Amazing people~

This past Saturday I finally had the opportunity to meet an incredible little girl~ Mariana, is 2 years old. 

Her smile is beautiful & contagious~ 

Mariana was born prematurely, she was due to be born on January 13th 2013, she was so anxious to arrive into the world she came on October 25th 2012. Mariana weighed just 2.2 lbs at birth, born during the 28th week of her mom Stacey Walden-Pimental's pregnancy. Mariana spent 2 days on life support, she had a grade 2 brain bleed as well many other medical complications. 

                                                                            

Mariana was a fighter from day 1, her mother Stacey was nothing but optimistic, hopeful, and she truly believed that her baby was a miracle & would be perfect in no time. 

Day after day people were hoping, praying & believing with Stacey & Mariana. Mariana would show signs of improvement each day. Stacey would sit & talk to her baby & tell her what a miracle she was & how much she was loved cherished & needed. 

                                                                              

Mariana fought with all her little might and 2 months after being born... her and her family had a very Merry Christmas ...4 days before Christmas.  Mariana got to go home for the first time on December 21, 2012.

I absolutely believe in a miracle~ Stacy believes Mariana is her miracle baby in more ways than 1. Stacey's strength & positive attitude through such a scary time is what she needed to do to survive. Stacey is strong, she is a fighter & she gives back to others. 

Mariana is a miracle and a lucky little baby girl~ 

A Beautiful Hero~

I Chose this image to begin with because she told me it was one of her favorites. She said it reminded her of herself~ I did not necessarily agree or like her correlation but to Alice it meant something.
Then the Sunflowers were always here next favorite~

In 2003 I met Alice. She Believed in me... She encouraged me, she supported me, she laughed with me, she taught me things (many life lessons). 

Alice was my boss, she was my mentor, life coach, friend, mom, sister, she played the role of anybody you needed her to be at any given time. 

In 2007 When I became, once again a part of her team, WE became The Murphinator's. We joked about that but it was true. I feel like the rest of the team would agree that Alice's team stood out from the other teams. (I am not, in any way implying we felt we were better) I am saying WE were close, we were supportive of each other, we looked forward to Team Days & meetings with each other. 

Back before Kim moved away it was sort of like a joke, Kim would push to get that TEAM Day scheduled because she so much enjoyed being a part of a great team with Alice as her leader. Alice would smile, and let us tease Kim.

Our Team days were great, we went on sail boats in NewPort & Duck Tours in Boston or Even sometimes just Food & Game day at one of our homes. 

One Team day~ Alice took us out on her Boat... At that time, WE were Karine, Kim, Sheri, Jackie, Daphnie, Erin & myself. We were enjoying that speed boat ride so much & it was a beautiful day... then Alice OOOOPSSS hit a rock... HARD... we were stuck. We needed to be rescued from the lake by a man who had, had a few too many beers & his dog.

One time we went to dinner @ Texas Road house & played a prank on Alice, we told the restaurant it was her birthday... she totally went along with it...

As time went on the Team did change~ Kim moved away, Karine moved away... Sheri & Daphnie went their separate ways... We Were still the Murphinator's though  & Now Christina Was RD Dick Dr & Lori Was RD Jefferson, Jackie & Linda over there @ Winslow, I will never skip Lisa Harish @ Pine because it was not her fault they chopped her home right off our area, and me at Hway... This was a fun & special period of time. We all became so very close with each other & with Alice as co workers. 

Early in 2013 Our Team Had begun a nomination for Alice to receive The Richard J Bond Supervisor Award from the Providers Council. She won... and this past January we all went to Boston to support her and watch her receive her award. 

Alice had already had several rounds of chemo prior to that day but you would never have known it, she was the strongest most amazing, beautiful person I have ever met.

Why did Alice deserve that award? I believe she was the most supportive, loving, caring, giving, hard working, dedicated supervisor I have ever known. She would not think twice about rolling up her sleeves and trying to unclog a toilet with her hands if needed, or plant an entire garden, or just take off the supervisor hat and lend a supportive ear, or even let her guard down and tell us how she tricked Paul with using a
SHEPEE....

 Is Alice not absolutely stunningly beautiful & proud in these photos?

 We had so many laughs it would be impossible to share them here. The point is... 

Everyone who knew Alice, believed & knew she was amazing & one of a kind.... 

I feel extremely fortunate for having known her, for 11 years of my life. I feel amazing for the 3 hours I spent with her Monday evening, even though at the time I did not realize just how special that time truly was. 

I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world for having been able to learn life lessons from her.. 

I even asked her to marry me once....(inside joke, some of you will remember) if only... (not like that) we were all having drinks on an RD/ Leadership retreat. It was all in good fun. 

When I saw Alice Monday & went out to the nurses station to ask for help for her this is one of my card i saw she had given out to the nurses~ She loved this one too~ 

Alice let me stop by her house one Saturday afternoon so that I could use her & her husband's wedding bands for a photo I was taking. I was doing a book cover for Danisha Leonard, a former employee of SHF. Alice & Paul's rings are now forever published on the cover of her second book in her series: The Day My Husband Left: See the photo: (book avail on Amazon)

I am choosing to celebrate having known Alice & letting her spirit live on in me. I know she is with all of us as she truly loved & cared for us. Alice will watch over us and live on in all of our hearts~
Lori, Christina, Linda, Jackie, Lisa H, She was courageous when she sat us all down to tell us about her illness & so positive. She fought like a true fighter & I truly believe someone needed her more~
Paul & Family Our thoughts, love & deepest sympathy are with you Alice absolutely loved and cared for her entire family, her friends and each person she ever met....It's just how she was.
Lets carry on her legacy~

Namaste~ 

Shanti 

Believe in You

Christy Gagnon 

This photo is from Amsterdam sooo The Netherlands Where Alice is from~

 This lil family was hanging around yesterday & I know Alice would have told me to get a picture~

Also in preparing for H1N1 if in an emergency you need a mask... here you go... soooo creative... love her...

Trials & Tribulations~ Make us Stronger~

22 months is a long time. Good times & hard times were shared. I still can't believe it's the end but some things were not meant to last I guess. I have taken so many lessons from this relationship.
She has taught me many things that are useful for me to know. I have grown in many ways throughout the duration of the relationship.
I have learned that mixing friendships & working relationships is bad business. In the end it always backfires.
I have learned when I need to focus & try to be more serious. Listen to people & take their concerns more seriously, so to make them feel like I truly care.
I have learned that my BLOCKING things out WAYS makes me appear cold & heartless & insensitive at times. When in fact it's just the opposite. I block things that, hurt, scare, or that I think may make me too over emotional. It's a natural defense mechanism that I have utilized since I was a young child.
Never the less...  Sometimes things just cannot be seen due to this or that and in this case due to a severe case of not seeing eye to eye.
So I digress please write & cheer me up... I'll post some recent photos here as well, other wise my post would not be complete.

So in the past 2 years I have, lost significant income, lost 2 homes, lost the relationship with my father, lost the job I have had for 11 years due to lack of company support, lost 2 GOOD friends or so I thought they were.

What have I gained... I have gained a knowledge of my self. I have learned that you must always listen to those little voices & that stomach churning feeling you get when something is just not right. I have learned that I am a strong & resilient person who can overcome any obstacle because I am a true believer that Everything Happens for a reason. I have learned that I have a gift that nobody can take away from me and that is my own self worth & confidence. I believe in me. Everything happens for a reason & I have a brand new BETTER job... as well as my Photography is doing better than ever. I am me & I enjoy that all in itself!

I appreciate the lessons life has taught me, I appreciate the help, support & understanding, my mother has  given me, she is an amazing mom. I have 2 of the best friends anybody can ask for who have had my back & supported me through everything and backed off if needed as well. I love them for that. Lori Franciose & Christina Brown~ I will always treasure your support! I have the best life Mentor Alice Murphy who I will always treasure. I have the moral support of my sister, the laughs of Emily Manosh. So really when I look at it like that all in all i'm pretty damn rich~ 

Everything happens for a reason~ you can be at your lowest low... but you have to find a way... call a friend, start a journal, listen to upbeat music, watch funny movies, do things that make you laugh until your face hurts. Then when you can see a glimmer of hope YOU find a piece of strength within you to take one step at a time. Get up brush off all the hurt, anger, sadness, pain, take and do something you love... Find the reason this all happened and make it all worth it. 

I am in a good place & things will only get better from now on~ Because I Believe in ME~

And you

~Believe in You~

Thank you

Christy Gagnon

And don't forget to call and book you next photo session~

508 926 9958