Spring Giveaway – a Tribute to our Heros

You can vote on our Facebook page for your favorite nominated Hero.  You can also see them below!

Vote for your pick by simply ‘liking’ their picture – voting closes Tuesday Marchl 27th at noon!

Bredlow Family:

Nominated by, Anonymous

Heidi and Bruce have lived in 5 states and two countries. For 7 years they were both on active duty in the Army together. He’s worked in 17 countries and has made over 5 trips to Southwest Asia. Currently they’re in Okinawa, Japan at a forward deployed location and are returning to MN this spring, early summer. They have been in Japan for almost two years and were here during the 3-11-11 earthquake and tsunami. When they return to the states the Heidi and their three boys will stay in MN while Bruce deploys for another year or so in the Middle East. Between the two of them, they’ve served a combined total of over 25 years in the service. It’s what they do as a family and it’s what they love. Yes it’s one of the hardest things they’ve had to do as a family (and continually do), but it also brings them closer together.

Heidi states that, “We put our faith and trust in God and He sees that we get through it in His unique and sometimes crazy way. Winning this would be amazing as Bruce will be deploying again  right away. Should the unexpected happen, it could potentially be our last pictures together. Although I try not to think about it like that.”

Corey and Kim:

Nominated by, Anonymous  {with text}

“The Richest Love is that which lasts through Time Apart to someday be Together.”

Kim states, “I still remember to this day the feeling I had the day Corey left for deployment (September 2008), and the feeling I had when he came home from deployment (April 2009). It’s something that cannot be described easily but just melts your heart to see him leave, and melts your heart to see him come home, safe! Corey and I have been together for 4 1/2 years now and couldn’t be happier. I truly believe that we were meant to meet each other and what we had to deal with from the very beginning of our relationship has made us stronger and a couple, shown us hurdles that we can overcome, and in general just gave us that trust that every relationship needs or continues to find because without it we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Corey was done active in Aug. 2009 and then joined the Navy reserves for a year. He was stationed on the USS Sullivans his entire enlistment and was deployed twice.  Corey and his two brothers are all/have been enlisted in the Navy.

Staff Sergeant Jesse C. Ryan

Nominated by, Erin Ryan

I would like to nominate my husband, Staff Sergeant Jesse C. Ryan.  He is currently on active duty at Ft. Lewis in Washington state.  He has served 3 tours in Iraq in his 11 year career with the U.S. Army, and will most likely be deploying again at the end of this year to Afghanistan.  This is his third duty station in the last 11 years and has spent most of his daughter’s short 7 years of life deployed in the middle east.  He deserves to win this photo session for his sacrifice and love for his country.  Him and his daughter could use this photo session to take some long overdue “Daddy & Daughter” pictures together. They are my whole world, and I wouldn’t trade anything for being a PROUD Army wife. 🙂

Davina and Mike:

Nomonated by, Andrea Porter

I am nominating Mike and Davina Johnson because they serve in all aspects of their life! Mike works as a police officer for the Hopkins Police Department and Davina is a Registered Nurse at the VA. Not only that, but they both serve the country in the Air Force Reserve. Mike completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan last year and came home last summer just in time to marry his bride 🙂

Steve and  Andrew  Muhs

Nominated by, Meredith Muhs

It was 31 years ago that my husband, Steve became an active duty Air Force member.  We endured separations, had four kids, 16 different bases, including overseas, our 2 older boys attended 2 different high schools, the youngest son attend 3 different ones and our daughter went to 4, a different base for each of her 4 years in high school…Steve recently retired, but missing the military, he went back into uniform and into teaching high school, and now runs the Jr ROTC program for the 3 Fargo, ND high schools.  My oldest son was obviously raised as a military BRAT…he went on to college and for that last 3 1/2 years has been teaching…you guessed it..HIGH SCHOOL…he has decided to follow in his father’s foot-steps and on March 9th, we became the proud parents of a Navy Sailor….father and son have now switched career paths…and I couldn’t be more proud of my “service men”

Nick Holz and Shannen

Nominated by, Val Holz

My brother is in the National Guard.  He does not know that I am submitting him for this session.  He is currently on his second deployment.  We miss him so much.  He has worked so hard to get where he is at right now.  He asked his amazing girlfriend, Shannen to married him in July 2011.  He left January 2012.  Shannen and him are two amazing people.  I believe they would both enjoy having their picture taken together by two amazing photographers!  I know that they would enjoy some nice pictures for their upcoming wedding.

Porter family

Nominated by, Anonymous

Jeff and his family has served in the military for over 20 years with tours of duty all over the world including the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jared also served a tour of duty in Baghdad for a year.

Jeff (father) is a retired Colonel in the Marines. Jared (oldest) is a former Staff Sergeant in the Army Reserve who served in Iraq. Austin (middle) is a Second Lieutenant in the Marines. Jackson (youngest) is a Private First Class Specialist in the Army Reserve.