Just over five years ago we learned our son Chance would be born with spina bifida. We were told then that he would be born with complications that would require a lifetime of care – and that so much would be unknown until he was born. I was also told then that God doesn’t make mistakes – even those moments that seemed so devastating and imperfect at the time – had an incredible purpose. Now that Chance is here and has faced a great number of challenges in his lifetime, including recent challenges that at times leave me feeling broken – I am reminded…that I don’t always have to understand God’s purpose, but instead trust His purpose.

Each year since Chance was born I have devoted time to capture moments with other families affected by spina bifida with the hopes that this would would help our local spina bifida chapter, the Spina Bifida Association of Central Florida, and so that it would help the world see the beautiful souls I wish I could have met after we initially received the diagnosis. Five years later I still remember the diagnosis so vividly – and I reflect still at that material I was provided. It’s ashame that in 2015 medical professionals have little to no resources – and that parents can’t be provided with more hopeful resources that do more than just inform them what is “wrong” with a person living with spina bifida. Instead families are left to search google and find horrifying images and medical jargon that only leads people to think of the “severity” of this birth defect. Yes, they face challenges in their lives, but who doesn’t? I’m a witness to seeing the challenges of those living with spina bifida and can attest to the fact that each and every person I have ever met with spina bifida has their own unique beauty that we all deserve to see – especially those parents who are anxious and nervous to greet a newborn baby with spina bifida. So can someone please tell me why in 2015 prenatal resources are virtually non-existent and that images of individuals living with spina bifida are rarely included in resources provided to newly diagnosed families?

Each year I’ve spent hundreds of hours of my time and I’ve traveled hundreds of miles to complete this work.  Over the past 5 years I’ve photographed more than 70 individuals living with spina bifida (some multiple times) – with the hopes that their sweet souls might help us create change. That somehow, someway…we could create hope. Has it helped? Have we made a difference? Well, I’ve lost count of the people who have contacted me from countries all around the world saying how meaningful it was to them to see this work. Now I just pray that in time we can share so much of this work so much sooner so that in the moments following the diagnosis families will see the faces of those who live with this birth defect daily – to help them see that living with spina bifida IS possible. Sadly I still to this day learn of the families who are just so frightened and consider or follow through with termination – and though I believe everyone is entitled to their own choice I fear the lack of resources available and the way in which a doctor delivers a diagnosis can have a strong impact on how a family copes with the decisions they are presented.  Five years later after coming so close to giving up on our baby boy – he is a testament that God doesn’t make mistakes – his life has had a profound purpose…little did I realize it then but his life has lead me to volunteer my time, energy and heart to this work. None of this would would be possible if he hadn’t have entered our lives. Now I can’t imagine life without him. Nor could I imagine it without the families affected by spina bifida that I have come to know so well.

Five years later I present to you a special reflection dedicated to every family I’ve worked with – I thank each and every one of you for helping me help our local community redefine spina bifida. In the past five years our community has grown and our families have grown closer than ever before. Thanks to every family I’ve worked with we’ve not only helped redefine spina bifida within our local community – so many of these faces have also brought hope to families in more than 45 countries around the world.

So here it is everyone – the 5th year of this work –  the 2015 Spina Bifida Awareness Campaign. Thanks to every family who has participated this year – I hope you all enjoy it!

A big thanks to Janet Ramos for photographing Easton and Stephanie for this year’s campaign – she did an amazing job and I’m so proud to work with another photographer who is just as passionate about improving the perception of spina bifida.

At the end of last year Aaron & Holly reached out to me with an interest in doing maternity and newborn photos. They are awaiting the arrival of their first baby, their daughter Harper. With less than two months left before her due date we met last weekend at Lake Louisa Park in Clermont. If you’ve never been there it’s one of my favorite spots in central Florida with tons of areas to explore. We captured some fun memories to help them hold onto memories from these moments when they were anxiously awaiting meeting their baby girl. Aaron & Holly I hope you both enjoy the photos. Best wishes to you both – I look forward to seeing you and Harper in April!

Nearly two weeks ago I met with Alexander’s family to help them capture some of his newborn moments. He was just over a week old when we took these photos and was such an alert little guy. He definitely enjoyed being swaddled and cuddling up with his Mommy the most. Lindi thank you for trusting me to capture these sweet memories for your family – I hope they become some of your family’s most treasured moments. Best wishes to you all.

Something tells me sharing these moments on the eve of Mother’s Day – that it’ll help make one mother’s day very special. Recently I spent a bit of time with Lillian when she was just a day old and again when she was just a few days old. She was such a dream to work with and she gave me an excuse to meet her big brother again since I took his newborn photos close to four years ago. For me, seeing him again was a reminder of just how fast children grow. Erin I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s day with your babies…hope you enjoy the moments we captured!

At the start of this year I began to anticipate the arrival of Rosy’s twin girls. They weren’t due until the spring but decided they wanted to greet the world 11 weeks early. They were both born at the start of February at just 2lbs and 9 oz. I recall visiting them in the NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital when they were just a day old. They looked so fragile and tiny, but after working with so many babies I could tell they were fighters and just knew they had the best doctors and nurses caring for them.

I got to meet them again for their newborn photos just over two months later. I admit I was a bit nervous because that’s far beyond the typical “newborn” window and I had heard they were fiesty girls…because of course they were such amazing fighters. They grew strong and are doing considerably well given how early they were born. Like most twins they were a fun challenge…we managed to capture a few individual shots as well as ones of them together. They were still rather tiny when we took these photos, just under 5lbs each…but my how they’ve grown since their first NICU moments when I first met them. Hope you all enjoy a few of my favorite moments spent with these sweet baby girls. Rosy I hope you all enjoy the photos – congrats again…your girls are such a sweet blessing.

Just over two weeks ago I met with the Haag family near the Melbourne Beach area. It’s definitely one of my favorite beaches on the east coast of Florida that’s fairly close to Orlando. We had a goal to capture a few fun moments with their family. They have five young kids who were all full of energy and anxious to explore and play. After we captured a few shots of the kids and family together we let the kids explore on the beach. The waves were rather large that day and we arrived just after high tide so the kids were full of laughter running along the beach as the waves would crash onto the shore. I hope you all enjoy a few of my favorite images from our time together.

I’m excited to have a lot of new work to share in the near future – I’ve been so busy working, taking photos and with “life” that it’s taking a little longer to share photos this spring. Brielle was born a few weeks ago and she’s a tad bit special to our family. She’s the daughter of our kids’ kindergarten teacher and we couldn’t be happier to help their family capture a few of Brielle’s first moments. Her daddy’s a firefighter so we have been planning a special shot with her daddy that I think you all will enjoy. Surprisingly she was the most content as we worked with her on that one photo. Hope you all enjoy the moments captured with Brielle…a big thanks to her mom & dad for being so patient through her session.