A Moment Cherished: Bethany

Dear Bethany,

I can easily pull up my first memory of you. It took place seven summer ago in the nurse's station at camp. You were sitting on the infamous couch down there with your then boyfriend, Ben, sharing a gallon of chocolate ice cream that Dan h

ad purchased you. I remember thinking that you were such a cute girl. Slowly that summer and the next you crept into our hearts, not taking no for an answer. There was something about you that drew all of us to you. Perhaps it was Cadi who first fell in love. The other day Cadi looked at me with big eyes and asked Mommy, even though Bethany is getting married, will she still always be my sister? Oh, how she loves you Bethany, and loves the moments that you have spent with our family. It is only then that she ever says that our family is complete. And Jim and I feel it too - you are family and will always be.

I had never seen a teenaged girl invest so much time into a child, and it was real and heartfelt. I knew you loved me because of the fierce love you had for my children. To love a mommy is to love her children. I have never seen you impatient with my children or brush them away. Even last night, at your wedding rehearsal, a night when you surely had every right to be caught up in the moment, you took time for Cadi. She asked as we drove to the church last night if she could sit with you at the rehearsal dinner. I told her no, that this was your special night and that you had so many people to share it with. But you made a liar of me, when without any hesitation, you took Cadi's plate filled it with food and without question sat it by yours. And that is just one instance where you have poured love into my daughter. She will never forget it. My prayer is that Cadi would grow up to be just like her big sister Bethany.

Although you and Cadi have a very special relationship, all of my children know your love. You stood behind us, and fund raised with us, supported us and cheerleaded us every step of the way as we fought to make Jamesy our son. And even more amazing is the way I watched your heart break for orphans as you truly invested in the journey to Jamesy with us. And when you laid eyes on him the first time, my heart burst with happiness to see the genuine love that you felt for our boy. Scotty calls you his Bethany. And you are and have been from the moment you witnessed my water break as I was carrying him.

I could write forever of my memories with you. Of tent camping when I was supposed to be the leader, and pushed you out the tent to check the fire because I was too scared to go myself, of our love for Starbucks, of hours by the pool at camp, of painful pilates, of our trip to Virginia, of our love for Banilla yogurt and granola, of My Sister's Keeper and sneaking glances at one another to see if the other was crying as hard as well, of Christmas cookies that never quite turned out, of car trouble, of watching God show you how to truly trust Him, of watching your heart get broken over and over and every time you would get back up put a smile back on and move forward, of our prayers for you, of tears, of hugs, of a million I love you's.

Bethany, I could not love you more today if you were my blood sister. I am so proud of you, of the choices you have made and the woman you are becoming. Roger is getting a gift today. As full and happy as my heart is, I would be lieing if I said that a corner of it wasn't sad. We will all miss you terribly, but Bethany know this, you will always, always have a place in our family. We are praying that God blesses your wedding today and your marriage forever. I know you are going to be an amazing wife, because I know you never do anything half-heartedly. May He get all the glory.

I love you, my one-in-a-million girl.

Love,

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There's this girl I know that holds a special place in my heart. I met her when she was just a freckled-face teenager working at our summer camp as a life guard. She is magnetic - a beautiful person - inside and out. Upon meeting her, I was immediately drawn to her, as was my daughter. Cadi adores this girl - Bethany. Cadi really thinks that Bethany is part of our family and her sister. Can I tell you a secret? I think the same thing - only that she is my sister. She is not. We have not a drop of the same gene pool, yet I love her exactly the same as if we did.

Saturday evening I had the amazing blessing of photographing Bethany and her fiancee' Roger. Their engagement shoot was fun, and special, and beautiful - everything that Bethany is. The way that Roger adores her is precious, and makes me so excited for their future. I cherished every moment behind the lens, remembering the freckled faced girl that first walked into my life, and marveling at the beautiful woman that I found my camera focusing on. Bethany loves God and desires to serve Him with her life. She has not always walked an easy path, life has not dealt her roses, but she continues to walk the path she has been given with grace. She amazes me and encourages me, and blesses me.

Here are just a few of my favorites from their shoot. (I took over 900. Roxy and I had a blast! To see all of the photos in Part 1 of their shoot, please go here.)