the nominees are...

Well, first a few words from your sponsor:

When I came up with this idea I was thinking how grateful I was for all my clients this year, and I how I felt so blessed. So I thought, I really do want to give something back. BUT I did NOT anticipate how hard it would be for me to choose the TOP 3. How do I decide who is more deserving, or which situation is the most deserving?? This was a lot more difficult than I was thinking. I guess I did not think it ALL the way through.

SO. I am posting more than 3 of the nominees. I just couldn't narrow it down to 3. So now YOU have to narrow it down for me.

A few guidelines, if you please.
Please read through all of the nominees.
Please only vote once (maybe twice) but send as many people as you want to the blog to vote.
and... PLEASE VOTE!


Okay, now on to the important stuff.
The nominees for mPhoto GIVE BACK 2009 are:


A.
I would like to nominate my co-worker and her husband. They have been married for a few years and the are having their first baby in December! They are having a baby girl.

This has been a very difficult pregnancy and for a few months they did not know if their baby would survive much past her birth. The doctors found some problems with her and since then my friend has had to go to specialist and multiple doctors appointments every week. She has had so much stress of not knowing what would happen to their baby girl that it has been hard for her to prepare for her arrival. Now she only has 5 weeks to go and while they are so happy for the baby to be coming, she most likely will still need some surgeries when she is born.

I truly believe they need this photo shoot. Both of these parents are wonderful people and I know it would warm their hearts to be able to capture images of their beautiful daughter when she is born. Since Randi takes the most beautiful photos of families I know my friends would be so blessed to have this very special gift of images to celebrate the beginning of life they will have with their daughter.



B.
We could really use a little bit of joy around here. We just recently moved to Spokane after living in Las Vegas for about a year. My husband had just graduated from BYU and had landed a great job in Vegas. Well, everything was going perfectly. We bought a beautiful new home and found out we were expecting our 2nd child. Life was great. And then crap hit the fan. My husband came home and told me (so unexpectedly) that he had been laid off due to budget cuts. We had no idea what to do with our house, insurance for my pregnancy, etc. So after months of searching for a job, with no luck (dang economy), we decided to leave Las Vegas and come back to Spokane. We are both from here and thought it would be nice to get some support from family. Now we are living in my parents' basement and my husband is getting a masters degree. So we are back to the poor student life. Things are slowly working out, but this has been the hardest year. Financially, emotionally and spiritually.

I would love for you to take pictures of my family, especially with my new addition in them! I have wanted to get family pictures done, but it just isn't in the budget for us right now. I love your style and I would love to spice up our living quarters- aka the basement.



C.
I want to nominate my sister and her family. They have not have the money for a family photo for more than three years. SAD, she has three growing girls! Ages 12, 6, and almost 4 right now (the youngest was less than a year in the last family photo so it's quite out of date). She and her husband opened three restaurants right when the economy tanked and they have basically lost everything. All three restaurants have closed and they are in the process of selling their home to compensate for the loss. On top of this her husband is being laid off in the next month. They do not tell anyone about this, and do not want/expect any sympathy. They have food to eat and all, but nothing left for extras. I know she would love nothing more than a family photo these days! Her family is what keeps her going during this rough patch.


D.
My brother & sister-in-law have been married for almost four years. She is a school teacher and teaches 2nd grade. He is a graphic designer and works for one of those companies that make nasty-tasting healthy drinks. After trying for a long time, they are expecting their first child in January- a daughter! Our whole family is thrilled for them!
Since she miscarried twins last Fall, we've been crossing our fingers for them.
They married "later in life" according to the Utah time line- which means closer to 30 than to 20- GASP! She was the kind of girl who had her wedding colors and baby names picked out before she was old enough to date. Expecting this little baby is a fulfillment of her dreams for a family of her own. She plans to quit teaching after this school year so she can be a stay at home mom. But with the meager salary of a graphic designer and her mega-frugal budgeting, there won't be much room for extras; which means they are doomed to JcPenney or Kiddie Kandids pictures!! I know with his artistic flair and her love of family, a beautiful photo of their new little family of three would be especially cherished.


E.
I have been overweight for a big part of our 17 year marriage, you know having 4 babies (all boys) will do that. For that reason, I have not wanted to be in pictures, so I stay behind the camera. As I look through tons and tons of our memories (pictures), I am rarely in them. When my husband offers to take one of me with the kids, I always find a way to get out of it. I didn't feel good about myself and didn't want any more proof of how bad I looked. But looking back now, it makes me sad that I am not in the pictures, sad that I let how I felt about myself keep me from documenting my life with my family. Well, I have lost 60 pounds in the last year and FINALLY feel good about myself. And actually WANT to be in the pictures. Thinking back on our 17 years of marriage, I can only remember 3 times that we had a family picture taken. Twice when my first born (who is now 15) was a baby and then again about 3 years ago. The only reason we took the one 3 years ago was because we were moving away from my parents and sister and wanted a picture of us all together before we left. While we were there, we took on of our own family. The only place we have ever had a picture taken was at a Sears or JC Penney type of place. I have been looking at your blog and drooling over the pictures you take and wanting you to take my family's pictures...to capture those candid moments that I cannot capture myself, and JC Penney certainly cannot capture. I finally feel happy with myself and would love for that to be captured in a beautiful family photo...

F.
I would like to nominate one of my closest & dearest friends. We met in church a little over 8 years ago. We were both very pregnant with our first babies—soon after they were born; (about 6 months old) we started a playgroup with our little girlies. It was more like a social survival hour for first-time mommies!! A VERY MUST-HAVE hour indeed!! We were also pregnant at the same time with our 2^nd babies! A lot has happened since then…She decided to stand STRONG through a super tough divorce all the while remaining what I call-- a stellar mother, daughter, sister & friend! I could go on & on all day about one of my best friends-but why she deserves this the most is because of all the negative in her life---this would be a “positive” to fill in her basket (so to speak). I have yet to ever hear her complain about her life! She is SO inspirational to me in many ways!!!! Did I fail to mention that on top oh her first priority, her children, she works full-time taking care of her ill brother & is going to school full-time to pursue her new interest in being a RN? She does SO much more for others than I could EVER mention in this little “scoop”! These are all the wonderful reasons why I think she & her cute little family would love a touch of some m photo in her life!!


G.
I would like to nominate my brother & sister-in-law. They have had a rough year. In one year they have moved 3 times and between the two of them- they have had 6 job changes. With 3 little children, they are busy and then busy some more, but trying to hold it all together through all the change. They could sure use some mPhoto this year.


***********
There you have them. The nominees for this year. This was SO hard. I hope that you take a moment to read through all the nominees. Put yourself in their place. Give it some thought and vote.

THANK YOU!