My Christmas was made more sacred to me with the visit yesterday by a young friend named Sidney. Sidney has an aggressive, inoperable brain tumor. The accompanying photo shows her last summmer when I visited her at her home. She is an artist who has special talents and she had mentioned a project that she wanted to work on when I first photographed her this summer. With Christmas fast approaching and so much shopping to be done that promised no magic, I opted to invite her over to complete this artful venture. Sidney is now in a wheelchair and speaks mostly by typing into a message pad, but her spirit and artistic vision are intact. She spent two hours with me along with her great friend Megan. Those two hours were so special and I think the completed project has so much charm and appeal, much like Sidney herself. Last night was capped off with our own Llewelyn arriving in time to join us for Doug's company party.

While Sidney was still with me, Lesley, my assistant, returned from Moonphoto with the photos of Timothy. This little guy was scheduled for photos over six weeks ago, but we had to wait as he had an unexpected long stay at Children's and we were waiting until he was well enough for photos. The photos show him with his mom and his little hand holding onto his mom's. Both photos spoke to me of the incredible love and devotion I saw in the room that evening. I will make a trip to Arlington after New Year's to get photos of Timothy's entire family. His older sister Angelica suffers from the same unnamed condition. Keep this family and Sidney in your holiday hearts as they so deserve our love and attention.

We mailed the photos to the family of the tiny one that I met and lost last Saturday. My hope is that the photos will arrive in time for them to have them before Christmas. My prayers for love and peace are with this beautiful family.

I end with special thanks to the staff in Palliative Care at Children's hospital, their guidance and wisdom allowing me the means to move forward and feel the flow of life even in times of sorrow. The wisdom shared by Mark, Lesley and Michelle this past week has made such a difference. To my summer interns, Auni, Daniel and Jill who gave time in their holiday break to join us to complete a project that will aid all the future speeches, writing and media packets for Soulumination, a big hug for their support and friendship. To my board for always giving thoughtful and appropriate guidance I will forever be grateful. To all of you who stepped forward with generous gifts, I hope that as you read this you realize that your gifts are going directly to new families and to supporting this project on the most basic and necessary level, without your help this increased outreach would not be possible. And to all my friends who will soon be working with me on a new presentation that promises to be very special indeed, as well as those who will come in January to help create the albums and trifolds that the parents treasure---here's to camaraderie and productivity, I can't wait to be with all of you. And lastly to my family, this day when we will travel to the airport to pick up McKenzie will complete the circle of love that brought this passion for photography to light.

I am adding to this missive on Christmas Eve: As I head out for the day to spend time with my family in Sequim, I do so with feelings of joy mixed with many other emotions. The families that I have met through Soulumination have taught me much about life and love. I carry little memories of each child, but cherish those memories and hope that the images that I help create will be part of healing and growth and finding the path to a life that is meaningful. There is much for me to learn and much for Soulumination to assimilate and explore. It is my honor to share this work and to meet and work with families of such amazing strength and love. May this season and its grace be a time of fully enjoying those we love. Happy birthday to my father in law, Tom Johnson and to Josiah and Henry's mom, Alice Adams. In love and peace, Lynette

Today's visit to the hospital will be a part of my Christmas memory, one that will always be tied with the lovely images of Madonna and child that I have been using in little art projects for mailing to my own daughters from my collection of Christmas postal stamps from around the world. The beauty of this mother and child standing in the lovely winter light, the sounds of the last breaths, the father with his tears and kisses for his wife and daughter, and the two sets of grandparents aching to make it better is now something that will now be a part of my heart. As I left the hospital, the beauty of the Northwest was in full glory on this day reminding me that none of us has a guarantee on life span and that the richness that is so abundant in my life must be savored and shared and that indeed this path of Soulumination is one that comes with its emotional challenges but its soulful blessings.

I have been wanting to mention one of the Soul supporters who provides the most lovely pieces of jewelry for our Soul moms. You can see her pieces at Gotcharm.com. Her work is a gift to each of the families of Soulumination and every mom who receives one is so delighted, so thankful to have these treasures. Karen is a wonderful woman and I am so thankful for her generosity and her talent and her loving support. I recently purchased a bracelet for my dear friend Dawnelle and I am so pleased that I could give her something to remind her that love shared is a forever sharing.

The commercial aspect of Christmas is daily being replaced in my life and my home by friendship, support and blessings that are more poignant than I have ever felt. I am so thankful for the presence of McKenzie and Llewelyn in my life, daughters of grace, beauty and loving joy. Doug and I are so looking forward to having them both with us for a few days and to sharing our new home with family on Christmas.

I close in love and peace, with a heart breaking with the loss of one beautiful child today, but ever hopeful, Lynette

Today's missive will have to be my main contact with many of you this week as I am on jury duty in downtown Seattle for a week on a case that already has had me teary a couple of times. In all that I had hoped to do for this holiday, I now must accept that time is best spent loving my family and friends and accepting that this year will be one that is special in just the love and magic of being part of this life. I tell myself that I am meant to be in that courthouse and that the reason will be apparent. Just in the first day, I had the joy of seeing one of my lovely friends who happens to be one of my first clients, a groom from last year, as well as a bride friend that my husband loves to join on the golf course and I heard the name of another groom whose son is a good friend of my daughter Lulu and who happens to be a Superior Court judge.

I spent last night at Children's hospital where I finally got to work with the wonderful boy Timothy. I had waited 6 weeks for this charmer to be well enough for some photos. He and his mom and our dear friend Angie, filled my evening with love and hope and faith. Watching the mystery of motherhood in action filled me with a sense of the meaning of grace. Michael's mom moves with this role in a way that enchants me and calls me to be better in my own role as parent. Her knowledge of her sons needs is so apparent and her gentle and steady nature one that mystifies and lifts me. I have much to learn and am thankful for the opportunity to see personified those parts that I lack. When Timothy returns to his home, I will follow up with photos with his dad and siblings.

In the past few days a number of very touching donations have arrived. One came from a woman I met in Edmonton, she has shared so generously from funds she received while caring for our dear Soul boy, Brandon, pictured in todays blog and another from friends I met while volunteering for Bailey Boushay house. From my soul and the Souls that guide this work, I thank all of you who keep us moving forward with your support.

For those of you who are in the Seattle area, I do have one Christmas project that I am trying to move forward with and could use a few decorative holiday tins, they need to be upright in shape, and not too small as I am making tin luminarias and have had not a second to scrounge up more tins. I am inspired to make them to line the upper walk way of our new structure as I received a note from Elise's parents in New Jersy about a special candle lighting to honor the Tay Sachs children. I would just like to make these candles a part of the holiday and to know as I light them that they are my personal tribute to the angel babies that guide this work. Being tin they can be something that I put out each year. So if you want to share a few you can bring them by my new place in Ballard, just remember that I have to make all the holes so I can't take on too many as my time is stretched, just hoping for enough to make a statement in a peaceful and beautiful way. I don't want anyone to purchase any of these, I just would love to have any that held cookies, nuts, etc that are going to be recycled and have nice colorful outsides that will add to the charm once I pound the holes. I am finding that the pounding is a good stress reliever so its all good. If you want to make your own, fill the cans with water and freeze them before you make the holes or the can will be disfigured by all the nail holes and pounding it takes to create one. (Elise joins Brandon as todays soul children on this blog)

With special prayers for a holiday filled with magic and love, Lynette

Today would have been the Bar Mitzvah of my first angel baby, Joey Wes. The fact that this foundation was formed this year is important to me just for that reason. Joey's presence in my life and his spirit in my heart has been one of the reasons that this project ever came into being. I am honored and touched by the fact that the photos of Joey from the Collection are now at his temple waiting for the service that will honor Joey's legacy. His image always causes people to nearly gasp at his beauty, time and again I hear it, "He is such an angel" and personally in many ways he is the angel that put me on this path. I so value my friendship with his mother and I am blessed that the entire Wes family allowed me into their lives with a camera at a time when things were so very precious and time so very short. As you enter the courtyard of my new home and studio, you must walk over three stones that are lighter in color than all the rest of the pavers, these stones were a surprise from my husband and are from the streets of Jeruselum. I wanted them to be part this place to honor Joey and to remind myself that this project is going to take me into new places both physically and emotionally.

This week has been one of many opportunities and it slipped through my fingers as I had imagined myself preparing for Christmas and instead was led to so many things that are the essence of Christmas, but not the trappings of the holiday. So this year will be different from all the others, as my time is taken up with leading this work instead of shopping and decorating and planning.

I had the absolute pleasure and thrill of touring the Ronald McDonald house and meeting with two exceptional women of that organization that are asking if Soulumination and RMH might join forces for a project that would involve photographing families that are housed at this amazing facility. If it works out that we come to proceed with this work, I will be thrilled. Ronald McDonald House filled my heart with such gladness. It was amazing to see that so much thought and care had been built into their new building. I personally am committed to working with them for at least one family and now will take the proposal to my board and to some friends who I will need to accompany me in this project if it is to succeed. Something in my heart tells me that this endeavor will be another one that will bring Soulumination into the hearts of many. I thank both Joyce and Heather of RMH for being such wonderful diplomats.

I am reading a book that is very powerful indeed: "Making Loss Matter" by Rabbi David Wolpe. I thank Lori Sawyer for this gift of wonderful reading and thank her for her thoughtfulness in sending it to me when I truly needed a hand getting myself back to a place where the grief was not too heavy. I quote from a prayer that the writer uses to illustrate what he has learned, the prayer is not his own but that of a man that puts into words something that moved him and I know it will now be a part of my own life:

"Dear God, I know that there will be pain in my life, and sadness, and loss. Please give me the strength to create a life, together with those I love, where loss will not be empty, where pain will not be purposeless. Help me find the faith to make loss matter, Amen."

In love and peace, Lynette

Today Doug and I celebrate our 27th anniversary, someone give that man an award for being able to put up with me for all those years. We are going to dinner at Canlis tonight with Doug's dad, I don't think my father in law realizes it our anniversary or he might not want to feel like he should come with us, but since he is the one who introduced us I feel like it will be great to have him with us. One of Doug's clients gave him a gift certificate for Canlis so we are thankful for such thoughtfulness. I am posting a photo of Doug with our Lulu in Mexico as many of you wonder who is the man who so patiently helps that photographer navigate this path.

Yesterday I spoke at the KC Howard Guild annual luncheon for Children's Hospital. I saw so many of my wonderful clients and was thrilled to have my wonderful board member Pat Kern with me as well as being seated with Debbie Calhoun, mother of the lovely baby Claire. I am not sure of the final totals for the fundraiser but it seemed like they had a very successful day, especially with the raise the paddle, I think they went over the goal by at least $5000.00 so it was a wonderful day.

In love and peace, Lynette

I start todays missive with a salute to one of my board members. I met Pat on a flight from Dallas to Seattle and realized that this woman was going to be a friend and someone that would be perfect for the board of the newly formed foundation. So to thank her for joining in and adding so much to the foundation, I invited the men in her life over for a shoot the day I returned from Mexico. I am hoping this is the first inkling she has that they were with me and I will be expecting a call from her when she reads this to see when she can actually pick up the photos. You can tell from the photos posted here that her sons are wonderful young men and it was a pleasure to finally meet the older two. Her youngest is already a donor to the foundation and has a very special place in my heart. I am sending my best to her oldest as he is playing in the state championship football game tonight and am hoping for a victory for this Texas transplant.

Yesterday was a busy day indeed for Soulumination. A total of three Soul families passed through my studio and each one is special indeed: one returning for an update, one picking up the work our employee Sarah did to preserve her polaroids and a new mother and daughter who as so often happens, stole my heart. This new mother and daughter had a charm and warmth that I was pleased to share for a few minutes with my daughter Llewelyn who arrived home from Evergreen in time to be brought under their spell. Lew actually got to feel the medical instrument implanted in the chest of this exceptional 8 year old. I will talk to the mom and hope she will sign releases as I will want to share her story and her daughter as I know so many will love her as always happens with the children of this project. In the midst of all the activity yesterday, my friend and assistant Deb came into the studio with an urgent phone message from my contacts at Children's hospital. I go tomorrow at 10am for a new family and their daughter who is in intensive care. I hope you will keep these new additions to Soul in your hearts and prayers. After my visit to Children's tomorrow my family and I are meeting up with Francisco that was a special part of our show at St Marks. Francisco is the oldest of our project at this point and we are all meeting with the Dan Wilson family who are the parents of another youngster who is also Mayan from Guatemala. We will have time for lunch together and a meeting that I am sure will bring new friendships in my circle of friends. As always I close with wishes for love and peace and with a thankful heart that I am blessed with such a full life, Lynette