Wow, it really just seems like yesterday that I was nervously sitting in Barnes and Nobles with April and Matt discussing the possibility of me photographing their wedding. The two were married in October of 2007 and trusted me, a very new photographer at the time, to capture their day. I’m so thankful they took a chance with me, allowing me to be a part of their lives. They’ve been faithful followers of my work and Matt still has every single wedding photo saved on his iphone. They truly are two of the most kind and gentle people I’ve ever met, and with faith out of this world.
Matt and April knew they wanted to be parents and after the painful loss of their first baby Maddy, they prayerfully considered getting pregnant again. They became pregnant again with little Ellison, or Ellie as her friends and family call her, and shortly thereafter it was discovered that her little body was not developing as it should. Ellie made her courageous entrance into this world on May 25, 2011 at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and has been fighting for her life since.
I was honored to meet sweet Ellie yesterday and to take her photograph. Ellie’s future is uncertain, but the doctors say that she is a medical miracle for surviving as long as she has. She is one tough little girl. I left Cincinnati heavy hearted yesterday and deeply affected by Ellie’s story. I am hopeful. I am angry. I am incredibly saddened. Mostly though, I am moved by Ellie’s strength and the faith of her parents. I am in awe of the frailty of life and feel prompted to love the people in my life with further depth. I’m thankful for the impact and perspective this sweet, little baby and her family have given me. I’ll end this with a few words from Ellie’s daddy.
“We hope that Ellie’s life and her story will in some way touch hundreds, if not thousands of people. We pray that the Holy Spirit will work through Ellie’s life to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. We know with out a doubt that Ellie was given to us for a reason, besides to bring us incredible joy, happiness and life long memories from these short few months. We know that some day in the future our family will be together. We know that Eternal Life in Heaven with our girls is going to be a much longer period of time than our time here on earth. And, Heaven is going to be that much sweeter knowing that our family will be whole!”
Please meet the beautiful Ellison Kate.
If you’d like to read more about Ellie’s condition, or leave some encouraging words for her parents, visit Ellie’s blog here. Please keep Ellie and her family in your thoughts and prayers.
