Alora & Aleayah | A Celebration of Phenomenal Mothers & Daughters

“I am a strong woman because a strong woman raised me.”

-author unknown

Mothers are different kind of hustler. And I love photographing them, especially when they do a mother and daughter photoshoot like Alora did with her daughter, Aleayah. It not only gives them an opportunity to get dolled up together, but to mark a moment in time that celebrates their relationship as well as the beauty that comes from recognizing women raising up the next generation of women.

Portraits can definitely be done with other loved ones, so why not bring in the other awesome people in your life to create new moments like this? These two beauties stepped out in front of my camera at my favorite time of the afternoon (love that softened natural light!) to capture a few shots and I am so proud to share them with you all.

Most mothers are often behind the camera and I want to invite mothers out to step out in front. Give yourself permission to exist in portraits, to celebrate exactly where you are at today. Your children will want to have those photos of you and with you to cherish for themselves. Do it for you, yes, but even more so for you and your loved ones.

Here’s to celebrating phenomenal mothers and daughters in our communities and around the world.

Alora and Aleayah, thank you for the honor of creating something just for you both to cherish for years to come. :)

Image | Heartbox Photography

Hair & makeup | Daisy Gonzalez-Duarte of Beautiful One Makeup Artistry

Phoebe | 2019 | A Celebration of Phenomenal Women

I stared at the blinking cursor on my computer for awhile as I was preparing to write this post.

It wasn’t for any reason that was bad - the complete opposite. It was more like “how do I even have enough words or the right words that would accurately communicate the message and story of Phoebe’s life?”

The one thing that I think anyone can say about Phoebe is that she is all about God and not in a superficial way - rather, in a deep, heartfelt, raw and real way. The kind that makes the skeptic believe in the hope of actual miracles in this world again.

To say she has gone through a lot in her life would be an understatement and yet, what she is quick to share with anyone she meets is a message of the unwavering grace, love, and pursuit of a God that is real and alive. Despite having gone through childhood trauma, physical and mental health battles that sometime resurface even today, grace and hope collided with Phoebe’s life in ways that has changed it and continues to change to it. It is no surprise to me that Phoebe’s daily work in founding Overcoming with Grace is grounded in wanting to help others experience a life transformed as hers has been. Maybe you or someone you know could use a message of hope and life change and this is coming at the right time. Visit her website, learn about her story. You’ll see what I mean. :)

I am so very honored to share with you all the final images from Phoebe’s photoshoot. She is a woman, a devoted wife, a mother, a survivor, and living proof that God does some pretty crazy things out of a never-ending love for His people.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Images | Heartbox Photography

Hair & Makeup | Beautiful One Makeup

Can you tell me a bit about your journey since your last photoshoot, what inspired you to start your company, and what you find most rewarding about your work?

Oh man, a LOT has happened. I got pregnant with our second daughter, who is now 2 and is this spunky, funny, sweet, ball of fire!

I started Overcoming with Grace, because I wanted to be an example to women of what is possible.

Whether they've experienced trauma, loss, debilitating health issues, deep negative self-talk, or any pain...they CAN recover.

Not only can they recover, but they can actually have JOY in their life again after experiencing so much heart ache and pain. They can get out of the darkness, even when it seems like there is no light.

Time and time again, God has shown me that with whatever I thought was impossible to overcome or heal, His limitless power can heal anything. We have an impossible God!

What do you appreciate most about your life now?

I appreciate the way I view suffering and trials way more than I ever have. I used to view it as another hardship and challenge that would inevitably come, because, hey, that's the life I've been living. Always a tragedy, trauma, loss, surgery, diagnosis, struggle, failure, betrayal, etc. So what's next?

Now, it's more of: I wonder what God is going to show me, or teach me, or grow me through this? I wonder what I'm going to learn more about Him and myself? It's such a freeing way to view challenges and suffering. This came most clear to me earlier this year when my physical and mental health flared up the most it has in awhile.

It showed me a new layer of living with my conditions, where I could not only still have joy in my life, but also to show others that it is possible to do it too. It showed me a new level of letting go. And being able to LIVE with my family, friends and the other people placed in my life has been such a gift that no condition, past trauma or anything or anyone else can take away!

The most rewarding thing about my work is seeing when the light bulbs start going off in my clients of how they don't have to be at the mercy of their circumstances...when they start being aware that they CAN take back control of their lives in a healthy, empowered way...when they start being aware that they have everything they need within them to succeed and feel loved, and it's not depending on anyone or anything else....seeing all that magic start and unfold more and more is such a gift and privilege!

Best advice you ever received and advice you'd give to your own daughter now regarding confidence, beauty, wholeness as a human in today's day & age?

When you can view beauty and confidence WITHOUT comparing, you've gotten confidence down. (Oh, that just came to me at midnight!!! LOL!)

Even when we compare ourselves to our old self, sometimes we do it negatively and in a way where we keep unhealthily striving.

I would tell my daughter to view her beauty, confidence and wholeness from within, and not the within from herself, but from the one who created her. God is THE voice that will carry her through.

When she has God-confidence and views herself the way He does, then I know it won't matter whatever comes her way, she will be able to soar through!