Saying Goodbye to a Wonderful Women, my Mother!

On Friday June 20, 2014 my mother, Kathleen, went home to her Lord and Savior.We had just celebrated her 54th birthday 2 weeks prior and am glad that we had that day with her.  For three and a half years she had a diagnosis of Parkinson's, but December 2013 the doctors changed her diagnosis to MSA. MSA stands for Multiple Symptom Atrophy. She passed in her home, with many family and close friends coming for visits during the two weeks prior to her passing. She made a choice to donate her body to science, hoping that future doctors could learn about her disease. 

She was a breast cancer survivor of 10 years. My sister was married in September of 2003 and I was married in June of 2004. In between the two weddings she was diagnosed and went through her chemo treatments. Her last treatment given the weekend before my wedding. When I went to her and said that we would postpone the wedding until the fall of 2004 she refused to allow me to do so.

She was the type of women who always thought of others first, was always willing to drop what she was doing and help a friend in need. She had a beautiful smile and an infectious laugh. She loved to dance and could always be found on the dance floor at any function. She loved to dance around the house with her grandchildren. She was a creative women and loved to try out new craft ventures.

She was a single mom for many years, raising my sister, Becky, and I. She met the love of her life 25 years ago and they had my sister Samantha. During those times as a single mom she never gave up. She was always there to guide us and teach us right from wrong. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother. My friends always called her mom and she always made them welcome in our home. She would say that she did not just have three daughters but more like 6 or 8 or 10! 

She was the youngest of 6 children and loved by all of her siblings. From stories that we heard while we were growing up it sounded like all of her siblings doted on her. Even as an adult you could see the love that they had for their "baby" sister.

To say that life will ever be the same again is an understatement! There will forever be a hole inside of me that will never be filled again. I am just glad that I had the opportunity to sit with her and tell her how much I loved her and that I was glad that God gave her to me as my mother. To thank for all the things that she gave and taught me. Even those things that I learned from watching her. To tell her that she was a wonderful grandmother too. That she was my super hero. She put her all into everything that she did and never gave up on anything. Even having that opportunity to tell her those things did not make the lose any easier. 

The only was that I can explain how I feel is to say that I have this feeling of being "orphaned". Maybe that is not a good thing to say or the proper word to use. But that is the best word that I can use to explain the hole that is now inside of me. I know that it is not true as I have my sisters and my dad. I have my husband and my children. I have my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I also have my in-laws. But I will never have my mom again. The person that you turn to when you are hurt and feel like a child again. The person who bandaged my bo-bos, who hugged me through broken hearts, and praised me for my accomplishments. 

I wanted to share some photos that I have of her. I am having some difficulty with all my burnt cds telling me that the images are not on them. I do have three to share now though. I will post more when I get more loaded onto my computer. But I wanted to get this posted since it has already been 4 days. 

Two of the images are my mother with her siblings and mother and then the siblings, their spouses and her mother. These were taken about 5 years ago at my grandmothers 80th birthday. The other is of my mom and her granddaughter, my daughter. Both of these images are of her after she had breast cancer. 

Kathy, Debbie, Diane, Grandma (Edna), Norman, Howie, & Kenny.

back row- Karl (my dad), Gary, Kenny, & Howie. middle row- Debbie, Kathy, Diane, Joanne, Mel, Norman. front row- Edna.

Grace and Mema (this is what the grandchild called her) warming up by the pool!

I love you mom, forever and always and to the moon and back!

Love Trisha

Mark 2014 Senior, Johnson City, NY

The school year is coming to an end and those graduating will be starting the new adventures in their lives. I thought now would be a good time to get caught up on my High School Seniors. Share the sessions from the beginning of a chapter that will soon come to an end. It is also a good time to share these for those becoming seniors have some ideas to look at for their sessions.
The next three postings are going to be High School Seniors. I have two female and one male session to post. These three seniors are family or just about family. I have had the privilege to watch two of them grow from very young ages, one since a newborn and the other since the age of 4. The other senior entered our lives a year prior to her session. It has been a joy watching her change in that year.

The first session that I am going to post is the male session. He's the senior that I have watched grow since the age of 4. He is the brother of my brother in law. While he and my sister were dating they would bring Mark and my son along with them to the park. They became fast friends and that friendship is just as strong now. They are like brothers and we care as if Mark was our own too.

Mark and his mom headed to our house early on Saturday afternoon. The plan was to only do some head shots. So, he had some to pick for the yearbook and Mom & Dad had some nice images to hang and share. I convinced them that we needed to do a few outdoors. It was a beautiful morning and I didn't want to waste it. When we finished the head shots, which included Mark in a dress shirt and tie, we headed to the park down the street from my home. (The dress shirt and tie poses were even to make Mark want to be done, but he was behaved and did what I asked).

Meet Mark-

 A head shot option for the yearbok.

 I LOVE how these two brick wall shots turned out. I added the wording to the images to add a more personal effect.

 Lounging back to express that he was done taking photos. I"'tortured" the two boys. Mark and my son, with a few images of the two of them together. So, at this point in the shoot they were both done. Check back soon for the posting of the two boys!

 I could not decide which way I liked this collage, so I shared both of them. There are SO MANY cute girl ideas to include the year number in the shoot. I thought and thought and thought what could I do that would be "cool" for Mark. That is why I chose the dice. I was thinking "there were dice in the mirror", lol. But I really did think it would be a great idea, well that was a FAIL! He did no think it was that great of an idea, but he did do what I requested.

To end the shoot a collage of Mark in his dress shirts and ties. I know that it is not his "thing" but he pulled them off!
Congratulations on your Graduation this year! Good Luck where ever the road may take you. 

Caleb 4 week Newborn Shoot- Oneida, NY

 We all have one of those best friends that is like a sibling to us, that our kids call "aunt/uncle", well that is M and I. She is the God Mother to both of my kids and they are proud to call her aunt. I have waited since I become a mom myself for her to become one too. She was always the friend that we all knew would be a mom and take great honor in that title. And she has not fallen short of that thought at all. She is an awesome mother and her husband is a awesome dad too! Also, I am honored to have this little call me Aunt one day. Ya, I know when he starts talking.

So, to introduce you to this wonderful little guy...

He entered the world in May and he was a a long awaited baby. His parents married in  2008. They started their journey to become parent soon after. After a very long journey they finally got pregnant. They were in town in summer of 2012 and M handed me a jewelry gift box. She said it was what S had given her for her anniversary that year. When I opened the box it took a second to register what I was seeing. What I saw inside that box was a positive pregnancy test! I was so excited for them. I literary was jumping up and down!  They live a couple hours away and two weeks after my surgery my family ventured up to see them. I could not wait as it has been several weeks since I had seen him last and this was going to be the first opportunity for me to have him in front of my camera. 

He just celebrated his first birthday and I can not wait to share those photos with you too, very soon. But until then enjoy baby Caleb's 4 week shoot.

M loves frogs so I had to make sure that I got a shot with the frog hat.

 A smile! This was something rare in this shoot. For some reason he wanted to be serious in between not being a happy little camper.

 Wearing one of Daddy's ties. I got to pick out the tie to use and loved the color combo in this one. I think it looks great one Caleb too!

 For the shower M requested that everyone bring a book instead of a card to build library for the little guy. I came across this book and gorilla set after the shower and brought it up with me for this visit. I was excited when he started to dose off. It was perfect for the title of the book to capture him sound asleep with the gorilla. 

To end the shoot a collage of all his cute baby parts. Little hands, little toes, nose ears, and eyes!

Rev. Dennis & Michelle- June 2013 Wedding Binghamton, NY

The weekend of this wedding was a busy one. I was scheduled for surgery the week after the wedding and had a lot of things to get in order at home before the wedding and the surgery. It was also the weekend after my own wedding anniversary. My husband and I went out to a winery and dinner for our anniversary and had a great time. This year we will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary! We have a family vacation coming up in July and plan on taking a day to our selves as well as having dinner on our anniversary night. I hope that this couple has the pleasure of many years of wedding anniversary just like we have been able to have!

I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle about 6 months before they were getting married. Michelle and I arranged all the plans and I did not meet Dennis until the morning of the wedding. I was nervous how things were going to go since I did not meet Dennis prior to the wedding day. But, everything went off without a hitch and I had a great time helping them capture their day!

I met with Dennis and his best man first. Then Dennis's dad joined us. After a few photos with the guys I headed to the couples home to shoot some images of the Michelle and her girls. We then headed to the Church for some more photos and the ceremony. After the ceremony we headed to Cutler Gardens for the formal shots. It was a VERY HOT day, but we made it through the heat and captured lots of great photos there. Everything finished up in Vestal at the American Legion. 

I have to say for being nervous about how the day would go, I had a great time shooting this couple. They are both great people and you can see the love that they have for each other.
I am glad getting this wedding posted just in time to wish this great couple a wonderful 1st anniversary!

 Three generations.

 A VERY happy man!

 Runaway flower girl.

 The first photo for the new family.

 Blowing bubbles.

 The next couple to be wed!

 First dance.

Cutting the cake and the cake smashing.

 Another first photo of the new family.

A photo to end with, A man will be a man...
Dad surrounded by beautiful women!