Lent

Today is Good Friday. One of the most sacred and sad days in the Church when Christ was crucified. I took my boys into my church for a bit during the 3 hour prayer vigil, which represents the 3 hours He was agonizing on the cross - between 12 and the hour of his death at 3pm. It was beautiful being in the church today -- quite moving in fact. Every 30 minutes one of the priests read the 7 last words of Christ with it ending on "unto your hands I commend my spirit." How powerful those words are. We didn't stay for the entirety but I took the kids for 2 readings -- at 130 and again at 3pm.

But my point here is to mention that Lent is supposed to bring about reflection on many things -- but one specifically is almsgiving -- the giving to the needy. Everyday I am thankful for my health, my kids, my husband, my mom and my family. I have a good life. I have a great balance of everything perfect -- health, spirituality, finances, home, friends, work and love. As I approach 40 in about 6 months I think to myself I have never had it better. What can I do to make it even better that is as fulfilling? Easy -- GIVE. Giving what others don't have is one little way I think helps me feel I am doing my part on this plane of existence to make a difference. Consequently, the LENTEN lesson today for my 7 1/2 year old, who is starting to be old enough to understand all this was to pick a charity for which our family could give a lump sum of $ to give to before Easter when Lent ends. We gave him 4 options -- ones I think of that have personal meaning or are just top-of-mind important:

1.Parkinson's Disease Association (my father passed of this horrible disease in 1997)
2.American Cancer Society (my father in law passed of melanoma 3 years ago)
3.St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital (we do give to them at Christmas time)
4. Food for the Poor

Proudly, he was conflicted and wanted to give to 2, then added a 3rd once we explained what each charity strives to do. Ultimately, Food for the Poor will get the donation this year. It's hard to pick and there's a great website that helps you determine what makes the most sense for you to give called Charity Navigator

Also, as a CCD student, all the kids were given a little box to collect loose coins throughout Lent -- much like what we did as youngsters trick-or-treating taking our little UNICEF boxes along. So we did manage to collect around $15 in coins for the past 6 weeks. Not a lot but something -- hard to carry coins in a DEBIT world! So Operation Rice Bowl will also get a little money.

Finally, I did post something about another charity, Plan USA, about a year ago (click here) -- whereby one can contribute monthly to sponsor a child in a developing country who is in desperate need of food, housing, education. We've been doing this for almost 9 years and it's wonderful to get letters periodically updating us on the progress of our sponsor child. It does work.

Anyway, thanks for reading and Happy Easter!

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Today has been a great day. I am still buzzing with excitement from the press the charity I am partnered with received today on The Today Show! It was the first national coverage the foundation has received since it's inception 3 years ago (this month!). There have been a few local stories done on the work we do across the US but nothing of this magnitude and nothing in the DC Metro Area (yet)! I think it was done with great feeling and clearly explaining the purpose of what we do. I know some people have a hard time understanding why people would want photos of their baby who has passed. It's a rare thing to hear that but I have read postings on forums from other photographers who have received scathing letters undermining their work for the charity. It's shocking, but true.

I personally love that I'm able to provide something for these families under their tremendous amount of pain -- to give them something they will forever have, validating the existence of their baby despite the short time they were together. I cry, I mourn, I grieve but I am filled with love for the baby and the family when I am there and truly believe that God has given me a gift to do this and he protects me from feeling too much in that I am able to move forward and not dwell on the reality of the situation. I do this as I want to give thanks to God for my life, my healthy children and my wonderful vocation.

One Perfect Portrait -- Giving Back

Now here's something near and dear to my heart! Giving back! On thanksgiving weekend, I will be helping my colleague Liz Vance of Oh Baby Photography, along with a couple other photographers I have yet to meet, with an annual charity/fundraiser Liz hosts to benefit a few of her favorite charities in her community of Arlington, VA. I met Liz through the charity Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep of which we are both a part -- as photographers and area coordinators for INOVA hospitals. We love what we do, feel blessed to be mama's to our healthy children, and honor those who can benefit from our services.

Please consider this event or pass it along to those who may be interested...

One Perfect Portrait

Thanks for checking it out and for passing this link along!

Sponsoring a child thru Plan USA

I'm so glad I now have this blog as not only do I get to talk about my fun brides and portrait clients, but b/c I get a chance to talk about things that are near and dear to my heart outside of photography and hopefully raise awareness among my readers to these important things.

About 7-8 years ago, Jack and I began sponsoring a child in the Philippines thru Plan USA -- a non profit that helps children around the world grow and prosper thru monthly donations made by a sponsor family. Our little sponsor child, Jean-Mae, was 3 at the time and we just ended our sponsorship last month -- she is now 10 or 11 and the community is doing so well that they no longer need Plan USA's aid. As their website states...."Today, Plan works in 49 developing countries and is one of the world's largest development organizations. Child sponsorship is the foundation of our organization. We have about one million sponsors in 17 donor countries helping over one million children all over the world, together with their families and communities." For a small amount each month, you can sponsor a boy or girl in virtually any developing country of your choice worldwide. For those of you who do not know me, my mom is spanish-filipina and naturally, this country has significant importance to me. I have been there twice, once when I was 9, the other time when I was 13 and I was struck to the soul, even at that age, on how impoverished so many communities are...the impossibly poor people and the conditions they live in were shocking to me.

Last week, we were informed our new sponsor child is another girl, this time 11 years old, named Jay-ann. Her parents are my age and are very, very poor. Their family lives in a house made of cardboard with a thatched roof! For water, they obtain it from a public stand pipe 1 KM from their home. And believe it or not, their latrine is an open field or public area. The live in an area called Masbate South which is a very remote island somewhere in the middle of the Philippines 7000 islands.

I feel so so fortunate that my kids are growing up in a developed country where their lifestyle does not revolve around finding water or food.

A link to Plan's website is on the left side of my blog.

Here is Jay-ann and her mom! Thanks for reading!