A wonderful organization

                                                                                   photo:Legacy Portraiture

When I was told that most likely Maggie wouldn't survive birth or at most maybe a few hours after birth I started contacting photographers to find someone who might be willing to be "on call" to come to the hospital to photograph our family. A photographer referred me to the organization, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, which is professional photographers who volunteer their time to capture the precious babies who did not survive birth or whose life-threatening conditions will not allow them to live very long after birth.

It is such a delicate matter to invite a complete stranger into a tiny delivery room for the most precious and most devastating moments of your life. But if Maggie didn't survive I wanted those precious portraits for myself - a reminder to all that she was a real little girl who fought so hard to live, whose life had worth and meaning, and who had the distinct features of her mama and daddy.  I found a photographer on the list whose pictures I loved. I emailed Legacy Portraiture with my story and request and the photographer, Christy Lafferty, emailed me back and happily agreed to help us. Only then did I realize that she was the wife of one of the dear pastors at our church who had been ministering to me in the hospital.  My how God works things out harmoniously.

Anyways, as many of you know I went into labor in the early morning hours and it was horrendous and we didn't even have time to call Christy. I think someone must have told her from reading my late night blog postings and she came to the hospital that morning without us even asking - not really knowing the outcome like us. They were working on Maggie all morning and at the time wouldn't let anyone in the NICU except the parents because of the swine flu . So we didn't get the pictures we wanted but that was okay because Maggie survived and we would have time to take lots of pictures.

But I have not forgetten this amazing organization and what a gift they provide for so many grieving families across the country. And I will never forget what Christy did for us that morning. That's why she was obviously my first choice to come take pictures of our family that first weekend we were all home together, which is when she shot the photo above.

Anyways, Christy submitted this photos of us (and others!) for a fundraiser that raises money for the NILMDTS organization. You can go online and vote for the "Cutest Family in America" ($1 donation). And you don't have to vote for us - there are lots of precious families!


http://www.sandypucmodels.com/
Click on "Gallery" and then select "Dallas" for location.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Organization
http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/

Legacy Portraiture
http://www.picturealegacy.com/