Operation:Love Reunited Policy Updates {OpLove}

As many of you are aware, for the past three years I have been honored to be a part of Operation:Love Reunited {OpLove}. OpLove is a nation-wide network of professional photographers who offer free sessions and albums to deployed soldiers and their immediate family members. Recently OpLove has updated the guidelines, and I feel it is important to share these new policies and regulations with you.

My personal policy for OpLove session availability per month is still in effect. Beginning in April my space for these free sessions will be limited to ONE family per month. I am currently booked for OpLove sessions until May. As a reminder for those families wishing to capture those special moments together before facing their next deployment, I do offer all Active Duty Military and their spouses a special session rate, and I do have session availabilities for each month.

The following is from the e-mail I received this morning. If you are interested in taking advantage of Operation:Love Reunited please read these guidelines carefully to be sure you qualify. You can also go to www.oplove.org . Please don't hesitate to contact either OpLove or myself if you have any questions.

"1) We have re-defined areas to be covered as deployments. These new guidelines were hopefully posted in your area’s FB page. Either deployment orders or a letter of deployment from the command is REQUIRED! Here are the areas covered:
Combat zones are designated by an Executive Order from the President as areas in which the U.S. Armed Forces are engaging or have engaged in combat. There are currently three such combat zones (including the airspace above each):
a) Arabian Peninsula Areas - the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, the part of the Arabian Sea north of 10° North latitude and west of 68° East longitude, the Gulf of Aden, and the countries of Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
b) Kosovo area - Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), Albania, the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea north of the 39th Parallel.
c) Afghanistan
d) In addition, we will also allow three parts of the former Yugoslavia to be treated as if it were a combat zone and therefore covered: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Macedonia...."

The "G" Family {Fayetteville Family Photography}

Sweet Mr "A" stole my heart this summer when I had the opportunity to photograph he & his Mommy for an OpLove session. I remember opening the door to the car to help get him out; he turned, wrinkled up his itty bitty forehead, and gave me hands-down the most adorable pouty face I have ever seen. To this day I don't know what it was about that pout, but I've never seen a cuter one....it just melted my heart...

In fact, a couple months later I actually met up with A and his Mom for dinner, and even after he peed on me I still couldn't help but this "oh this is just the cutest little guy ever!" {Let me clarify...not because he peed on me, but because the "power" of his little pout just still hadn't worn off! hehe}

Well it goes without saying that I could not have been more excited to get to see him again. He is now the Big "1"... and even better, his Daddy is home safe & sound from Iraq! Woo-hoo!

We met up last Friday for a family session, and got to enjoy some of this year's mild winter weather. {thank goodness, because I am a WIMP in the cold} We hit downtown Fayetteville before heading over to Arsenal Park, where we got to capture some great shots of the family playing together under a tree. Love those! Which brings me to a reminder....

...I love sharing peeks into each session here on my blog and featuring sessions on my website, however I completely respect each of my clients' wishes and privacy and will never post anything they are not comfortable with. If a family lets me know that they are not comfortable with their full names and/or images being shared on the internet than I completely respect that. For this family, Dad requested for me to please not use names, and to not use any images where he is shown. That is his right, and I completely respect it...

'till later! XOXO Missie

OpLove {Homecoming}

Friday evening brought more families back together again!

 This sweet little 4 month-old was such a little trooper waiting for his Daddy to come home from Afghanistan. He played, got a little nap in, and simply just looked adorable in his little Army outfit. How cute is this onsie with the little boots? I love it!

 As always with homecomings, I loved seeing all the faces light up with big smiles when they get that first glance of their Soldier in formation! {Below: middle row, far right}

A huge "Welcome Home" and even bigger "Thank you!" to all the Soldiers who came home this Friday. To this family especially, I am glad I was able to be there for you to capture this wonderful day.

OpLove Disclaimer:

 "The photos and other content of this publication do not constitute or imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense."