NILMDTS & Fetal Hope Walk

Today was a day that just complimented itself.

I thought I might be crazy for agreeing to do a 5k right before going to a training for NILMDTS (Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep for the newbs). I must admit, it did feel kind of crazy getting up early to go "run" (I'm not sure I did much running actually) when I had another long engagement to attend afterwords, but they sure did compliment each other.

So...we did the Children's Hospital Fetal Hope Walk. I had to help pimp my favorite mommy site (mom's like me denver, woot) and hey, who can resist free hoodies for both mom AND baby!?

but I was secretly hoping that I would run into a family that I knew was there. Not just any family, mind you....a family that I had photographed through the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep foundation. This amazing family was connected to me through a long time friend and although I had never met them before the session, they became like family to me the minute I walked into their hospital room.

As NILMDTS photogs, we hardly ever get to build these relationships. I wanted to see them, in a different place...honoring their little angel. And I did!

This is such a special family to me. Not only did it bring me closer to the family member I already knew, but I just felt their warmth and love all over me- at the hospital and again today.



Then, off to the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep training for Area Coordinators. There was a lot to talk about and a lot to take in. So many areas in need of better structure, so many horror stories about bad situations between photographers competing with one another and not willing to service these families because of the air of competition in the business. Maybe I'm spoiled, but it just shocked me to hear about how selfish some of these photographers were....only using NILMDTS for personal gain or promotion. Never willing to put the competition aside to give these gifts....

My morning complimented my afternoon/evening. Every time I heard a story from the AC's around the country about bad situations in their area or things going wrong in the organization...I clung to this family. I clung to the love they've shown me and the appreciation I've felt from them since the day I set foot in the hospital to photograph them.

I came home on a mission....to bring new structure and energy to my area. To share these stories to other photographers. As I told the mother of this angel, "It's not a happy ending, but a happy tangent" and she replied, "It's all a part of his story".

It is true, that these stories never end.