This story begins a few years back when our daughter was moving out of uni res and we were apartment hunting for her second year. Given she lives across the country from us, there were many internet searches and email reach-outs. One such enquiry led to an apartment owner calling me… she introduced herself, Karen, and said she’d received my email about the apartment; I quickly explained that we’d already found one and were no longer in need and that, my friends, is when it got interesting. 💫
Karen said she was pleased we’d found something and that hers had already been rented too BUT that wasn’t why she was calling… <interesting, right? 🤔> She went on to explain that she never even entertains enquiries until she’s done some vetting (sleuthing 😉) on her own (#smart), and so she’d Googled my name and found both my website and business socials. She was very kind, effusive even, and said she just felt ‘pulled’ to be in touch; she wanted to tell me how moved she was by both my work and my ‘why’. It was such a lovely experience - to be called on a random weekday afternoon JUST to be regaled with kindness 🥰. After we’d chatted for a few minutes, she said she also had a request...
Karen told me of an encounter she’d had, with a woman from Calgary, a few years prior. They’d met randomly at a US airport when the flight they were both on had been cancelled. I believe they happened to be next to each other in the coffee lineup and a conversation was struck. Karen was moved by both the woman’s, Katey’s, presence + energy, and also by her strength as she and her young family were facing the unimaginable: her 40ish year old husband had been diagnosed with ALS, and it was progressing quickly. These may-never-have-met new friends have remained in touch since. ⭕️ *can we please take a moment for chance encounters 💫
On our call, Karen told me that, after a courageous battle, Katey’s husband had passed earlier that year; leaving his young wife and two very young girls. She recounted looking through my posts and having the strong impulse to gift Katey a session, saying she was wise enough to ‘pay attention when I have these divine ideas!’… and that was why she was calling → could she gift a session to Katey? Seriously: there are angels among us. 😇
Katey is a busy mom, who works full-time, with two gorgeous and (also) busy little girls; it took us about a year and a half to make this happen… but, this past Spring, we did just that! I’d asked Katey what would be most empowering or meaningful to her and she suggested a session with her girls, in the house they’d spent their first days and years in as a family of four. They were going to be moving this summer and she really wanted some shots of the three of them in the house they’d shared with her beloved husband + their doting dad; we hoped to create some tangible memories for them to hold of the home they’d built together.
A lil’ cuddle time on Mom’s bed, with a beautiful portrait of Daddy+ his girls looking on. 💫
Only a year and a bit apart in age, these two are such loving + loyal sisters to one another. 👯♀️
Given we had the whole house; I thought it’d be fun to capture some shots of the girls in their bedrooms: part play-time + part historical-preservation… what ensued was part-chaos, part-magic 😍. Later, when I was preparing sample edits for Katey’s gallery, I thought it would be fun for the girls to have a couple that were more ‘dream-like’, something that might capture a bit of the freedom inherent in make-believe… in princesses + play + favourite stuffs + the quiet+safe space we all need to foster our imaginations. 🦄
‘pretty in pink’ 🩷
‘lost in sunshine’ 💛
There was a lot of art, laughter, and jumping on the couch in the moments preceding and after this shot… but - I MEAN - look at this trio of pure LOVE + RESILIENCE. 💗
Thank you, Karen, for being such an example of kindness, generosity, and action. Your call was above and beyond and, I remember, before you even asked about the gifting, I’d told you how you’d made my day! I’m so honoured to have done this with you and for you… what a beautiful gift. ❤️ One day we’ll meet… maybe in a coffee line. 😘
And thank you, Katey and girls, for inviting me into your home and sharing the morning with you. It is so abundantly clear to me, having met you, why Karen was so immediately taken with your family. I’m wishing you so much love + light as you step into this next chapter… you are each deserving of every blessing. 💫
With heaps of gratitude and awe,
xo Lori