This is Reissa's Story....
Reissa's story is one of the most impactful we've experienced. Ready to read a powerful story about strength, self-love and overcoming tragedy? Read below.
Reissa has always tried to take care of herself. She exercises and eats right, for the most part, but like most of us, her weight has gone up and down over the years. And so has her life, with more “downs” than anyone should endure.
She is a devoted wife and mother of 2 adorable, super-sweet kids. Her husband is a commercial scallop fisherman who is out to sea doing a very dangerous job for often weeks at a time. Having to handle all of the parental and household duties while her husband is away, Reissa manages to do it all with strength and a fantastic sense of humor, and with concern for her husband's safety ever-present in the back of her mind. This is Reissa's "normal" and like the rest of us, she adapts to what life throws at her taking care of who and what ultimately matter.
Tragedy - I imagine March 10, 2016 started out as a routine day for Reissa - getting the kids up and ready for school and maybe taking a yoga class, but this, sadly, was no ordinary Thursday. Reissa learned that her youngest sister, Ally - the one who admired her the most - and Ally's 21-month-old beautiful daughter, Ana were attacked, raped, and murdered by a home intruder that day in the hours before dawn. The intruder was later identified and discovered to have been a serial pedophile who somehow targeted precious baby, Ana. Can you even imagine the range of emotions and thoughts that would run through your mind? How does one begin to process what life looks like after this kind of loss and in such a horrific way? It's unbearable to contemplate, and then just 2 short years later, tragedy struck again when Reissa lost her middle sister, Jessa who was only 33 years old. Jessa left behind 4 sons who Reissa remains very close to. She says, "I feel like I need to be a little piece of their mom for them."
I wonder, how could so much tragedy strike one family? How do you move forward? Then I look at Reissa and am in complete awe of her. Her ability to keep her sanity, marriage and family not only intact, but thriving is a testament to the character of this woman. If ever there were someone who understands the importance of self-love, it is Reissa. She says, “Self-love is not selfish." It is the basic premise behind our character and our ability to persevere with grace. What better example can we be for our children and the ones we love? Reissa says, “Learning to love myself has helped me cope...Now that my sisters are gone, I truly know how blessed I am to still be here at 41 when they only lived to be 28 and 33. Every day feels like a gift and I have learned I shouldn't waste a second. I think it's so important to honor and take care of myself so that I can be the woman that both of my little sisters looked up to, as well as a role model to my daughter. I feel empowered when I look at my boudoir photos because I worked hard to get where I am physically, mentally, and spiritually."
She went on to say about her boudoir experience: “Of course I was nervous to do a boudoir shoot, but Nancy made everything so comfortable beginning with our first phone call. Nancy is so easy to get along with, she is very talented and has a great eye. She was excited to talk to me about all the ideas she had for our shoot. After discussing how the day would go, and the different outfits I would wear, we turned on some music and got started! Since I am not an actual model I am not very good at posing, especially my face, but Nancy pays attention to every tiny detail and guided me through each and every pose. The end results are probably the most beautiful pictures that anyone has ever taken of me. They are classic and sophisticated and I am beyond thrilled that I did it. I highly recommend Nancy Wiggs Photography for a boudoir shoot, and I highly recommend doing a boudoir photoshoot!”
It was an honor to do Reissa's photoshoot and to be part of her self-love experience. Her beauty truly shines from the inside out.
We All Deserve Self-Love
A boudoir photoshoot is for every woman. What comes to mind when you think about a boudoir session? For me, it's a portrait of a lady, empowered, celebrating who she is and everything she is...strong, yet vulnerable...perfect, yet flawed. Loving herself makes her the most beautiful woman in the world. Are you ready for self-love? We'd love to chat with you! Click the link to contact us.
Ally and Ana Foundation
To cope with their loss and to find a way to turn tragedy into purpose, the family of Ally and Ana set up a foundation in the girls' names. Their goal is to help "enrich, empower and protect the lives of our most vulnerable." To learn more about the Ally and Ana Foundation or to see how you can help their mission, visit the Ally and Ana Foundation website by clicking here.
Join my VIP Women-Only Facebook Group
Please accept my personal invitation to join my private, boudoir Facebook group where we share great resources as well as inspirational stories and quotes. The group is a place for women to talk about boudoir photography, but it's also an empowering place of positivity. It is a safe place for women to encourage each other. If you're a client or thinking about doing a session, then this is the place for you!
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