With Mother’s Days here and finally being pregnant myself, I have been thinking a lot about family and motherhood. About a month ago my grandmother ended a very long battle with cancer. My mother’s side of the family is riddled with this terrible disease and eventually took my dear old grand mother at the age of 92. When I was 21, I too found a lump in my breast and had to get it taken out for fear that they it was cancer. And since then, I have known many women who have struggled with a disease that can destroy you, but often brings you to a much deeper relationship with God and your family. So I feel especially compassionate for women and families who are going thru the tortures of cancer or who have triumphed and won.
The Heftman family has come to know God in a whole new way, thru the suffering of breast cancer and all it entails. We were originally going to do a senior portrait session for their graduating daughter, but after hearing the circumstances of what the family was going thru, I knew that this session had to be dedicated to capturing the whole family. And it was going to be a gift in honor of losing my grand mother to cancer.
This family has clung to God and to the notion of hope, allowing them to get thru each day. I am reminded of one of my friend’s favorite verses, Zephaniah 3:17:
“The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
In this gorgeous Fullerton location, we all knew God was with us. The birds were singing, the green surroundings spoke of growth and new life and their love was just flowing with gorgeous smiles.
In a beloved fashion, I lead Nikki & Mike thru some flirtatious questions and got some adorable loving portraits. 
Hanna & Alyssa are seriously the cutest set of sisters. With Alyssa going off to Hope University next year, I think Hanna is going to go thru some serious withdrawals. Thank goodness Alyssa will live close enough to come home to do laundry and talk about sister stuff.
How cute are they? 
Strength in relationships is often gained when you overcome a challenge together. I know that the strength of these three has probably quadrupled over the past six months. And I love this picture, because it’s all about mom and her girls.
Prayer is at the center of Nikki & Mike’s marriage, and it’s because of having this solid foundation in God, that they can celebrate 18 years of marriage and hopefully many more to come. 
There are lots of great photos in this session, so you have to check out this gorgeous slideshow. Happy Mother’s Day Nikki; you have a GORGEOUS family that just exudes love.
