Aarron's Journey-Remembrance Photography

In memory of you-Happy Birthday

2010-05-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

I awoke this morning before my regular time and my 3rd thought was that Today Is Your Birthday. You would have been 13 years old today. Wow where did the time go. I started reflecting on the day you were born. It was as if it was yesterday. I could see myself waking up in the hospital on my 3rd day there & hoping that I would not give birth and that I could really stay there a few more weeks to allow you time to get stronger. Then the pain was so intense and I asked for more pain relief, but to my dismay I was fully dilated...My mind went into a tail spin as the nurses prepared me and daddy for what would be the hardest day to endure in our lives..I was remembering the night I came to the hospital and I saw your little foot kicking through my cervix and I thought, "He's kicking, he has to live" The doctors said it was nothing they could do...Could this really be happening?? No I think I checked out of myself at that moment...What would you look like?? Would you be deformed...Why is this happening...Now it's time for you to come into this world..2 pushes and you were here....I saw them put you on my chest, but I couldn't look at you...I think I was in shock and I made myself go to sleep...Surely If I slept for a while, when I woke up all this would be over...That was not to be...When I woke up you were laying across the room from me, with no cover and no one but daddy & your uncle looking at you..I thought you were gone, but you waited on me...I'm so glad you did...Daddy brought you to me and placed you in my arms...for the first time I looked into your perfect face....The same exact face as your older brother...beautiful...You could be Derrick's twin...The blankets were thick but I could feel your 1 lb body in my hands...I did not know that you had taken your last breath in my arms until the nurse said you were gone...Help me wake up from this God, please don't let this be...Remember God when I said as a young girl that I could not live with losing a child...Remember that....Yet my journey of growth, pain, denial, tears, truth, healing, wisdom, knowledge of Gods' Word, deeper relationship with God.....

Fast forward.....through my saying goodbye to you...God showed me that He did call you home, He received you...He showed me that I can choose life or religion...I chose Life(God)....When I sat at your grave He said to me, "You asked me for truth and I told you Aarron is not here & you still sit here....choose me or religion..you can not have both...I stood up, dusted myself off and never returned....I wondered if what I heard was my mind telling me what I wanted to hear or what I knew I heard....It was years later when I attended the funeral of a 21 year old that I heard a minister say the same thing that God told me and I said finally someone is not afraid to speak the truth.......Fast forward...Through your life, God gave me Aarron's Journey to give the gift of memories to families facing what daddy & I faced....I was able to pray for my niece with tenacity and love as my baby brother faced the diagnosis that his little girl would not live....i was able to stand and speak at her funeral to her parents as a testimony that they will make it through....As I held my brother's hand and threw our pink roses upon her coffin, memories of you flooded my soul as if it was yesterday and yet I held his hand letting him know, God and I are here with you in strength....So all the emotions I have been feeling the last few weeks of saying goodbye to you and preparing to say goodbye to Aniyah has been to bring me to this point in my life.....To God be the glory for Allowing me, not putting something on to bear, to go through a journey that today I can say caused me to grow into the woman I am today...You will always be my son...You will forever be in my heart & a part of me....I shall use Aarron's Journey to bless others .....& now in memory of Aniyah I will find organizations that help people with her diagnosis to bring memories to them in your name, Aarron Devon.....I thank God that I will again see you in heaven...On earth you are 13, but in heaven you are eternal with Aniyah Praising Our Father continuously as He is the Giver of Life and the Receiver of His Own...

Aarron Devon, Happy 13th Birthday...Today I celebrate you with a smile

Walking Into New Things

2010-01-20T11:08:00.000-08:00

This morning has been a morning of seeing and understand....revelation and direction. About a month ago, I was notified that a friend's father was now on Hospice care. I immediately said we need to do a Aarron's Journey Session with them. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time the Aarron's Journey session but she blessed me by asking if I would take photos at the homegoing for her dad. I was scared to say the least. Scared because this is not a normal request but I wanted to do my part in helping her along the grieving process. The service was beautiful and even though I hurt to see her in pain, the camera separated me from what was actually going on and I could capture the memories that I would want for myself...
Then an amazing thing happened, I was reminded that I took funeral photos of son over 13 years ago. I have looked at those photos many times. When I recently launched my Aarron's Journey website, I saw those images and I knew what they were but it was not until this morning that God chose to make things clear to me. I had no thought of being a photographer at that time, I just didn't want to forget his face and what I was facing at that time. At that moment a lot things became clear to me. I have been going back & forth as to if I was to offer Funeral Photography Services and today I know that I am. Even today images of my son's homegoing bring an inner peace and I am so glad that I have them. I will give that to others. I will posting more infomation about our Funeral Photography Services on our website soon as I am currently updating the website. Until then here are images of my son's service as well as my dear friends father's service...God Bless

Aarron's Service

Mr. Johnson's Service

Our Service Description has been updated

2010-01-11T14:23:00.001-08:00

Aarron's Journey provides photographic memories to families with children and adults experiencing a potential life limited illness or for those that have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. These images are not to capture illness, but to capture a life filled with hope & courage. Once we receive a request we will provide a private portrait session. Families or Individuals will be photographed in our studio, in their home, the hospital, hospice center or a location that physical abilities will allow. After speaking with you, I will decide the best type of session that captures your memories. Then images are given to the family as a DVD or CD to remember the love and strength of your family even as you go through this difficult time in your life. Our remembrance photography services were created to give families and friends memories that last through this journey of life and beyond.

Question you may have

2010-01-06T19:30:00.000-08:00

This is a question that some may have that would like us to photograph them/their families through Aarron's Journey.
Question: Our family is private. If you photograph us, do we have to be on your website?
Answer: Aarron's Journey is a part of our studio photography, but it has more privacy. Aarron's Journey is to give you memories of your love one and your family as you face a terminal illness or potential life ending illness. You are under no obligation to allow us to post your images on our website. The images you currently see are by permission of each client. Each client signs a release and agreement as to how, if any, the images will be used whether in our brochures or on the website. Your privacy is my primary goal.

Recent Session-Thomas Family

2009-12-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

Recently I had the honor of photographing Andi and her family. Andi was recently diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time. It was such a blessing to capture the love and strength of her and her family. As Andi goes through this journey, let us keep her in our prayers. Andi you are not alone, we are heare to support you. Andi and her family have created a foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness. Not only do they provide support and information for Triple Negative Breast Cancer, but they also offer a beautiful service called, Pass The Pillow. Visit there website and sign their guestbook and see all the information they have to share with us at http://www.iwantfoundation.org/passapillowproject.html

Here are a few images from their session:

Today's Thought

2009-12-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

As I sit working on images from a session of a very sweet family, the news came on of a young lady with 4 children who passed away last week of cancer. It was so sad to hear of the pain her mother and 4 young children are feeling. However as I looked behind them I saw images of the young lady and her children filled with smiles and a hat to cover her head of pink. I saw images of her as a model when she beat cancer 1 of 3 times that it attacked her body. Those images will always be a treasure to her mom and children. They show their mom being strong and smiling even through such a hard time. This is the purpose of Aarron's Journey. To give a family images of their love one facing a final journey in life or facing a life limiting disease and to know that they will always be able to look at these images with tears, then laughter, then tears, then hopefully comfort.

Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it..Psalms 118:24.
xoxo
Lynette Bradshaw, Creator Aarron's Journey

Today is a new day

2009-12-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
Today is a brand new day. I had the pleasure and honor of photographing Andy and her family. You could feel the love flowing between them. Photographing this family was the confirmation to me that starting Aarron's Journey was the right thing to do. I cried after this session was over. I was so filled with emotion. We are praying for Andy. We are praying for her strength. We are praying for her physical strength as well as her spiritual strength. She is so beautiful inside and out. The family has given me permission to share there images so I will share some of them as soon as I am done editing.

Today quote: Joy is found in the hugs of those that love us....Lynette Bradshaw

xoxo
Lynette Bradshaw, Creator

Welcome to our New Blog

2009-12-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for visiting our new blog for Aarron's Journey. Please feel free to leave your comments, your stories, your questions, etc.

Thanks
Lynette Bradshaw, Creator of AArron's Journey
Lynette Bradshaw Photography