September 29, 2009
Many of you have asked me if I am scheduling photoshoots at this time….
The answer is yes. However, my availability is much more limited right now, so I wanted to post the following sessions that I have available for October. I will let you know about November in a week or so…
I will say that now is the perfect time to schedule family photos for Christmas. There is no stress… no crazy holiday busyness.
There are only 7 sessions available— so grab your date asap!
September 26, 2009
Football games…. soccer games… MORE soccer games.
This is what my weekends look like. Through my lens of life. They are filled with plenty of activity with each of my children! It is never boring… that’s for sure!
Lissy. – Team Firecrackers. – AYSO Gold – Go Lis!
Julia – Team Liberty – AYSO Gold – Go Juju!
Colin – Team Thunder – Desert Vista High School Marching Band!
Go Lil’ Kuke!
September 23, 2009
Meet Hillary~
Beautiful senior from Gilbert High School!
This photoshoot was the first shoot since my recent loss…
My daughter Alissa was there to help assist (Lissy loves doing senior shoots with me!)
I will say it just felt great to get behind the camera.. and to see and capture beauty!
Hillary was a doll! She was fun and playful and such a joy to photograph! I loved her easy-going personality!
Hillary… it was such an HONOR to work with you! You will soar to great heights… this I know!
Many Blessings
Pati
September 21, 2009
So many of you have reached out to me, to check in on me. You wonder how we are doing… you let me know we are in your thoughts and prayers. I wanted to say that I am so deeply thankful for all of it. Thank you for the thoughts.. the prayers.. the beautiful cards, and for even wondering! I know I would wonder.. if I wasn’t in these shoes.
The truth is…. I have cried at least once, every single day so far.
And I am so thankful that I can cry.
It is healing… there is something so good and so precious about it. Every tear is full of so many things…
It just sort of hits you – you never know when it’s coming… it just comes!
Yesterday it was during worship at our church. Music is certainly a factor that can cause tears in a moment. I welcome the tears and actually celebrate that my heart has loved enough to cry… for days and days! That I see, is a gift!
I think about Heaven every single day now…. The hope of Heaven has never more real to me. I reality of it has never been more true. I know that Peter is there! That he is whole and healed and completely beautiful! This thought helps so much. It actually makes me happy inside. I am happy to know that he is truly at peace… and even more alive than I am right now. He finished the race here…. and I know God was pleased!
He impacted so many lives here. The only thing a man could hope for… more than that, would be mostly more years…
But God allowed something different.
He’s done with this earth… but did not leave me or my children empty handed. He poured himself into each of us.. in way that will last us our lifetime~ The embrace he gave my son, only days before he passed is something I will never forget … ever.
It was the blessing of the father… poured out to the son… he wouldn’t let go of Colin. Only until every part of him was poured out. I’ve never seen something so amazing..
My children continue to grieve… to cry… to heal. Our loss is great and our hearts are broken. But hope still lives within us. Our faith has not been diminished… it continues to trust and believe. We still laugh… and live… and love! We continue to go to soccr games, football games and we even still argue.. .. yep! We are simply living each day as best we can.
We talk about Peter…. we talk about heaven…. we beLIeVE.
I’ve never done this… tried to help my children walk through the loss of their father…
I feel so unprepared. And I may not see everything. They seem to be doing alright. They seem to be feeling. But this is a long journey! My greatest prayer now.. is that God heals the heart of my children… with wholeness. That he directs and guides me with wisdom in this process. That I don’t miss anything in it.
When Peter was diagnosed with cancer for the 3rd time…. I asked God only 2 questions.
The first one was, “why so much for Peter Lord, why?” His answer to me was not warm and fuzzy… he simply said, “Pati, you are living sacrifices..”
I’ve thought long and hard about that answer…
So then I asked Him, “But Lord, the heart of my children will be pierced for their entire lives…” After a moment, He then said to me, ” I know, my Son was pierced too”
Tough answers….. deep waters…..
Only God knows the plan… the big picture. I can only see in part.
Peter’s life… and his death… has meaning and purpose beyond what I can imagine. I simply have to believe that my children’s hearts and lives are safely in the hands of their Creator— only He knows what He is doing in the big picture of their lives. Only He can heal the heart that is broken.
I beLIeVE he will - not without scars – but he will mend… and comfort. That is what He does! I have to believe this!
Dear Peter,
I miss you every single day…. we all miss you so much!! We know you are whole and healed. We know you are enjoying the greatest treasures.
We continue to believe and trust in God’s plan… you said it yourself, everynight… to the kids
“I love you
Jesus Loves you
And He has a wonderful plan for your lives. ”
Now I know why you spoke this almost evey single night — God knew too~
I love you!
Me!~
Hi Pati,
We would like to book one of your October 18th times if you have one still available. We are one of the families from the church (good friends with Joe and Joanie Faherty). We would like to book a family photo session. There will be Anthony and myself, our daughetr Ashley (15) and Todd (Anthony’s son) with his wife Michelle and their two children Lily (4) and Desmond (3).
Let me know if that day works.
Thanks so much!
Marti Baio