Kenadee

 Oh sweet Kenadee! If you ever want a good laugh, or a smile to make your day better, all you need is Kenadee! Kenadee is my best friends niece! I was so excited to take pictures of her, because i already knew she was adorable, and fun to work with! Kenadee's Mother Rori, was kind enough to write down her story for me! I hope you can just feel the love radiating from this little girls hands! I love her! 

"Kenadee Clark Woodward born March 30, 2005 was the best birthday present I could have asked for. Yes she was born on my birthday, which was also her due date, what are the odds! This is the day my life changed forever and not in a bad way. It changed me for the better because I was blessed to have my first child be born with down syndrome. Some people would not consider this a blessing, but I am not like other people. I was scared and sad and was asking the same question everyone else would ask themselves, why me? This thought quickly left my mind when I was sitting there holding her for the first time. I remember looking down at her and I looked up at my mom with tears in my eyes and I said, "She is so beautiful." I never knew strength until Kenadee was born, I never truly knew what it was like to put someone else's before yourself. I remember thinking many times that I wasn't strong enough to do this, but those thoughts always left my mind as quickly as they entered. Among having down syndrome Kenadee also has a lot of other medical problems. She was born with 4 holes in her heart which caused her to receive a pacemaker at 3 months old due to heart failure in the bottom chambers of her heart. She was also born with a club foot, mal-rotation of her intestines, growth hormone deficiency, hip displasia, dislocating knee caps, partial deafness due to fluid build up, poor eye sight, skin problems and that's about all I can think off the top of my head. Everyone always tells me, "Kenadee is lucky to have a mom and dad like Aaron and me." What I say is "no, we are lucky to have a daughter like her." Kenadee is the strongest person I know. For being 7 right now, going through 8 surgeries, 3 of which were pacemaker replacements, and still continuing to be happy with a big smile on her face shows me how strong she is. When you see her she will always make you smile, and definitely make you laugh. Because of Kenadee, I was hoping that my next child I had would also have down syndrome! LOL people thought I was crazy for saying that but after having Kenadee in my life I wanted more children just like her. We love her so much and we are so grateful to have her in our life's. Our family wouldn't be complete without her and we would never have it any other way. Kenadee we love you more then you will ever know! You are such a blessing and have the sweetest spirit. I don't think anyone can be angry while being around you because you make everyone happy. Always be yourself and never let anyone change you, you are beautiful just the way you are!

Love Always,
Mom, Dad, & Matthew "

While I am gone....

Don't worry I will be back February 2014.

 Hello! As you are reading this I am probably on my Mission!

I have been given the wish of my heart! I have been called to serve a mission for my church! I get to serve God's children for 18 months in Knoxville,TN!

I will miss this project, but I will still be going around trying to do good! I want to show people how important they are. That in a world so dark and mean, that we are never alone.

 I cannot tell you how much this project has blessed my life. I dont think I could ever stop taking these pictures. If there is one thing that I have learned its that God loves ALL of his children.

The smiles,giggle,tears, and love. Who wouldnt want to be apart of something so beautiful. I feel so blessed to be around these angels! When you look into their eyes, you can feel the love that Heavenly Father has for you.

See ya soon!

Heather

Oh beautiful Heather! I was connected to Heather through a photographer I know. She told me that Heather was the most beautiful woman inside and out.

Heather is deaf. I kept making a fool of myself when I would tell her what to do. I am SO glad her awesome Mother was there to help me communicate with her!

Heather glows in all of her photos. She really is an amazing woman. At the end of the shoot, she signed, I love you, but a little different. Her Mom then said, " that sign means, I really love you!" Then after saying I love you many times to each other, I thought to myself. We all really need to express our love to each other more often. Spread the love =)

Paxton- The boy who kept me going

Paxton is a special little boy to a lot of people. He changed my life for the better with his smile and the spirit you feel around him.

As many of you know I started this project as a way to heal and give service to those who go unnoticed. I felt that around April 2012 that I was done with my project. As I began to watch General Conference ( a special broadcast from my church ). As Elder Rasband, a leader of the church, gave a talk about his grandson who had special needs, my heart swelled with love. I knew my project wasn't over. There were still lessons I needed to learn, and people I needed to meet. I Met so many wonderful people, and my last shoot was Paxton- Elder Rasband's grandson who has touched my heart and kept me going on my wonderful journey.

One thing that always touches my heart on these shoots are the wonderful mothers I meet! Paton's mom was a joy to meet. I loved capturing them being together, the love that showed through their eyes would make the hardest heart melt!

Truthfully, without Paxton and his story this project wouldn't of gone on any farther. I thank God that I was able to give back to the little boy who gave me greater light.

"Paxton left his hand print on many hearts. As I got an e-mail telling me about Paxton returning to live with his Heavenly Father, my heart was full of many emotions. I felt a great loss for his family, but the joyful knowledge that he is now continuing to help others on the other side. I know that he will live again with his family, and that he will be perfect in every way. God has a plan for all of his children, and that he knows us by name. I have no doubt that Paxton came to earth to teach us all the love that our heavenly father has for us. I know it." - Sister Lizzy Cady

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?n=paxton-edward-norton&pid=165936579#fbLoggedOut

Glenn

What can I say about Glenn? He is pure. The first thing I noticed was his stunning blue eyes. Look at them, and I think you can begin to understand his story. 

Look at his eyes, and you see his big heart. A sweet boy with eyes that smile and twinkle. Pure, unselfish, loving, and most of all- BEAUTIFUL just the way he is. 

When I was finishing up the photoshoot, I went over to thank Glenn. As he took my hand, he interlaced his fingers with mine, as a way to show love. This picture makes me a little emotional. Glenn loved me, and I could feel it. He didn't know me, but he showed me kindness and love. I learned from him that day, something special. Regardless of our situation in life, we can LOVE.

The day that I opened my eyes to the horror that was Glenn’s first seizure, I also opened my heart to the beauty in the ‘special’ world around us. Glenn is truly beautiful. He has had thousands of seizures in his life, and yet, he doesn't slow down. He just gets up, with piles of medication that would stop a rhino, he just gets UP. This lovely boy, knows no difference, this is his life, not his condition and he enjoys it, every minute of it. He loves amusement parks, the ocean, and all things orange that spin. When he laughs, the whole world stops for just that moment to breathe in his joy. What his voice does not speak, his eyes relay. Those big beautiful blue eyes that scream: Love me, I am worth knowing. Glenn enjoys meeting NEW people, they may not know how to react to him at first, but he puts them at ease with his smile. He knows a world with no words that make sense, he knows looks, and body language and rejection but he doesn’t know why. He is accepting and tolerant and doesn’t know that running away is supposed to be scary. For him, it is a continuation of his adventure. And...he is magic.