Portrait Party to Raise Funds for Reece's Rainbow

          My friend, Danielle Parker, a local photographer (Danielle Parker Photography), approached me in June with a very generous idea.  Inspired by John Michael and other kids with Down syndrome, she wanted to find a way to help families who were adopting children with Ds.  So she came up with a Portrait Party idea...  20 minute sessions for $30 and Danielle would donate the entire amount, including her time over one weekend in 100 degree Sacramento heat, to Reece's Rainbow in honor of the child of our choice.  For an additional $10, families could purchase a CD of their photos. 

          The idea became popular quickly, spots filled up and 12 families took advantage of the photo sessions.  $30 for a professional photographer?  Unbelievable!!  But she wanted to make it afforable.

We raised $360 for Reece's Rainbow and the money will be split for two adopting families in the Sisterhood... The Sheffield's adopting Vinnie and The Jaco's adopting Jaxon, both boys are in eastern Europe and both have Down syndrome.

          Here are a few of our shots...  keep in mind, only 20 minutes at naptime in 100 degrees of dripping heat (yes, that's John Michael fake "crying" because he didn't want to take the photo and we had to wake up Luke to do the shoot)...

 

Me and my sweetie... Happy 18th Anniversary (yesterday).  If anyone had said on our wedding day we'd have 5 children, I would've said they were crazy!  Now I know who's crazy  haha.  But each one is awesome and unique and wonderfully made...

 

I love how the boys are looking at each other here...

"John Michael, what does Piet in Holland do?"  He wanted nothing to do with that.  Anna looks like she'd rather be in a different family :-)

My heart.  The reason I started this blog... the reason I have more friends than I can count... more sisters on this journey than I ever thought imaginable...

My spunky little man.  Full of love and the biggest hugs a mom could ask for...
Pure boy.  Pure stinker.

The is decidedly "the family photo" of choice  :-)

Brothers, bookends, biggest to smallest... 6'4" to little man...

Who doesn't love Greta!

These two melt my heart...  These boys laugh, run, play, cry, fight, push, hug, kiss, and care for each other like no other!

Need I say more?