In serving the Ann Arbor area as a full-service Portrait Photography Studio, Noreen Owens Photography believes in Giving Back to the local community as a core virtue of their business practice. Our operating philosophy is: Photography should provide clients with a feel-good experience, helping to promote both a strong sense of self-confidence and awareness within themselves. At Noreen Owens Photography, we pride ourselves on our various projects. Our clients feel joyous during their photography sessions, while we help them build acceptance and love for who they are.
We are happy to share our most recent project below, spotlighting, Ebie.
When asked about Ebie, we always refer to her as our gift from God. Which is indeed what she is. I knew I wanted to be a mom my entire life. It was the number one thing I had to accomplish. When Tommy and I got married, I was blessed and became a step-Mom to Mandy. We started trying for kids of our own and had troubles, so we did fertility and suffered two miscarriages. I found out I was pregnant again, and On June 25, 2002, I gave birth to our son Riley Thomas. Riley was a preemie and called to heaven shortly after birth. We were devastated and heartbroken.
We decided to look at other options, and so we looked into Foster Care. On July 28, 2005, we got a call that a five-day-old little girl born drug and alcohol addicted needed a home. We went to the hospital and picked up Ebie. She was perfect and beautiful. I fell in love instantly. She was so tiny, just over 4 pounds, and had a full head of hair. She had a rough start in life. Going through withdrawal was hard. She tremored a lot and liked to be held and swaddled tightly in a blanket. Even though she was 4 pounds, she was full term. Her body did everything it could to stay alive in the womb, so all the nutrients went to the major organs causing the rest of her to stop growing.
She had been 100% abandoned since the time we picked her up from the hospital. Birth Mom came to court only once. Completely unplanned, it was the one, and only time we happened to bring Ebie to court. Birth Mom was still making poor choices and living an unsafe life. We were able to sit and talk. Right before we went into court, she asked me, “ Do you love her?” In which I replied, “More than anything in this world.” I told her that given a chance, we would love and raise her as our own. We would love her unconditionally and give her every opportunity we could. After court, Birth mom asked me if she could hold her, and I handed Ebie to her. She gave her a kiss and a hug. She was ordered to rehab and parenting classes. Her final words to me were, “it’s in God’s hands.” She had no further contact. We filed for adoption, and it was finalized on her 14 month birthday, which was the best day ever.
Growing up, Ebie was such a kind, loving, sweet kid who never really got in trouble. She has never thrown a temper tantrum in her entire life. She is such a people pleaser. When she was little, she would walk up to the picture of our son Riley and hold it, hug it and say, that’s baby Jesus. We would correct her and remind her that it was her brother who was with Jesus in Heaven.
When she was four, she looked at me and said, “Mama, why is my skin brown, and your skin is white?” I replied, “ that’s easy because you grew in another Mommy’s tummy, and she was brown like you” Ebie, without skipping a beat, says, “ Yeah, I know,” Me- “ You Know?!” Ebie” Yeah, when I was in the other Mommy’s tummy, I knew you were coming for me. It took you a really long time, but I knew my real Mommy was coming” at this point, I, of course, am crying and speechless that my 4-year-old is telling me this beautiful story. A year later, after going to Vacation bible school, she comes home one night, and we are talking about Jesus, and that is when she informed me that she had met him. I think she must be confusing a story from VBS and said, “‘When did you meet him?” She said, “ Oh, he was the one that told me you were coming for me? When I was in the other Mama’s tummy,” I stood there covered in goosebumps. I asked her if she remembered anything else. She said, “well, Riley was there. She said I saw him with Jesus before I was in the other Mamas’ tummy.” I, of course, hugged her, and It became clear for all those years when she was so young why she always called Riley Baby
Jesus and what she was trying to tell me. To this day, she still tells her testimony precisely the same way. Doctors said it is a miracle she is alive with the number of drugs and alcohol consumed daily. I am not surprised to hear Jesus wrapped his arms around her and said, hang on, sweet girl, Your Mama is coming.
Ebie’s true love is performing. She has danced her entire life, competed in gymnastics, and her newest love is Cheerleading, which she made Varisty Freshman year as a flyer. She owns the stage watching her perform and shine; you would never know she suffers from many daily struggles. She lives with constant pain and stomach issues from Crohn’s disease and IBS. She has Fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes many battles such as memory issues, anxiety, learning disability. She never complains or says why me. She always puts a smile on her face and keeps going.
She recently had the opportunity to do a photoshoot with Noreen Owens Photography for the Who I am Project which focuses on Self Esteem and value in Teenage girls. It honestly came at the perfect time as Ebie was having a rough week. From the minute we arrived, the red carpet was rolled out for her. Noreen and her staff thought of everything. There were small details like leaving Ebie a little note in the bathroom where she changed her clothes and homemade chocolate chip cookies when we were viewing the pictures. I could tell at first Ebie was nervous, but by the second outfit change, Ebie looked at me and said, “Mom, this is so much fun!” Her anxiety had lifted, and she was having the time of her life. I might just have a model on my hands. I cant wait to see what other exciting things in life she does. I am so proud to not only call her my daughter but also my best friend.
3 Comments
Nov 12, 2021, 9:08:59 PM
DeVries Kelli - Thank you for sharing your beautiful and brave story. I wish you continued success and happiness. Go Cal!
Oct 28, 2021, 9:17:51 AM
Isabella - That makes me cry!! I love you sister Ebie!!
Oct 27, 2021, 5:51:54 PM
Marie W - This is such a beautiful young and inspiring young lady. I had tears as I read about her and the challenges she is going through daily. What lucky parents to be able to raise Ebie, her love for Jesus shines through her. Thanks for letting us meet this beautiful, kind and loving young lady!