2000, this year I was apparently feeling ambitious and set it at$5000) so Team White Hawk pledged to try and meet a goal of $5000, I thought it would be an easy task, turns out- not so much, HA! So I've lowered my expectations to just 20% of that ($1000). Hopefully we can raise that much. 

The spina bifida association is a wonderful organization that has dedicated it's cause to helping families affected by SB. They pour their heart and soul into creating events and finding services for families like us FREE! The SBA means so much to our family, it was one of the only places we found positive yet informative information about our sons diagnosis. We found Peace in reading stories and seeing our REAL options rather than hearing "you should abort", "abortion is your best option now" etc.

With our support and fundraisers they can keep the doors open and help more families like mine and assist Gavin as he moves forward in life and becomes an adult. 

If you feel led and can find it in your heart to donate $5 even $10 it would mean so much to our family and other families like us. You can donate here: http://www.gofundme.com/fiv60k

100% of the proceeds goes to the cause with that. 

Or you can order scentsy here: https://theresavedder.scentsy.us

Make sure you choose the party "spina bifida awareness" 20% of that goes to the cause. 

Thank you! 

Update 2: FIDDLESTICKS! So I am super excited to have been included in this event! This is what it's all about folks! Helping, paying forward all the support and help we received! So I will be giving families touched by special needs or terminal illness FREE photo sessions! Your thoughts and prayers that it runs smoothly will be much appreciated! 

Update 3: 

Where do I even begin? As you can see from updates 1 & 2 I am super busy and to top it off I'm running a table at the Holiday bazaar for the littles elementary school PTA which means when I am not up to my elbows in fundraising or photography I'm covered in yarn and crochet needles! 

Avery and Gavin are loving school! Gavin only cries on Wednesdays because I have to go pick him up and take him to physical therapy and then bring him back- that's when he cries. But every day he is getting stronger (physically and emotionally). Both are doing well in school! Walker is growing so fast I just don't know what to do, he's become such a handsome young man. He's playing football for the high school JV team and he is LOVING IT! 

We've all been sick with a cold or something so it's been pretty lazy around the home front. Yesterday all the kids were playing on the big swingset mamaw bought them a few years back (after the tornado broke theirs) and the entire thing collapsed on them Thank God no one was hurt. Gavin broke another AFO (brace) so I have been busy fighting with the insurance company to cover it. It just never ends. Luckily we have a lot of happy things that happen that pretty much cancel out all the bad :) 

Avery is talking about her upcoming birthday and weighing all of her cake options (hopefully it will be something easy on mom :) ). They are both figuring out what they will be for halloween, and by figuring out I mean changing their mind every 2 seconds. This year Walker will be with us for Halloween, this will be the first halloween I've had with him since 2006. I'm pretty excited :) 

Well motherly duties call so I guess that is about it for now! 

The climb....

My husband and I have been married for 7 years. Walker was 6, Avery was born the year we married, Gavin 18 months after that. When we were told of Gavin's birth defects, it was like a slap in the face. We have struggled, mentally, physically and financially for the past 5 years. Jason has been working hard while I stay home and be Mom.
I found peace in photography, Jason found peace in fishing. For the past few years we've been talking about how we can better our family, financially, yet still give back to the community. We have thrown so many ideas around but they all seem to revolve around spina bifida/special needs children.

I have finally decided to take the scary plunge into my own photography business (this is the climb, to success). I tried once and failed, but now, I have grown, I have studied, I have practiced and I have a plan (and the kids are older and will all be in school). I still wanted to give back and I have been thinking and praying on how I should or even could. I am not sure why I didn't see it before, but now, I do.

Fiddlesticks Photography will give back in a big, big way. Along with photoshoots and offering accessories Fiddlesticks wants all the special needs families to know they deserve quality, wall worthy photos too! So that is where giving back comes in. We want to offer free or low cost shoots to families with children that have special needs. We understand that is a broad description but even "invisible" disabilities are financially draining. I haven't completely decided how I will give the shoots, I want to try and do 2-4 a month. I may do something that allows people to nominate families and have my facebook fans vote. I am not sure. This is where I need your help. I need your suggestions, your input, you thoughts. How can I make this successful? How can I help these families? Would you want something like this? (I sure know I would have loved to have this when G was young).

You can visit my FB page here (I haven't said anything on there yet, but I suppose I have to let the cat out of the bag sooner rather than later)
Don't be shy, I really want to know what you think!