Posts in the My life Category

Today is my father’s birthday…

My father suffered a massive heart attack and six days later, on March 25, 2011, he passed away.    We lost our mother to a sudden, unexpected heart attack three and a half years ago  (click here to read her tribute).  The loss of a parent is devastating.  To lose your second parent and essentially be orphaned in your 30’s is surreal.  But this post isn’t about me or my grief, it’s about honoring my father on his birthday and Father’s Day.

If my Dad were here today, he wouldn’t have wanted a big birthday party, presents, or even cake for that matter.  He would just wanted to be surrounded by his children and grandchildren and showered with hugs and kisses.  We would do what we do every year,  gather around the big kitchen table, eating Cristianos pizza and telling stories about our day to day lives.

Men like my father are rare.  He was intelligent, honest, genuine, selfless, stubborn, stoic, strong, funny, wise, sensible, supportive and trust worthy.  My Dad loved telling stories about his time in the Army in Italy and Switzerland.  He couldn’t have been more proud when Pete and I married in Switzerland.  He loved helping others and offering advice.  He was also very proud of the Buyce family name and our heritage.

My father was a huge influence on me starting my career in photography.  My father believed in me, when I didn’t believe in myself.   He would say, “I am going to invest in Tracey Buyce Photography, because I believe  in my daughter.”

My Dad instilled a strong work ethic in all of his children.  It was that work ethic and his support that helped me establish my business.  He was so very proud.  My father’s favorite photo is Super Roxy, he absolutely loved that photo.  The day he died he held my iPad in his big, weathered hands and looked at that image, smiling  from ear to ear.  He again told me how proud he was  and how much I was loved.  I didn’t know he was going to die that day.  Words cannot describe how much our final conversation means to me.

Dad….

You taught me how to hook a worm and fish with a bobber.  I caught my first sunny with you down at the Little Lake…

You always had Juicy Fruit gum for Andy and I, always…

You had several nicknames for me: Puddin’ Buyce, Tracey Poo, Poo, and Puddin’….

You never grounded me, not once…

You always spoiled me…

You loved meeting us at Northampton after work to have Cristianos pizza and hear about our beach adventures…

You would wake Andy and I up after a thunderstorm to hunt for night crawlers…We had a pretty good operation running!

You ate and even pretended to enjoy my ever first batch of cookies that I made with a cup of salt instead of sugar.  I will always remember that…

You loved to lather up in Hawaiian Tropic, sit in the sun in the backyard and read Louis L’Amour…

You loved your flowers and feeding the birds…

You loved a good cup of coffee with a peanut butter sandwich…

You ALWAYS supported me, no matter what..

You ALWAYS believed in me…

You have left behind a legacy you can be incredibly proud of, your four children and your beautiful grandchildren….

I honor your memory, your life and your love, always…

Happy Birthday and Happy Father’s Day…

I miss you and I love you, always…

Thank you cousin Vicki for this amazing image, I will treasure it always...

Building the porch of Northwoods Lodge

Isn't he so handsome!

The 2011 Portrait giveaway winner is The Ragan Family from Saratoga Springs, NY. When I read the nomination letter from their friend, Candace, I was moved on so many levels. Their story truly touched my heart. I cannot wait to give this deserving family the gift of custom photography. Their package includes: the photo session, a collection of 3 canvas gallery wraps, and the high resolution digital negatives.

Ragan family: “I can’t wait to meet all of you and photograph your beautiful family.”
much love,
t.

Here is the letter, written by their family friend, Candace.

“Tracy,
I would like to nominate a VERY deserving family for your photo shoot and package.
Andrew 44, Kelly 42, Briggs 9, and Quinn Ragan 7, from Saratoga Springs, NY.

I have a ton of stories about this family because I have known them for about 8 ½ + years. It was nearly 4 ½ years ago that Andrew was diagnosed with ALS/Lou Gehrig Disease, a terminal illness that has an average life expectancy of 3-5 years. Andrew’s symptoms began as slurred speech that got him dirty looks in the middle of the day and concern about alcoholism from “the powers that be” on conference calls. We were at a neighborhood party and he told our “group” talk to me now because after this one beer you might not be able to understand me. I remember myself thinking maybe he had Lyme disease or carbon monoxide poisoning. I used to sit at their island asking Andrew, do you have this symptom? Do you have that symptom? It literally plagued me, still does. I can remember walking with Kelly around “the loop” when the diagnosis was still unclear (it takes literally months and then you don’t want to believe it is ALS) her crying uncontrollably, telling me she didn’t want this life for them. You see, they were just beginning everything, Andrew had a great job, they just had their second son, Kelly was getting acclimated to Saratoga and continuing to deliver Meals On Wheels even with two boys, she was getting the boys involved in the community, things were falling in place for them for a perfect life together. Kelly and Andrew met and fell in love in college. When you meet them you’ll understand why they are seriously perfect for each other. They are no stranger to challenges and they have had a few things to overcome together and always do. Unfortunately, ALS is the one thing they cannot beat. It wasn’t long after Andrew’s symptoms that he fell. He was working a job that included extensive, world-wide travel. Once he fell off the escalator at the Albany airport and could not get up…he had to wait for someone to help – this was frightening to us all, especially Andrew.
Shortly after that incident Andrew fell and hurt himself badly, scraping his face while trying to get out of the way of the sprinkler at their home. It became apparent that Andrew needed a cane, this was tough for a 40 year old to accept, and it wasn’t long that the cane was replaced by a walker; it wasn’t long that the walker was replaced by a wheelchair. Speech was first to go – and as you can imagine swallowing because difficult – so it’s been a few years that Andrew has been on a feeding tube. However, I can remember sitting with him on summer afternoons feeding him ice cream sandwiches, he loved ice cream sandwiches and it was a “trust” we shared for him to allow me to feed him – something most of the time only Kelly did – allowing me to wipe his chin, be sure the bites were small enough, etc. Andrew is a man of great pride and had been very strong, well built.

It’s every birthday, Christmas, even this St. Patrick’s that Briggs and Quinn write in everything that comes home from school:
“When Dad gets better…”
“I wish for my Dad to get better…”
“I want to catch a leprechaun so that I can ask for a wish for my Dad to get better” – (Quinn and Briggs both built traps…hoping they would catch a leprechaun!)
I can see them at their birthday parties, all their friends are around and they take that extra second before they blow out the candles, they are wishing for their Dad to get better. I asked Briggs last birthday “what did you wish for?”…it’s always the same. It’s always the same for me too.

Kelly is a pillar of strength. She cannot be away from Andrew for very long at all – even with a Hospice nurse there – her limit is 2 hours because she does everything for Andrew. He no longer has any functional movement in his arms or legs.
She cannot go to a movie, go shopping in Albany, cannot leave town, must be 100% every morning, cannot get sick, cannot lay in bed and watch movies or Oprah, cannot feel her husband hold her, reach for her, go to kiss her, embrace her. However, she puts a smile on her face every day – her smile is even in her voice! Most of the time. She is amazing. I’m completely biased but how she has held onto her sanity this long is amazing to me. She runs the house, takes Andrew to appointments, feeds him, feeds the boys, gets the boys to scouts, parties, pays the bills, runs the house, etc, someone brings her food and she cries and says thank you and there are other people that deserve help. That might be true, but this is their time to accept the help.

Andrew is amazing too…he writes speeches (his first line in a recent letter was: “I wake up every day and think, HOLY COW, I’m still here!” – using an eye gaze system – for ALS Fundraising. He is working hard to bring ALS into the spotlight. Little $ is given to research and therefore a potential cause and/or cure is years and years away. Not only does Andrew work with the local ALS chapter he and Kelly also work to help a national not-for-profit ALS Guardian Angels which helps to assist ALS patients with the overwhelming costs of ALS while victims are still alive. They have been recipients of this organization when the costs were overwhelming. It would be easy and understandable for them to feel sorry for themselves, but they are helping to be sure something is on the horizon for future victims. At the last Race for Ragan Andrew prepared a speech that included this quote: “I wish I could pop up and say to everyone “surprise just kidding”. That certainly would be an elaborate way to get everyone we love to interrupt their life’s for a selfish reunion. I think God has sense of humor too. I will just have to wait for the punch line.”

In writing this I was thinking…
After we’re gone, what is there, really? Pictures.
That’s why this family is really perfect for you to select.
There are lots of candid shots of them…but professional photos? None. They aren’t the type to splurge…there is medication, devices, and home modifications are they paying out of pocket on a limited income.
I cannot think of a family more deserving then them right now or better person than you to capture their life, their love, their family. That is what you feel in their home, around all the “inevitable” you really do feel the love of this family.
Candace Zlotnick”

To help the Ragan Family:
www.friendsofandrewragan.org

To help ALS Guardian Angels:
www.alsguardianangels.com

To help the local Albany ALS Center – St. Peter’s Hospital
http://www.sphcs.org/ALSRegionalCenter

The 2011 winner of the Portrait Giveaway, will now be announced April 11th vs. April 2nd. Thank you for your patience.
Kind Regards,
Tracey

I believe everyone should have beautiful photos to document their family, to tell their story…. Read on and nominate someone who truly deserves the gift of custom photography….

You know someone. You know someone who’s experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can’t afford custom photography, but who would cherish this gift. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family’s spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone. I guarantee it.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience custom photography — I want to give them a Portrait Collection valued at $1500., to be exact. This includes: a collection of canvas gallery wraps, high resolution digital negatives, and the session itself.

It’s in your power to give them the artwork they deserve.

Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a free portrait session! What better reason to show some love could there possibly be, people?

The rules:

* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services.

* The nominee must reside in New York, within The Capital Region. Tell me who you know, what they’re experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.

* You must e-mail me the full story : tbuyce@gmail.com

The deadline for entries is April 1st. The winner will be announced on April 2nd- get nominating! I can’t wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone….– and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.
Much love,
Tracey