we made a new home.

The response has been so amazing Kim and I decided to actually make this little project official! Please update your Google Readers with the new and final website: http://www.thefreshreflection.com

We are always looking for more women and to get the word out! If you blog about this project please email and let us know so we can link you! If you have a woman in your life that needs a boost, please send us her photo! (please have photos be 800pixels wide)

And as always, please leave these amazing women comments! Tell them what YOU see when you look at them!

THANKS!

kim and jodie

Heather.

Margaret and Melissa.

(Ok ladies! I change my mind every single day about submitting the stories behind these photos or not. And I’m now leaning more towards sharing. So I will share tonight. BUT PLEASE. Comment about how beautiful they are and why. Talk about their story if you want but I really want to keep telling each other how gorgeous we are… I am loving this blog so far and it’s because of all of you that are sending in photos and leaving comments! Please spread the word!)

Margaret and Melissa.  (Margaret is the mom, Mel is one of my dearest friends)

I met Melissa in Guatemala.  She was an adoption facilitator (not mine, though) who fell in love with a chocolate chip on her caseload.  Even though she was single, she went for it.  Madi became her daughter in Feb of 07 and at the very last minute, there was a problem.  She’s now been in Guatemala raising her daughter for 3 years.  3 YEARS. She’s given up everything to fight for her sweet girl.

She comes by her huge heart (and HOTNESS) honestly.  Margaret is her breathtaking mother.  This woman has 20 children, 9 bio and 11 adopted.  5 of those cuties are special needs.  Of course.  I’m not sure you can get any closer to God’s heart.  And she’s trendy! How is that possible?

These women are my heroes.  In their hotness and holiness.

(submitted by katie)

Kelly.

(after you comment about how gorgeous she is, please check out her equally as gorgeous work HERE!)

(if your friend/family member has a blog/website let me know and I will try my best to link it!)

Danielle.

photo credit: fresh art photography

Karen.

Abbie.

erin.

(photo credit: Jessica Whittle Photography)

Jan+her mom: just had to share this email.

I really believe strongly in NOT sharing the incredible stories I’m getting via email when someone submits a photo for the blog. Because YES, we are all beautiful on the INSIDE. And we all do amazing things. We give of ourselves, we have overcome hardships, we suffer loss and celebrate life. But some days, well, I just want to be pretty.

Just simply pretty.

My goal this year, I’ve decided, is to stop one woman at the grocery store every time I’m there and tell her I think she’s pretty. Because who feels pretty at the grocery store?

So this blog is really just those words we need sometimes. Those vain times that we all have. When we’ve tried on all of our jeans and none fit right, when we leave the house without make-up, when we haven’t had time to shower, when we’re exhausted, when we’re sad, when we’ve gained weight, or lost weight. Those times we just want to look in the mirror and be happy not about WHO WE ARE but about HOW WE LOOK.

And that is again, why I’m NOT posting all the stories I get.

But keep emailing them, because I’ve decided I will post them randomly and without notice. So please share your stories knowing they may or may not end up on the blog. The photos ALWAYS will (in the order I receive them).

Here is an email I got today:

Jodie,

I love the idea of this blog! Reading today’s post reminded me of a scrapbook layout I made for my mom a few years ago. I gave it to her framed, and she can’t seem to bring herself to hang it up–it’s face down on her desk. I know it’s because she’s embarrassed that I called her beautiful! Here’s the layout and journaling. My mom will be 90 in March!

I’ll be checking back in on your new blog.

Jan

Here’s what the journaling says:

My mom would laugh if I told her that I think she is beautiful. At 86, she has silver hair and many wrinkles. She wears practical clothes and little or no makeup. If you saw her in the grocery you might think she was ordinary. But if you knew her, you would realize she is extraordinary. She’s got what it takes, inside and out.

My mom has lived through the Depression, attended a one-room schoolhouse, and missed out on high school because there was no bus service, and the school was too far away to get to on foot. She has raised four children, seen a son enlist and serve in Vietnam, and lost her husband to cancer. And here’s the one you really need to know about: when my older sister suffered a stroke at age 21 and became paralyzed, my mom rose to the challenge. Thirty-four years later, my mom and sister still live together, and my mom is still her primary caretaker. She wouldn’t have it any other way. Literally.

So if you do see my mom in the grocery, take a good look. I’ll bet you will agree. She’s beautiful, isn’t she?

Robin.