What is about your family right now that you never want to forget?  I read the first response to that question for the giveaway that came in a week ago, and I was already wiping the tears after the first few sentences.  I felt the strongest sense of confirmation that THIS is what I was created to do….to find out with thoughful questions what families do not want to forget, what is important to them, and what is uniquely authentic about them and then capture for them.  It really was the most beautiful and peaceful feeling.  After I read that first response, I let my best friend, who has been so encouraging through this entire journey, read it, too, and she felt the same way I did.  This is what she said, “Wow, Sara.  I am almost certain that this family was part of the reason God put this (giveaway) in your heart.  I bet they’ll win.  Wow.  I’m so thankful!  I’m so excited to see what God does.”

So many things about this past week have been amazing.  All the responses.  All the love and emotion and realness in them.  All the confirmation and excitement I feel.  All the votes.  All 500 of them.  And all the love that came with each vote.  Two of the mothers that entered the giveaway were so generous.  One mother voted for family #1 instead of her own.  Another mother asked that all her family’s votes be given to family #1 if her family or family #1 didn’t get in the top 5.  The incredible thing is that both of the families of these mothers and family #1 did end up in the top 5.

As you can see, so many things about this giveaway have been wonderful and touching and so naturally beautiful.  I am so thankful for it and thankful for each person that entered the giveaway and for each person that voted.  Thank you all!  As for the winners…they are revealed in their responses below:

First Place Winner: A Lifestyle Family Session, $100 Print Credit, and a 4×4 Linen Memory Book:

• 1.  Just a few weeks before the holidays my husband was diagnosed with an incurable form of Lymphoma. He’s only 35 years old. We had found out only a few weeks before that we were expecting baby number three. It felt like the entire world had collapsed. It was only after seeing how determined my husband was and how brave my children were that I was able to get through my grief. It was their actions that helped me to realize that every single moment is a gift. Every precious one. No one is guaranteed any amount of time. All that you can do is enjoy these tiny moments. And never forget them. He has just recently started his first rounds of treatment and his courage and strength inspire me daily. He is working full time between rounds of chemo and still manages to come home and help me with the kids and the kitchen and the house. I don’t want to ever forget just how positive and strong willed he has been through this. I don’t want to forget how understanding and compassionate our kids have been. They are so young. They can’t possibly understand everything that is going on. But they do know that their Daddy is sick and that sometimes he’s going to be too tired to play. And they understand. They don’t pester him. They curl up with him in the recliner and spend time with him like that. They know that Mommy is on bed rest to help their little sister and that I can’t pick them up or run around with them right now. And they understand. They don’t pester me. They have movie marathons with me in bed, and do crafts at the coffee table so that I can help them. They help each other get dressed and get juice and are doing more chores around the house. They know that these tiny things make life so much easier. They are angels. The way my son looks up at my husband after he’s done something he thinks is really awesome. My daughters face when she’s telling us about her day at school. The way my husband looks at the kids when he thinks no one sees him. His face the first time he felt our daughter kick. The way the kids look when I go in to check on them at night and find them curled up together sleeping. My son’s laugh. My daughter’s first report card. The feeling I get every time I get to see our little baby on the ultrasound screen. My husband’s face on Friday evening when he finally gets to come home for the weekend. I don’t want to forget any of these little moments. These are all the tiny little flickers of time that make up our lives together.

I cannot even begin to put into words how happy I have been the last few days reading the responses to the question for the family lifestyle session giveaway: What is it about your family right now that you never want to forget?  Asking questions is part of my daily life…It’s who I am.   I love getting to know what is deep down inside a person’s heart.  So, to me it makes perfect sense to use a question, a thoughtful and emotional one, to kick off this awesome giveaway.

Another thing about me is that I sometimes have an obsessive tendency to make sure things are fair.  So, because a few of the people that entered the giveaway are previous clients, I did not want the contest to be biased in any way.  So, I got together a team of people who know me best to choose their favorites of these anonymous responses.  I honestly loved every single response.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to each and every person that participated.  It means the world to me.  Truly.

So, without further ado, take some time, grab a cup of coffee and a box of tissues, and get ready to read (and vote on) the top 10 responses to this wonderful question: What is it about your family right now that you never want to forget?

These are natural, timeless, and emotional moments.  This is authenticity.  And it’s real life….

1. Just a few weeks before the holidays my husband was diagnosed with an incurable form of Lymphoma. He’s only 35 years old. We had found out only a few weeks before that we were expecting baby number three. It felt like the entire world had collapsed. It was only after seeing how determined my husband was and how brave my children were that I was able to get through my grief. It was their actions that helped me to realize that every single moment is a gift. Every precious one. No one is guaranteed any amount of time. All that you can do is enjoy these tiny moments. And never forget them. He has just recently started his first rounds of treatment and his courage and strength inspire me daily. He is working full time between rounds of chemo and still manages to come home and help me with the kids and the kitchen and the house. I don’t want to ever forget just how positive and strong willed he has been through this. I don’t want to forget how understanding and compassionate our kids have been. They are so young. They can’t possibly understand everything that is going on. But they do know that their Daddy is sick and that sometimes he’s going to be too tired to play. And they understand. They don’t pester him. They curl up with him in the recliner and spend time with him like that. They know that Mommy is on bed rest to help their little sister and that I can’t pick them up or run around with them right now. And they understand. They don’t pester me. They have movie marathons with me in bed, and do crafts at the coffee table so that I can help them. They help each other get dressed and get juice and are doing more chores around the house. They know that these tiny things make life so much easier. They are angels. The way my son looks up at my husband after he’s done something he thinks is really awesome. My daughters face when she’s telling us about her day at school. The way my husband looks at the kids when he thinks no one sees him. His face the first time he felt our daughter kick. The way the kids look when I go in to check on them at night and find them curled up together sleeping. My son’s laugh. My daughter’s first report card. The feeling I get every time I get to see our little baby on the ultrasound screen. My husband’s face on Friday evening when he finally gets to come home for the weekend. I don’t want to forget any of these little moments. These are all the tiny little flickers of time that make up our lives together.
2. My children are currently 2 and 5 years old. Actually turning 5 tomorrow. My husband works a lot, but I never want to forget the chaos of having two young kids. It seems like yesterday my 5 year old was born! I used to take tons of pictures but with the addition of the second that slowed down. We are moving into our new home this month, and this is the home my children will “grow up” in. They are so incredibly excited (we have rented the past three years) to have a home to call THEIRS. These simple moments are the ones I want to remember!!! And my 5 year old is learning to ride her bike without training wheels!
3. Our house has grown by two feet! My husband and I were blessed with the birth of our baby girl on Thanksgiving this year (talk about giving thanks!) This precious baby is the perfect symbol of the love my husband and I have for each other. We’ve been side by side since we were sixteen years old and our sweet baby girl signifies that devotion perfectly. What would I like to capture on film? Anything and everything about our new addition — the way she flashes us a BIG toothless smile when we talk to her, her eyes being locked with the person dressing her or changing her diaper, her innocence and perfection when she’s sleeping, how adorable she is when bundled up to go for a walk, the way she fits (perfectly) on someone’s lap when they have their knees pulled up to their chest, and the saddest little face she makes when you take a time out from a bottle to try and burp her. She is only going to be this small once and it’s hard to believe she’s already ten weeks old. The memories we are making with her right now are priceless and having them captured on film would allow us to visit them time and time again!
4. Oh how I cherish the giggles and smiles when my daughter and son sit and ‘jump’ together on my son’s bed. I do not want to forget this! We have alot of jealous issues right now with our son due to his sister who is now mobile and can play with toys. Our daughter (10 months) simply adores her brother no matter how many toys he takes away from her or how many headlocks he puts her in. Anyways there is something special when I put them both on his bed to play. He jumps and laughs and she just cackles! They jump and dance and giggle and I love it. We will probably have a broken bone or something down the road because of it but hey their giggles are priceless! This daily activity in our house produces the biggest smiles for this stay at home mom!
5. Their smiles that light up the world and my heart. Although my daughter (5) is becoming more worldly wise now that she has started school, and taking on some attitudes of the kids around her, she still smiles with an inhibition and immense inner joy that adults can only dream of. She hugs us, draws us pictures, begs me to write her lunch box notes. We cuddle on the couch or in bed reading stories and she always wants “just one more?” with a pleading look on her face. She and my husband laugh and play when she begs for him to pick her up upside down or tickle her. I know that soon, much too soon, she will not want goodbye kisses at the bus stop, or want to give Daddy a “(her name)” hug, or run to me smiling when I pick her up after school, and I will be more likely to see eye rolling than dimples. This is a precious time when she is growing up, but still my little girl with love, and without guile, in her heart. My son’s (9 months) smile fills my heart in a different way. He is so little but already stretching his wings. In another year he will be pushing Mommy away to walk places on his own, not wanting to hold my hand. For now, he smiles at me like I am the best Mommy in the world. He giggles so sweetly when I kiss his neck and when he is tired he becomes a giggle machine! He looks at toys, people, and simple things with such curiosity and wonder. He rolls and pivots all over the dining room in his explorations and jumps just like a little frog in the doorway jumper. When he’s tired, he rests his head on my shoulder and sucks his thumb, completely trusting. I never want to forget their innocence and the abundance of love they have to share. It is like a kiss from God every time I see them smile.
6. Our kids have a wonderful way of breaking through the monotony of life to reach right into our hearts and scream “Drop everything you’re doing, Mom and Dad, because this is what’s important!”. As adults, we easily get caught up in the busyness of life. Often our focus is on getting the next meal on the table, trying to remember if we paid that water bill, or coordinating nap, bath, play and reading schedules for little ones. In the midst of pondering how everything will get done in a day’s work one day our 3-year-old said to our 1-year-old “*****-O (daughter’s nickname), I dropped my bean!”. We stopped what we were doing to see our little girl immediately spring into action, pick up the bean off the floor and shove it into her brother’s mouth as they both laughed hysterically. Our charming 3.5 year old happens to think that words ending in “O” are just more fun). It’s little moments like this when we’re reminded that it’s the hearts we fill with laughter, not our accomplishments, that define success.
7. After reading this question and allowing myself some free time to ponder, I realized there are so many small things that I take for granted every day! My husband and I went from being a newly married couple to a family of four in just a few short months! We were blessed with identical twin girls and while our lives have changed dramatically over the past 16 months, I wonder what we did with all the free time that we must have had before! No matter how chaotic our lives may become, I will always cherish the time that we spend together as a family. My favorite part of every day is first thing in the morning. My husband and I walk into the room to greet the girls and start our day. Their hair a mess and they look at us through sleepy squinty eyes, and a giant smile spreads across their face. They start jumping up and down in their cribs as we walk over to pick them up. It’s as if we have been gone for days and they are seeing us for the first time! I truly feel as if we are the only four people on the planet!
8. My kids are now 3 and 5 and are growing up so fast, it is scary. We have had a big transition this past year with my son starting school and this has played into those moments that I would love to capture right now. My son loves to “teach” his little sister what he is learning in school (she will be ready for Kindergarten long before her time) whether it is sounding out words in a book, going over sight words or reviewing the months of the year he has hanging on the back of his bedroom door (complete with a pointer just like he has at school) and she sits so attentively, repeating after him and soaking it all in. For my daughter, what I would love to capture is how she dances like no one is watching, except she wants everyone to watch. “Everybody, take a seat” she will say. She loves dressing up with every possible bracelet, necklace, etc she owns and doing her own signature ballet moves. We have been so blessed with happy, healthy, outgoing kids who love each other so much (most of the time) and play so well together (most of the time) and these are the times I want to remember forever. The way they will push their chairs up to the island in the kitchen to help cook a meal and then go to their play kitchen and take orders for what we want to eat. The way they snuggle up together on the couch with popcorn to watch a movie. The way they play games together and my son tries to teach his little sister how to play (like while playing checkers “Are you sure you want to move there? I’m going to jump you”). And best of all, I love to watch my husband playing right there with them.
9. Right now, we are a family of 3 and are just six months shy of becoming a family of 4. We love photos, but find it difficult to take pictures of the three of us without it interrupting the moment we are experiencing (setting the timer and trying to capture what it really feels like at the precise moment the shutter snaps). We are curious to see what our life looks like through someone else’s lens. We never want to forget the simple moments of joy we share with our daughter, the little things that make her eyes light up, and how happy she makes us. We want to capture today – where we are in life, our style (or lack thereof), and how young we think we are. We want to be able to remember our family as three.
10. My family is the most important part of my life. Unfortunately, for a young family looking to build a strong foundation for a secure future, it is very easy to get caught up in the things that seem to be critical for day to day survival now, but 10 years down the road, will essentially be meaningless. Late in the evenings, when we are all together as a family, we are blessed with a natural calm. The chaos of winding down, making plans for dinner, and settling in after my son’s bath and bedtime routine brings us peace. Just knowing that we are home; that we are healthy and safe, makes all of the craziness that surrounds us in this hectic world seize. The innocence that shines through my son’s beautiful smile, the love that resonates through his twinkling blue eyes, and the heartfelt kisses that he is so willing to share with us at this point in time, make capturing every moment possible a priority. It is through your lens, Sara, that my son’s life is documented; his happiness a still frame in time. More than just capturing our memories for future reflection, it the “now” in my family that I want to surround myself in when I am stuck at the office, unable to get to the calm of my home; a tangible “now” to remind me of what is really important in life – My Beautiful Family.

Remember the number (1-10) of your favorite response, and email neverforgetgiveaway@gmail.com with that number (1-10) by Monday morning, February 13 at 9:00 am.  You can only vote once.  Repeat votes from the same email address will not be accepted. Thanks again to everyone who participated! The winners will be announced on Monday evening…Happy Voting!

(Just a few authentic moments of my sweet niece.)