I shot a photo session last weekend that was a beautiful gift to myself and a wonderful and timely blessing in my life.

You see, I’ve lost my way these past few weeks. I’ve been feeling blue, stressed about money, a messy house that’s too small and a closet filled with nothing cute to wear. (Can I be a bigger spoiled brat? Jeez.) My precious three year old filled with curiosity and wonder was driving me crazy, leaving me to wonder what the heck my problem was. I knew I was being a brat, but I couldn’t get my head on straight. I would stop myself and think, “You lost your husband to cancer Betsy, you know what is truly important in life.” Even though I could think back and remember the time in my life when I was reminded of the beauty in the simple things, I still struggled. Despite all I had, I still felt I had “stuff” missing.

Then one morning I ran into a past client of mine at a coffee shop. Her name is Chelsa and she has been fighting breast cancer for the past six months. Last spring she was nursing her four month old son when she stopped producing milk on one side. Like anyone would assume, she thought it was just a plugged duct. It ended up being breast cancer and from that moment on her whole family, and everyone that loves her, joined in her journey to fight the cancer.

She’s been keeping a blog throughout her treatments and I’ve been reading alongside her friends and family, hoping and praying for her and her family’s strength and for the treatments to work. So when I ran into her at the coffee shop one morning, the same week she finished up her last chemo treatment, I knew in my heart that I wanted to photograph this beautiful mother and wife. She is such a courageous fighter that this time needed to be captured. I want her kids, when they are older, to see the strength she had to fight the disease so she could be there to see them grow into adults.

Even though I’m not taking clients right now, I still loving finding time to get into the studio for little projects here and there. (Thanks to John for staying home with the kiddos so I can do that.) I was thrilled Chelsa had time before Christmas to come for a quick shoot for fun. I headed out that snowy morning of their shoot and was greeted by a family radiant and happy to be there. Photographing Chelsa and her family really got my head on straight. Usually families arrive a bit on edge for photos and we have to warm up for a while to get good photos. (You should see ME when I have my family photographed. I’m a MESS.) I literally could have been done after the first few frames, we got the shots that quickly. The whole session was just love and sweetness. This is a family who has the one gift that cancer brings, knowing what is truly important in life, your family.

Merry Christmas to you and your family Chelsa. I wish you peace and healing in 2011. I know you think that this session was a gift to you, but it truly was a huge gift for me as well. My whole mindset has turned around for the better this week because of the time I spent with your family on Sunday morning. Thank you for helping me get my head on straight.

I usually can’t help touching up people’s skin in photoshop, but not this family. I just wanted to capture them exactly as they are and I think they are perfection. Have you seen skin more amazing? Chelsa, I cannot believe you just finished chemotherapy this month.

We got some shots with her wig, which is amazing. Chelsa, you’ll have to tell us where you got it, because where ever you got it, it would be a great resource for other women battle cancer. (Though the hair that is growing back already looks so pretty and soft!)

Now that Chelsa is done with chemo (yippee!) her next step will be surgery. Please keep her in your thoughts or prayers. If you would like to keep up with her progress, follow her blog.

Edited to add: I had her blog linked incorrectly this morning. It has been added.