#FamilyStrong

In the aftermath of a terrible incident a few short months ago this family is still picking up the pieces to move on and find who they are and can be in their family of three. In one of my prior post I decided to give them this hashtag #FamilyStrong because that is what they are. You see the "Mommy in the Middle" is my cousin and for whatever reason... through her STRONG faith or just being a Mom of two and/or her strong family roots she MUST be strong. As an adult, she lost her father (my Uncle) David when he was only 47. By the grace of the good Lord she had written him a letter for Father's Day and as I remember he did get to read it just before his unexpected passing with a massive heart failure. A few short years later, her brother (his son) Ty was in a terrible accident on the James River in Virginia when he and his friend capsized while fishing on the very cold March waters and the family searched weeks along with friends and authorities until both their bodies were found and laid to rest. He himself only 36, left two small children (my cousins) age 2 and 2 weeks and his wonderful wife Linda. He and his younger sister Rhonda, (pictured here) were the cousins we played with and visited with and fought with more than any of the others. We just were afforded more times together and I know from my side of things we begged to get to see them or spend the night or go on trips. We even took turns staying for a full week each year when our parents would allow it.

Now here is this same strong cousin of mine with yet another man lost in her short life. They had spent at least 6 years together and he was a part of our family. He jumped in to help at every opportunity during family events as if he were our blood relation. He had even been Ty's friend before his death. He went by Jimmy and he is missed by us all.

I have to think of my Aunt Linda, how she has lost all three of these men in her life too and how because of HER and her faith, she has helped her daughter cope and become stronger with each loss. We all have our stories and we all have our own loss, I just thought it time to share hers.

Each year I travel back to Virginia to do a session for Rhonda and her beautiful children and I hope you enjoy these images. With a little twist on the artwork from our normal, I think it speaks volumes of her #familystrong.