Today I was given a gift that to most people probably would be just an ordinary gift – an ornament. But this ornament is not just any ol’ ornament because of who it came from and why. Every year my mom gives everyone in our family an ornament that signifies the year that is about to come to an end. This year my ornament is a camera. If someone asked me yesterday to sum up the year with one word or one object I don’t know what I would have come up with, but it probably would have been something totally insignificant that in my mind I had made significant. Aren’t moms awesome?
So this got me thinking. I LOVE giving gifts. I mean, seriously I really, really love it. I would give at gift to everyone I know and maybe even some strangers too, if i could. I also LOVE Christmas. Not just Christmas day, but the entire season. (the real season not the season that begins the day after Halloween at the retail stores). I am one of those people who is at the mall on Christmas Eve buying “just one more” not because I waited until the last minute but because if I started early I wouldn’t stop. The closer it gets to Christmas the more I want to give, and the more I give, the more I want to give even more…and so on. Unfortunately, the lottery fairy has yet to tap my shoulder…
So, in the spirit of Christmas and the season of giving, what better than to combine two of my favorite things?! Photography and giving…
Is there someone on your list this year that needs a gift and you just don’t know what to get them? Or maybe you know a family in need that you would like to help? Well, it is time to get out your pen and paper (er, keyboard and mouse) and start writing. One lucky person (or family) will WIN a free session and a CD of 20-30 photographs from that session! What is the catch? The winner will be someone who is nominated by YOU (yes, you can nominate yourself) and the winner must be located in the Denver Metro area (or be willing to come to the Denver Metro area). What do you need to do? Comment on this blog by December 20th and tell me who you would like to give this gift to and why. Please forward this to all of your friends, co-workers and family, too!! Your nominee can be nominated more than once, but this is no a democracy…I get to choose the winner based on who I believe needs the gift the most. The winner(s) will be announced to the nominator (you) on Dec 24th.
Hi Amy!
I’d like to nominate my sister Katie and her husband Joe Noel. They had baby boy twins born September 15, 2008. After several years of praying for children, Katie was blessed with a pregnancy and two beautiful boys.
After carefully planning for an unmedicated, natural childbirth, Katie ended up having an epidural and a c-section for failure to progress. After the c-section, when we were all at the window cooing over the babies, Katie began fighting for her life as her liver and her kidneys began to shut down. A very stressful next few days ensued as we tried to get straight answers about her condition. Much prayer went into her situation, and God brought about her miraculous recovery.
Katie has quit her job at Kohl’s to take care of her new babies and they are living on her husband’s entry level salary. They have made numerous personal and financial sacrifices to care for these gifts they have been given named Elijah and Justice.
Because of these sacrifices, they have not had any portraits taken of their babies, even though they are the most adorable babies I have ever seen. I would love for them to have the opportunity to have professional portraits taken by someone I know will do a good job with what may be the one and only chance they have to get professional portraits done.
Merry Christmas. I love Christmas too!
Jessica
By: Jessica TenBrink on December 7, 2008
at 8:30 pm
Amy, I’m so proud of you! For anyone reading this, Amy is my Daughter. She is a caring, loving person, and I’m so proud of her I could bust. One thing I can promise you, any photos Amy takes of you will be done with love and dedication to doing the very best she can to capture you and your family at their best.
By: Bob Fleming on December 8, 2008
at 1:03 am
Hi Amy,
First, thank you for offering such a generous gift at Christmas. It is a wonderful gift of your time, your talent, and of your obvious love for what you do!
I would like to nominate my fiance, Bill Wolf. On September 15th of this year, we learned that his father (who has lived with us in our basement along with his mother since January 1st – long story, but suffice to say that they fell on hard financial times and had nowhere to go) is going to pass away in the very near future. He is suffering with Stage IV lung cancer that has metasticized to his brain, spine, liver, kidneys and lymph nodes.
As you might imagine, it is a devistating situation. Bill is heartbroken, but has maintained such a strong demeanor – I think that he feels he has to be strong for his mom and dad.
This Christmas season has been bittersweet for our family. While it is terribly difficult to watch “Papo” suffer, we are so thankful that he is still with us, and will (hopefully) be with us on Christmas morning to see his 4 grandchildren enjoy their gifts from Santa one last time.
I think that it would be amazing for Bill to have a lasting visual memory at Christmas time this year, one that will last for many, many years to come, because this is the last Christmas he’ll have with his dad. He is so deserving of this gift – he gives of himself constantly to everyone around him. I would absolutely love to tell him that he has won a professional photo shoot for he and his dad – that is a gift that would be truly priceless, and one that he would treasure for the rest of his life.
Thank you for your consideration, and Merry Christmas! The world is a better place with generous people like yourself in it!
Happy Holidays,
Michele
By: Michele Elder on December 9, 2008
at 1:54 am
Amy,
I would like to nominate Bill Wolf, as you read above his father is suffering with cancer. I would love for him to be able to have a photo with all of his family, and believe this wuold be the best christmas gift for all that are in his life.
Thank you for this great offer and have a very merry christmas!
Sara
By: Sara Maffey on December 9, 2008
at 2:59 pm
I would like to nominate Bill Wolf
By: Valerie King on December 9, 2008
at 3:09 pm
Amy,
I would like to nominate Bill Wolf. What a wonderful thing you are doing for someone special.
By: Valerie King on December 9, 2008
at 3:49 pm
Hi Amy –
I would like to also nominate Katie and Joe. Their story is very touching. I think they are very deserving this Christmas season.
-Tracey
By: Tracey on December 9, 2008
at 8:13 pm
I would also like to nominate Bill Wolf. Knowing its the last holiday season with one’s father who’s life is being cut short by cancer has to be excruciating. Bill has shown his true colors, his wonderful character and amazing strength. A photo session would be the perfect lasting memory for him.
By: Shane Sawyer on December 9, 2008
at 10:50 pm
I’d like to nominate Bill Wolf and family for the chance at a beautiful lasting memory of his father and family. Thanks, mikey nelson..
By: michael d nelson on December 10, 2008
at 4:09 am
Hi Amy,
First, I just want to say WOW, this is such a neat way to bless someone this Christmas season!
Second, I would like to nominate my parents, Mary and Herb Norton for a chance to have photos taken together. My mother is the most amazing woman, as she has endured and survived 3 breast cancers in the course of 11 years. She was diagnosed when I was 10 (she was only 40), again at 47, and again just last year, at 51. She underwent chemo and radiation the first time, along with a lumpectomy; radiation and lumectomy the second time; and chemo and a full mastectomy the third time. She’s always in high spirits and trying her best to stay positive. She is a woman of courage, strength, and beauty. To add to the stress, my brother, who is 27 years old, is severely mentally handicapped; he cannot talk, and is not toilet-trained. He is like an 18-month-old infant, and still lives at home with my parents; he is a great burden on them. My dad is 81 years old, and his body is deteriorating, and he has a hard time walking now. So care for my brother (and now my dad) mostly falls on my mom’s shoulders. I try to help out when I can, “babysitting” my brother to give my parents a chance to go out to dinner together, etc. Having a new set of photos taken of them, with my brother, would be the most meaningful gift that could be given, as we don’t know how much longer any of my family will still be here.
Again, thanks for this opportunity. Have a blessed holiday!
Sarah
By: Sarah Norton on December 10, 2008
at 7:25 pm
Amy-
Hello! I would also like to nominate Bill Wolf. He is a wonderful person who always goes above and beyond to help his friends and family. I think a family picture would mean a great deal to him as his family dynamic will be changing in the near future and having something to remember “the good old days” would be nice. Its a very nice thing you are doing and I don’t envy you having to choose. It appears all those who have been nominated are very deserving.
Good Luck and thank you for your generosity!
By: Lauren Stadler on December 17, 2008
at 2:51 pm