Oh my… I’ve been waiting with bated breath for this contest to open. I can’t believe it’s here, oh my goodness!!! Let me breathe and introduce myself. My name is Jody Williamson. I am the mom of two amazing kids, Oliver 3 and Annie a year and a half. My husband Tim is an Airman in the Air Force and we live on Travis AFB. I don’t even know how to tell you how much this workshop would mean to me. I guess I’ll work a little backwards!!! My husband just got home from Iraq this June. He had been deployed since January and I can’t even explain how difficult it was to do life without my other half. The kids missed their daddy so much and my heart was broken on a daily basis husband. My son was old enough to understand that daddy was gone but not old enough to know he would be back. There were times when he told me, “Mommy, I don’t have a daddy.” It was heart wrenching!!! But with the help of friends and family we made it through and my husband made it home to our loving arms. Shortly after he came home, he used his separation pay to buy me my Sony a330!!! I was thrilled. He wanted me to have it for our camping trip. This was no ordinary camping trip though. You see we were going on this special memorial trip for Tim’s mom Robyn. The summer of 2009 was a SPECTACULAR time for our family because we spent so much of it with Tim’s parents. Tim’s parents had moved down to the area to be near us, they had been there when our daughter Annie Jae had been born at home in January. They were there 3 weeks later when I broke my foot and they took care of me, my two kids and yes even my husband while I was out of commission. And most of all they played with and loved on the kids all summer long. We spent long days at the river and at the pool. We went on walks with the kids, ran through the sprinklers and splashed in the kiddie pool! Grandma Robyn was amazing with Oliver and Annie. She was so animated and loving. My son never at3 a sandwich that wasn’t cut into the shape of a heart or an animal or something fun. She read books with him in the most dramatic fashion and every little person that they played with had their own “grandma given voice”!!! It was such a joy to see them forming a close bond. My only regret about that summer was not catching it on film. It was a Sunday night in October when we got the call from my sister-in-law RJ. Robyn had been admitted to the hospital because she was having trouble breathing. We knew she had been suffering from bronchitis, it had been a few weeks since they had come to stay with us because she had been sick. But the doctors gave her antibiotics and we knew she’d be feeling better anytime soon!!! The next day, we went to visit her in the hospital and we soon found that she was almost gone. They diagnosed her with stage four lung cancer, she was under sedation and on a ventilator. She didn’t even know we were there. Gone was her joy and by Wednesday afternoon she was gone. Her death came so suddenly and hit us so hard. She had just had the summer of her life with her grandkids, she had seemed so healthy, so happy. How did this happen? As soon as I got home I started searching frantically through my pictures. Robyn had been SO stubborn about getting her picture taken. I had a million pictures of the kids but only a handful of her with the kids. I was devastated and heartbroken. I felt that we had not only lost her but we also had lost our opportunity to capture who she was for the kids. We had no service for her, she hadn’t wanted a traditional service. So… we planned to have a memorial camp out for her the following summer where the whole family could come together and celebrate her life. Two weeks later my husband found out he would be deploying in January. I felt like life was spinning out of control! I took about a million pictures of him and the kids… just in case. I felt lost and scared. When my husband left in January my son Oliver was so confused. He kept asking me, “Is daddy gone forever like Grandma Robyn?” It took all of my self-control to try to “hold it together” and still at times I failed. When I would explain that daddy was going home but that grandma was in heaven he would ask if he could go to heaven to visit her. I was an emotional wreck! But with the love of friends and family we made it through. Now my husband is home. When we sit down for dinner my son often exclaims, “We’re making a family!!!” It warms my heart. I have probably taken over 10,000 pictures with my a330 since my husband bought it for me in July. I have about 100 pictures of the kids with their grandpa, I pause and capture the “real” moments all the time. I’m constantly running for my camera to catch the kids in the act of something that is so “them”. I love the feeling of catching who they are, the kind of dad my husband is. My friends never expect to see me without my camera in hand… it has become a permanent outfit accessory and since it’s brown it looks really good!!! =) Me Rah… I read your blog and I feel refreshed. I watch your videos and I feel inspired. When I capture the love of my family and friends on film I feel whole. On the way to Robyn’s camp out I got a call that my grandpa Joe had passed away. He lived a full life, had been sick for a while and we knew the time was coming. I had just gone down to see him a couple of weeks before and I came home with hundreds of pictures of him. It helped to ease the pain! This last year has taught me so much about the fragility of life. It has made me learn to stop and appreciate the little moments. It has made me realize how precious each moment is. A weekend away with you and your husband, with other photographers that share my passion, the opportunity to learn even more about how to capture the love of life well… it would mean the world to me!!! It really, really would!!!!

Ahhh… I just reread my post and realized there were some typos!!! Yikes!!! Sorry but I’m really just SO excited for this opportunity, plus after I started writing the tears started flowing!!! In the craziness of a busy life… volunteering at church, teaching Awanas, helping with Tim’s command… I often feel pulled in a million different directions. Photography is the one thing that ALWAYS helps me to slow down and really live in the moment. For me it gives me so much peace and joy! Thank you for considering me for this contest!

One of your readers kindly informed me that I forgot to include my email. So here it is: onlyjody@hotmail.com

Jody,
Your story was very touching and your passion for wanting to attend this workshop is OBVIOUS… and for the record, I didn’t even notice any typos… I was so lost in your life that were sharing. 🙂 BTW, the camping pictures you shared on the link are beautiful. Good Luck to you!

Sally,
Mary Beth is going to just be so taken back that you were so very thoughtful to take the time to think of her.

Elysia,
I admire you for your honesty and openness. Good luck to you!

Side note: How much does Brian and his sister look alike, my goodness! Looking forward to catching the show tonight. 🙂

well mera….this is my favorite give away that you do. seriously. mom’s give so much…to so many…all day, every day…and for you to connect with them and give so generously is so special! well done! i love love love it. 🙂

jody…i hope you get this. i just read your story and even though i knew it already, it pulls the heart strings more as i see the words and imagine you crying on your keyboard. 🙂 the sossaman’s love you guys. good luck!

Hello all,
My name is Kerrie Little and I’ve been sitting here for the last 20 minutes deciding if I could/should allow myself the courage to ask for this running on empty opportunity. Do I deserve it? Yes, but so does everyone else. I am shaking as I write this, the rush of of emotions is overwhelming at the moment… You see, I have a wonderful hardworking husband named Brien, who was diagnosed right before our wedding with a condition called Achalasia. Basically it is paralysis of the esophogeus. It just stopped working one day and and 3 major operations later along with minor procedures done every year it has not gotten any better, he unfortunately has to purges his food everyday because it gets stuck and causes major discomfort. We’ve dubbed it the “Supermodel diet” it’s my way of coping with it and trying to find any humor/comfort in it at all. Right now we are working with a new surgeon to see if there is any hope, even though we were told last time there wasn’t and a feeding tube is going to be his option. Well…3 sons later we aren’t about to let this stop us. I say “us” because I deal with it too, when he is to sick to help with extra (kids, household, etc.) and he still has a fabulous work ethic and doesn’t allow it to stop him. Then last year our youngest son was diagnosed with Autism. I stopped working prior to the Autism diagnosis to give our kids more time and seriously did some budget rearranging!! Since our son’s diagnosis, I’ve been committing myself to his therapy sessions and there are a lot! My reading for pleasure has turned into all the reading I can get on the subject to help him and our family create a better, more thriving environment for him and our family. My passion for photography stared almost 10 years ago when my husband surprised me with my first SLR camera (film) and after getting my first “shots” back I was hooked! It’s a passion that errupted in me and others started seeing my pictures and have asked me to take pictures of their children/families. I think that is how it starts for the majority of us!!! Anyway, my chance of going to the San Francisco workshop to continue this passion/adventure was dashed when my car’s fuelpump decided to break on the 3rd day back to school in the middle of the school’s intersection…I was the mom that blocked traffic for what seemed like miles, as I got out and pushed my suburban out of the intersection, people camed to my rescue and helped me, don’t know them but they were my angels at that moment. Anway, getting off track, it’s was a giant expense that we weren’t expecting. So with a big smile on my face that right now because I accomplished writing this (yes, my hands are still shaking!). I would like to be considered for this workshop. Thank you for the opportunity and for the blogs that keep me going when I am completely on empty!!
sincerely,
kerrie little

Forgot to leave my email…. Pictish@comcast.net

thanks!

I have been sitting here wondering what to say — I think that ALL MOM’S run on empty and lately most of us are doing that more and more as the economy and circumstances dictate.

There are so many amazing stories — but how could I knot nominate a women I truly admire. Laura. Laura is truly running on empty , but the best part about her is that she gets that she’s not the only one feeling this way. Despite the difficult year she has had she still manages to be a fantastic friend and support system for so many.

I don’t know where to start — but her husband has been working in Afganistan for the last year. As of this moment, they do not know if he has a job back here in the States when he returns or if (and this is the worst case for them) he will have to take another contract in Afganistan, just so that he has income coming in.

She has four adorable kids ranging from 12 to 1 (Her husbands contact started overseas when her son was just three months old!) The short version is that while he has been gone she has been doing everything — from dealing with house issues (many of the issues like the drains not working and hte stucco falling off are reminants of Huricanne Wilma), to running her own businesses. She has a photography business, does photo editing and additionally just created a breast feeding cover (which has had great feedback and looks to be going somewhere but there is the issue of time).

What I find more amazing is that she does all this despite an injury to her hand — she was a deputy at detention deputy in the local jail, where she injured her left writs and hand (yup you got it she’s left handed). The result was a condition called RSD, it’s basically a burning nerve injury, so she is in pain frequently and you would simply never know it.

I have checked and she could come (had coverage for her kids and a way to get there) if chosen, and I do believe that she needs this. She needs time to herself to rediscover photography and clarify what direction she want’s to take, photographically going forward. I can not tell you how much it would mean to her, her husband who is still overseas and her friends if you would select her. It would be the second best present ever (the first still needs to be her husband coming home safe and sound).

I’ve actually come here to nominate Juanita Cannan and then I see that she nominated herself. I am actually shocked because (I’ve never told her this) that she should have nominated herself a long time ago, but like she said, she is so much an introvert and this is pushing her outside her comfort zone! (Also, she didn’t know I was going to nominate her.) I am so glad to see her write about herself, as she is seriously one of the most amazing women I know. Our kids are the same age and we have watched each other grow and try our best to raise little people who are kind and decent. Her children are some of the most loving, kind children I know. That alone says so much to Juanita’s character and her love of being a mom. She lives about 1 1/2 hours from me, yet we still manage to keep our friendship going, mostly due to her making the drive to me which is such a struggle with three kids, but she is always willing to make the trip.

She is one of my dearest friends. She loves her husband, is crazy about her kids, loves the Lord and has a huge passion to photograph families. I know that this workshop would help push her in the wonderful direction she wants to go.

The reason I am nominating her is because of the complete lack of time she is able to devote just to herself. As she said in her paragraph, she is away from her home country, raising their three children and just doesn’t have the help or support system that they need. She is working hard to start her own business, but just doesn’t have the time to devote to it and this workshop would be such a wonderful inspiration for her. It breaks my heart to read that she wrote she is in a, “general, what feels like a constant state of emptiness” since she is just a wonderful woman who deserves so much.

What amazing stories the other women have submitted! My goodness there are so many deserving people of this contest! Thank you for considering my friend Juanita, who needs this wonderful workshop weekend to refresh her soul.

Well, it’s the middle of the night… all my babies are fast asleep… my husband is snoring as well… as is the norm — they are probably lost in peaceful dreams… and here I am, wide awake… insomnia, over-thinking, who knows — but it is the norm as well. I suppose now is as good a time as any to share part of my story.
I guess I will start off by saying that I think it is so important to validate your dreams and life ambitions by taking the time to write them down. It seems every couple years I jot down and update my “someday” list… you know, things you want to do or see happen “someday”… because clearly today is not the right day as the kiddos & “life” are needing mama’s undivided time and attention… 🙂
On September 3rd I took a moment and pulled out my “someday” list… and among the items that got noted was to do a photo session with my grandfather and all of his grandbabies… in a shady park… I actually saw it in my head… Poppy sitting there glowing… as the kids frolicked around him. Have you ever seen an elder person light up when a child comes bouncing into the room? This simple joy has got to be one of the most precious gifts this life has to offer. I am the family picture taker… so I knew this would be solely up to me to ensure that these special, priceless photos were captured. “Someday” soon I was going to make this happen…
Seven days later after a phone call was received, I ran into his home and then cautiously walked around the office that led to his bedroom to see Poppy on the floor… just his shell, as his spirit had already left. In shock. Very surreal to say the least. We all knew that this would “someday” happen – we just never imagined it would be that day.
It hit me a few days later that, that “someday” would never arrive… and that special photo session I longed to do would never take place. How had I not taken the time to actively make happen what I longed so much for??
The whole family will be flying back to the Florida Keys to honor Poppy with a memorial service toward the end of October. Thankfully, my doctor gave me permission to fly… as I am just shy of 6 months pregnant with a condition called Velamentous Cord Insertion. My hope is to be able to capture an image in the Keys – where I spent my childhood summer days with Poppy – that will hold peacefulness and a sense of remembrance of Poppy — the greatest man that I have ever known.
My friends and family are forever listening to me talk about you, Me Ra… and how “someday” I am going to attend your workshop. It’s in my heart… I know that it will happen – though I am not sure when that “someday” will be. Since Poppy passed away I have been reminded pretty strongly that life doesn’t stand still. Moments & “somedays” aren’t promised – and that I ought to take myself off the backburner — now, not when the kids are fully raised… and pursue my passions and dreams in the now.
A year ago a friend asked me to photograph a military memorial service for his father — taken back and humbled by the confidence they had in me to ensure that there would be photographs down the road to show Gary’s grandchildren when the time came, was beyond a priceless gift to me. I feel so honored to have been given this gift and to have photography in my life. I would say for the past year my friends and family have held me up with their confidence in my photography – and though I do not always see or understand their beautifully thoughtful compliments, I appreciate them more than I could say. They keep the wind in my sail. I would love nothing more than to feel confident with my camera, the technical parts. Though I have left the “green box” I have never ventured into the manual zone – not yet anyway. When I come home from each session, my husband always asks how it went, to which I reply the same thing each time –“Fine, I guess… I just hope I didn’t ruin too many pictures by having it on the wrong setting.” I’m my toughest critic, go figure.
So, in closing… I will say, though life is hectic with 4 kiddos, ages 15 to the one in the belly… and it has just become the norm to burn my wick from both ends…. I am beyond thankful for you, Me Ra, and your continued inspiration and for this chance to even be considered. Taking an active step in getting closer to my “someday… I will attend her workshop” is just huge for me. Reading all of the other mom’s stories — I am just reminded that we are all more alike than not – that’s a comforting thing. Keep shining ladies!!
Much love,
Freida Hall
freidaketa@yahoo.com

Please send Freida to this workshop!!! She is so hard working and has a beautiful PASSION for photography. She is such a sweet person and has her heart in the right place. I know she’s been dreaming of this contest and really wants to go, but cannot afford it having a new baby coming soon…She takes GORGEOUS pictures already, but really admires your work and passion and heart for photography. She is dedicated to your teachings and shares your blog info almost daily for the rest of us non-artistic people to see. She’s had a rough year this year and really derserves some time away to do what she loves. She is always shining and loving and really has a heart and eye for this work. I know I’m not only writing this for myself, but for many others who read her posts everyday. 🙂

I see her with that Camera and watch her come alive over and over again. I see the photos, and I come alive. It’s because of that, that I would like to nominate Charisse Rhodes.
I have known Charisse for nearly 13 years and she is an incredible mother and wife who challenges me to be a better person everyday. The whole time I have known her she has been completely dedicated to her family and her children. Charisse has 2 children that she homeschools. When her Son was born, the Dr. let her know that he son would have Cerebral Palsey. Instead of buckling down and accepting that diagnosis, she gathered us all together and asked us all to pray. She read every book she could get her hands on and read every article she could about CP. She had the confidence to educate us about CP, and provide her the support she was most assuredly going to need. A few years later she was pregnant again and endured yet another tough pregnancy with her daughter. There was never a time when she hung her head, neglected her son, or husband. She pushed through whatever feelings she had and always took on the days with pride and elegance.
Charisse has such a magic about her. She has something that prompts you to ask her “How do you do that” there is a spark in her that you just want to take hold of and catch fire right along with her. Whenever we speak, she always has an idea, or she has the perfect solution when my idea has hit a wall.
She has motivated me to start a project, and gave me the support that I needed to complete it. The most important thing that she gave me was the confidence and support that I needed to leave a marriage where I was being battered. When I didn’t have the confidence to pull myself together, she graciously reminded me that I was still a whole person, and that I was loved and cared for. She comforted and supported me and my children. She offered her home and she opened her life without question or judgement. I was constantly reminded who I was before the abuse, and who I could be now that it was over.
She managed to hold her household together and still support me with low energy, and a very busy schedule. She has never asked for anything in return. I know that sometimes she is running on empty, but she would probably never speak it aloud. I know that sometimes she needs a break, but you would probably never hear her crack. She’s amazing that way. Sometimes I think she has a cape hiding somewhere.
How do you say thank you to someone who gave you your life back? How to you honor someone who gave you back your confidence, your spirit and your drive. I guess all I can do is say thank you publicly, and ask that you consider her. This opportunity would give her the chance to share a fraction of her greatness on a larger scale.

ATTENTION GRABBING ANNOUNCEMENT: In spite of all the mother-in-law daughter-in-law jokes, I am a mother-in-law nominating my daughter-in-law, Ajira Darch.

As far as “running on empty” is concerned, Ajira is the mother of our 18 month old grandson, Chésaweh, and wife of our son Cameron. Ajira was diagnosed with Myofascial Pain Syndrome complicated by Fibromyalgia several years ago. Along with the tremendous joy and love that Chésaweh has brought to Ajira’s life, another wonderful side affect of her pregnancy was a huge reduction in her everyday pain. She still struggles with some days that are worse than others, but she never seems to let it interfere with life.

Recently Ajira and Cameron had to move on short notice when their landlord decided to turn the house they were renting into a day care center and so of course, they had to frantically find another house to rent. Chésaweh seems to teethe constantly (can you have too many teeth??) as well as pick up the normal baby illnesses. Photography editing work time these days starts around 10:00 pm and continues late into the night. But she gets it done! Emptying boxes from the move is done in-between other daily chores.

At a time when a gal could sure use mama and pappa, and sibling love and support; her parents and brother live in South Africa and her sister is in NYC. Tough.. a world away.

Cameron is a self-employed contractor and they are struggling financially in these tough economic times – as are many others. I admire Ajira for not giving up on her Photography business, rather working even harder and coming up with inventive ways to constantly learn and grow as a photographer. Over the last year she has contacted many photographers and worked as an unpaid, second shooter apprentice, to learn from many different styles. She works so hard and is so talented that a couple of these photographers have booked her again and paid her small fees. Ajira searches for free meetings, lectures, and workshops about every facet of photography that she can find and attends eagerly. She is growing, learning, and widening her professional networking circle.

My daughter-in-law fell madly “in love” with her baby from the moment of his birth. She does not simply love photography; she is also madly “in love” with it as an art, lifestyle, and profession.

Ajira really, really needs this workshop and I believe she really, really deserves it. I also believe that her passion for photography is a huge component in what keeps her RUNNING, even when she is ON EMPTY.

My name is Stacey Samuel and I am elated to nominate my friend, Charisse Rhodes for this awesome experience. I have know her to be an unforgettable friend at all times. I have learned so much from her. She has influenced the ways I raise my family and doing what’s best for my children and myself. I am often captivated by her nurturing ways of being a mother, a wife, the educator of her two children (which she homeschool’s), and the incredible eye she has behind the lense. Her God given gift of photography is only a snap shot of what an awesome and talented women she is. So I ask that she be given this opportunity to showcase her eye for beautiful and captivating pictures.

I always find ways to wander back to Me Ra’s blog :).

I nominate Ajira Darch. This is a bit intimidating considering the long narratives that have already been written for many different deserving women. I don’t have a long narrative. It looks like many wonderful words have already been written about Ms. Ajira by her lovely mother-in-law, and I don’t think I could possibly add to that.

Except, just one thing. When I think of Ajira, I think of her heart. When I got to spend some time with her, I noticed how deeply she felt for other mothers and the struggles that they go through. Just one example is a story of when we got together for a MWAC’s playdate 🙂 with our two boys. We were standing in the parking lot of a cafe, waiting for her son to wake from falling asleep in his carseat. A woman–a young mother–came rushing out of the cafe with a wailing, inconsolable baby. She was desperately trying to calm the baby, and she was clearly frazzled and upset. We’ve all been there! We’ve all had that pile-up of emotion from stress and frustration with raising an infant. Ajira wanted to reach out to this total stranger, as she was rushing away, to give her some comforting words. What a big heart and what great compassion she has for her fellow humans. I can’t think of a heart more deserving than Ajira. What can a heart like this create at one of Me Ra’s workshops? Thank you for your consideration of Ajira Sharp.

I highly recommend Charisse Rhodes. She is a very dear friend of mine. She is a stay at home mom who home schools her 2 lovely children. So photography is a way for her to get away from it all, relax, and express herself in her own creative way. Her photos are so professional. Her eye for creativity is impeccable. She is well deserving to win this trip to this photography workshop where she can hone in on her skill and grow her business doing what she loves more than anything. Please grant her this opportunity, she is well deserving of it.

Anita Brown

Ok, here goes, where do I start? It’s 5:30 pm and the contest deadline is approaching. I’m so nervous to share my story but I want so badly to go to this workshop for many reasons.
I live in the Bay Area, funds are limited and this San francisco Workshop seems to be my destiny if only I can get selected. First off, the most obvious reason is that October 10th is my birthday. A number of things have happened since Me Ra appeared on the Nate show that seem to be life pointing me in the direction of following a passion that I have not allowed to thrive. I’ve since ordered the videos which I love love love! They made me realize that life keeps pushing me in this direction to follow my dream that I’ve had for the past 20+ years. My passion began with my mother who used her cheap little camera to document her 3 children’s lives amongst the turmoil that filled her own life. Growing up I’d repeatedly pick up those beautiful albums and spend hours taking in all the images of me and my siblings in various stages of our life. I also loved to see photos of my mother in her younger years and realized what a wonderful gift she’d given me, to be able to see her at my age, and try to imagine what their lives were like, based on the photos. I’ve since picked up her hobby/passion of being that person at all the events snapping photos of everyone, as annoying as it may be to some folks. After viewing Me Ra’s DVD’s, I now KNOW in my heart that I”ve found my passion. I am so excited about this discovery and want to pursue this full speed ahead without any hesitation. I want to learn everything I can about photography from someone who is like me, and that would be Me Ra-who I’ve connected with via DVD. Is that possible I think so, it was as if she was speaking to me. So, despite the past 2 years of my personal challenges, I feel so fulfilled when I am taking photos and being a part of capturing moments in our lives. Now, a little about me and my “challenges”. I am married, and a mother of 2 wonderful beautiful boys. I was married in 1995 and me and my husband had worked hard starting off with very limited resources, and were able to create what I would hae called a successful life for ourselves, and our extended family. Then, just when I was loving life, on January 18, 2009, my husband was in a serious accident, caused by a stranger that almost killed him. After fighting to stay alive, he suffered permanent injuries and required numerous surgeries, with more surgeries still to come in spring of 2011. I used every ounce of my energy to care for him day and night. This is where I began to run on empty. He continues to suffer from the mental and physical trauma that goes with what he went through.
However, I am starting to realize I need a way to help all of us get through this. I have documented his slow and lengthy recover over the past year and a half via my amateur photography skills and have found that this is my therapy. This allows me to express myself. Previously, I seriously used Grey’s Anatomy to provide self therapy to realize the stages of grief and understand what my family was going through. My two boys almost lost their father and have also become victims of this accident. All of our relationshps have suffered because of this, and sometimes I just feel so lost. We all lost so much from this accident and it is not over yet, the details and nightmares continue to haunt us all, and I realize we will never be the same. I believe that I have a lot to give myself and others through photography and I really know in my heart this could be the start of a huge Healing Process for me and for my family. I feel that I need this workshop, and on my birthday ? Wow, that would be so wonderful. I know I could not get across what I feel in 30 minutes of typing, but I had to give it a shot.My 11 year old son, sat next to me and insisted I give it a shot and as he stated” if it’s meant to be Mom-she’ll pick you, you just have to try.” I’ve always told them anything is possible, but you gotta give things a try, I never knew he would be giving me the same advice at his young age. It’s been tough, but I a so blessed to have such great kids, and I know we’ll get through this. It’s 5:55pm, I’d love to proofread this and add more details and revise, but I gotta meet this deadline and try.
Please allow me the opportunity to attend this and meet Me Ra in person to share my experience. I have to believe this was meant to be…

I also wanted to say that if financially I could have worked it out…short of selling my offspring…I would have purchased a ticket, but I couldn’t. Honestly, that is really another reason why I really NEED to be in San Francisco with you and Brian at this workshop. I am even willing to miss my son’s actual 12th birthday (Oct 9) to be there. That’s how much I want to come.

Please select me. You don’t have any idea on what doors you will be opening for my future and my ability to show my kids that with perserverance…anything really is possible.

Charisse Rhodes

Freida,
Thank you so much for your kind comments-it means so much, really. I feel like I’ve already taken a huge step toward my destiny.
czturtle@gmail.com

I just want to add one more thing to my request, if its not too late-I just realized something (aha moment)during a walk with my dog.
Photography makes me feel alive again. Since the accident, I’ve felt like I was walking through life in a bubble, almost robotic(like a stepford wife). The past year and a half have whizzed by and I can’t believe we are at the end of 2010 already. I think its because I wasnt really ‘living’ my life. I’ve been a passenger-so to speak- in reactive mode of my life. The only thing that has kept me going is that I find true joy in my boys and they are the only things that make me feel “alive”. That was great for me until now, when I just realized-I dont want to be that kind of parent, living and finding my only happiness through my kids. What will happen when they are off to college one day? I need to SHOW them how to really LIVE, to FEEL alive by realizing and living out my hearts passion. I just realized my mom did this, lived (and still does)her life through her kids, and seemed to only find happiness through her kids(she’ll admit it). I cannot repeat that cycle. Photography makes me feel ALIVE again, like a participant in life, not just a passenger. I love the way it allows me to give and to receive. This must be what fulfilling your passion/destiny is like; giving and receiving. Me Ra, thank you for ‘giving’ this wonderful gift that you give everyday via your website, and through your workshops. You must be proud of yourself. You are truly blessed to be touching so many lives everyday. What a great life to be LIVING! I truly hope to meet you one day. Good luck deciding on a winner -seems like these women are pretty darn amazing.

So many beautiful, heart-wrenching and heart opening stories ladies. The power and strength of women is incredible. Your spirits are shining brightly from the courage each of you exhibited in nominating yourself or a loved one – revealing the truth of what has happened or is happening in your life.

Very touching and moving. My heart goes out to each one of you with gratitude for the realness and loving care you give to your families and those around you.

Our panel is reading and having their own experience of trying to choose one for this spot. No easy job as you can imagine. Me Ra will be back as soon as she can with the recipient. You’re all winners. heart you all! Genie

Pick Jody Pick Jody! I’ve been blessed to call Jody one of my closest friends. She is amazing and has been such an inspiration for me. She has encouraged me more than a few times to keep my chin up and keep going. I know she would be eternally grateful and soak up every moment of the workshop!

After reading your entry I was immediatly reminded of “When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.” — Napoleon Hill