To make a long story short ...
Abbey and I have become friends over time with Nancy and Kelly ( another mother daughter team) of Touched by Time Vintage Wedding Rentals through the Vintage Marketplace we all have sold at the last 4 years.
Last March Nancy and Kelly approached us to begin working with them by creating items for Weddings and Brides etc. It was all green lights for us .. until my Dad became ill as many of you have read about .. and we had to lay that aside. This year with Dad healed and doing better we were able to revisit the idea and begin working on some projects for Nancy and Kelly and in working with them we have had the opportunity to be blessed by the work they do.
This week Nancy shared with us a special styling/pregnancy shoot they did and how it all came about .. and it really touched our hearts as we hope it does yours too ...
Meet Ashley....
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Story below shared by Nancy Kruse Touched by Time Vintage Wedding Rentals
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written by Lindsey Love Song Events
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Lindsey of Love song events and photography called us ( Nancy and Kelly) on Tues and told us of this lovely young women and asked if we could help. We Immediately called on our friend Jen of Souiree design and events and asked if they had any flowers available asap of coarse they said YES!!! We literally had under an hour to pull all the props and flowers together...and It all came together beautifully all according to Gods plan and all in his timing...The reason we are telling you this and posting her story is so you can keep her and her family in your prayers...We believe in MIRACLES!!!
Here is what Lindsey (the photographer) wrote about Ashley
Grab your boxing gloves because we together are going to help HER kill cancer!! Often I am asked why I do what I do and what makes me different then other photographers. Well I like to think, it's the person on the other end of the lens. My job is to showcase something you may never even knew was there. I try my very best to show my clients "real life" because you and I both know that everything isn't always perfect so why fake it and act as if tragedy doesn't exist. At times we act as if it doesn't happen. It is my job to find the good in every session I take on. I have made it my personal task to make my clients feel loved right where they are at regardless of what they are going through. I will admit some "Forever Loved" sessions are harder then others but this my friends has personally been the most compelling to me out of the hundreds I have shot.
Meet Sweet 24 year old Ashley who is about to be a mama of 2. Quiencidently 7 people that I have never met went to my website and applied for a "forever loved" session on behalf of Ashley. It wasn't until the 8th person that contacted me about "Ashley" that I realized this girl and I had already spoken many months ago only then her situation was a bit different.
One day Ashley's knee was hurting and extremely swollen, she was also 10 weeks pregnant. She went to the doctors multiple times and was told she has arthritis. In December 2014 Ashley struggled with the ever increasing knee pain, nausea and loss of appetite. By this time, it was extremely difficult to walk and she could no longer straighten her knee. Work was becoming more challenging every day. Thankfully, she did finally get to see an orthopedist. The ortho reviewed x-rays that had been taken in November and informed Ashley that there was a 3 cm. tumor in the distal end of her femur (bottom of the thigh bone), and that more tests were needed. In January 2014, before the MRI could be authorized, Ashley ended up in the ER because she had numbness in her foot. An x-ray at that time revealed that she had a large tumor, measuring over 10 cm. Ashley had cancer. A hurricane of questions, concerns, phone calls, and frustrations started. Being 24 with bone cancer is bad enough... but to be pregnant, too!?? It was all so unbelievable. Ashley had the surgery to remove the lower half of her femur and replace it with a "fancy" knee replacement on February 25, 2014. Ashley opted out of chemo for the safety of her baby girl, there was a great possibility it would have killed her. Last month Ashley was experiencing terrible headaches and considering she was pregnant, her first thought was the headaches were pregnancy related. One morning she woke up and her tongue on her left side was totally numb. Ashley then went to her ER and found out the cancer had spread to her skull. They told her 2 weeks ago there was no cure, and that surgery was far to risky because the cancer is to close to her brain stem. They also told Ashley the devastating news...she has one year at "best" to live.
They are delivering sweet Paisley in 2 weeks so Ashley can get started on her chemo. They believe this will "buy her time" and allow her to bond with her family as one. At this time Ashley's spirits are positive, she believe it's in Gods hands. She wants her 6 year old son and newborn daughter to have their mom around, but she understands there is a great possibility that will not be the case. Therefore she wants them to always feel loved and remember how much she loved them.
Her story shows you the depth of a mother's love. The things we are willing to do for our child to give them life. I can't wait to meet this sweet baby, it is unbelievable how many already are in love with her. If you wish to donate to Ashley please click the link below. This family needs our prayers, so please join with me in prayer and keep them in your daily thoughts. I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES. Please feel free to share her story.
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/wl34/save-smash-ashley-s-recovery-fund
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As Nancy and Kelly and Lindsey have asked above we too also ask that you would pray for Ashley and her family, I understand her mama was at her photo shoot Tuesday as well .. I Imagine as it is for so many who are out there diagnosed with fatal/terminal illnesses it's an absolute shock to the system for the person it is happening too and the family that surrounds them.
Let's pray for strength for each day, grace to walk through each day, and let's pray for a miracle !
Thank you Dear Farmhouse Friends for your prayers .. I know they helped my family this last year through a very tough time with my Dad's illness and I know they can help Ashley and her family too !
