Is it too early to just declare it spring? I know it's only the end of February, but hot diggity! This 70-degree weather hasn't even given me a chance to have spring fever yet. I've moved straight from the feeling that winter is coming to enjoying long walks in Sligo Creek Parkway with my husband! Add in the number of projects I've got going on, and I have to look at a calendar to prove to myself that it isn't April.

Speaking of projects, I have to give a huge shout out and thank you to the community of Silver Spring. With your generosity, The Community Wellness Fund Inspired by Bethany Meissner has raised $3,700 -- in SEVEN days! WUUUUT?!? Silver Spring -- you are AMAZING! 

When Third Space Wellness and I teamed up to make the fund happen, it was all an experiment. We had no idea how well it would or would not do. At nearly $4,000 raised in just over a week, it's done better than my wildest expectations! All I can say is THANK YOU and let's keep it going! There are two weeks left to contribute! 

On the less exciting but still fun end of the scale, Cliff and I took a trip to Community Forklift over the weekend to look for unique legs for a dining room table. We didn't find anything on this trip, but I'm not worried. The table will be beautiful no matter what. It's actually being hand made by my childhood friend Kendra and her husband, Adam! We're still in the planning and design phase, but once we get further into the process, I'll share more! In the mean time, be sure to check out the beautiful pieces Adam makes and designs here.

Adam isn't the only designer I'm working with. For the past several months, I've been working with Silver Spring graphic designer Christy Batta on a fun project. Finishing touches are happening now, and I'll be sharing more from our collaboration soon! 

Finally, the weekend wouldn't be complete without a photo session. If you've been looking for something to melt your heart, I promise these photos will do it. Meet Jackie, Neftali and their sweet baby boy, Nico. Nico may be small, but this little guy is a fighter! He spent eight weeks in the NICU before coming home... and its clear mom and dad are bursting at the seams with pride. I can't wait to share more photos of this beautiful family soon!

WHO:
BETHANY MEISSNER
THIRD SPACE WELLNESS
JONNA MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

WHAT:
COMMUNITY WELLNESS FUND INSPIRED BY BETHANY MEISSNER
#SSWELLNESSFUND

WHY:
#FUCKCANCER

WHEN:
2/14   -  3/7

HOW:
PHONE - 301.328.5326
EMAIL - info@thirdspacewellness.com
PAYPAL* - info@thirdspacewellness.com
*add Bethany's name in the payment note

DETAILS:
​Self care, including acupuncture and massage, are part of Bethany's chronic care plan, but insurance doesn't cover these treatments. A community-based wellness fund has been established at Third Space Wellness to help ease the financial burden. 

For every $500 donated, Third Space Wellness will donate one 1-hour service or $50 worth of yoga to a deserving member of the community chosen by Bethany. For every $3,000 raised, Jonna Michelle Photography will offer a complimentary family or couples photo session to a family chosen by Bethany.

Ask anyone who lives here in Silver Spring what the best part about the neighborhood is, and the answer will always be the same. It's not the AFI (although that is pretty cool). It's not the plethora of locally-owned, ethnic dining options. It's not even Chompy, Discovery Channel's Shark Week shark. It's the people.

This community is full of some of the kindest, most creative, talented, caring human beings I have ever met. No one fits that description more than Bethany Meissner.

As a humanitarian, activist, writer, blogger, friend and neighbor, Bethany has done so much to bring Silver Spring together. It's hard to find someone who doesn't know her, and even harder to find someone who, when she comes up in conversation, is able to control their gushing. 

So, two years ago, when this champion of the community was diagnosed with cancer, we all rallied. Friends and neighbors got together to cook meals, help with medical care, offer transportation to chemo and radiation treatments, and so much more. Bethany and her husband, Jarrod, had to bear this burden, but we were damned if they were going to bear it alone.

Fast forward to today. I'd like to be able to tell you that the crisis has passed, and that we're all moving on with our lives. That Bethany and Jarrod's new routine is normalcy. That we're back to focusing on mundane things, like who can make the best worst joke about the transit center. But that isn't the case. Bethany's cancer is back and it isn't good.

The focus now is on quality and length of life. In addition to heavy-duty chemo treatments, Bethany's doctors have encouraged her to seek out weekly, alternative medicine options including massages and acupuncture. There's just one problem: her insurance doesn't cover these treatments.

That's where you, and me, and the good, kind, caring people of Silver Spring come in.

Third Space Wellness, which has been treating Bethany for the last two years, has set up a wellness fund in her name. The Community Wellness Fund Inspired by Bethany Meissner will accept donations that will go toward self care for Bethany and her primary caregiver, Jarrod (if he so chooses).

But that's not all.

​For every $500 donated, Third Space Wellness will donate one 1-hour service or $50 worth of yoga to a deserving member of the community chosen by Bethany, so that person (or persons) may also benefit from self-care. 

But wait. There's more!

For every $3,000 donated, Jonna Michelle Photography will offer a complimentary family or couples photo session to a deserving family chosen by Bethany.

Because time is of the essence, The Community Wellness Fund will be accepting donations for THREE WEEKS ONLY. You can donate via phone (301.328.5326), email (info@thirdspacewellness.com), or PayPal to info@thirdspacewellness.com. (If you choose PayPal, please add Bethany's name in the payment note). If you're unfamiliar with Third Space and/or don't have PayPal, I'm also happy to be a point for donations.

Thank you in advance for your generosity. No donation is too big or too small. If you're unable to make a financial contribution at this time, spreading the word is immensely valuable. Follow the hashtag #SSWellnessFund to learn more, create buzz and get involved.

The fine print: Because Third Space Wellness and Jonna Michelle Photography are not 501 (c) 3 nonprofits, we cannot offer tax write offs for contributions. 

The older I get, the more my appreciation for family grows. We all have our own version of family, whether that's the traditional two-parent household, or families like mine -- two adults living in harmony. 

For first-time parents Jessica and Matt, family recently took on a whole new meaning when they welcomed baby James into the world. Spending a peaceful, quiet Saturday morning with this precious little one and his proud parents was exactly what my heart needed. Cliff and I don't plan on having any children of our own, but that doesn't mean I don't adore the way Matt and Jessica doted on little James. It's clear the love they have for him knows no bounds.

This was one of the most thoughtful and sincere photoshoots I've had in a long time, but it didn't come without some humor. Matt and Jessica are both teachers and love Eric Carl's A Very Hungry Caterpillar. They used the book as a theme for James' nursery, so when James' grandma knitted him his own Very Hungry Caterpillar outfit, photographing him in it was a must... I don't think I've ever seen anything so cute. The hat with those bug eyes and antenna just puts it over the top!

What made this session extra sweet are the ways Matt and Jessica invited their other baby, a 2-year-old dachshund mix named Finnegan, to join the family photos. This little guy was a sweetheart, and clearly very protective of the baby. Anytime James left the room, be it to eat, get a diaper change or a new outfit, Finn quickly followed making sure everything was okay. 

I love looking at these photos, and I hope Matt and Jessica do, too. I'm excited for this family and everything the future holds for them.

This weekend I had the incredible opportunity of photographing Leo's Run! Based right here in Silver Spring, the charity 5K walk/run was created by Mike Mowery and his wife Carolyn who, tragically, lost their infant son Leo a few years ago. Held each year on Leo's birthday weekend, the run helps keep Leo's memory alive and raises funds for Leo's Garden, a non profit designed to help other families who have suffered the loss of children. 

2017 marked the third year of the event, and I'm told by past participants that it just keeps growing. It's easy to see why... The event was just plain fun! There was great music, awesome raffle prizes, zumba, break dancing and tons of positive energy! Believe it or not, this was actually my first experience with a charity race and I loved it! (Spoiler: that's probably because I didn't have to do any running ;) ) I have to give a huge shout out to friends David and Jennifer for introducing me to Mike, his family and this great cause. Being able to photograph such a positive, uplifting event was the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning!

Featured in this post are some of my favorite photos from Leo's Run 2017. You can see additional photos and video from the event by checking out the Leo's Run Facebook page!

A few weeks ago, on one of the coldest days of the year, I organized a photo session with two photographers and two clients out in the snow. It was a two-for through and through -- fellow photographer Gerry Suchy took headshots of me and shortly after, I did a couples session with clients Bob and Linda.

Normally, family, couples and headshots are taken in the spring, summer and fall months when temperatures are more comfortable, but this session was for a time-sensitive project and I couldn't wait for warmer weather. This session was also unique because it was the first time I've been the one being photographed and the one taking photos. In both cases, the key to success was preparation.

​Here's how I rocked a photo session in 10-degree weather:

1. Strategic location + photo planning
​
I knew I wanted to do something outdoors, but I also know how dangerous the cold can be. After careful thought and planning, I moved forward with an outdoor location that is very near to where I live and is also a place I'm familiar with. This was key for two important reasons: safety and comfort.

By doing a cold-weather session just minutes from my home, I knew we'd have a safe, warm indoor location to retreat to if we needed it. While safety is most important, when it comes to photography, comfort is also a priority. No photosession can be successful if clients aren't comfortable. In this case, that meant limiting our time in below-freezing temperatures, which in turn meant I wouldn't have time to study the location beforehand. Choosing a location I was already familiar with allowed me to plan out shots ahead of time, which expedited the process and kept our time in dangerous temperatures to a minimum. 

I know it looks like we're out in the middle of no where, but I promise, this is close to a warm, indoor location! Photo credit: Gerry Suchy

2. Client + wardrobe prep
The best winter photos featuring families and couples are done without heavy winter coats. For clients who aren't used to cold-weather photography, that's a major ask. To help prepare Linda and Bob, I let them know ahead of time that I'd be asking them to remove their coats, and encouraged them to dress in layers. I had warm blankets at the ready, so they weren't completely exposed to the elements without some kind of protection.

For my own photos, I picked out two outfits ahead of time, in part so I could nail down what I wanted to wear and so I knew what to expect in terms of warmth. Both outfits included a sweater and leather jacket, but to help trap heat, I wore underarmor beneath both sweaters.

3. Warm up break
Between my own headshots and client photos, I was out in the cold for an hour and a half, and a lot of that time was without a heavy winter coat. Half way through my headshot session, and again between headshots and couples photos, I took a warm up break in my vehicle, and encouraged Gerry to do the same. 

4. Fingerless gloves
Fingerless gloves are one of my favorite photography accessories. I wear them anytime there's a chill in the air. I got mine when Cliff and I were traveling in Iceland, and because they're made with sheep's wool, they're extra warm.