HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

So here they are the winners of my Mommy's day contest. First off let me thank EVERYONE who entered. I wish I could pick every single one of you but I just can't. I am so sorry yall. BUT all those that did enter will get a "SPECIAL" something if you book a session and tell me you entered Patsy's Mommy's Day contest. How is that? (wink) THANK you to all that entered. I had no idea so many people read my blog. THANKS AGAIN!!!

I could not pick just one so I picked two. Yeap, thats right two winners.

Our first one is Kathy Sutton!!! CONGRATS Kathy, your daughters love you to pieces (as does EVERYONE) as you will see in the letter submitted. Here is is...

We want to give our Mom a family portrait as an everlasting reminder of her love and dedication to our family. As young women who are beginning lives as newlyweds our mother is the ultimate symbol of faith, love, and happiness of which we strive to become. Our Mom has always been the center of our household since our father’s work required him to be gone for days at a time. Mom never missed a dinner, practice, game, performance, or help with homework. Mom was always there to shelter and guide us with warm understanding and infinite patience. Mom was beside us through bruises, braces, and broken hearts. She is our best friend, advisor, protector, and gossip buddy. Mom has always instilled in us the importance of the little things in life: a smile, a thank you note, a positive attitude, a giving heart, and lifelong friendships. This past year our parent's marriage vow "in sickness and in health" has been tested. Our family could not have survived this roller coaster of a year with our father's sickness if it hadn't been for the strength and support of our mother. Mom’s constant faith and unwavering dedication are the ties which bind our family together. We are hoping that you can help us with the best gift we could give our mother who never asks for anything. Mom has always jokingly said if the house catches fire the only things we are to grab are her pictures. She says this joking, but we know that these captured moments are irreplaceable treasures. We would love to share the gift of a new family portrait to our mother that shows the strength and future of our family.

By: Ashley Seitz and Lacey Sutton

Ok Kathy, I know you are crying now right? LOL.

Our second winner is...Laurie's Mommy and here is her story...

I Want to Give My Mommy a Family Portrait Contest
Picture this:
With a tattered pair of shoes and uniform a woman gets off of work at 5:00 pm after a 12 – hour shift to run home and pick up her two young children. She whisks them away and off to piano lessons, then ballet. Before heading home she makes a stop to buy her daughters each a new dress because tomorrow at school is picture day and she wants them to feel beautiful. At 9:00 pm (this has now been a 16 hour day) she settles her children home, makes them a homemade dinner, helps with homework, and still has enough time to sing them a song (James Taylor’s "You’ve Got a Friend") while they slip innocently into dreams.
Still, her day is not over. Exhausted she walks to sit at the dining room table and opens her books. She has decided to go back to school to get her college degree.
This pattern of selflessness does not end here; it continues throughout her daughters’ lives. Although my mother is not the only one who knows sacrifice on behalf of her children, this woman is a person of giving and never – ending strength. Coming from an underprivileged home in small town Florida, she promised herself that her children would never want. Giving her children everything they wanted, yet instilling an attitude of humility and gratefulness is, in itself, a miracle. Now, she watches as both of her children are strong, successful, and modest young women.
Patsy, my mother has never put herself before my sister or me. We never knew what it meant to "want". Sadly, my mother gave us these things at the cost of herself. For my wedding, I took her to get her hair dyed and a manicure / pedicure done for the first time in her life. Finding a dress for my mother to wear in my wedding was quite a challenge because every time we went somewhere to look, she drifted towards the ‘younger’ dresses commenting how I should try them on (Mom…we’re here for you. Remember???). Giving a new definition to the phrase "low – maintenance" my mother rarely lets us spoil her. This picture opportunity is a way to say ‘thank you’ to the greatest mother in the world because not only would the photos be taken by the greatest photographer ever (wink), but having her daughters sit next to her on a professional picture shoot would be her dream come true.
Thank you Patsy for this opportunity!

Your stories were amazing everyone, thank you for taking the time to enter!!!! God Bless you all and have a HAPPY MOMMY'S DAY!!! Call me next week and we will get this set up.