Mom and Me Sessions

As many of you know, I lost my mom to breast cancer a little over a year ago. I'd like to take some time to tell you about this amazing woman and announce mini-sessions in her honor. My mom, Maureen Burrill, was a junior high teacher (like I was) for 38 years and loved painting, crafting, family time, friendships, pets, and her PT Cruiser. But most of all she loved her grandchildren. She had 5 - my three kids and my niece and nephew, Kari and Corey. Every Sunday night we'd have dinner together and she made sure to have a craft ready for the kids. This was no small task as the 5 kids are all two years apart so no one is the same age with the same skills. She spoiled them rotten and part of why I chose to leave teaching and start a home business was to give her more opportunities to spend time with her grandchildren while she still could.

When I was a freshman in college, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and was given one year to live. Well, she beat that and her cancer went into remission for 10 years. She had a recurrence in the Fall of 2002 and lived about three and a half more years. She was able to see both my wedding & my brother's wedding, and see us start families of our own. She was blessed with enough time to meet my younger brother's future wife. Her last years were virtually pain-free and she was able to participate in all of the kids' activities. Her last night spent outside of a hospital was here at my house watching me photograph her granddaughter and her friends in fairy costumes. She loved watching them dance and spin and laugh.

In her memory, my dad has set up a breast cancer research fund in her name through Michigan State University from where both he and my mom graduated. If this fund reaches a certain amount, it becomes a permanent endowment. It's my hope that a cure for breast cancer will be found in my lifetime. This fund may make a difference in finding that cure.

I hope you've made it this far. =) Several years ago, my mom and I had portraits made by Autumn Hull. Little did I know at the time that they would be among my most treasured possessions. We sure had fun that day!

I am offering four days of "Mom and Me" sessions in honor of my mother. Click here to view the available dates/times. You don't have to limit it to you and your kids. Think about your own mother or grandmother. Don't wait until you lose 10 pounds. Don't wait until your daughter gets her braces off. Capture the moments now because life is just not predictable.

The cost of the "Mom and Me" sessions is a $100 donation and includes a 30-minute session, an 8x10 portrait and your choice of a 3x3 mini hardbound book with 10 images from your session - something you can't buy any other way - or a second 8x10. The entire $100 will be donated to the Maureen Burrill Memorial Fund for Breast Cancer Research (checks will be written directly to that) so your session is tax deductible!

If you would like to give this session to your mother, grandmother, aunt, friend, or hint around for your hubby to get it for you for Mother's Day, I will have gift certificates available.

If you still have your mom, give her a hug today and consider a gift that not only will last for generations to come but will aid the research of a disease that has affected us all on some level.

Thank you to the following families for signing up so far. Together, we will make a difference.

The Bonani Family
The Araki Family
The Weinstein Family
The Kliewer Family
The Voyles Family
The Palomino Family
The Koebel Family
The Lendman Family
The Daly Family
The Tomlinson Family
The Reichfeld Family
The Ethington Family
The Solomon Family
The Bartel Family
The Hall Family
The Onori Family
Verna L. Mandel
Verna H. Mandel
The Ellis Family
The Gordon Family
Fernandez Family
The Smathers Family
The Seward Family
The Gittisarn Family
The Doherty Family

Email me or call (661) 755-2242 to book a session.