When I came up with the idea for this contest, I was in spin class. A girl power mix was playing and the faces of several women who have touched me over the past year were scrolling through my head. These women were not necessarily close to me. Some were; however, some I just knew in one way or another that they were fighting their own little silent battles. I couldn’t shake the thoughts of them. When I got home from spin class that day, I began composing that post. If you’re out of the loop and haven’t read it you should take the time, especially on this Mother’s Day, and go read it here.
Y’all, I had no clue when I wrote that post just how much these stories would touch me, inspire me, and just give me a good dose of perspective. At first, I barely got any entries. I was worried. I knew there were women fighting battles all around me and I wanted to know about them. I wanted to celebrate the strength, dignity, and grace within each of them. Finally, all at once it seemed, entries started pouring in. Daughters, friends, loved ones, and just onlookers started sending me beautiful stories of the women around them persevering through loss, through loneliness, through becoming leaders, and through finding a strength they never knew they had inside themselves. If you haven’t figured out by now, THIS MOVES ME. This moves me to my core. To see life testing someone and watch them not only power through it, but turn around and embrace that test to find a strength they never ever knew they had–that’s just one of the most substantial lessons we can learn from this crazy, beautiful life, my friends.
On top of this (and sorry men), but I have a particular passion for documenting that within women. I see it, I love it, and I try with all of my little might to capture its essence within my portrait sessions.
Especially today, but truly every day, women are to be celebrated. And today, I’m so so very proud to announce that the story of the woman whom I’ve chosen to document in one of my portrait sessions is a mother who deserves so very much celebration. From loss, to persevering and finding an inner strength, from bettering herself by taking a stand for both her education, career, and health, and most importantly, for her sons, I’m proud to announce 
as lady I’d love the pleasure of documenting. As for her full story, I’d like to share it with you when I share her photographs. So stay tuned. (:
And for all of you that sent me such beautiful, moving stories. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you. Your bravery for sharing stories and the strength in the women you shared them about moved me ever-so-greatly. If you did share a story with me, please email me once more with the mailing address of the woman you submitted. All women entered will be receiving a letter from me along with a fitting little gift to celebrate each of them.
Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing, and thank you for being your own little light, my little lovelies. And mostly today, to all of you mommas, thank you for so wholeheartedly loving and giving as you do. Without mothers, none of us would be.
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