I am pleased to announce that the Hames Family is the lucky recipient of the Big Give Week of Love session. I received many entries, all worthy of receiving this gift. Thanks to all of you who took the time to write something and send it to me. I know all of you had very heartfelt intentions.
The Hames family received nine individual entries nominating them for the Week of Love Session. Here are a couple of the entries that were submitted.
I would like to nominate the Hames family. A little over a year ago Shawn and Cheryti adopted four young children from the local foster care system after years of being dedicated foster parents and hosting foreign exchange students. Cheryti gave up her beloved full time work to be a full time mom (and then some).
These kids are really special. They’re involved in karate, avid swimmers, and budding artists. They give freely of their own toys and clothes on birthdays and when they hear of another kid in need. They spent their Christmas handing out food at local emergency rooms. They’re animal lovers that enthusiastically help their mom on their farm taking care of donkeys, horses, cats, and dogs.
This has been a monumental year for them being adopted into a forever family. I have noticed one need they have that is hard to fill: memories. They only have a handful of pictures of themselves before this year, and Cheryti has longingly mentioned wanting to have a family portrait to document this new beginning for them all. ~ DeeDee R.
Since Cheryti was in high school, she said that there were enough children in the world who didn’t have parents that she wouldn’t have any of her own – she would care for some of those. As she married and completed her B.A. in Social Work and a Masters in Family Counseling, that passion for helping others grew stronger and found new opportunities for expression. She gave up a rewarding career teaching at a community college so that she and her husband Shawn could foster 4 troubled teenage girls. I lived with them during 2 years of this and saw their dedication and patience through extreme circumstances (trips to the psychiatric emergency room, threats to their safety, destroyed property…). The experience was hardly what most people would consider rewarding, but they continued to demonstrate the love of Christ to these teenagers.
After several years of tirelessly caring for teenagers, they began to welcome younger children, and eventually adopted a sibling group of 4 for which CPS could not find a home – 2 boys and 2 girls, ages 4, 6, 7, and 11. They are precious children, and have made significant progress during the last year, but have certainly been a challenge.
Shawn and Cheryti have made extraordinary sacrifices to be able to help others. I don’t know anyone with hearts so big. They show the love of Christ in a continual, tangible way to those who have been rejected by their families and by society. They have been working hard to develop family traditions and build positive memories with the kids, and I think that chronicling that journey with family photos would enrich the experience.
Thank you for considering the Hames family for your photo session. ~ Faith M.
Memories of my childhood really come from my family album. My mind is like a picture book of stories. The record snow we had here last week reminded me of 1978. I was 4 years old the last time it snowed more than it did last week. There is a picture of my father pulling me in a bus tub on our driveway at the house where I grew up. Had it not been for that photo – I don’t think I would have remembered that snow. I’m looking forward to photographing this families new beginning. Hoping to start their own picture book of memories.
It’s been a fun week here on the blog. Thanks for reading
Be Good!
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