Grand Rapids Photographer // Beautiful Eileen!

A couple of weeks ago we asked for nominations for people you think are beautiful.  Beautiful on the outside, but mostly on the inside.  We asked for women who have been through something, but came out on top, making the best of each step of the way.  We chose four women to pamper and photograph who were willing to let us share their story.  The first of these beautiful women is Eileen.

Eileen is a gorgeous mom of three.  We go back all the way to middle school (maybe earlier but I don’t remember much from that time…) and eventually went our separate ways once graduation came and went.  But as fate has it, we reconnected through Facebook, but didn’t really start striking up much conversation until our sweet baby girl, Gabby came along (read about her here).  Because of Eileen’s past few years, she was able to give me a lot of sound advice which I appreciated more than she’ll ever know.  Even though you don’t want anyone else to have to go through hard times, especially with their children, it sure is nice having someone understand how you feel and what you are going through.  Dear Eileen, you are a saint.  I am beyond thankful for you!

Meet Eileen:

Leah, another friend from school, nominated Eileen after following her through her story.  This is what she had to say:

“I would like to nominate Eileen for the beautiful person contest. I first met Eileen in middle school, and continued to know her through High school. She was that quiet smart girl that was a friend to everyone. I remember one day in gym class her telling me about her boyfriend and how she was going to marry him and start a family, and that is exactly what she did. I remember hearing about Eileen getting married and figured kids were soon to follow. Years later I was on Facebook and saw that one of her daughters was sick. Reading more into the posts I realized how sick Emma really was. One of my biggest fears is something minor or major happening to my children, I am what my husband calls “Momma Bear”, and I was reading how all these things that I feared and many people fear were happening to Eileen. Emma had been diagnosed with Leukemia and my heart sank when I read the words. My mind couldn’t even began to handle or contemplate what Eileen was going through or what her family was about to endure.

Now, as time went on and Eileen kept everyone posted about Emma’s status I realized what a strong woman and mother she was.  She took everything in stride and kept her faith in God and just took everything day by day. There were so many setbacks and other medical things that popped up for Emma and just when you would think that Eileen would break, she just kept trucking on. What else was she going to do? Give up? No not Eileen.  She had to keep going for Emma, for her two other children, and for her husband that she told me about many years ago, back in high school. I would read her posts some days and just feel so exhausted for her, and I wasn’t even going through this or could even imagine it. There were so many times I just thought, wow, she is just an amazing person and I hope she knows that. Now just this past fall Emma had finished with treatments and life was starting to slow down with hospital visits and check ups with specialty doctors, and you would think that her story would stop there, but no not with a person like Eileen. She and her husband wanted to do more and they took in foster children. They want to make a difference for kids and give them loving homes and they are just the people to do so. Then sickness struck again.  They had not had the kids very long and the baby became ill. Eileen was back in another scenario she knew all too well.  The ER departments, and the children’s hospital. The baby ended up having to be on a ventilator and the stay was very long. The other part that broke my heart is that it was over Christmas. Eileen was torn between kids at home again and another sick one in the hospital, and like the Angel she is she didn’t let the situation beat her. She found a way to be there for her children and the baby and still function as a woman. She reminds me of the energizer bunny, she just keeps going and going.”

Now I know that she probably just about hates having photos of herself posted!  Us “behind the scenes” moms are like that….but everyone deserves to feel beautiful!  And Eileen is definitely just that.

Florals & Design:  Shelby – The Day’s Design

Makeup:  Beauty By Katy

Hair:  Diane – Cutting Edge Hair Salon