As many of you read on Facebook last night, I made my decision on who would receive the gift certificate for a newborn photography package. This was such an incredibly difficult decision to make, as I received tons of emails from amazing & incredibly deserving people. In the end, I followed my heart and chose the letter that remained on my mind throughout the entire week. I was touched by their story & I felt like a photography package would truly bless this family at a time when investing in custom photography would otherwise be very difficult.
The person whose letter I chose is not using it to benefit themselves, but rather they are gifting the certificate to their dear friend. Both parties have given me permission to use the letter to share with you, and I hope you are as touched as I am. Here is what the letter said:
Whitney,
What a blessing your followers are receiving with this giveaway. I know you will be reading many of these heartfelt letters, so I will try to keep mine as brief as possible…
I’m so glad that this is a gift that can be given because my best friend is more than deserving. Her name is Aly, and her and her husband just gave birth to the most beautiful blessing. Her name is Laylah Rae, and she was born June 19, 2012 at only 26 weeks. Her two pound tiny frame has been fighting to grow stronger. Aly was told she would never be able to carry a child, and with a high risk pregnancy, doctors were overcome with joy that she was able to carry as long as she did. Laylah is truly an angel and gift from God. She has defied the odds. She can breathe almost entirely on her own, which has blown doctors away. Her complications have been so minimal thus far that it is astounding. Doctors are calling her a miracle.
With all this said, there is a bigger reason I believe Aly and her husband deserve this session. They are some of the kindest people I know. Their hearts are bursting with love for not only each other, but for others. Both would give you the shirt off their backs. Recently they have come into financial hardship. Aly took a new job, and soon after found out she was pregnant. Her pregnancy was high risk and she was put on bed rest. She was laid off, having not been able to fulfill her full 90 day probation period. Her husband has been carrying all their finances. They have had to move back in with her parents to save money. Not once have I heard either of them complain about their circumstances. Instead they remain optimistic and cheerful.
When Aly went into labor she was in Seattle. She has been up there since and they plan on her being up there until Laylah reaches what would be full term, that is until September. Her husband is now living in a hotel close to the hospital so they can remain strong for their baby girl. The hotel costs money though, on top of the NICU bills that are piling up. Laylah’s bed cost $9,000 a day before insurance. My heart goes out to the financial burden they are incurring.
I know that Aly and her husband will not be able to afford newborn photos. I truly feel that this would be such a blessing in their lives to know they will be able to capture those first moments back home in Vancouver. I know there will be many deserving people who write into you and once again I feel so grateful that you are offering these families the opportunity to savor these sweet moments.
I look forward to the big reveal, and I hope this was short and sweet enough 
Your truly,
Tristin
What an amazing little gift Laylah is for this family & I am so happy to hear she is doing well after such an early delivery. I hope that all of you will keep her in your thoughts & prayers as she continues to grow & become healthy. I am SO excited for the day I can meet her!
…and I couldn’t blog without an image, so here is one from today’s photo shoot with Kiptyn…
