My client, friend (and athletic idol!) ran her first Boston Marathon yesterday.  I spent all morning excitedly checking my phone for text message updates to track her run.  Since I never got a chance to blog her session from last fall, I spent the early afternoon prepping her post in celebration.  Perfect timing, I thought.  I was in the process of watermarking the final images when I heard about the bombings.  Like everyone else, my heart jumped up into my stomach.  My sister lives on Boylston St. I had friends running the race.  Jamie was one of them.  I’d been tracking Jamie so I knew from her pace updates that she would have been smack dab at the finish line right about then.  I’ve since learned that she was only 0.1 miles from the finish line.  She is safe.  Her family is safe.  My heart breaks into a million little pieces for those who were not.

My first reaction was to scrap the blog post.  It seemed inappropriate to post happy memories during such a tragic time, so I put it away.  Then today I woke still thinking about Jamie – thinking about how tight she must be holding her husband and 2 boys today.  How tight our engaged friends, Dennis and Chelsa, who were separated during the final mile of the race, must be holding each other today.  How millions of people from around the world are holding their own families closer – sending messages of condolence, love, courage and “Don’t mess with Boston!” pride.

So after giving it lots of thought, I’m moved to share these images after all.  They are a testimony to love and family and I thought it would put some much needed smiles on their faces to see again.  Jamie, Loren, Broden and Austin – I am relieved beyond words that you will be blessed with many, many more happy days like the one we had on this chilly October morning.