Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep {Sevenly}

Capturing life with my camera – it is one of my very favorite things to do.

A handful of times I’ve been given the incredible honor of capturing the birth and first cries of of a squishy newborn. Those moments, seeing life enter the world, are nothing short of miraculous.

For many parents those first moments are the thrill of a lifetime, for other parents the joy of meeting their child is mixed with the agony of a life cut too short. In the past I’ve written about my experience with being invited into that holy ground with my camera to capture the birth and passing of a tiny life. This week I wanted to partner with Sevenly again to promote the organization Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) is an organization that connects parents who have recently suffered the loss of a newborn (or are preparing to face that loss) to volunteer photographers who are deployed immediately to take professional photos, providing memories that will last forever.

This week NILMDTS is the organization that Sevenly is supporting. For those unfamiliar with Sevenly, is a social good company that selects a different charity to highlight and raise support for each week…not to mention, the shirts and products are designed by such talented artists.

A few of the products highlighted this week:

Memories V Neck women’s shirt

Destinies Crew men’s shirtI wanted to write about my personal experiences. I wanted to share about the sweet babies I’ve had the honor of photographing that are no longer in their parent’s arms.

However, this topic hits too close to home right now. Being a photographer invited into a hospital to capture moments for a family facing the incredible pain of losing a baby is not a idea that I have heard about others doing. It is one I have done. It is one I am preparing to do again very soon for a treasured friend. And my heart is so broken. So, my words are few. I simply want to point you to an organization that is doing beautiful work.

If you are a photographer, please consider donating your time to NILMDTS.

If you know a photographer, please share this organization with them.

If you are a medical professional, please connect with NILMDTS and share their services with families.

If you like fashion or home design, consider making a Sevenly purchase to benefit NILMDTS.

Thank you.

Capturing life with my camera – it is one of my very favorite things to do.

I’ll end with words I’ve written before about NILMDTS:

My camera is always out. I find the most beauty in the mundane aspects of life with my children. I am constantly capturing the day to day things that fill the lives in my home. The gut wrenching reality is not all parents get the chance to relish the little things of life with their children. Not all mommies get to leave the hospital with their babies. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep exists to capture the details and moments of little lives that end too soon. I will be their advocate. I will encourage photographers to volunteer their time and I will do my best to raise awareness for an organization that no one wants to call upon, but those that must are often grateful they could.