Danielle Simone {photoblog} |

I firmly believe events that happen in our lives are not random.  I also like to share with you whenever something happens in my life that truly touches my heart.  This is one of those times.

Many months ago, I photographed baby Ben in the NICU at Loma Linda Childrens’ Hospital.  Afterwards I received this email.

“To start, I really won’t be upset, or offended if you say no, but I thought I’d check. We have a friend who had twins in March at 30 weeks out at Loma Linda. The baby boy came home in May I believe, but the girl has had LOTS of problems. To the point where she is still at Loma Linda’s NICU and there is really no plan for when they will send her home. They have removed most of her small bowel, and she is still open (since June!). In the midst of all this it was the babies’ grandma (my friend’s mom) who was Lisa Walters (the lactation nurse from SACH who was killed in the motorcycle accident in May). I don’t think they’ve been able to have any professional pictures done with the baby, and I saw what a great job you did with Janet and baby Benjamin even with all the tubes and wires. Also, their medical bills are out of control with having her in the hospital for so long. If you are there either visiting Janet or taking pictures, if you could do something for them I’m sure they’d appreciate it.”

I stopped right in my tracks….The babies grandmother that had passed away was a friend of mine.  When I was a nursing student in postpartum she helped me get through some tough times and she helped me with breastfeeding both of my children.  OF COURSE I WILL PHOTOGRAPH THEM!!!   But…unfortunately it was the height of H1N1 (swine flu), and they would only allow parents to see the baby.  I was heartbroken, you see, there was a chance that baby A would  not survive.  All I could do was pray for her.

Fast forward to now.  I asked mom to share the twins journey:

My husband and I have been married for 8 years, we tried about 5 years to get pregnant. With no luck we turned to IVF.  Durning the pregancy I was very sick and placed on bedrest. After several weeks my Dr’s felt I needed to be hospitalized. My blood pressure was dangerously high and in the middle of the night I went blind. I was rushed for an emergency C-section to try and save the babies. The twins were 10 weeks early.  Logan was in the NICU for 6 weeks but our baby girl became very ill due to her premature body. She had a total of 8 surgeries. Dr’s told us she would not survive , all we did was pray. After 209 days in the hospital our miricale baby came home. Addison still needs breathing treatments and IV to feed her but she is here. To top it all off my mom and dad were in a horrible accident and my mom passed away when the twins were 8 weeks old. The last year has been a challange, we take it one day at a time.

Here is the amazing miracle, baby “A”

And the Handsome baby “L”

So, your probably wanting to see the twins together, right?

well, first we sat them together on the floor, but “L” has this thing with sticking his finger in his sisters ear

Next we tried the couch…but the finger came out again

“L” likes to stand…so we thought we would make him happy

Smiles,

Danielle