{Austin Area Photographer} My gift to one deserving family.

Merry Christmas Eve!!!!

I can’t believe Christmas is already here…it’s like Halloween was just yesterday. Christmas really crept up on me this year but I have nearly everything I wanted to have done finished. We just got done sprinkling reindeer food on the lawn for Santa’s reindeer to nibble on while Santa has his cookies and milk, it is FREEZING out there!!!! I was glad to come back in to a warm home with a roaring fire that the hubby had started. Now we are just waiting until BED TIME (kids are super excited and driving us a little crazy;) I can’t wait until morning!!!

Moving on to the real reason for this post tonight…

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to send me an email to nominate a deserving family. I received many nominations and every single one broke my heart. I have to say that this was an extremely hard decision for me to make with the input from friends and family.

I have chosen to gift a custom photography session, cd of images and 10 5×7 prints to Alicia and Ray. I am very excited to meet this new family and to capture amazing images for them that they will have forever. I will be in touch in early January.

I am including parts of the email I received from Leah nominating the Alicia and Ray. As the nominator, Leah and her family will receive a $100 print credit to use on a future session or gift it to Alicia and Ray. I wish you all the very best Christmas and New Year!

From Leah:
I met Alicia because her daughter Hannah Beth and my daughter Hailey began to talk about one another as if they were already the best friends of their short lives. I noticed Alicia prior to the formal meeting due to the obvious loss of hair and her unusual familiarity with the School Staff and parents. Her daughter was only in Kindergarten and her son is only 21 months so I just assumed she was as new to the school as I, but it didn’t seem to be the case.

I was introduced to Alicia and not only did I notice the baldness, but her infectious smile and my favorite detail, a bumper sticker that says, SAVE THE TATAs magnetic ribbon on the back of her car.

I put 2 and 2 together and realized she had been battling breast cancer.

I have never met a person faced with such a terrible illness who continues to smile and at times laugh about the hair, the weight gain caused by treatments and all other negative impacts of the cancer.

As time went on, I learned that she had only endured the beginning of the fight. She was then set for surgery to remove her breasts and then begin yet another round of radiation.

She was an amazing believer and witness for GOD. She knows that there is a reason for this to have happened to her and she has never complained. Her husband Ray works full time and cares for his two children and his now ill wife. He dotes on her non-stop, all the while she is worried about his bad knees and back.

She continues her motherly duties with no complaints or demands, and I wonder if I would be nearly as brave or able to put up such an amazing front.

While learning more about the family, we see that the kids have nothing but clothes that have been given to them from friends as hand me downs. You see, Alicia and her husband Ray went from a 2 income household to a 1 income household while the economy continues to worsen. With thoughts of tyring to save money, last year they changed insurance plans to increase their deductible after Ray was supposed to have had his Knee surgery last year and their last planned child had been born.

Going into the new year they learn that Ray needs an additional surgery and shortly after that Alicia was diagnosed with Breast Cancer STAGE 2. Surgery was immediate to remove the golf ball sized tumor followed by extreme chemo. NOTHING INEXPENSIVE about any of this. The plan allowed lower monthly payments,but called for a $10,000 deductible. SO, not only have they lost income, they now have to pay out $10,000 prior to real coverage from insurance.

They have little in their closet, little in their refrigerator but so much in their hearts. They really don’t complain.They attempt to make their payments as needed, all the while, provide a very expensive diet for their young son.

I haven’t shared this unique issue that causes grocery trips a bit more expensive. Aiden is allergic to Milk and obviously any products that contain milk or milk additives. He is required to drink Soy or Rice milk, and while shopping today, I saw that a box about the size of my 4 cup Chicken Broth costs $2.00. I remembered how much milk my daughter drank at the age of 20 months and how the increase in Milk costs caused a serious impact on our grocery bill.

Aiden’s allergy does not stop at the food, he is also allergic to diapers except Huggies, which are not exactly cheap. Huggie wipes, diapers and I’m sure other types of lotions and soaps. They are able to barely feed their children due to the costs associated with Alicia’s illness and all other monthly responsibilities.

I gave Alicia a Christmas dress that was too small for my daughter and she mentioned that they take pictures once a year. She then realized that due to her treatments she missed both birthday photos for her kids.

I can’t think of a more deserving person or FAMILY than Alicia and hers. Not only for the courage she has shown battling breast cancer, but the fact that she BLOGS her days (when physically possible) and has vowed to live this illness publicly believing that God has a plan for her, thus the reason for the cancer. I have not met a more amazing person than Alicia and I’d love to see her have a gift that is priceless. her love for her family is so great, to see her be able to have a REAL professional photo session and prints, would be so wonderful for her. She was so excited about the upcoming session at JC Penny. Can you imagine her excitement when she experiences a real photo session and to be able to share her family with all her new prints.

Please consider Alicia and her family for this gift. I honestly have never met a person or family more deserving.