The Perfect Tribute

Today is the eve of the four month anniversary of my Mom's passing. It has taken me a few months to summon the courage to write about this most fitting tribute that touched me to the core of my being, and I felt it is an especially fitting time given the season. Here it is:

It's been months since I've written about my Mom (nearly 4 to be exact), the events of the past summer, and her passing. I have coped with her loss the only way I knew how, by submerging myself in working on my photography biz and being a Mom. Both roles have been blessings to have to keep me from dwelling on my loss, the sadness of how that loss occurred, and the emptiness that it created in my life.

Her Second Family (her co-workers from dietary and housekeeping to the doctors) sent my brothers and I the most wonderful tribute we could ever have wished for, and I had the pleasure of going to see it in early November, after it was completed. I took my three monsters with me on this incredibly bright and sunny fall day, and we spent an hour walking around the grounds of the National Mother's Shrine in Laurie, Missouri at Lake of the Ozarks. It is dedicated to all Mothers, and is a place of beauty, peace and reflection. www.mothersshrine.org

I had no idea it existed until we got the package from her Second Family, and as I read the letter from Gina, my eyes filled with tears, and I thought that they could not have chosen a more perfect tribute for her. I also got that familiar feeling of being proud of a Mom who had touched so many people with her kindness, and her gift of being a friend to everyone she met.

To the Second Family: thank you for being there for her when we could not; thank you for caring for her; thank you for loving her and being a family to her; and thank you for this timeless, amazing, beautiful, thoughtful, and perfect tribute to our Mom who was first and foremost a MOM:)

For those readers that didn't know her, from the first day of Grandmotherhood, she was not known as Grandma, but simply "Mema".

These are a few of the pictures I captured from that day.

Introducing . . . The Schultz'

I first met Brian and Kirsten and boys through the BFF. Since meeting over a year ago, we've had the opportunity to hang in Mexico for the BFF's 40th, and of course were able to connect on various levels through the festivities of Allan and Marilyn's pre-wedding and wedding events.

Our latest hangin' has been me, the BFF, and Kirsten training together at the gym, and Brian attempting to teach me some of his Master Photoshop Skills (poor Brian, God help you). They are an awesome couple with awesome boys.

I almost forgot to mention that I could not take a bad pic of Kirsten, she should go back into modeling. Oh, and I want to kill her for it:)

The BFF & Her Fam:)

Words cannot possibly describe what this Girlie means to me! I am truly blessed in so many areas of my life, and having an amazingly wonderful BFF is one of those areas! She has been there for me in the worst of times, and has been there with me in the absolute best/crazy/fun (you get the message) of times. I loved shooting her family of five, and I was wildly happy with being able to capture them "being a family." Their energy is endless, and there was constant movement the entire time we shot these pics. I'm told they are going to make a Holiday Card that I should be using as a marketing tool. I will be anxiously awaiting it's arrival in my mailbox!!!