We all go through many hardships. Some we can make some sort of change to make them better and others are just totally out of our control. This year while I went home to Texas for the summer, Minot, ND and surrounding areas went through some devastating hardships-enduring a flood. Many people lost their homes and everything they have ever worked for. Driving back into town had me heartbroken. Looking at so many destroyed homes, closed restaurants, zoo, and so on. Now the flood is finally done and over with but what is left is the aftermath many of these peoples are left to deal with. However, to see how strong some of these people are, it's just amazing!
Today, the prize for the giveaway is ONLY for FLOOD victims. If you were affected in any way by it, either relocating to a completely new home or are now renovating and rebuilding your prior home. Please comment below telling us how the flood affected you, but yet what you are thankful for. :) For this particular day, I will NOT have the online random service choose the winner. I will have a guest judge from out of the state of North Dakota choose a winner. The prize for today will be a Free Family/Boudoir/Glamour Shoot, with 10 edited images on a disc with copyright release. You will also receive 10% off any additional products should you wish to order. For all other entries that do not win, if you wish to book with me, there will be 15% off your total print order. Happy Holidays everyone and remember... You are Blessed!!!!
Posted by Nelly Hernandez Photography at 5:42 AM 0 comments
2 comments:
I would like to nominate:
The Weiss family
Father, Ronnie Weiss
Daughter, Katelynn Weiss
Daughter, Kristi Weiss
Father, Ronnie is retired United States Air Force. he was stationed in Minot, North Dakota he knew this was the place to raise his two girls, after retiring their family now calls Minot their "home". They lived in their family home together when they heard the news that there could possibly be a flood and their home severly damaged. As soon as the word was official they started preparing for the worst. Packing all of their childhood memories into boxes and taking them to numerous different garages around the town of Minot and surrounding areas. I can only imagine what it must have felt like to watch your home become empty, and to think about what a house full of water will look like instead of a house with their furniture, loved ones, and memories. Their family was scattered throughout the town because no one had enough room to take them all in so they all split up, still thankful and grateful for at least having a roof over there head and food to eat. They lived like this for months, without each other. As they are watching there home become destroyed, they still had a joy/happiness about them. You could tell that because they a flood could destroy their home, but a flood could never destroy their love for each other. They stuck together making sure they were always okay. An when someone outside of their family needed help, they jumped to help. Never asking anything in return. After the flood was over I went to look at the house with the youngest daughter, kristi. I couldn't go inside due to my pregnancy but what I could see, was something that I had never imagined seeing in my life. There was nothing left. Rotten wood. Mold. A basement still full of water. It was awful. Still, we left and they somehow managed to keep smiling. Ad they start trying to rebuild there home they were given the news that they would most likey her to sell there home to the state so that they can start the process of building the new dike. Again, as hurt as they were, still smiling. Still grateful for to have each other. They continued living with Close friends. A few weeks here, a few weeks there. Watching my friend struggle with knowing that in reality, she was now homeless. She never thought sh could actually say I'm truly homeless. I watched her tears and gave her a shoulder to cry on. But she found it in herself to bring herself together and keep going. The family waited a long time to receive a FEMA trailer. Just a month ago they finally were called saying they had one available. So, they start moving what little they had into their "temporary" home. They finally were reunited and were able I sit down and have a family dinner in what was now known as their home. Things were looking up for them. As soon as things were looking to turn out okay, the oldest sister, Katelynn, started getting sick. It seemed like the emergency room and hospital was now a new thing to them. They still are not sure what is exactly wrong with her, but have possibly given her a deadline to her life. After their home being destroyed, a sister terribly sick, what else could go wrong right?? Wrong. Last night their FEMA trailer was broken into. They had there things stolen and vandalized. The little that they had left was now, gone and destroyed as well. Through all of this heartache with this family I have not once heard them complain about their situation. They have somehow stayed the same strong, loving family they were all along. They have helped so many people throughout this journey and has not asked or a single bit of help in return. I believe people like this deserve a bit of reward. This family is small in number but mighty in love, happiness, etc. If they knew I was nominating them for something they wool probably say, " there is a family out there that deserves it and needs it more than us.", but I have to disagree. So, I'm here. Nominating, The Weiss family.
I would like to nominate April Reddy. She's one tough cookie. I rarely get to see this woman, but in passing and she's busy busy busy. Full time nursing student as well as a wife to a husband who is currently deployed. She's dealt with the flood with such strength and faith and a positive attitude that is just awe inspiring. Even more inspiring are the people that have come together to help in any way they can. It still makes me tear up to think of a father's love for his daughter and son-in-law, that he just packed up and drove up to Minot to help her rebuild. As soon as I saw the posting for this April immediately came to mind and I'm sure if you ask around town about April they would all agree.
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