on this valentine’s day i am going to share a story of a mother’s love.  one i experienced three months ago.  it has taken me this long to be able to write about my time with wyatt and his beautiful family.  the olig family has not been far from my mind since i met them.  i arrived at the hospital that tuesday morning in november to photograph baby wyatt who was born prematurely 8 months prior to our meeting.  this was a meeting that had been rescheduled a few times due to wyatt’s health.  i heard from wyatt’s mom a couple days prior and she let me know that wyatt’s health was deteriorating.  when i arrived that tuesday morning i was greeted by wyatt’s mom.  she gratefully hugged me and i felt an instant connection with her.  she told me that she had wished i was there on better circumstances and then explained that hospice had been called…they needed to let baby wyatt go to heaven.  my heart pounded rapidly and i held back the tears that were wanting to fall steadily from my eyes.  i held wyatt’s mom tightly and again felt so connected to her.  i still think about this moment a lot.  this was a stranger to me, yet i felt so close to her.  i think it was because i am a mom also and i felt as if i could feel her pain in my heart.    i mean,  i could never in a million years even begin to understand the pain she and her husband were surrounded with, but a mother’s love for her child…this i could understand.  and, for that reason alone, i felt a sadness that did not leave me for weeks.  wyatt’s parents were strong…it was a strength that could only be given by God.  we spent a half hour photographing perfect little wyatt..mostly with his mommy.  it was beautiful…truly the most beautiful thing i have ever photographed.  there is so much emotion involved with my job…i know this.  i photograph the love parents feel for their children all the time and it is so lovely.  this is what i love most about my job.  but, the love i saw in the hospital room that day was a love that i could never even begin to explain.  as i sat inches away from baby wyatt clicking my camera, i could no longer control my tears.  i tried, but it was no longer possible for me to do so.  my experience that day with the olig family was the most humbling of my career.  i feel grateful that i was able to meet baby wyatt…he blessed me and so many others.  wyatt went to heaven the following day where he is being held in the palm of God’s hand.