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!

FIVE and possibly a picture overload.

I am writing this early because I know I will get busy and the emotion is already there so that is when I do my best writing. On Sunday Gavin will be 5.

I read a post recently about a father of 2. He talked about how the second child's firsts weren't as amazing as the first's because he had already seen that done and he decided to make a list of lasts because these were moments he would only experience one last time.

I think Moms and Dads are wired differently, in fact, I know they are. I was just as ecstatic for Walker's first steps as I was for Avery's and of course I was elated when Gavin took his . However, my LAST baby is turning 5...FIVE as in half a decade, where did the time go, kindergarten next year, holy cow slow down, FIVE. (Walker just turned 13, don't even get me started on the 13, thirteen as in holy cow 3 years and he will drive, 5 and he's an adult, stop growing you're already taller than me, 13.)


Five. In the past five years I've lived a lot of bittersweet lasts. I will never have them again, never. Why oh why does time go so very fast.

Gavin, 'white hawk of battle'. So he was. Born a toe head and battled his wars. He's still fighting and he's winning. His name fits.

It doesn't seem as though five years has passed. May 11th 2009 I certainly didn't see today as coming as fast as it has. But it's here, I cannot stop it. As much as I want to pause, I cannot.