the perfect time | part II

i returned a few days ago from an amazing weekend at the sundance resort, with new friends -- wallflower friends.  as part of the retreat, leah and i photographed jon canlas' family.  he's a photographer with a beautiful wife and five incredible children and...they have never had a family photo done. really?  not one family photo?  but you're a photographer; you should know better.  really?

here's the first couple photographs i've edited. hoping he and his wife love the photos as much as i do.  (jon's little guy had open heart surgery not long ago...he's doing awesome.)

and yesterday, i received an email from team charisse.  who is charisse?  charisse is an amazing photographer in connecticut.  she is a beautiful, kind, loving young woman. a wife.  a mother to three young boys.  and she is battling cancer (lymphoma) for the third time!! and because of the cancer and aggressive chemotherapy, charisse recently had to close her photography business for the remainder of the year (income that they depended on and during the busiest time of year), which in turn, is causing a significant financial hardship on their family.

image courtesy of julia arstop photography

can you imagine the pain, stress and agony of battling cancer once?  how about three times?  can you imagine watching your spouse battle cancer three times? can you imagine watching your children deal with their mommy battling cancer...again? it's just wrong! and i am going to do my best to help this amazing family. i hope that you will too.

please, if you have it in your heart to give, please consider giving to team charisse. $5, $20, $100...every little bit will help charisse and her family!!

the money raised will go towards caring for charisse and her family during these difficult times (living expenses, school expenses, medical expenses, etc.)

checks can be mailed to: Team Charisse 71 Sedgwick Avenue Darien, CT 06820

or you can contribute to team charisse via paypal here

no matter how hard i try, i can't get the donate button any smaller...but i guess you definitely get the idea this way. lol. (hoping to get new paypal button shortly. im not sure what happened to this one.)

lastly, i want to scream it to the world...

please don't wait to have photos taken.  honestly, please don't wait to document your family in whatever way you choose.  your kids will not care if you have the perfect haircut or if you are thin enough or whatever your hang-up might be.  your kids will simply love and appreciate YOU...just the way you are!

there really is no perfect time!

and in case you need any more convincing, read this.