Change~

Change is not always comfortable, but necessary if you are going to grow.  I have been struggling with the new "time line " on Facebook.  I have spent many frustrating hours trying to learn how to use it properly.  I know that I should smile and welcome the change, but change is not always easy.  I am sure once I get the hang of it I will be fine but right now it is not pleasant.  I am going to relate this tonight to many grumblings on Facebook and in the 3-Day pages.  I know that there is no longer a delayed payment plan for getting in our donations.  I would like to think of this as not only a positive, but as a challenge.  If you are like me, you are always up for a challenge.  We just have to learn to be more creative with our fundraising efforts and help one another.  Let's face it, walking 60 Miles is no easy task.  You have to prepare for it.  Each day working at it, going a little farther.  Each step we take, we grow, we are changing.  Not only ourselves, but the face of cancer.  The day we celebrate the end of cancer will be a beautiful day, but to achieve that goal we must be willing to change.

XoXo

Bewilderment~

Today I took a trip.  I guess you could call it a field trip.  To gain some knowledge and find out how to best use what I have learned.  While learning, I was also teaching.  I got the opportunity to share the 3-Day experience with someone.  It was really quite interesting to go through the whole experience and try to explain from beginning to end why we 3-Dayer's do what we do to someone that had never heard of us. ( Is that even possible? )  Guess so...  It in a way was very eye opening.  Basically it was a back and forth exchange of ideas and understanding.  I guess it was weird for me to hear someone break it down into basics.  Stripped of all emotions and Pink.  What they originally got out of it was that I got a lanyard ( that had my name on it, a bar code and few numbers and was covered in stickers ) and at the end of punishing myself for 3 days and covering 60 miles I got a T-Shirt.  ( If that is what their original thoughts were I can see why they were so totally confused! )  Either that or I REALLY liked the T-Shirt and it is to date the most expensive piece of clothing I have EVER owned and I liked them SO much, that I have multiples of them!  After an hour and a half, I think that I was able to bring the black & white into Pink.  To breathe life into the event and give it the heart and soul that it commands and needs.  To bring about the understanding of unity and commitment and how we we may be individuals, but our experiences bring us together to form a family unit.  From all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds.  Each one of us may have our own unique reason as to "Why" we choose to do this, or who inspired us to make this journey, but our goal is united.  To find the cure for breast cancer, to bring it to it's knees and eradicate it.  It has taken our women, it has taken our men and in some cases, our children.  They all have & had titles.  Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Grandmother, Grandfather, Aunt, Uncle, etc...  But the bottom line is that they were taken too soon.  These warrior angels were stripped of moments that had yet to happen.  We as a united force can't bring those moments back, but we can fight to make sure that no more are taken away.  To give the gift of time, moments that should never have been stolen away.  So, why wouldn't I do everything I could do to make this a reality?  Do I really have to wait until I am sitting in a Doctors office to hear that I have cancer to be affected?  Maybe for some, but not for me.  My grandmother being a 27 year survivor & my Mother being an 12 year survivor. 

(Call me Crazy, but I think that I have the genetic lotto of winning one of these days.) I choose to take a stand now, not wait until breast cancer comes knocking at my door.  I think by the end of my time, they understood and even gained an appreciation of how truly connected we are.  How when one of us hurts, we all feel it, and when one has a victory we all celebrate in that moment.  So for now, one more person understands that we don't walk 60 miles over the course of 3-Days raising $2,300 for a T-shirt! 

 XoXo 

Portraits are more than Paper~

Fototails Photography

www.fototails.com

A letter on my door step. portraits are more than paper.

Posted by jeaninethurston on January 2, 2012

There will be no portrait photos in this post.  This letter wasn’t mailed – it was at my doorstep when I got home a couple months ago.  I read it, I cried, and read it again – probably a hundred times by now.  It wasn’t easy to read – and honestly, as much as it validates what I do for a living – I wasn’t sure I was going to share it either – Until today, when a past client said that my print prices were too expensive.  If you choose to read through the letter, you will know why I’ve finally chosen to share it.

July 2nd, 2011

Jeanine - 

Today I am writing for a couple of reasons.  I have some quiet time at the moment and need to get a couple of things off my mind.  I will leave this for my husband to deliver to you when he is ready.

You photographed my wedding, you photographed my first pregnancy and my first baby.  I contacted you awhile back to photograph my 2nd child and family.  After getting prices and realizing I would want all of the pictures as we love your work – I decided against spending $500+ – which is what I normally spend for portraits and prints with you..  Please know it is not because I don’t value your amazing eye, or how much we love the experience.

That week that I decided to NOT do a session with you, this is how I spent some money.

On Sunday I called and cancelled our session.  Monday I went out and got my hair cut ($39+tip), and colored ($65), Thursday I had my nails done ($24), my family went out to dinner at a somewhat expensive restaurant for no particular reason costing us $79 + tip.  This was just 4 days since canceling our session, already totaling over $200 for un necessary things.  My nails only lasted about 2 weeks, my hair is gone, and seven weeks passed when I got the phone call from our doctor.  It was not something I expected and the cancer has spread very quickly.  I will be leaving my husband, my 6 year old girl and my now 2 year old – not by choice.  It is very hard for me to talk about it which is why I need to write you.

I watch your Facebook page and your posts about the value of a photo and if I could give back all of those things that I purchased this few weeks after I cancelled my session with you, knowing what I know now, and have that session, well… I would do it in a heartbeat. 

Now my time is done and there are no more chances for me.  The next time someone cancels a session – my wish is that you forward this letter to them.  Time is fragile, it is gone before you know you had it.  If you charged $200 for one print it wouldn’t be enough for what it is actually worth.  I cringe to think that my priorities were a manicure over a memory to pass onto my babies and husband.

My love and thanks for what you have given us from past photos.  I am so sorry that I did not see it as more than paper until now.

Karen L.

Jeanine~ The author of this entry, wanted her story to be shared.  So tonight I decided to share it with you.  None of us are promised tomorrow.  We need to learn to live in the moment and make the moments count.  This story is just one shining example of why.  Since this letter was written Karen has passed.  Her cancer was too advanced at the point, that it was discovered.  We send out our sincerest condolences to the family.  I have people that think I take way too many pictures, but when someone you love is no longer with you.  Pictures become priceless treasures.  You can look at them and they have the power to take you back to that moment in time.  This year I hope that you take many pictures with those that you love, they don't have to be perfect, just capture the moment.  One day someone may be forever thankful that you took that picture.  On a personal note:  I had a friend that was murdered almost a year ago.  Sadly, I do not have one picture of us together.  Since his untimely death, I have gotten to see so many pictures of him doing the things that he loved and with his other friends.  It is wonderful to see all of those pictures and I can tell you that no one thought that his life would be cut short at such a young age.  Every picture is a treasure with immeasurable worth.  

XoXo

Value~

Everything in this world has value, or does it?  As we start off the New Year we are open to doing more things and seeing the possibliities.  So, I am going to take this opportunity and give you ( possibly ) a new view of things.  Does everything in this world have value, or is it that we each assign things their value according to how we see it?  Ok, follow me on this... You are given a gift.  It is worth ( in money if bought at the store ) let's say is $50.00.  Now, because of who gave it to you and the significance of the event ( if there is one, like a Birthday or Engagement etc... ) the value to you, might far exceed it's actual "worth".  Now, why am I even pratling on about this?  Well, as the close of the year comes closer, most of us use it as a time of reflection,  on events that have happened over the last year.  We tend to get more emotional and nostalgic for years, as well as times that have gone by.  We re-evaluate moments spent, with loved ones and friends, each we have assigned a certain value to it as it relates to our life.  Let's face it, good or bad, positive or negitive because of the value we assign "it" gives it's power.  Emotions and time can also play a part in this too.  I will use two examples:  You get married... Everything is fresh and new, full of possibilities.  Just the words, "We just got married" brings a huge smile to your face and a happy pitch to your voice that can not be matched.  The value~ priceless.  Now, let's take the negitive of this.  You are getting "Divorced".  This is usualy a very unpleasent, painful, expensive, difficult time in people's lives.  It brings about many different emotions to each person involved.  The value~ depending on the person and how it affected them the answer may suprise you.  In the begining because feelings are raw.  There may be, confusion, feelings of betrayal, abandoment, hurt and even sadness.  As time goes on, you could be angry feeling "how dare they", or you could feel, "like it was the best thing that ever happened".  Ok, I hope with that, I made my point more clear.  If not, here is the down & dirty version.  A "Divorce" is just that. A parting of ways.  It happens all the time.  Now, if it happens to you it has a value, be it positive or negitive.  I know, this is not my usual type of posting, but it was relevant today.  At least in my life, & I hope that if nothing else, it was thought provoking for you.  We all need to evaluate things in our lives, see if they have a "Value".  If they don't, maybe it is time to let go, and make room for the things that do... 

XoXo

~New Year~

New Year's day is a time to leave the past behind, to step forward and have a fresh start.  Today, starts that day.  Alpha-Pink-Omega is going to take on a new look... My dear friend Lisa, graciously made a new design for me.  I am hoping that you are going to LOVE it as much as I do!  I am working on getting the design silk screened.  Once I manage to do that I will sell the T-Shirts to help me raise the money that I need for my 3-Day walks.  This year I will also change up the blog a little...  Don't worry, I will still keep in the Fantastic Foodie Fridays.  I am also going to ask you my readers to get involved this year.  Do you have a favorite recipe that you are willing to share?  Have a story that you want told?  Guess what... I am here, and want to make this blog something that you feel a part of.  Connected to, I want you to have some ownership.  I look forward to the possibilities that this year can hold.  I hope you do to.  Feel empowered...Together, we can do great things... 

 XoXo