07/09/2024
This past year our world flipped upside down, and has been a really hard year for us personally. Yesterday, July 8, we marked the end of year eighteen as husband and wife. Our marriage is stronger than it’s ever been, and the love we’ve been able to give and receive from each other is beyond anything I could have ever imagined when we first said, “I do.” But in June of 2023, we learned two life-altering things.
First, Darren’s dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Then, two weeks later, his mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. We (along with our girls and immediate family) spent the next month in shock and uncertainty, waiting on the next step and the eventual treatment plan for his mom’s, then Stage 3, tumor.
Because we live next door to Darren’s parents, he became his mom’s health advocate and companion to many of her appointments. Along with his brother, who lives out-of-state and has visited often, Darren has faithfully been caregiving for both parents. I went back to teaching full-time so we have dependable income while he focuses his time on taking care of his mom and dad. After 8 years working from home for BWP/DBP and being “Mom”, I’m now also Mrs. Breen, ELA middle school teacher, again.
Darren’s mom’s cancer is now considered Stage 4, but she’s still fighting and that’s all we can ask for right now. If you pray, we greatly appreciate your prayers for God’s will for all of us, and for His strength when we are weak because we know Jesus continues to carry us. We are weary, but He is strong.
As for business things…
We have continued to shoot limited weddings and other photo sessions, when we are able. We have a list of wedding albums to complete and clients we want (and need) to connect with, and want each of you to know how much we treasure you, your memories, and getting those memories to you in print form. I am working on setting up a more streamlined (and easier) way to get those albums to you, and our store will be available for print orders. Expired client galleries from this past year will be back up online by the end of next week (if you can’t get to yours after July 19, dm us please!), along with instructions, if needed.
If you’ve read this far, thank you. We love and appreciate all of you, more than words can express! ❤️
(Cross-posted with Instagram)
