Breaking Free at 23! Lindsey’s Journey

To say Lindsey had a rough year would be an understatement.

To begin her year, one of her closest friends, who was only 20 years old, was murdered. Her killer still hasn’t gone to trial.

Later that same year, she lost her uncle to an unexpected cancer.

The year before, she lost another close friend, who was only 19 years old, to cancer.

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Lindsey came to me and said she wanted a “breaking free” theme for her 23rd birthday. She wanted to make 23 her best year yet, cherishing those she lost, but also becoming stronger because of the trials she has faced already at such a young age.

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To honor those that have left her behind, she is going to put her best foot forward and “break free at 23.”

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I first met Lindsey in 2013 when we moved to Blue Springs. She lived in the house across the street from me, then only being in high school. Flashback to her senior photo session:

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I watched her grow from a teen who was completely obsessed with soccer, into a woman who joined the military to help protect those she loved.

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Now in her life, she’s working at the University of Kansas Health System, and also studying to earn her EMT license.

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She’s lost so many lives in her young life, now she’s working toward being able to save them.

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Can’t wait to keep watching you, Lindsey. You’re going to do great things. In the words of her late friend, Mary: “It’s going to be alright.”

Lindsey knows her friends and family would want her to keep smiling, and keep moving forward.

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Break free, Lindsey!

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To view Lindsey’s session, click here.

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A 3-year-old, a 5-year-old, & A WWI Museum

I love the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. Not only does it have a rockin’ view of the downtown KC skyline, but also lets Kansas City boast it has the nation’s official WWI Museum. We love doing shoots here — so much so, it made our list of the Top 10 photoshoot locations in KC!

I met up with some of our amazing regulars, Nic and Britton. They wanted to do a birthday shoot for their adorable kiddos, Bella and Ben. Now, when Bella was a little girl, she didn’t ever want to smile for the camera. Ever.

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We got the hang of it by the time she was 2, and the smiles continued from there!

Now, here we are, and I can’t believe it — but Miss Bella is now five! She has so many things coming this year, like Kindergarten! Bella is stoked, especially after going to see her future school!

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Bella loves the color purple, soccer, “Hotel Transylvania,” and “Moana.”

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She wants to be a police officer when she grows up!

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And then we have Mr. Ben. He’s 3, and a total toddler stud! Look at this:

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He gave me the same “no smile for you!” treatment as Bella, but he held out a little longer. 🙂

But now that he’s 3, he’s an old pro!!

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Ben loves dark blue (he’s specific), “Paw Patrol,” Mickey Mouse, planes, and trains!

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It was so windy this last Sunday during the shoot, that if you stood at the base of the tower and looked up and saw the clouds flying by, it looked like it was going to fall on you!! It was tripping me out, so I shot a video of it!

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After the shoot, Britton tells me the kiddos talked about it the rest of the day. It was neat for them to have a shoot, and then see WWI stuff! It was a fun, breezy, warm day!

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