This is one special family. I am in awe of their devotion and faith to our Savior. Their story is one of heartbreak and joy. Shortly after Mitch & Katie married they found out they were expecting. Not exactly the timing they thought, but they trusted that God had a plan for their family and rejoiced. Katie’s pregnancy progressed and they awaited the day they would meet their little one. A few weeks prior to Katie’s due date her midwife saw something on the ultrasound that concerned her. She sent Katie to the ER immediately for further examination. Little did they know, in a very short time they were going to meet their little girl via C-section. Ruby Joy was born on July 9, 2009. She was tiny and there were definitely concerns regarding her health. The next months were a total blur for this little family and a long story short Ruby was diagnosed with Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome. It is a genetic disorder initiating from chromosome abnormalities, this causes a specific enzyme to be missing that is needed in order to produce/process cholesterol (which is absolutely essential for normal development). There was a long hospital stay, tons of doctor appointments with what seems like every specialist there is, and then finally the joyous day that Ruby Joy got to go home. There continues to be many doctor appointments, a feeding tube, and so much more, but through all of this Mitch & Katie have prayed that God would heal their daughter. You know what??? He is!!! Little by little things improve in her body and the doctors can’t explain it. Ruby Joy is a witness to all of us at only the young age of 15 months. I had the privilege of documenting this precious family last week. Here is the best part – these are Ruby’s first images without her feeding tube! Won’t you pray with so many that one day she can permanently be without the feeding tube?? Thanks 🙂
Mitch & Katie – thank you for sharing your family with me and being such a witness. You challenge & encourage more people than you will ever know.
♥ Heather
One of my favorites…
The way Katie is looking at Mitch here makes my heart melt…really it does…
Oh yeah so according to the doctors Ruby is not supposed to be able to smile in the least, well docs you need to re-evaluate because guess what, Ruby smiles!!!! I now have proof of it, oh yeah! 🙂
Another big smile for the crazy lady with the camera…
This one needs printed BIG!!!
I always try to get a few of just the parents at some point during the session.
Katie you are beautiful!
and you are handsome Mitch 🙂
Oh yeah there she is smiling again!!
and again!!
This is the definition of a mother’s love, in my opinion of course 🙂
