As many of you know, I am a volunteer photographer for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, an infant bereavement photography organization. Our goal, our mission, our ministry if you will, is to provide photographs to families suffering the loss of an infant. These are the babies that were supposed to go home in the arms of their parents and instead go home in our cameras. These are the babies that tried hard to live and just couldn’t; were born too early and modern medicine could only learn from them, not heal them completely. These are the angel babies that meet their heavenly father before they spend a considerable amount of time with their earthly families.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep is not for the “faint of heart.” It is emotional. It is heart wrenching. It is also full of joy.

I have been a volunteer since September 2006 and in that time have photographed over 40 infants and young children as part of this organization. I am also the Area Coordinator, recruiting other photographers, working with the hospitals (Duke, UNC, WakeMed and Rex are all active participants) and of course photographing. It is an organization I truly believe in and truly believe does God’s work.

I have been in training, hosted training, provided training as well as had many lunches, email and phone conversations with photographers and families. It has been an honor to be in this position and to hold this “position” albeit one that “earns” me absolutely no money — these families do not pay for our services.

Being a part of NILMDTS has humbled me in more ways than one.

And now, I have been rewarded as the first “Volunteer of the Month” … the very first. In a national organization of 3000 photographers, *I*, little ‘ole me in Apex, NC was honored as the “Volunteer of the Month.” I am truly blessed to have been honored this way. Honored, blessed and humbled again.

Wow.