Some days are so packed with joy and surprise, little triumphs that amaze and thrill me: A baby girl weighing in right at a pound and a half but breathing on her own; a mother and son who share a bond of love so strong that together they are nobly battling a disease that is both incurable and incredibly rare; a mom who nearly lost her life in childbirth holding her four-pound son and me being there to record this dynamic duo and watch him consume his first-ever bottle after two weeks of tube feeding in the arms of this mom who had just been released from ICU herself; meeting a room full of devoted and loving nurses who were willing to listen to me talk about how to take more interesting and rewarding photos with the digital camera on their NICU ward; and something that took my breath away---the sight of Francisco wheeling himself around his unit at Children's. I had a few minutes to watch the tape of Francisco's family and chatted with him about the possibility of recording his story about his 31-day walk from Guatemala to the United States. Of course that was just the part of my day that had Soulumination written on it. I also had two wonderful shoots for my business, time to work on two special Valentine books that I am creating for my daughters, and a stolen moment or two to chat about this day with one patient husband.

I am going to ask you all to participate in a little effort for the young man I met yesterday at Children's. His name is Barry Simon and he suffers from Fanconi anemia. He loves to receive mail, indeed his mom told me that mail time is the highlight of each day. His room is so full of good cheer as his many cards are posted around the room. His current record is 48 cards and four packages in one day. I was thinking how fun it would be to break that record and light up his life with cards, notes, etc., from around Seattle and this country. There are some wonderful articles written about him by Vince Devlin of the Missoulian. Try reading about him and I am sure you will send him a message. The link I have is here. I know he loves Sponge Bob Square Pants, Yugioh, and many vintage cartoons. Those of you with 11-year-old boys will know just what to send. After reading that article and an earlier one about the costs for his mom, it seems like we might want to slip in a few dollars ourselves, like his grandma does, but truly just a card would be wonderful, too. His address is Barry Simon, c/o Pete Gross Apartments, 525 Minor Ave N. Number 413, Seattle WA 98109. His mom picks up their mail daily so he has it at the hospital, and hopefully in a few weeks he will be at the apartment. His mom estimates they will be in Seattle many more months before they can return home to Montana.

Today I have two shoots here at my studio followed by some searching in Ballard for the perfect tamale to take to Francisco. His appetite is great, and he loves a really good tamale. If you have sources for great tamales please let me know. You can always email me at: Lynette@Soulumination.org.

Now please start mailing--with Valentine's Day coming up we can easily send our best wishes in that format. In love and peace, Lynette

Yesterday I had the pleasure of addressing two groups of nurses of the University Hospital's NICU. I had received a call from a nurse named Heidi who had read about Soulumination and wondered if I would speak to her unit about taking photos for families using the digital camera they have. I am not versed in the use of digital equipment but I knew I could give them some tips and encourage them to take thoughtful and lovely photos for their families. They are obviously already doing a nice job as we have not received a single call from parents at the UW Hospital. They were a wonderful group of women and I am hoping to go later this week to work with one of their patients, so Heidi and I can work together and perhaps inspire the unit's nurses further in their efforts. I commend them for trying to make a disc of photos for each family and for the fact that they encourage families to use the camera themselves. It was wonderful that I had a photo disc, produced by my new intern, Brenna, to accompany my talk. She did a wonderful job, and having the photos to show in such a beautiful format makes such an impact.

My talk was followed by a presentation from a nurse named Deb, who works for an amazing foundation called Isis. Check them out--they do some wonderful work in Uganda and Nepal. Oops, almost forgot to mention that Heidi is not only a very good photographer, she is an excellant cook and provided me with a lovely bento box lunch that was a real treat.

Last Thursday we had a work party here at my new studio to make the trifolds and the photo albums that we give to each family. It was a great turnout and I am so thankful that I have so many helpful, talented, and delightful friends who come join us each time they are called. The camaraderie and support seem to flow into each creation and I am thrilled to present our families with items formed by loving hands. A special thank-you to Susan, who has gone beyond the call of duty to actually figure out how to create the albums and provide many of the supplies that go into each one. Three of our lovely interns were present that evening, and it's wonderful to have them with us as their youth and enthusiasm adds so much.

Doug and I spent Saturday evening with Francisco and many of his friends. We brought a little cake just to celebrate knowing him, and it was such a fun evening. It was my honor to meet Ann and Gwen, mother and girlfriend of one of Francisco's friends who passed away on the 31st. These two women light up a room with their love and compassion. There were many nurses present, all smiling and happy just to be part of a little tribute to such an exemplary young man, plus a mom from the room next door, sporting her shaved head, came to talk and share her experiences about the progress of her son's treatment. It was one special night, and we are now hoping to have a DVD back soon from Guatemala so Francisco can see his family and hear their voices.

Sunday marked the second anniversary of the date I met Josiah, Alice, and Dave Adams. It was good to spend time together watching Henry crawl and laugh and remind us that life is so precious. Soon it will be two years since Josiah died, and my heart is with these very special friends. They have made themselves available many times for Soulumination PR and have helped this country start to open to families in grief.

This week is a full one as my mom and niece will be with us tonight. I have my usual shoots for my business, two meetings for Soul, and on Thursday I will have a new Soul family at Children's and hopefully one at UW Hospital, plus my friend Kari will drive me to Arlington on Sunday to finally meet all of Timothy's family and get photos of his sister.

In peace and love, Lynette

It seems that each day brings so many emotions that it is wonderful to have a place to write and share my experiences. Yesterday, I received a number of emails from friends of mine, a couple that I met when photographing their wedding. I have been recording their growing family and have been privileged to watch them parent two very beautiful children as well as his two lovely daughters from a previous marriage. But this email brought me photos they took of their third child, another beautiful son, who had died in utero at full term, entirely unexpectedly. His name was Tal and his parents had opted to birth him to some wonderful music, a practice they had followed with their first two children. When talking with my friend today she suggested I might mention the particular songs they had chosen for this birth as the lyrics seemed magically appropriate for this son: "Nature Boy" by Nat King Cole and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" by Elton John. I have heard from the mom and the dad and both are wracked with such sorrow, but both have mentioned to me that they already realize the love this child brought will bring a close-knit family together with even more kindness and thankfulness for all they have. They have mentioned that they know he will be part of their family forever.

It is so incredible to think that this little soul has so much to teach, so much to give, and we can all learn to take time to be thankful for the minutes, days and years that we are privileged to share with our treasured children. My love and heart is with them, I cherish the memories they have allowed me to capture, and I will make sure that we take time to put together their images as if I had taken them.

In today's mail came a most beautiful birthday party invitation. It is for Elise's 3rd birthday and I wish I could be on the East Coast to join in the celebration for this stunning three-year-old. I met Elise and her family when I visited New York to be with my McKenzie and to record the Today show segment. Not only was I thrilled to receive the invitation, but it touches my heart to see on the invitation that they are encouraging friends to consider supporting Soulumination with a contribution. Other families and friends have done the same when hosting parties and each time it moves me deeply. Elise suffers from Tay-Sachs Disease. For more information on this disease please go to www.ntsad.org. And as you can see, we have a new design to our web site, and thanks to the hard work of our board member Kelley you can now go to the "Gallery Section" and find little Elise and read her bio.

I am happy to say that Francisco has had an opportunity to make a video message for his mom and it looks as if his mom will receive a camera so she can make one for him. It would be so wonderful if that young man could at least see his mom that way, considering that it looks as if his parents will not be able to come in person to be with him. When I checked with his nurse yesterday, she said he had lots of visitors over the weekend and that he was in good spirits. I spent last Saturday with him from 10pm until midnight and was privileged to hear more stories about his home and family. That guy is a late-nighter and it's fun to be with him as he makes you forget that middle-aged women are usually in bed about the time he is enjoying company.

My heartfelt thanks to REI and Microsoft for providing fundraisers and matching fund options that led to nice donations arriveing in the mail yesterday. Plus, to the family who donated in honor of Josiah Adams, I am thrilled to hear that you are the new parents to a baby girl from Guatemala. It will be fun to share that news with our friend Francisco. It would be most wonderful to introduce the two of them as I know Francisco misses home so much and that his little friend Abe from Guatemala brings a big smile to his face.

As always, in love and peace, and honoring the souls entrusted to my camera, but today especially in tribute to those mentioned above, Lynette.

"The greatest thing you will ever learn is just to love and be loved in return"--Nat King Cole, 'Nature Boy"

I am pleased to say that the Soulumination Collection may be traveling to the Children's hospital in Washington DC in April. Through the amazing dedication of a woman named Sarah in the DC area we are finalizing the details for this amazing possibility. Also in April I will be flying to the Cleveland area to speak to the Hospice of the Western Conference volunteer appreciation meeting. I hope the story of the project will be conveyed by my speaking in such a way as to add to the work of these volunteers. I know I am only the vehicle to tell the story, and not the story itself, so I hope that my speaking ability will be strong enough to move these wonderful people and to show them the importance of their efforts.

My sincerest thanks go out to some amazing friends who have stepped up to offer love and support to my friend Francisco. I called Lulu's former soccer coach who immediately snapped into action to provide Francisco with some DVDs of his favorite soccer team. My wonderful friend Annie visited him with her own wonderful Guatemalan son who shares the majestic heritage of the Mayan people. I had the privilege of meeting one of Francisco's camp counselors, Yetti. This fine person spends every evening with Francisco and he has a heart of gold. My assistant and great friend, Deb, has ordered up more videos to keep Francisco smiling with soccer bloopers and now a tape of Pele, and runs to the hospital to deliver fruit as she lives near. I am speaking regularly with a most amazing father who recently lost his beloved son. Fransisco and this young man were friends through their contact at Children's, and this father is reaching out to support in any way he can, even though his own loss is so new. Although I did not have the pleasure of meeting his son, this father calls to keep me updated and included in all the plans for helping Francisco and his family. This outreach is aside from the mission of the foundation, and I am so happy that people have realized that but continue to offer support and love.

We have recently sent out some framed 8 by 10's to a number of Soulumination families. Its so special to hear from them and know how things are going in their lives. The common thread is their sweet appreciation for the photos. Today I received in the mail the releases for the photos of Timothy. I will attach some to illuminate this missive with his sweetness. I hope to visit him at his home in Arlington to get shots with his entire family, including his beautiful sister Angelica, who suffers from the same disorder.
In love and peace, Lynette

The New Year promises so much that sometimes I am overwhelmed with the possibilities. This is the time of year when we meet many of our brides for this year, plus January often unfolds with new clients in all areas. For Soulumination I look forward to speaking at another fundraiser for Children's Hospital in February, when I will be introduced by my friend at King 5, Pat McReynolds. I am scheduled to speak at Bellevue Rotary and we are making plans for me to visit the midwest and speak to a hospice group. This month I hope to be part of University Hospital's nursing meetings, where I will work to show them techniques and style that should lead to the nurses capturing beautiful photos for their patients. I am honored by these requests and will do my best to make meaningful and lasting presentations.

Yesterday I visited a baby girl at Children's hospital and once again I saw mothering of the highest order. The beautiful baby and mother were so lovely that I am very excited to see the results of this session. While at the hospital, I visited my wonderful friend Francisco, who is recovering from surgery. This young Mayan trouper has become a friend and inspiration in my life. His smile and manner makes him someone to admire. It is easy to forget that he is so young, as his wisdom and spark speak of a soul with much depth. Please send loving thoughts his way as he works his way through this recovery period. I am posting my favorite photo of him. You can see how regal his face is, showing the majesty of the Mayan people.

My life is rich and full with many amazing faces appearing in front of my lens. Last week I was honored by the visit of a local female firefighter to record her the day before her mastectomy. Her body strong and toned for her work and her demeanor one of a true survivor. She had battled breast cancer years ago and has the most amazing attitude as she faces this new round of treatment. Many of you know that I am setting the stage for a future Soulumination project that will benefit breast cancer research. I truly hope to raise funds on a national level by combining photographers with women fighting this horrible disease that affects way too many of us. Soulumination's 501C3 is written to include this work in the future. With the help of current and future volunteers and employees I hope to get this project launched once the children's part of Soul is running without so much hands-on attention from me.

Our Lulu will be with us this weekend, and Doug and I are planning a little trip to California to visit McKenzie in San Luis Obispo. My daughters continue to light my life with excitement and fresh views. I thank them for their love and support.

Last night was the first night I could spend time in my new art space. Its a wonderful room off my studio that Doug built for my personal projects. It was amazing to have time and space to work as I wanted. Those close to me know that I love to make Valentines for my family and closest friends. There are snippets of hearts and photos littering the floor of this space, symbolic remnants of the love that brews around and through my life.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge that it is coming up on the second anniversary of my meeting Josiah, Alice and Dave Adams. They were the first family of the work with the project that I connected with outside the hospital. They live on Capital Hill near our former home and they have become such amazing friends. They not only shared their beautiful son Josiah with my camera, but asked me to be a part of their second son Henry's birth. You will see Josiah posted today in honor of his coming birthday. My prayers and love are with Alice and Dave as this marking of time is such a reminder of the loss of one so precious.

In peace and love, Lynette