Operation: Love Reunited

One of the first things I want to tell you all about that I'm starting next year is that I've joined an organization called Operation: Love Reunited or OpLove for short. This is something that is so amazing and meaningful to me and close to my heart. I am so excited to be a part of this!
OpLove is a non-profit organization that offers professional photography sessions for deploying military service members and their loved ones for free. These special sessions with a patriotic edge are planned around deployments and are reserved for deploying, deployed and returning military families. The sessions are designed to capture moments for you to remember. These service members ask for nothing in return - but to come home! 

When my husband came home from r&r during his deployment all I could think of was if I looked ok, I hoped he would spot me because I had changed my hair color and if I was going to be able to sit there and watch him walking towards me behind the security line with out breaking  the rules and just running right past the security guard to get to him faster. I waited as long as I could and the second he stepped off that escalator and was on solid ground I took off running, in my head it was something from a movie I ran and then I jumped and wrapped my arms and legs around him, hugging and kissing him tears in my eyes and hands shaking I was so nervous and excited to see him! I'm sure in real life it didn't look as great as in my mind but regardless... I don't have one single picture of that, and there are no words that will ever be able to describe the looks on our faces or the feelings we had. I was lucky enough to have a friend snap some shots of when he came home from Iraq for good, but even those pictures aren't the same... it was a very crowded gym with a 100 soldiers I couldn't find him anywhere and I was just searching, I probably look desperate and terrified because I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to find him, it just wasn't as personal and emotional but I wouldn't trade those pictures for anything! 

I want to be able to give families those pictures, the ones that your mascara is running down your cheeks right along with your tears because your soldier is home! Your husband, or son, wife or daughter, the one that you love so much is back in your arms again, even if its just for a couple of weeks, you have them! The raw emotion of them leaving again and you don't know how to feel because you are so proud of them, but you're scared and worried and even though you are still holding their hand you know that in a few minutes they will be getting back on that plane and flying 7000 miles away and you're not sure when the next time you will see them is going to be. 

The military is something that is so close to my heart, I was born singing the star spangled banner and when I was 13 I convinced my mom to let me paint my room red white and blue! This is not just about photography, but two of my biggest passions coming together. I am so honored to be able to give something to these families that give me so much everyday!! 

If you want more information about the program or to see if your family is eligible for a session, you can visit OpLove or you can send me an email at photobyashlee@yahoo.com 

-Ashlee