Meet Melanie.............. Melanie was born into this world and seemed to be a perfectly healthy little girl. Once it was found that she was sick she spent the rest of her short life in AI Dupont Hospital. She had been diagnosed with an "unknown" degenerative disease, so really she hadn't been diagnosed at all. She continued to defy all odds, fighting to survive everyday against a mountain of complications. At her side a strong hopeful family and a 4 year old big Brother. I met Melanie when I got a call from an AI Social Worker saying that I needed to come that night, they didn't think she was going to make it to the next day. That was September 26, 2007.

When doing these Sessions I do something I call Sensory Imaging. What this means is I say very specific things during the creation process to instill those feelings in Mommy and Daddy. Years from now when they look at their Portraits they will feel her in their arms, literally. During Melanie's Session she only tried to force her eyes open twice, once when her big Brother was calling her name, "Lemanie, Lemanie" and once when Mommy and Daddy kissed. For me that said everything!

Even tough I only spend a few hours with these families, they touch me deeper than most anything. They remind what I almost lost and to be grateful for all I have. Melanie would prove to touch me deeper than I ever thought would be possible. I waited for the phone call for some time and was afraid to call Mommy and see how she was doing. Sometimes I don't find out right away and others it's immediate. Well I got that call on Monday, January 28th. Melanie had just turned one year old. I honestly think that she waited for this reason. I know in my heart Mommy wouldn't be able to handle this at all if she left during the holidays or before she had the chance to have a birthday, her birthday was January 12th.

I created the Prayer Cards and the Memorial Portrait but didn't use my images. Melanie has a Godmother that was the biggest blessing to this family and she had shared a Snapfish album with me. In this Album I found a smile, something we take for granted as they grow. The only smile in hundreds of pictures, she was 6 weeks old when it was taken, this would be her picture! Many of you know I don't fight for those smiles and you may have heard me say, "you'll see them for the rest of your life" but this, this was it. I wrote her a poem on my beliefs about losing a child and took everything to her viewing. I knew Mommy had decided to have an open casket and I knew why but I was not prepared for the feelings it would bring me. Please understand that the moment that casket is closed she is gone forever, so in Mommy's eyes this kept her for just a bit longer. I stayed for the entire time and for one reason, Matthew, the big Brother. Because I was SO close to being this Mother I know I would have made sure that my daughter would have been involved with as much as she could for my son's life, he was her baby after all. So it was mentioned to me that the casket would be closed and Matthew would come to the funeral home to pray with his Parents. I offered to capture this for them so he would have this when he was old enough to understand. At the end Mommy tried so hard to ask me for something different, she only needed to stumble over a couple of words before I knew, she needed me to capture the last moment ever with her child. I cried through every snap and am crying now, this is the moment I was touched more deeply than I could have ever thought possible. A special Thank you to Melanie's Family for gracing my life with your angel and for sharing the most precious moment with me. You will always be in my thoughts and prayers. click here to return to the NewsLetter