Tag: miracle

Breathe and Believe

On By AngeliaIn Angels among UsLeave a comment

Breathe and Believe.

This is a phrase I have repeated to myself many times during this pandemic. Life upended when news of the virus broke out but most especially in the travel industry where I built my career. Business travel came to a stand still. This wasn’t the first time. Change happens in travel and when it does this is what we do. Breathe in, breathe out, and breathe through, and believe with every fiber of our being that challenges do not last forever.  We can use this time to strengthen and empower ourselves to endure our hurdles. We will adapt to the new way, whatever that is, and come out the other side more resilient than ever.  Our ability to progress and move through difficulty is what our industry does best.

Breathe and Believe.

These words had new meaning for me as my sister, Deedy Breaux,  fought Covid-19 pneumonia in the Clearlake Methodist ICU. I had to tell my self. Have faith! DO NOT GIVE UP! The longest night of my 2020 was not in March when travel went quiet. It was the cold night of November 19th as I awaited news of my sister’s fate. I knew it was very dire; a deadly virus, a caring nurse, and a DNR directive. This hero who dedicated herself to every child she cared for in one of the largest children’s hospitals in the state of Texas lay fighting all alone. It hit me in the gut. It forced me to my knees. I knew. I just knew she could be on her last breath. I prayed she’d wore enough PPE to reduce the viral load at exposure. I hoped the experimental treatments responded in her blood. The last words I heard from her by text said “I can’t even get enough air to cough. I love you so much. Don’t stop praying for me.”

Breathe and Believe.

It’s all we have. It’s all we need.

My sister survived when others have not. Her healing a Godsend we all needed. A happy ending we had to know was possible. The travel industry will survive as well. As we pass through these days into the next part of history. Let us all remember to have faith. Walk in whatever spiritual peace you are in. Take care of your health. Find joy in all you do. Laugh every day. But most of all…

Breathe and Believe.

Recovery is here! Get your vaccine as soon as you can. Share the hope the vaccine brings to our loved ones and to all those who love to travel.

My sister’s story was published by the Texas Children’s Hospital blog. It is an incredible story of a modern-day miracle.

Read and Believe. We are almost there.

Machine generated alternative text: My COVID-19 survival story: Why you should get the COVID-19 vaccine January 26, 2021

https://www.texaschildrens.org/blog/my-covid-19-survival-story-why-you-should-get-covid-19-vaccine

Austin Baby….Yeah!

On By AngeliaIn Angel Lia's Photography, Beautiful Life19 Comments

A few weeks ago, my husband and I traveled to Austin. I have driven through Austin, but I haven’t stayed for any length of time. I discovered the state capital of Texas is a beautiful town. I fell in love (it’s not so weird!). Something about the hill country and all that green, then the brilliant city lights beating to the smokey vibe of urban lakefront. Then to see this…..

(source)
Wow! Absolutely stunning.

Austin was the day I did my first maternity portrait session. I don’t know if you remember me saying long, long, long, LONG ago that the only way to learn was to just do it. And that’s what I did. I did it. I tried my best. I really wanted something nice for this couple. Something to remember for a lifetime.

Their story is very special. I’ve been excited for her ever since I heard the news. A couple not expected to have children, advised it was unlikely, and then “Hello there, little one”. Surprise. A little blessing from God. A little boy.

I love little surprises like that.

They are going to be incredible parents. Their love, joy and fun just wrap around in an endless circle. Did I tell you how happy I am for them?

I wanted to show you what I saw through the lens.

Beautiful couple in a beautiful Austin park gazing in awe and wonder at the miracle of a growing life.

Congratulations to you both. I can’t wait to meet baby Lyle.

After the session, Jason and I took off for Chuy’s Hula Hut on Lake Austin. Mexican food and margaritas – oh yeah!

Best of all we got a lakeview from our table on the patio. Of course, I had to run and get my camera.

Patio Palm tree along the walkway next to the lake.

String of lights over the dock at Chuy’s. This restaurant has boat parking. How awesome is that?

It was a great way to end our day.

Like I said, I heart Austin. I heart this adorable couple. What a great adventure and what a great opportunity for my photography quest.

Thank-you Mr & Mrs Fox for a wonderful session and being my maternity guneia pigs. I adore you both and can’t wait to see you again.

Jason and I are headed back to hill country this weekend. This time to Marble Falls. I hope to do much exploration of this area and take LOTS of pictures (of course!).

Have a great weekend everyone!

Timely moments

On By AngeliaIn Better to be blessed, Life is what you make it.18 Comments

I have a thing I do (most days) that I’d like to share.

I have a hard time remembering to pray. I don’t mean talking to God. I talk to God all day, typically goes something like this……….

Good morning Lord , thank you for another day. Oh Lord, look at that sunrise, that’s you isn’t it? What a tradgedy, I heard on the news. Are you there? Are you comforting them? Thank you Lord for Jason, I am so proud of him. I only know him because you wanted me to. Lord the sky is such a beautiful blue how can there be so many blues? Incredible! And the sunsets? They really are your artwork. A tapestry only you can design. Lord thank you for letting me see that car before it turned into me. Thank you Lord, I can call my mother and hear her beautiful voice. Thank you Lord, for my stepdad I sure miss him but love remembering him. Lord, I am not worthy of your blessings, I can only thank Jesus for that.

……….you get the idea. I see God every day. I see him in my Sydney miracle. Miracle Digest: A Sydney Story I talk to him. He is part of my daily life.

What I mean, though, is pray from the greatest depths of my heart. I used to pray at night, like this, before I would fall asleep. That was then. Nowadays? An errant thought barely reaches my head before I’m out like a light. I needed to do more than that. I struggled with the timing of it.

Mornings were too rushed. Lunch times, too hungry. Bed time , too sleepy. Weekends equal errands, kids, exercise and outings. No matter what I did, I could not find that precious time to pray.

My heart yearned to pray. Each day would flash by and I would feel more and more disappointed. I had so much in my heart that I needed to pray about. It seemed like evil was against me. Robbing me of my time, that I needed, to keep my heart open.

I came up with a plan. I see a jillion clocks a day. What if I prayed every time the clock was all the same number. 1010. 1111. 1212. 111. 222. 333. 444. 555. Repeat in the evening times (if awake). What if I could pray, earnestly pray at least a few of those times a day? Would my life improve? Heart improve?

Well, let me tell you, It so did. My prayers are only a minute, or two. Quite often, only once or twice a day when I see the clock the same number. I pray for my family; for my daughter, for Jason, and his girls and even their mother. I pray for our love and the continued growth of our love. I pray for our children. That they are protected and guided. I pray they grow to know the love God has for them. I pray for good, and that evil be blocked. I pray for all of those hurting today.

It’s such a simple act, but it has changed my world. I know it’s not perfect. I know it could be more, but it’s working for me. It’s a timely moment, I give to God. It’s a moment that would have just passed by, unnoticed.

I urge you to give it a try and see what happens. Isn’t there someone that needs your prayers? Something on your heart?

Have a timely moment today. I know I will.

Miracle Digest: The Sydney Story

On By AngeliaIn Better to be a blessing, HOPE, LOVE8 Comments

Let me tell you about a miracle named Sydney Elizabeth. This tiny miracle occurred August 1993…………………………………

Ah! But not so fast. See I had to get married first. I married Sydney’s Dad October of 1992. I was 21 & he was 24 and he was my best friend in the whole world. Not to mention he made me laugh all the time(still does). Sonny couldn’t have been a better Dad for her.

We were very young but wanted to start a family right away. My older sister already had two children. My older brother had two children as well. It seemed natural to go ahead & try since we loved each other & wanted a child from that union. Our families supported us 100%. So finding out I was pregnant for the 1st time we were ecstatic!!! Best of all my sister was pregnant too!!! It was amazing! We were 8yrs apart & never imagined we would have children the same age. My due date was in September. A WHOLE SUMMER pregnant in Texas!!! Woo!! HA! But that was OK I was fine with that. I couldn’t WAIT to hold my angel in my arms. We had so many plans that formed in our heads so quickly. My sister & I lugging our babies around & having play dates. Sonny buying baseball gloves & bats to play ball with his boy. The FIRST grandchild his mother would have. The first GREAT grandchild for his grandmother. I can still remember every moment we planned. Every moment we anticipated with that little baby. Every second we dreamed of what it would look like, smell like, feel like. I can remember distinctly the glow inside of knowing I was going to have a BABY. My first baby! It was spectacular & unique & I would NEVER feel that way again. It wasn’t long before our dreams crashed down around us. This baby did not turn out how we hoped.

My pregnancy quickly went from the most wonderful time of my life to one of the worst nightmares of my life. I did not have a normal healthy pregnancy. I had a tubal pregnancy which means the baby travelled through the fallopian tubes to get to the uterus and got stuck (or stopped for whatever reason)and decided to grow there. It wasn’t in the right place & would quickly die from not getting the nourishment it needed. Worst than that it was not something that could be surgically moved & put in the right place. EVEN worse than that it put my life in great danger because the tube could burst & rupture inside and I could die too(tubal pregnancies are the #2 killer of pregnancy deaths). This was a very serious situation. The seriousness & the devastation seemed to battle inside me. I wanted NOT to die but I didn’t want to lose my baby either. And back and forth I would go between fearful & heartbroken. Fearful & heartbroken. Over & over until the doctor chose to do surgery & remove the pregnancy from my fallopian tube where it was lodged.
This meant I would go under anesthesia & be operated on. I would have a laproscope through my belly button & another incision by my bikini line. It was even possible that I would lose one of my fallopian tubes if he could not surgically remove the pregnancy without damaging it. If he had to he would remove the tube completely. So my fertility chances would drop in half and I was only 21yrs old.

I’ll not go into blow by blow here about the surgery & recovery. All I can say is that it was just as painful physically as it was emotionally. Me, my husband, my parents & siblings & his family GRIEVED for this loss. It was so devastating it seemed so unfair. I never thought I would stop crying over the loss of my baby. I truly felt like I was living in a never ending nightmare. They had saved my tube but the risk was even higher of having ANOTHER tubal on the next pregnancy. I never thought I could be brave enough to try again. All I could think of was I’ll hold my baby in heaven & that was the ONLY thing that got me through it.

Continue reading “Miracle Digest: The Sydney Story” →