1/2 Day in the Life Session at the Hospital

“The pictures are beautiful! We are both just in awe of what you captured! We are going to treasure these forever. Thank you so, so much! ”

— Brittany H

Last week I spent a half day at Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando documenting a sweet family from Vero Beach whose both young children have serious health issues. Ezra has a rare childhood cancer Neuroblastoma, and little Eleanor is recovering from stroke after her heart surgery. Eleanor is doing really well at the moment, but Ezra continues to fight cancer and struggle through side effects of the medications he is on.

If you’d like to follow their journey, please like their Facebook page, and consider how you could help them.

Here’s a link to their Go Fund Me page, your support and prayers are so appreciated!

American Cancer Society has information on childhood cancers, and you can read more about Neuroblastoma here.

Despite our setting being the children’s hospital, this was a normal day for the Hengst family. They are spending a lot of time at Arnold Palmer’s. Brittany and Jethro are amazing parents, who continue to love and parent their children through challenging health issues. Having a two year old and a one year old bring on many moments of love and joy, as well as stinky diapers and temper tantrums.

I am so grateful the Hengst family realized the importance of documenting their day even in the midst of the struggles they are having.

“Last week we were gifted with a half “day in the life” photo session from Sennu Maria Keith of Stories of Joy photography. Words can not express our gratitude for this priceless gift that will be ours to cherish for years to come. Sennu, you are so talented and also so amazing to be around. Thank you for blessing our family!”

— Brittany H

If you would like to document your day, please message me here. Half and Full Day in the Life Sessions are available in Florida, and for travel as well.

Happy Mother's Day 2019!!!

Moms and Grandmothers - we love you and honor you. Thank you for all you do!

Happy Mother's Day from Stories of Joy Photography! Moms and grandmas are a big reason why I (and we) do what I do. If you have had a session with me this past year, you might show up in this video, so enjoy, and have a wonderful day!

I have been blessed with wonderful examples, my own mom and my mother-in-law, my sisters, and my many friends who inspire me in so many ways and love on my kids too.

Mother’s Day always gives me many mixed feelings, and I just want to reach out to every person who is hurting today. I see you, I hear you, I remember the pain so well. For me it was because of our infertility years and loss, but I know there are many reasons for grieving today.

Know that it is okay to be sad. Give yourself grace and space. Look up to the One who can give you peace and comfort beyond understanding. (((Hugs))) to you.

And to the moms who might feel disappointed today - I give you permission to do something for you! (I may or may not have picked up a key lime pie yesterday and stuck it in the fridge 😜) This day can be a bit intimidating to dads and kids - it can be pretty tough to show appreciation for ALL we do!

Happy Mother’s Day!

PS. It’s not too late to gift Mom and Grandma with a photo session! Contact me. I am running a Mother’s Day Special for the month of May.

Sennu

Until We See Again

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says,
“There she goes!”
Gone where?
Gone from my sight . . . that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the place of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment
when someone at my side says,
“There she goes!”
there are other eyes watching her coming . . .
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout . . .
“Here she comes!”

Poem credits.

Sanna (from my October's Day in the Life Session) passed away this weekend after fighting so hard for nine months. Her memorial service will be held in New Hampshire on June 2nd (details here), and later in Finland as well.

Please continue to keep Sanna's family in your prayers as they grieve the loss of their beloved mom, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, family member, friend.

Here is a link to Sanna's blog, to the family's Go Fund Me page, and to Billy Graham's devotional, which talks about the eternal hope Sanna and her family also believe in.

Rest in peace, dear Sanna. Until we see again.
 

The M Family - Day In The Life (New Hampshire)

Earlier this month I had the privilege of spending a day with the M family in New Hampshire. They are a wonderful, wholesome, inspiring homeschool family of five, with children ages 9, 7 and 4. About two months ago mom was diagnosed with cancer. An aggressive one that is large and spreads fast.

Mom writes a blog (click here), and in September she wrote:

Emotionally yesterday and today have been the hardest. A short conversation with my oncologist revealed that i have a life expectancy of 4-12 months. Needless to say that that pretty much knocked the breath out of me. I hadn’t realized how insufficient the chemo is with my particular cancer. I have 1% chance of a miracle, so I going for that 1% and I am not stopping.

The day I spent with the M's, mom was feeling good. Dad was home from work, and grandma had come to stay for a couple of months from Finland. And a friend from Texas was there to help with a healthy, organic diet.

I hope the pictures will speak for themselves, but you could imagine a day in the life of young mom diagnosed with a serious cancer would have been a depressing day. Instead, there was an amazing peace and joy in the house, all day.

In the beginning of her blog mom writes:

I am a daughter of a mighty and compassionate God. He is the God of gods and Lord of lords, mighty and awesome, He is my refuge. I am the bride of my considerate, ever-understanding, and oh so breath taking husband. I am a mother to our three sweet, rambunctiously giggly and happy children, they are my everything. I am also a 36-year old woman who is about to take on cancer! This is our story.

And yes, I completely sensed the presence of God in this household, and the many, many prayers people are praying all over the world. This family is in for a fight, but they have God on their side, and they are not alone!

Would you join the prayer forces?