This session was a very special session to me. So special that I decided to have this strong mom, Rachel Dixon write it in her own words. This is the Dixon family’s story, a battle in ways, a battle for healing for little Ezra, it continues down through the pictures…
“As we run through the woods, you can hear squeals of laughter and pirate growls, swords are clanging and flashes of color whoosh by. Captain Jake and Cubby join forces with Peter Pan to vanquish the notorious Captain Hook once and for all! Today we are celebrating…Celebrating the end of a long journey. A journey that we never thought we would have to take. A journey filled with heartache, sorrow, and pain. Yet a journey filled with hope, love, and strength.
If you had asked me two years ago where I saw life taking our family, I probably wouldn’t have answered you. 
A little over two years ago our second son, Ezra, was born. Little did we know just how much our lives would change in the days, weeks, and months to come. When Ezra was three days old we received a phone call from the pediatrician saying that his newborn screening came back positive for SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency). All we were told was that he needed more labs and that he essentially had what is more commonly known as the“Bubble Boy” disease. To put it simply, he was born without a complete immune system. After days of labs for our whole family, nights in the hospital, tears, prayers, anger, and a complete upheaval of our family, the diagnosis was confirmed. The doctors informed us that the only way to save our son would be a bone marrow transplant. 
Judah was a perfect match and we started the process. Because Ezra was so young, they wanted to wait a few weeks before taking him to transplant. Judah went to live across state with grandparents, and Zach and I stayed with Ezra. As the days turned into weeks we waited…Waited for transplant, waited for the cure, waited for our lives to return to “normal”. 
At 9 weeks old, Ezra received a bone marrow transplant from Judah. At the tender age of 2, Judah saved his baby brother’s life. 
After undergoing chemotherapy, “cocktails” of different medications, gruesome side effects, and a visit from Seattle Seahawk’s Russell Wilson, we were finally discharged. However, our lives were far from normal. A feeding tube, 20+ medications, constant check ups, and blood transfusions, became our normal. I learned how to execute more medical “procedures” than I ever thought possible. 
Through all of this, it was very hard to look to the future, to imagine what life down the road would look like. Because from day to day, we just didn’t know what would happen. There were too many variables in Ezra’s life to know with any certainty what would happen. 
Although we went through such a harrowing time, we never lost sight of our faith, never lost our hope in God. Because, as I was recently reminded, “God doesn’t make mistakes.” He knew that our family would make it through this season with His strength, that we would have the endurance to run the race set before us. He knew we needed Ezra and that Ezra needed us. 
Fast-forward 2 years…After months of clinic visits, tapering medications, feeding and physical therapy…Our family is finally able to look to the future, to dream again. Ezra has clinic once every 3 months, he is eating, running, talking, and most importantly, he has a fully functioning immune system. 
Today, if you were to ask me where I see life taking our family, I would tell you: I don’t know for sure, but I know that no matter what life tries to throw at us, we will make it through, together. 
For our family is a family of strength, a family filled with new life, a family filled with hope for the future.” 
To learn more about Ezra and SCID and what YOU can do for families in similar situations, please go to: https://www.seattlecca.org/patient-stories/scid-survivor-1
Debbie Nicholas is a natural light, life style photographer. She enjoys helping families have fun during their sessions. Making the moment another wonderful memory in life. Her sessions are relaxed with lots of play and a bit of posing. Debbie lives in Valley Washington near Loon Lake Washington. She travels to the areas around her in the Inland Northwest for many kinds of sessions. Some of these areas are, Spokane Washington, Deer Park Washington, Coeur d’Alene Idaho, Colville Washington, Loon Lake Washington and Chewelah Washington. If you would like to book a session with Love and Honey Photography, by Debbie Nicholas, call (509)680-8101 or email at loveandhoneyphotography@gmail.com. Thanks for stopping by!
Love & Honey Photography 