picture taken by www.bellamiphotography.com
When looking for a name for my new endeavor, I searched high and low for a sweet, southern name. I enlisted the help of my sisters to search for a name that would be a perfect fit for my photography business. I think we had a list of about 30 names and it kept growing by the day. However, none of the names ‘just clicked’ with me. They were cute, but they were lacking meaning and zing. As I was laying in bed one night, I started thinking about the reasons whyI fell in love with ‘professional’ photography. It all related back to one of the worst day of my life. Funny, huh? You see, my mother was terminally diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on March 6, 2007. It was on that day that I realized how every moment, whether big or small, that I was able to spend with her was beyond precious. We aren’t promised tomorrow, and that is when it dawned on me that we need to cherish every moment with our loved ones. Out popped the camera, and the rest is history.
So why the name Plum Petals? The word plum has a dual meaning. First of all, Pancreatic Cancer is represented by the color purple. Therefore, I picked plums to represent mamas brave battle with pancreatic cancer, and in honor of all the other families that are affected by pancreatic cancer. Secondly, my mom grew up on fresh fruits and vegetables – I can just see her eating fresh plums off her daddy’s farm right now. The petals part is for my mother’s love of fresh flowers. It wasn’t often that she didn’t have fresh flowers adorning her tables. I’m not sure how that name popped in my head all at once that night, but it must have been meant to be. Once I thought of it, I fell in love with it, and claimed it for my own.
When my mother was diagnosed, she was only given 3-6 months to live. The Lord was gracious, and gave us 2 years with my mother. She was an amazing, gracious and brave fighter. She never complained, and gave all the glory to her Lord and Savior. My mother went home to Glory on February 20, 2009 at the age of 58. I lost a best friend, a confidont, a spiritual leader and a mother that day. Although I know we will meet again in eternity, I am so grateful for the pictures and memories I get to cherish for the rest of my days on this earth. This has inspired me to help others capture those moments that can be treasured for a lifetime.