Mini Sessions || Second Annual Adoption Awareness Month

It's that time of year again!  I'm super excited to announce my Second Annual Adoption Awareness Month Mini Sessions!  I can't believe how time has flown by.  Last year in Nashville, TN was fantastic, and I can't wait to see how much Hope we can Show (pun totally intended) here in San Antonio, TX!

For those of you who don't know about my story and evolvement with Show Hope, here is the short version:

I first became a sponsor with Show Hope on February 14, 2008 while attending a Steven Curtis Chapman concert. Throughout the evening, there were numbers in the corner of a large screen that kept changing to show that every 18 seconds a child becomes an orphan. I stopped staring at the screen when it hit 500 children and I knew that I had to do something.

While living in Tennessee for a few years I was able to volunteer in the Show Hope office, and I have helped run three different Show Hope booths at different concerts. It’s amazing to really understand the need that these orphans and families have! Many families have been called to adopt, and all that is standing in their way are the funds. Show Hope gives grants to these families who normally wouldn’t be able to adopt, and forever families to the waiting children. In addition, a portion of every donation goes to fund life-giving medical care to Show Hope’s orphanage in China, Maria’s Big House of Hope.

Now for the good stuff!  I absolutely know that you want to help out!  Here are four different ways that you can help change the life of an orphan today:

1. I’ve created an Advocate page through Show Hope so you can donate right to them! All you need to do is click on this link HERE  and then click on the “Make a Donation” link on the right side of the advocate page.

2. Become a monthly sponsor! Scroll down to the very bottom of my advocate page on the left and click on the blue link that says “Sponsor Now”.

3. SHARE! SHARE! SHARE! Please share this blog post and my advocate page with all of your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn or even in a blog post or by email! Let’s get the word out about Show Hope together!

4. And finally the fourth option - Schedule your Mini Session today!  100% Proceeds from every photography session (families, siblings, engagements, and children's portraits) this month will go directly to Show Hope. These photos will be perfect for your Christmas cards, as well as help out children in need! Contact me to set up your session today ~ laura@lauraelizabethphotography.com

And because I love posting photos on every blog post, I've created a special flyer describing the details of the mini sessions.  I've made it really easy to pin it to your Pinterest boards - just hover over the image and click on the "Pin It" button!

Happy Monday!

~~LE

New Friends + Bungee Cords

"All that we have left are the inflatables....."

"Sounds great!  I'll help with that!"

"Really??  AWESOME!"

 

I pictured myself sitting/standing in the shade, watching little ones bounce for a few hours, and then enjoying the rest of the cool May picnic before working behind the scenes at the concert.  Then I wondered why no one else had signed up for the inflatables.  I found out pretty quick.  The reality - it was an uber hot day, there was constant running back and forth on a steamy hot inflatable, calling out "ready! set! go!", and feeling like I was going to pass out after the first hour....but I had the time of my life!!  I made several new friends throughout the day including a gal who's voice sounded exactly like one of my Aunts!  No joke!

 

Show Hope celebrated their 10th anniversary this May with a fun picnic and then an amazing concert in Nashville, TN.  Julia and I manned the kids bungee run and watched little ones get pulled back into backflips/somersaults after racing as far as they could.  "No children were injured during this traumatic process" ;-)

 





 

 

Some friends and I had the privilege of helping add sponsor envelopes and glue dots to the 3,000 concert programs.  According to some ladies from the very first sponsor trip to Maria's Big House of Hope, all that was needed was a "can of flexible spirit".  I still want to frame my program - so much work went into these!

 

 

There was an amazing line up at the concert - Laura Story, Audio Adrenalin, Casting Crowns and Steven Curtis Chapman were a few of the artists.



 

 

SCC had the whole audience (including myself) in tears towards the end of the night after he sang "When Love Takes You In" and "Cinderella" accompanied by part of the Nashville Symphony.  He also debuted a song that will be coming out on his new album that left everyone applauding like crazy and crying even more.  It was so beautiful!



 

The Chapmans also brought families to the stage who had adopted children with the help of Show Hope grants - yes, I kept "AWWWW"ing and squealing when I saw the little tikes.  I've been a sponsor since February 14, 2008 but I have never been more excited about this organization!  It was amazing to be able to see and meet soooo many of the families who these grants have helped.

 

Towards the end of the night both a security guard and an event photographer came over to the sponsor table where I was working and asked for information on becoming a sponsor!  SCORE!

 

Here's a link to learn more about how you can help out also :)

 

Happy Saturday!

laura elizabeth