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Credit card fees or processing fees: what CAN you charge?
Small business owners and entrepreneurs often do things illegally without knowing. And with constantly changing laws, it can be hard to keep up. A common practice is for businesses to pass along the fees incurred from their credit card processing, and slap a fancy name on it, but this is actually highly regulated and nuanced, so if you take money from people, you should know how to do it without getting yourself or your company in trouble.
CardFellow.com has carefully laid out the rules, but first an update: As of January 2013, Merchants are permitted to charge customers a surcharge for paying with a credit card, but ten states still prohibit surcharging, and surcharges are still not allowed on signature and pin debit transactions (read more on this).
Regarding what CardFellow alls the "maze of rules, exceptions and even state laws," there are proper ways "to navigate to ensure you stay compliant with the terms of your merchant processing agreement."
They note that the act of charging customers a fee to pay with their credit card is commonly referred to as checkout fees, convenience fees, or surcharging and each of the four major card brands has a slightly different policy concerning the topic. Below, in their own words (originally appearing on the CardFellow blog), they outline the general guidelines regarding convenience fees first, then what it all means, and ultimately if and how your business can pass processing fees to your customers.
The rules regarding Visa
As I'll cover a little later, there are a few exceptions to Visa's convenience fee guidelines, but the bulk of their policy is outlined on page 477 of their April 2011 Visa International Operating Regulations. Visa's current published policy is as follows:
In the U.S. Region, except as specified otherwise for Tax Payment Transactions in "Tax Payment Program Fee Requirements – U.S. Region," a Merchant that charges a Convenience Fee must ensure that the fee is:
- Charged for a bona fide convenience in the form of an alternative payment channel outside the Merchant's customary payment channels
- Disclosed to the Cardholder as a charge for the alternative payment channel convenience
- Added only to a non-face-to-face Transaction. The requirement for an alternate payment channel means that Mail/Telephone Order and Electronic Commerce Merchants whose payment channels are exclusively non-face-to-face may not impose a Convenience Fee.
- A flat or fixed amount, regardless of the value of the payment due
- Applicable to all forms of payment accepted in the alternative payment channel
- Disclosed before the completion of the Transaction and the Cardholder is given the opportunity to cancel
- Included as a part of the total amount of the Transaction
Convenience Fees Not Assessed by a Third Party – U.S. Region 5.2.E
In the U.S. Region, except as specified in "Tax Payment Program – Interchange Reimbursement Fee Qualifications and Fee Amount – U.S. Region," a Convenience Fee may only be charged by the Merchant that actually provides goods or services to the Cardholder. A Convenience Fee may not be charged by any third party.
Convenience Fees on Recurring Transactions – U.S. Region 5.2.E
In the U.S. Region, except as permitted in "Tax Payment Program – Interchange Reimbursement Fee Qualifications and Fee Amount – U.S. Region," a Convenience Fee must not be added to a Recurring Transaction.
The rules regarding MasterCard
I'll cover MasterCard's special regulations pertaining to convenience fees charged by educational and municipal merchants in a little bit. For now, the following is MasterCard's convenience fee guidelines that pertain to most business taken from page 5-19 of their MasterCard Rules document.
A Merchant must not directly or indirectly require any Cardholder to pay a surcharge or any part of any Merchant discount or any contemporaneous finance charge in connection with a Transaction. A Merchant may provide a discount to its customers for cash payments. A Merchant is permitted to charge a fee (such as a bona fide commission, postage, expedited service or convenience fees, and the like) if the fee is imposed on all like transactions regardless of the form of payment used, or as the Corporation has expressly permitted in writing. For purposes of this Rule:
- A surcharge is any fee charged in connection with a Transaction that is not charged if another payment method is used.
- The Merchant discount fee is any fee a Merchant pays to an Acquirer so that the Acquirer will acquire the Transactions of the Merchant.
The rules regarding Discover
Discover rules regarding what they refer to as surcharging are less strict than Visa and MasterCard's, but like Visa and MasterCard, Discover forbids convenience from being imposed on their cards if the same fees aren't also applied to all other brands. Discover's rules regarding surcharging can be found on page six of their Merchant Operating Regulations.
I've provided this document below because Discover does not publically post it on their Web site. The latest copy at the time of this writing is April 2011, going forward you will want to check with Discover to verify the latest information.
Discover rules for surcharging are as follows:
Section 2.5, Surcharges and Discounts
New terms permit you to offer discounts at the point-of-sale, as provided in the Dodd-Frank Act. You may offer differential discounts depending on the method of payment (e.g., credit, debit, cash or check), but such discounts may not differentiate based on issuer or payment network. If you operate in Canada, see Section 5.12 to identify differences that apply to discounts offered in Canada.
Equal Treatment of Cards with Other Payment Cards; Equal Treatment of Card Issuers Other than with respect to discounts as permitted in Section 2.5, you may not institute or adopt any practice, including any discount or in-kind incentive, that unfavorably discriminates against or provides unequal and unfavorable treatment of any Person who elects to pay using a Card versus any other credit card, debit card, prepaid card, or other payment card that you accept (except for any proprietary payment card issued by you or any payment card issued under a formal co-branding relationship between you and a card issuer), and you may not in any way discriminate among various Issuers of Cards, except to the extent such restrictions are prohibited by Requirements of Law or permitted as set forth in Section 5.12.
Surcharges and Discounts
You may assess a surcharge on a Card Sale provided that (a) the amount of the surcharge may not exceed the Merchant Fee payable by you to us for the Card Sale and (b) you assess surcharges on Card Sales conducted using other cards accepted by you, in each case subject to the restrictions in Section 2.4; and (c) you otherwise comply with Section 2.4. You may not assess a surcharge or other penalty fee of any kind other than as set forth above. Effective upon publication of Release 11.1 of these Operating Regulations, you may offer discounts or in-kind incentives for payment by different tender types (e.g., a discount for payment by cash versus payment by credit card) subject to the restrictions in Section 2.4.
The rules regarding American Express
American express has pretty vague restrictions on convenience fees, and they more or less defer to the guidelines set forth by the other three major card brands. American Express outlines their convenience fee guidelines in section 3.2 of theAmerican Express Merchant Regulations.
Like Discover, American Express doesn't post the Merchant Regulations on their Web site. So, I've included it here so you can take a look [current as of 2011]. However, going forward you should check with American Express for the most recent version of their regulations.
American Express has the following stance on convenience fees:
Except as expressly permitted by applicable law, you must not:
- indicate or imply that you prefer, directly or indirectly, any Other Payment Products over our Card,
- try to dissuade Cardmembers from using the Card,
- criticize or mischaracterize the Card or any of our services or programs,
- try to persuade or prompt Cardmembers to use any Other Payment Products or any other method of payment (e.g., payment by check),
- impose any restrictions, conditions, disadvantages or fees when the Card is accepted that are not imposed equally on all Other Payment Products, except for ACH funds transfer, cash, and checks,
- engage in activities that harm our business or the American Express Brand (or both), or
- promote any Other Payment Products (except your own private label card that you issue for use solely at your Establishments) more actively than you promote our Card.
Exceptions and special programs
Visa Tax Payment Program
Visa has a Tax Payment Program with special guidelines for convenience fees for entities that accept tax payments such as municipalities or Federal agencies.
Currently, the Tax Payment Program allows a flat convenience fee of no more than $3.95 to be charged for tax payments made with a debit card, and a variable fee (percentage of the transaction) is permitted for tax payments made with a credit card.
I've included Visa's Tax Payment Program Guide because it's not readily accessible online. However, you should always check with Visa or your credit card processing services provider for the latest information regarding the Tax Payment Program prior to making any convenience fee policies for your business.
Businesses or entities that would like to charge a convenience fee to accept tax payments must be identified with merchant category code 9311, and they must be registered with Visa. Once registered, they must abide by the terms set forth in the Tax Payment Program Guide.
MasterCard Convenience Fee Program
MasterCard allows pre-certified municipal and educational entities to charge convenience fees in certain circumstances. MasterCard's main stipulation regarding convenience fees charged by educational and municipal institutions is that any fee must be applied equally to all card brands.
This is the reason that many colleges and universities have stopped accepting Visa branded credit and debit cards. MasterCard requires any fee on their cards to be applied equally to all card brands, and Visa forbids convenience fee on anything except tax payments. So, colleges and universities can't accept Visa if they want to charge a fee for MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
Since it's not readily available online, I've included The MasterCard Convenience Fee Program guide below. At the time of this writing the guide is current, but be sure to check with MasterCard for or your merchant service provider for the latest information on this program before making any decisions about convenience fees within your organization or business.
How can your business charge customers a credit card fee?
Now that we've covered the convenience guidelines for each of the major card brands, let's look at how your business or organization can charge customers a credit card fee.
Offer a discount instead of surcharging
The major loophole that makes it possible for all business to indirectly charge customers to use a credit card is by offering a discount for cash or check purchases. The devil is in the details of how prices are portrayed to customers.
For example, a retail store would raise the price on everything in the store by 3%, and then place a sign at the register that says, "Get a 3% discount by paying with cash or check." This roundabout method allows any business to pass processing costs to customers while still staying within the bounds of the terms set by the card brands.
In fact, Visa even mentions this method on their Web site by saying, "Retailers can encourage their customers to use other forms of payment, such as cash and checks, and can discount for PIN debit and cash and checks provided that the offer is made to all respective buyers." Check it out for yourself here.
MasterCard also mentions discount in their convenience fee guidelines by saying, "A Merchant may provide a discount to its customers for cash payments."
Thanks in large part to the recent Durbin Amendment, discounting versus surcharging is also acceptable within states that have specific laws banning surcharges on credit or debit transactions. I'll go over individual state laws regarding surcharging in just a bit.
The downside to discount versus surcharging is that it may make your prices appear higher than your competitors, and you risk isolating or angering customers that prefer to pay with credit or debit.
Raise prices across the board
Many people feel that offering a discount for cash or check payments is a pain, and that it does more harm than good to marketing and customer relations. If you're of this mindset, the obvious option is to pass the cost of processing to your customers by raising prices across the board.
You won't have to raise prices by as much as if you were offering a discount for cash because the increase is across all payment channels. A solid 1.5% to 2% price hike will do the trick to soften the blow of processing fees assuming your business has competitive credit card processing fees. An easy way to see if your rates are competitive is to get free instant credit card processing quotes at CardFellow.
Convenience fees on a case by case basis
There are a lot of "what ifs" when it comes to convenience fees, and many people want to know whether the practice is acceptable for their business. If I tried, I'd be answering questions until I was blue in the face. So instead, I've outlined the card brands' guidelines below as they apply to most businesses.
Note: Connecticut forbids surcharges on all forms of payments.
If your business accepts Visa:
Visa forbids virtually all convenience fees, and other card brands say you can't impose a convenience fee on their cards unless you impose the same fee on all other cards. So, by accepting Visa, you largely negate your ability to charge convenience fees at all.
- You cannot charge a convenience fee under any circumstances if your primary method of acceptance is card-not-present, such as online or mail-order.
- The only exception to this rule is if your company or organization is classified as MCC 9311, it accepts tax payments, and it's registered with Visa's Tax Payment Program.
- You can charge a convenience fee if your primary method of acceptance is card-present (swiping cards), and you would like to offer customers who are unable to come to your place of business the convenience of paying with their credit card either online or over the phone. In such a case you must:
- The fee must be for a bona-fide convenience. Meaning, it must be charged from something that's outside your normal payment channel and sales process.
- Disclose the convenience to the customer prior to completing the transaction so they have the opportunity to cancel the transaction.
- Charge only a flat fee regardless of the transaction amount. The fee cannot be a percentage of the transaction.
- Charge the same convenience fee for all card brands and payment types. For example, you would have to charge customers paying with cash the same convenience fee that you charge those paying with a credit or debit cards.
- The convenience fee must be included as part of the total transaction amount.
If your business only accepts Discover, MasterCard, and American Express:
- You can charge a convenience fee on both card-present and card-not-present credit and debit transactions so long as:
- The fee is only charged for a bona-fide convenience outside of the typical payment channels and sales process.
- The fee is applied to all payment channels, including cash.
- Your fee is capped based on the discount fee you pay on Discover branded transactions. Discover forbids the amount of any convenience fees from exceeding the discount that you pay on the transaction. So, while you can charge a fee, you have to limit the fee across all brands based on the discount fee you pay Discover.
If your business only accepts MasterCard and American Express:
- You can charge a convenience fee on both card-present and card-not-present credit and debit transactions so long as:
- The fee is only charged for a bona-fide convenience outside of the typical payment channels and sales process.
- The fee is applied to all payment channels, including cash.
Surcharge regulations by state
Ten states currently have laws pertaining to surcharges and discounting certain payment methods, such as cash. Visa has a good list of these states and their individual laws here, so there's no reason to outline them in this article as well.
Now, go forth the right way
CardFellow has above outlined the intricacies regarding fees, so go forth and charge (or don't) accordingly!
1 Comment
If you are dealing with a credit card you will always have to pay, either it's a Master Card or Visa, reward card or bonus card, low rate card or the plan with charges, it's a credit and any credit costs money. Why not start saving and using what you actually have, than trying to get more than you can afford? It's true, the system is built on credits, but is it fair for simple purchasing (I'm not talking about buying a house, of course). There're instruments which support financially when it's actually needed (personal loans, for example, you can find out more about urgent loans on onlinepaydaycalifornia.com). Will it be of any use to promote more consuming offering more credit card plan? Not for a long-term perspective.


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One view to rule them all – Tara brings informed development to your team
Software teams know the pain of constantly looking for the "source of truth" for a development project. Tara's latest release starts solving this problem by creating a unified view of everything your team needs for new development in one place.
Tara puts your team's user stories, requirements, specifications, designs, product documents, and more into a single view. This removes barriers like lost links and outdated documents. If you've ever started to build the wrong thing because you had an outdated document link, you know this pain well.
Your team can create and assign tasks to add all the elements of your next feature or application in this view.
Example: changing requirements based on research
Your team is testing early design prototypes during development and you find big pain points. In Tara, you can update the designs and keep the whole team informed.
The design lead creates a new task to update the design document and adds specific follow up comments for the rest of the team. The product manager sees the comments from design and responds. They're all working from one unified story that is consistently up-to-date as it moves through the development life cycle.
Soon you'll be able to link or attach external documents for anything Tara can't import. Eventually, Tara will connect, import, or attach everything your team uses so they can create a clearly understood path for new development.
Tara, we're building the platform for modern product development!

subset: commoncrawl


text: Auto Insurance Autos Insurance Top 7 Significant Tips Necessary to Choose Auto Insurance Company Posted on July 5, 2017 6 min read 0 3,658 Do not let your auto insurance become confusing just because you do not know enough about policies and coverage regulations. If you are like majority of consumers, you are looking for affordable rates along with good customer services. You may also want to confirm how reliable a company is for settling claims. Honesty and transparency in settling claims builds up reputation. Reputation may bring in business but it is customer services – character of doing business – that will realize a company's profits. Here are some tips customers look for commonly to choose their auto insurance companies. Reputation Matters If you are all clear on type of coverage and services you need, proceed in shortlisting a few auto insurance companies. Choose these for comparable prices and services. Online resources give enough references to check out reputation and financial standing. One thing to make sure is whether company is licensed to sell in your state. Look at complaint ratios. Clear Documentation Read and understand your policy in detail. Be comfortable in contacting your service providers to clear your doubts. Trained Company representatives should assist you to accept your underwritten contract. Check for special clauses as per state requirements like cooling off period. If your policy is unsatisfactory, you may return it for cancellation for complete refund of any payments made. Customized Solutions Packages and minimum liability cover are okay for basic coverage. However, for higher coverage personalization of requirements means more options and choices. Auto insurance companies that allow greater freedom in options allow customers to save on premiums over long term. Payment Frequency READ Car Insurance Bad Credit Rating Coverage for Unlucky DriversAuto insurance companies that offer multiple payments options are better. Customers are able to afford premiums with undue stress even through minor financial difficulties. An increasing number of drivers prefer monthly payments to hefty sums for annual policies. Calculating Costs & Benefits Online resources help customers receive several auto insurance quotes from multiple car insurance carriers. Buyers can review prices and services for comparable policies. Policies vary on providing different coverage options. Look for benefits you can use like rentals during breakdown or theft. You can work with an insurance broker for purchasing best policy. Customer Service Auto insurance companies are efficient if they resolve customer issues quickly and satisfactorily. Speak to staff in claims department to see if they are friendly enough and handle queries in professionally capable manner. This will help you determine their services quality. Loyalty Discounts Rewards have become significantly integral to successful marketing and increasing business profits. Rewards good keeps away the bad. Insurers handle a wider range of insurance products. They offer special discounts for multiple requirements or policies serviced through same company. Discounts are great contributors towards savings on premiums. A service provider who understands your needs can offer appropriate coverage. You will get reasonable premiums for your good driving record according to state requirements. Nowadays, online customers prefer convenience of mobile apps, at-home services and cashless networking.


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Two-Party System
When a corrupt oligarchy of any nature controls a country, they will...set up in theory a two-party system, controlling both of these parties, one of which will be solid and conservative and the other as silly as possible. You will hear of the swing of the pendulum, and of going out of office in times of difficulty in order to let the other side get the blame or the unpopularity.
-Ezra Pound
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Feature...CNU 23DALLAS/FORT WORTH 4/29-5/2/2015»»»
Affordable housing
Obama administration announces cabinet-level partnership for sustainable communitiesSubmitted by Kaid Benfield on Thu, 03/19/2009 - 8:09am
This is awesome. Here is an excerpt from yesterday's joint press release: ... read more »
Urbanist, or just urban? A community coming together in East HollywoodSubmitted by Kaid Benfield on Tue, 03/17/2009 - 2:09pm
I spend what is probably way too much time pondering whether there is a difference between "urbanist" and "urban," and whether there should be. ... read more »
Retool America's Post-Oil Economy: CNU's Dan Solomon nails new "national purpose" in San Francisco ChronicleSubmitted by Filmanowicz on Fri, 01/16/2009 - 8:38am
In yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle, CNU co-founder Dan Solomon writes that the US has both the need ... read more »
Simply Enough, Affordable Apartments in High-Rent LocationsSubmitted by sberner on Mon, 06/09/2008 - 12:12pm
In this article from the San Francisco Chronicle, John King addresses the issue of finding affordable housing in a high-rent location for residents who have a lower income than the area's average clie ... read more »
HOPE VI reauthorization passes HouseSubmitted by paytonc on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 4:58pm
HOPE VI, the acclaimed federal grant program for public housing redevelopment that was guided by New Urbanist design principles (see Part One and ... read more »
Two Years Later: Displaced Gulf Coast Residents 'Stuck and Suicidal'Submitted by Joe Menard on Thu, 08/16/2007 - 10:12am
The controversial aftermath of hurricane Katrina has been widely documented - a delayed response from FEMA and charges of racism against the government from affected locals. Two years later many displaced citizens are forced to live in FEMA trailers that offer little comfort or sense of community. ... read more »
Wealthy towns must have affordable homesSubmitted by Michael McAteer on Sun, 07/29/2007 - 8:52am
Rich communities should not be allowed to outsource their obligation to provide affordable housing. A plan to stop packing affordable housing into cities is running into opposition from New Jersey League of Municipalities members. Contending the organization is concerned about urban areas losing reh... read more »
Wrestling Again With the Affordability IssueSubmitted by Ruth Walker on Fri, 05/18/2007 - 4:23pm
Does New Urbanism have anything to contribute to national efforts to develop better housing for the less affluent? ... read more »
Affordable Housing InitiativeSubmitted by aschaefer on Fri, 03/30/2007 - 4:23pm
On March 1, 2007, CNU hosted an Affordable Housing Organizing Meeting to begin the conversation on our specific role in the provision of quality diverse housing, and to establish clear, measurable objectives and ways in which this Initiative can begin to advance them. ... read more »
A Speech by HRH The Prince of Wales to the British Home Builders FederationSubmitted by HDittmar on Sun, 03/11/2007 - 3:39am
A speech by HRH The Prince of Wales to mark a joint initiative between The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment and the Home Builders Federation, Shoreditch, London 1st February 2007 Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so glad that you could join me today. ... read more »


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The "Young Glory Mini" is the miniature version of our standard "Old Glory." The "Young Glory Mini" is tried and true like the Patriots who proudly display her. Each flag is handcrafted by Veterans and Patriots alike. Because of the morals and values instilled in us through service to our country, attention to detail is in our blood. We take extreme pride in in every piece we build - down to the custom assembly and long lasting finish. Young Glory is absolutely stunning and any proud American would be honored to own a quality piece like this.
American Grains is a veteran owned & operated company that specializes in premium made American flags. Laser engraved stars and a UV protectant finish separate us from our competitors. We stand behind our products 100% and strive for outstanding craftsmanship, timely delivery, and a flag that will make you proud to own. Just like every American, every flag is unique and one of a kind.
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June 28, 2012
Safe Lights Program Initiated
All of this is part of a safe life program approved by the owners this year to deal with the chronic lighting problem. Prior to this program, on a typical night, 18-23% of the lights we not working. Additionally, 19% of the lights were not turning off during the day.
The cost to operate this high efficiency 15w bulb for 10-12 hours a day is $6.00 per year. This bulb should last for more than a year. Clean consistent look. Good for safety. Good for the economy.


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As I mentioned in the previous blog post, our Barcelona trip came to a rather sad ending, when we got most of our gear stolen from us with my husband.
Him also being a photographer, we had two cameras, several lenses, his notebook, and some camera accessories, such as memory cards, and batteries. How it happened exactly is still not entirely clear, but we now know this: we will never again take some random shuttle from and to the airport.
Our bag was in the luggage compartment of our airport shuttle when we started the trip to the airport and wasn't there when we arrived. When and how it was precisely stolen, we don't know. We stopped several times, and we picked up several more passengers. We are pretty sure that it was organized, and that the shuttle driver was in on it, but of course, we could not prove any of this so the police could do nothing at all. We of course immediately went to the police station at the airport to file our report, and consequently, we missed our flight home. We then made our way back to our hotel where we could get a room for one more night, and booked flights for the next day.
The concierge at the hotel was the same who checked us in initially, and he saw that we returned. After hearing our story, he treated us with a glass of cava – a lovely gesture that we appreciated greatly.
When we finally made it back to Helsinki after a two-leg flight that seemed endless (and on the day the Brussels air traffic scheduling computers broke down), we had to deal with the aftermath.
Filing insurance claims, assembling all the purchase receipts, all the serial numbers, and then replacing the missing gear. But of course there is always some learning, and now when I travel with my gear, I am more prepared and do more things to prepare for any scenario.
Here are some of the tips to make sure your trip is smooth, and in case of theft or other mishaps, it is easier to bounce back.
1. Save all the receipts
Whether you are traveling for work and having work-related equipment with you, or you are just traveling for fun, you still have valuables. And not just your notebook, or digital camera.
Think about all the possessions you are taking with you that worth more than a hundred euros. Phone, sunglasses, wrist watch, digital camera, camera bag, tablet… whenever you buy something like this, always save the receipt.
I save the paper receipt, but I also make a scan of it and store it in my backups. This is also needed for my accounting, of course, if you don't buy work equipment, you don't need to be this thorough, but better safe than sorry. If you need to make an insurance claim, it will be beneficial to have all these receipts stored.
2. Write down the serial numbers
For every piece of equipment, I take a photo of the serial number with my phone and then store it in my google drive, so it is easy to retrieve it when needed.
If you have anything stolen, the serial numbers will help the police to identify the things, in case they are found. You can also post them in forums, so people can look out on the used equipment ads, and report it if they see something strange.
3. Make sure you have backups
I already wrote a blog post about the importance of backing up your work. Before every trip, make sure the backups are up to date, so in case of theft or gear mishap, you don't lose all your work.
When I travel with my camera and know that I will take photos for work, I always make sure I can back up also as I go. I usually carry an external hard drive, and on my camera, I can save the photos on two memory cards simultaneously, so I have two copies by default. When a memory card is full, I remove it from the camera and put it in a safe location.
4. Always have all your valuables with yourself
Never check in your camera bag on an airplane. Never put anything valuable in your checked in bag, not even memory cards. I think this doesn't need much more explaining.
If you are traveling with an airline that is new to you, always make sure you know their hand luggage policy before your trip.
5. Never take a no-name shuttle company
Always take the official taxi company of the city or public transport. Third party shuttles can be dodgy, with lousy service, and you don't have any leverage over them in case anything should happen.
When you are taking the taxi, pay with card and save the receipt. On it, there is always the time, place, and the identification of the driver, so it is easy to track it down in case it is needed. When you are leaving from the hotel, ask at the reception desk to call a cab for you – most of the times the hotel is partnering up with a good taxi company, and they also have a trace of which cab you took.
6. Check your insurance
Make sure your insurance covers you for the length of the travel, and also for the full value of your gear. Make sure it covers you in the country you are going to, and ask their policy regarding theft and other crimes.
I had to find out after this incident that my insurance that is supposed to cover everything in all countries doesn't cover plain theft, only robbery, and for example, wouldn't cover me in the USA.
Luckily my husband's insurance covered both of us, so this time it was okay at the end, but now I learned never to trust what the insurance salesperson tells me.
These are mostly no-nonsense tips, I know, but it is better to think these through before you absolutely need to retrieve the serial numbers from emails, online accounts, and purchase history at 11 pm at an airport police station, while you are frantically trying to re-book the room you just checked out from a few hours ago. With my husband, we were traveling a lot already before we've met, and this was the first time something like this ever happened to either of us. Hopefully, this was also the last time, and you will never have to go through something like this throughout your travels.
To make this post a bit nicer, here are the photos I took of Timi and Morten on the seashore a bit outside of Barcelona in the most fantastic sunset and lights.


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In Greek mythology, a chimera is a fire-breathing monster made of multiple creatures: a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. In real life, chimeras are rare and not quite as dramatic. But they do exist.
Chimerism is a term in genetics that describes a single organism with two distinct genotypes. Some human twins can be born chimeras, and other people can become genetic chimeras as a result of medical procedures.
Chris Long, an American who had a bone marrow transplant, discovered this firsthand when his genetic tests came back showing not only his own DNA, but also that of his German donor—in his blood, cheeks, and even semen. He learned this because he happens to work in the Washoe County sheriff's office in Nevada.
Long's colleagues in the forensics unit were curious about just what the procedure would do to his DNA. He submitted to their requests to be a human guinea pig. In the four years since the lifesaving transplant, he's been undergoing continual genetic testing at the office.
The forensic experts expected some alterations to Long's DNA as a result of the transplant. The goal had been to replace his blood with his donor's, so that would naturally affect the genetics of his blood. But they never imagined the extent of the change he actually experienced.
By now, the DNA in Long's semen is no longer his own but his donor's. Only the DNA in the hair on his head and chest have remained entirely unchanged. "I thought that it was pretty incredible that I can disappear and someone else can appear," Long told the New York Times.
His colleague at the sheriff's office expressed a similar sentiment. "We were kind of shocked that Chris was no longer present at all," said Darby Stienmetz.
But Long hasn't actually vanished. The changes aren't visible to the eye, and genetic experts told the Times they believe it would be impossible to actually pass on a donor's DNA to a child, despite the semen test results suggesting Long is gone.
Still, his case raises intriguing questions about the reliability of DNA evidence in criminal investigations and prosecutions. That is why Long's colleagues took an interest and how they stumbled upon other situations where DNA evidence didn't necessarily reveal the identity or even gender of the person who left it behind at a crime scene.
In one Korean case, an investigator encountered a victim's body with two distinct sets of DNA, one belonging to a man and another to a woman. It turned out that the dead man had a bone marrow transplant and his daughter was the donor. Her DNA had in part replaced his.
From a biological perspective, it's all fascinating. But from an investigative one, these oddities expose a major problem.
If a chimera like Long, with the DNA of another in his semen, were to commit a rape, for example, genetic testing would lead police astray. Yet juries put a lot of faith in DNA evidence, some say too much. Failing to account for lab mistakes and other mixups, they consider it irrefutable proof, much more reliable than witness testimony or an alibi, say.
Someone falsely accused in that situation would find it very hard to avoid conviction given that belief in the evidence's irrefutability. And, until now, there hasn't been widespread awareness of the fact that some medical procedures may influence an individual's DNA. A donor would probably never realize that their contribution had led to wrongful prosecution.
But Long's situation, which brings existing uncertainty about the reliability of DNA evidence to a whole new level, may change that. It's a fitting contribution to criminology from an employee of a sheriff's office.


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Format Read: paperback copy provided from MediaMuscle
Number of Pages: 379 pages
Release Date: September 25th 2012
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Series: Love Undercover Book 1
Formats Available: Paperback
Purchasing Info: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK) | Author's Website | Goodreads | Publisher's Website
Book Blurb:
When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend's unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her .Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new "construction worker" who's moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs?
My Thoughts:
It saddens me to say so, but Run the Risk disappointed me in many levels. It's not the fact that it is a bad book, or anything as simple as that, but for a Lori Foster book, it is nothing close to what I expect from this author.
I haven't read much from this author, granted, but I have heard so many great things about her writing and her stories, and from the one book I have read of hers, my expectations were pretty high. And having high expectations from a book or an author, never works in my advantage. Never.
Run the Risk is the first book in Lori Foster's new romantic suspense series, Love Undercover, and it's the story of Logan, an undercover detective who will stop at nothing to uncover his best friend's murder and Pepper, sister of the sole witness in the murder case Logan tries to solve. Intriguing enough? I know I was intrigued to no ends as soon as I read that blurb and I just had to read this book immediately. Now that I actually read it, maybe I shouldn't have rushed to it so quickly. Run the Risk was a typical romantic suspense story, with nothing fresh to add to the genre and with a romantic plot that could have been so much better. As it is, neither the plot, nor the romantic part of the story holds something memorable or remarkable. We get an alpha male, a heroine that from an ugly and sitting duck transforms into a swan and an independent woman everyone lusts after and a mystery that is pretty predictable and easy to solve.
My first problem with this book was the main hero, Logan. Granted, from the blurb I knew that he would try to seduce Pepper to serve his own means. That fact on itself is something I don't usually enjoy reading, but if done correctly, I end up loving it. But, Logan and his attitude didn't help matters. He was much too arrogant for my taste, much too certain for his sexual prowess and at times, ruthless. At least that's how I saw him. Pepper on the other hand was an easy victim, who didn't think twice on acting at the exact same way when Logan's betrayal revealed and use him in turn to satisfy her sexual needs. At least Logan had an ulterior motive. Pepper's revenge on him was purely mean. And how could she ever sleep with a man she felt betrayed from is beyond me. So, one could safely assume that the romantic department of the story was a total failure for me. I didn't care neither for Logan nor for Pepper and their happily ever after left me deeply untouched. I couldn't connect with neither of them, almost from the first chapters of the story.
The plot is typical for the genre. Some mystery, some hot scenes, and like I said before, nothing memorable… Especially the first half of the book was boring. The second half was way better and the reason my overall rating of Run the Risk isn't lower. It possessed a certain spark and things finally picked up a bit. Contrary to the first half where all we got to read was how much Logan and Pepper lusted after each other, even if they shouldn't, for their own reasons. And talking about lust and sex between those two, I still can't understand why Pepper was against the whole touching thing. An explanation is given, but from the way she reacted to every touch I assumed something greater was behind her attitude. But now. Nothing great or exciting…
The writing style is good. We are talking about a Lori Foster story here. The writing is expected to be good. As good and sexy are the sex scenes as well, but for a sex scene to work for me and to enjoy it I have to care for the protagonists. If I don't, then even the best written and sexiest scene fells flat for me. And that was the case with every sex scene in this book. I couldn't connect with the heroes, so the spark between them eluded me. It almost felt as if they didn't care for each other and all they wanted was to blow off some steam, and that wasn't the case, believe me, but it surely felt that way at some points.
All in all, Run the Risk is just a good book for me, nothing special, with a set of characters I could feel no real connection and a mystery that was far too predictable. Still, I read it pretty quickly, so that counts for something, right?
I give Run the Risk 2,5 stars
Yes, sometimes our own expectations makes us disappointed, but it is difficult to have none if you like an authors' work.


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Founder and CEO, Women Igniting Change® – a global, purpose driven strategic consulting company that unleashes the contribution of women around the world
Sought after global speaker and women's leadership strategist
Status quo disruptor. Human Rights Activist. Female Change Agent. Global Citizen.
Staunch advocate for the economic empowerment, rights, and well being of women and girls around the world
Founder and CEO, CORA Women's Empowerment Initiative – building economic empowerment centers for women in the developing world to elevate them into the formal sectors of the economy
Staunch advocate for the economic empowerment, rights, and well being of women and girls around the world
Co-Chair, Board of Advisors, Center for Leadership & Service, University at Albany
U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda's AVEGA Agahozo, an organization comprised of 20,000 widows of the Rwanda Genocide Against the Tutsi
Designated as a Human Rights Champion by the United Nations Association of the USA (Atlanta Chapter)
Delivered Keynote address for 170th anniversary of 1st Women's Rights Convention
Awarded American Heart Association's New York State Business Development Award
Has had the honor of working with women leaders in 14 countries on 6 continents
Highly successful businesswoman with 25+ years of experience in sales and marketing, training and business development
Regional Sales Director, Hearst Media – Responsible for overseeing a $15 million department, a management team of 6 and a sales force of 64 people
Director of Corporate Relations, American Heart Association – Increased market retention from 40 percent to 80 percent in 2 years and increased American Heart Walk revenue by 460 percent through corporate sponsorships and fundraising activities
Developed and presented numerous training programs at local, statewide and national conferences including Building Corporate Relationships, Creating Customer Loyalty, Customer Retention and Developing Recognition and Cultivation Programs


text:
Sonya Voumard's book marking the 20th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre is a story about stories: Who writes them, who owns them and what happens when the two get muddled, writes Christopher Kremmer.
In this edited excerpt of the 2016 Gandhi Oration, Peter Greste, the Australian journalist jailed on confected terrorism charges in Egypt, reflects on how governments and extremists are using the War on Terror as cover for their attacks on freedom of speech.
The media is being used as a weapon of both governments and extremists in a war of competing worldviews, Australian journalist Peter Greste has told an audience at UNSW's Gandhi Oration.
Award-winning journalist Peter Greste will deliver UNSW's 2016 Gandhi Oration in a free public lecture on Friday 29 January.
Industry leaders will come together to discuss the future of journalism at a joint UNSW-Walkley Foundation roundtable this week.
UNSW media student Annalise Bolt has won a prestigious scholarship from The Walkley Foundation to work at 60 Minutes and Nine News.
The Guardian's Nick Davies did what few reporters do. He investigated journalists themselves, writes David McKnight.
In his efforts to bring governments to account, Julian Assange practices a genre of journalism that is sadly lacking in contemporary media, writes Christopher Kremmer.
Two UNSW journalism students will spend their summer working in Indonesia's dynamic media scene after being awarded New Colombo Plan grants to take up internships in Jakarta.
David Folkenflik's book is a well written account of some of the most dramatic events surrounding Murdoch's career and impact, but there are some odd absences, writes David McKnight.


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Browns star CB Ward returns from foot injury, practicing
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Cleveland Browns secondary got back a primary piece.
Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Monday and will practice for the first time since Cleveland's training camp opened. He had been sidelined with a sprained left foot.
Ward was hurt during Cleveland's final practice of minicamp in June and has been restricted to working on the side with trainers in camp.
"It's great," coach Kevin Stefanski said of Ward's return. "He's been working very hard inside and out here, so ready to get back on the field, and obviously we're excited about getting him back out here."
Stefanski said Ward will be eased back "appropriately" before he's cleared to be a full participant in practice.
Stefanski said "we'll see" when asked if Ward will be back when the Browns host the Philadelphia Eagles for practices on Thursday and Friday before hosting them in an exhibition Sunday.
The Browns remain without All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, who was excused from his second straight practice. Stefanski did not give a reason for Garrett's absence and said he didn't know when he'd return.
It was also a rough day for three rookies as center Dawson Deaton (knee), wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. (ankle) and DE Isaiah Thomas (hand) left practice early.
Dawson tore his anterior cruciate ligament, the second Browns center to suffer a serious knee injury in days after starter Nick Harris got hurt in Friday's exhibition opener and will likely undergo season-ending surgery.
Dawson was drafted in the seventh round from Texas Tech.
Thomas, another seventh-round pick from Oklahoma, had two sacks in Friday's exhibition win over Jacksonville.
The 25-year-old Ward signed a five-year, $105 million contract extension in April, a deal that at the time made him the NFL's highest-paid cornerback.
The No. 4 overall pick in 2018, Ward had three interceptions last season, including one against Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow that he returned 99 yards for a touchdown in the Browns' 41-16 win.
Cleveland's defensive backfield has been undermanned lately. Not only was Ward out, but starting cornerback Greg Newsome II is dealing with a hamstring injury sustained last week. Stefanski doesn't expect Newsome to be sidelined long.
NOTES: Running backs coach Stump Mitchell said he hasn't gotten the best out of RB Kareem Hunt, who recently sat out of some drills while pushing to get a contract extension. "He's a physical, talented guy," Mitchell said. "I have to get him to play within our system and then, you all have not seen the best of Kareem, by no stretch of the imagination." ... Stefanski again expressed confidence QB Jacoby Brissett can handle being a long-term starter if Deshaun Watson is suspended for the season. "He has been sharp since April," Stefanski said. "I've been very impressed by Jacoby. Very comfortable with him. Understand his skillset. I think he has a very good understanding of what we are trying to do offensively." ... DE Jadeveon Clowney had an excellent practice, batting down one pass and being disruptive on rushes.
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL


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Wow. I am going to make this spoiler free so it may be vague and it may not be very insightful. Also, I'll probably come back later on and write a better review so I won't feel bad adding spoilers then. But now, it's just too new for me to spoil it.
Whew. I think that this was a great book. It took me through Mac's highs and lows, it pushed me and pulled me in so many different directions I began to feel like the Sinsar Dubh was this book and it has not only been stalking me, but my friends as well, for the past year.
I also want to mention that Barrons said "not to believe anything was dead until I'd burned it, poked around in its ashes, then waited a day or two to see if anything rose from them."
The only thing I didn't like was Mac's over-analyzing herself to no end. Literally it started when the Beast died and didn't end until the book did. That wouldn't bother me except Mac would say that she was done labeling herself, didn't need a label for others…and then she'd start wondering who she was. Again. And she'd figure herself out, for a while, and go back to trying to figure out who/what she was.
The only thing that made it work, is that Mac was conscious of doing it.
But back to the actual book. Wow. I had several WTF?! moments. And OMG moments, and I think a lot of questions were answered…But a lot of questions were brought up as well. I know 2 things: 1) The next series will be set in the Fever world…the NEW Fever world. 2) the title of that series was in Shadowfever. I don't know who (I thought it was Christian MacKeltar) and I never saw anything that jumped out and screamed "title" at me. If anyone knows, PLEASE tell me!
The ending was a good ending for Mac…and a bit of a non-ending for the Fever world. I'm assuming that it will lead into the next series for the unknown main character (who I still think is Christian-there were just too many unknowns with him).
V'Lane- ummm…never saw that coming.
Barrons- saw that coming
Mac- WTF moment! That's what she is?! I had NO CLUE!!!
Dani- Wow…that, well, wow. didn't see that coming either.
Mini spoiler:
Adam Black, Daegus, Drustan, Cian and Christopher MacKeltar are in this one. Adam Black…sigh…
expected more from him though
And I'll leave you with this:
Instead of THE END typed at the bottom of the last page, it says:
The End… and the next page says …for now…
ETA: this is from KMM's website:
… I may find myself at some point in the future, dying to re-visit the Highlands again and totally in the mood to lose myself in love for no other purpose than love's sake.
I guess the answer is: no plans to write a straightforward Highlander romance right now but I never say never.
Remember, the Keltars figure prominently in the Fever series, and Christian will be getting his own play–just not the way I did it in my Highlander series. I need a little more nitty, gritty reality in his tale. He's becomes quite the complex man.


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Throughout the entire history of the Church only men have been permitted to serve as priests and bishops. This is not a tradition that merely stems from the inequality between men and women in the ancient world. From the very beginning priesthood has been a service of spiritual fatherhood. A woman can be a mother, wife or daughter, but she cannot be a father. And while motherhood is not inferior to fatherhood, its mission, service and vocation are different. Only a child knows what distinguishes fatherhood from motherhood even though he cannot express it in words. The difference between spiritual fatherhood, and any other form of service is known to every Christian who has a spiritual father. The Orthodox Church takes a negative view of the recent introduction of women priesthood in some Protestant communities. This is not simply because Orthodoxy is traditional and conservative, neither does Orthodoxy wish to denigrate women or consider them lower than men. It is because Orthodoxy, taking fatherhood in the Church very seriously, does not want it to vanish by entrusting to women a service alien to them. Within the Church's organism every member carries out particular functions and is irreplaceable. There is no substitute for fatherhood and if the Church were to lose it she would be deprived of her integrity and fullness by becoming a family without a father or an organism without all of its necessary members.
It is in this sense that we can understand the Christian attitude toward marriage and the role of the woman in the family. The Christian family is a 'small church' created in the image of Christ's Church. According to apostolic teaching, it is the husband, not the wife, who is the head of the family. However, the headship of the man does not entail inequality. The power of the man is the same power of love as Christ's power in the Church: 'As the Church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her... Let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects the husband' (Eph 5:24-25; 33). The headship of the husband is his readiness to sacrifice himself in the same way as Christ loves the Church. As head of the family the husband must love and respect his wife: 'Likewise you husbands, live considerately with your wives, bestowing honor on the woman as the weaker sex, since you are joint heirs of the grace of life' (1 Peter 3:7). It is not inequality, but a harmonious unity that retains different functions which should exist in both family and the Church. For if the family is a domestic Church, then the Church is a large family.
The fatherhood of the priest is not limited by his function as head and guide of the community. In fact, leadership of the community is sometimes entrusted to a woman. For example, Orthodox convents are always under the guidance of an abbess who directs not only the nuns but also the priests who serve the convent. In the convents of the Byzantine era there were female elders who had the right to hear the nuns' confessions. Even the sacrament of Baptism in special circumstances can be carried out validly and legally by a woman, for example, if the candidate is on the verge of death and there is no priest at hand.
However, there are no instances in Church history when women served the Liturgy or ordained priests, as now is the case in some Protestant communities. The priest celebrating the Eucharist symbolizes Christ, God who has become man, a male. The Church attaches great importance to liturgical symbolism: in the Orthodox understanding of symbolism, between the symbol and the reality there is a direct interdependence so that, should the symbol be changed, there is a change of the reality which stands behind it.
There were, however, in the early Church deaconesses with a wide range of obligations. For example, they helped the bishop perform the sacrament of Baptism and took part in the celebration of the Eucharist. The question of whether to restore the institution of deaconesses is now open for discussion in the entire Orthodox Church. It can be answered positively by a Pan-Orthodox Council, if such a Council would ever be convened. In actual fact, many important and irreplaceable services within the Church akin to those of deaconesses in the early Church are carried out by women today: they bake the bread for the Eucharist, read and sing in church and quite often direct the choir.


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I have sold a property at 4786 Amblewood DR in VICTORIA.
Gorgeous Home On High Side Of Amblewood. Main Level Has 2 Good Sized Bedrooms,Laundry & Large Bright Familyroom/Kitchen. Inline Living Room/ Dining Room With Vaulted Ceilings. Kitchen/Familyroom Boast Large Picture Windows & 2 Sets Of Sliding Doors That Walk Out To Private Gardens & Sundecks. Downstairs, 2 More Bedrooms, Familyroom & Gamesrooms. Perfect For Teens Or Home Office. Well Maintained And A Pleasure To Show.


text:
Life is just not fair sometimes. A lot of the time. I'll never understand God's plan and why he takes the ones he does, and when he takes them. I received a phone call out of the blue, the Sunday before Christmas, asking if I was at all available to squeeze in a last minute newborn...
Simply beautiful! They will treasure those forever. I m glad you were " called " to shoot these Angels. Thank you for sharing !
Simply beautiful! God does work in mysterious ways and HE places individuals on the paths that he designed, though we may never understand the "why". William was here but for a moment, now thanks to you a glimpse of his moment is captured forever. Wonderful work and thank you for not denying this family those precious memories.
These are beautiful photos and gorgeous babies. I shed tears for these parents as I can only imagine the heartbreak they've been through. Best wishes and love to all of you. Keep taking fantastic pictures, Lindsey.
[…] Lindsey Brown, a professional photographer, heard about the family's limited time together and squeezed in a last-minute newborn session. […]
As I read the story my eyes started to fill with tears, and then I realized that this beautiful boy was with our Lord. All-though unfair, unbearable, and heartbreaking, he has a plan for us all. The lord needed William, and against all odds or the miracle of God, William got to breath in this world and spend sometime with his parents, sister, and fur-babies. And you got to take some forever memories for the family to forever cherish of their stunning son William. I am so sorry to this beautiful family. Prayers are with you. I am a photographer myself, and I would have done the same, so that they could have the beautiful memories you gave them.
God saw you getting tired, a cure not meant to be. So he put his arms around you and whispered, "Come with me." With tearful eyes we watched you and saw you fade away, although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, your tender hands at rest. God took you home to prove to us he only takes the best.
You are an amazing photographer! You have master captured a very precious few moments of this family's lives that they will cherish and remember for always! Very beautifully done. That sweet little Williams eyes though! I just fall into them and can feel his soul! Thank you AND this family for sharing such a treasured moment, and God bless you all. Thank You Lord for the special treasured gift of life, here and after. Rest in peace little angel. <3
All I want to share is that I do believe in 'ANGELS' ….and your little one are amongst all others!! One day….you'll have your wings too!! ♥
Wow! Those are just amazing photos. You are so talented. I am so happy you were able to do this shoot – the photos truly are going to be treasured forever. I found them incredibly moving. William looks like a wise little man! They are beautiful babies and the pictures are just wonderful. I think the story and pictures touched a lot of people's hearts. I hope they bring some comfort to the parents.
[…] ภาพจาก Lindsey Brown […]
[…] ภาพจาก Lindsey Brown […]
[…] life, the Brentlingers turned to photographer friend Lindsey Brown, who squeezed them in for a beautiful photo shoot that would give the family memories of William to cherish for years to […]
This story touched me greatly. It is a painful yet joyous reminder that though we may never truly understand why some things happen, it was an absolute gift to experience that beautiful baby for 11 days. Even in the brevity of his time with us, I know William's life has impacted many. He is certainly in good and loving hands. God bless this family.
Cannot stop crying, such beautiful pictures and memories that will last a lifetime. Reagan will definatly have a guarding angel for life!!!! ❤❤
It's not fear that such a small creature-a little angel was taken away. The pictures show their perfectness. The story made me cry. Life is unfair.
Amazing photos!
What Beautiful Photos of these two beautiful babies. They moved me to tears. What a wonderful way to capture these moments of William before his passing.
How beautiful!! What a story and "their story" told in photograph. I am in awe of you and those parents. God bless them. William is beautiful as is Reagan. One day Reagan will understand just how special they both are!! Again, amazing!! Much love and blessings to you and to this family!
Wow! Never have seen such fleeing beauty cause me to cry. How amazing that these souls found each other and left such an indelible mark on one another. May your souls cross paths again.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful family.
[…] "Doch dieses war anders", schreibt die Fotografin auf ihrer Hompage. […]
Incredible photographs that brought tears to my eyes! Beautiful images of two children with their parents will live on! God Bless!
Good Lord..so so precious…No words needed! God Bless!
That you for your"calling" and giving this family beautiful memory keepsakes.
Thank you Lindsey for sharing this beautiful story and you amazing photographs! You were so kind to fit these lovely people into your busy schedule. I'm sending love and prayers to all of you. Like other people have commented, I believe God had special plans for beautiful William. I'm so glad that his parents, sister and family had 11 wonderful days to hold and love him. My brother and his wife experienced a similar situation 21 years ago. A couple months into the pregnancy they were told they were having twins. The whole family was elated. A short time later the doctor told them there was a problem with one of the babies and it would not survive to even be born. So we grieved, but when the 9th month came we had a beautiful new baby boy to love. He's had several medical issues in his lifetime but believe his sister, now his angel, has been watching over him. He's now a junior in college and continues to amaze us. Peace and love to all of you!❤
Thank You for sharing.
To the parents, I'm praying for your comfort and even more strength. For it took strength to get you through it and come to this point. Thank You for sharing. I hope you will consider becoming an ear and a voice for future parents facing the same. Many need the wisdom you've obtained through your journey.
They will be blessed by it.
God Bless You.
I'm from Brazil and I knew about Reagen & Willian story.
I loved that you went to do this work.
It's a sad story but it was important for that parents.
Congrats for your big heart and excellent work!
I loved to see all the pics.
Beautiful, can't stop crying. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story. William is their guardian angel now. I've experienced a situation 26 yrs ago, however we didn't get a chance to photograph our daughter when she was born pre-maturely. All we have is a Polaroid that is fading and she passed away 3 days later. She is our guardian angel, God Bless.
[…] children-based photography and hails from Whitehouse, Ohio. In 2016, she found herself to be quite busy, especially in the final weeks of the year, and actually had to turn away business in order to stay […]
These pictures are so beautiful. They are so lucky to have you photograph their children. I wish them well and William, RIP.
So much love.
Job well done.
What a handsome little man, and a pretty little girl… Sometimes we do wonder why things happen the way they do but in saying that I have no doubt that the little man had issues in his little body that the Lord felt he did not need to suffer with. I also have no doubt that the lives of this precious family have been saved because of this little man. And although the Lord has take him home he is now whole and healed from all and any sickness that would have been painful for him and his family to endure. So he can now rest and sad as it is Mommy and Daddy will take care of his sissy and be at peace knowing now that Sweet baby William is now in the care of his creator and the BEST doctor for him… Thank u Lord for blessing all of us with the photos and for sharing this little guy and his sister with all of us.. I have no doubt his life is being used in to many ways to count.. I will get to meet him one day and hopefully many others that came to know Jesus because of his life.
Even through eyes that were continuously filled with tears, these are the most beautiful photos, and babies, I have seen. As a mother, and a twin mother, I can't even begin to imagine how special these moments are for your family. Looking into William's gentle and soft eyes have so deeply touched my heart – perfection doesn't begin to describe him. I know he will be the perfect angel to watch over and guide his sister – their bond is even deeper and stronger. Sending love and peace to you all, and know that so many people are keeping you in their prayers xoxo
Pretty as doves😇 Blessings to the family with such beautiful memories❤
These are some of the most beautiful pictures I have seen, and very thoughtful and loving and sensitive. Beautiful Babies.
i was so inspired by this story I wrote a poem called Borrowed Angel… Please share it with William's parents Thanks
She borrowed an angel from God's heaven
Quietly he came into this world,
followed by his best friend, his sister; twins
they shared the secret language of babies
across soft pillows and downy blankets.
For eleven days she whispered soft sonnets"
into his tiny ears, his little fingers
ten miracles that formed his hands too weak
to grasp long that what we call "life."
For eleven days her heart sang to his
tiny heart, beating out of rhythm
lullabies wrapping tight around him
fragile as flowers on a windy day,
His eyes wide and blue. deep and knowing
it seemed; with gentle acceptance of fate
defying all odd sharing his short life
\with his mother, his father, his sister.
An angel only borrowed, still loved by all
leaving behind bouquets of shared moments
frozen;forever captured and arranged in
photographs framed with ribbons of remembrance
This poem was inspired by William who was on loan from God for only 11 days..,
Precious are we, we are precious to laugh, learn, live, and love. Now if we all can keep that in mind: Laugh, learn, live, and Love one and all! Blessed to view such Blessing Photos!
Love by Pam DeMuynck
Dear Parents: Being a female fraternal twin of a girl/boy set, I am touched by your story. I send prayers, strength & comfort. God blessed William with life, although brief, as He wanted you to meet, to look into each other eyes, to hear each other's voices, to learn a bit about each other & to embrace each other, so close, so loving. William felt safeguarded & loved. God tasked William with accompanying Reagan into the world, leaving her in your loving & capable hands. You now have your own angel in heaven. I do as well, a few in fact. Reagan is your angel on earth. William will guard over your family. Be open to the reminders, the emotions, the awareness of William's presence. William is with the Lord. Stay close to each other and to God, enjoy all that Reagan has to offer. May God abundantly bless you and your family. May He grant you His peace.
To The Photographer And Parents:
These photos are heartfelt, capturing the essence of the hour spent together before physical departure. One of the pictures overwhelmed me to the point where I was inspired to write. I hope you don't mind.
"Snuggled and surrounded by white
Such a lovely and beautiful Sight
William's Cap, masculine and Grey
Reagan's Flower, united to say
I am so happy to know
My Twin is here to show
His everlasting love, bonded with me
His Right Hand Supporting – See
We will always be TOGETHER
In spirit and in heart FOREVER
MOMMY and DADDY as well
Such a BEAUTIFUL story to tell."
thanks for sharing
Oh what sweet angels – thanks for sharing. R.I.P. William. So sorry for your loss!
This is so sad I can't stop crying even though we know this precious baby is in the arms of Jesus. Yes sometimes we don't understand why things happen as they do BUT I'm glad that they got sometime with him. Even though a life may last just for a moment but memories can make that moment last forever. Praying for the family.
I am praying for you all as you celebrate and grieve for the brief life of your son. I know we don't understand why things happen the way they do, I am so happy that you were able to be with him and love him.
Your twins are so beautiful! What a wonderful gift from heaven.
Love the pictures. Promise to always take care of them and raise them to be respectable children and adults.
[…] Please check out Lindsey Brown's work on her website and Facebook page. The original photos and story can also be found on her official blog. […]
beautiful story of the twins.
Baby Will is gonna be his twin's protector and she should be told about him!
[…] children-based photography and hails from Whitehouse, Ohio. In 2016, she found herself to be quite busy, especially in the final weeks of the year, and actually had to turn away business in order to stay […]
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JAY-Z Impresses at Made in America Festival 2017
Earlier this month, some of the biggest names in music came together for the Made In America music festival. The multi-day Philadelphia festival was founded by Jay-Z, who also headlined.
According to Billboard:
Jay-Z shattered the Rocky Stage with a blistering performance of "Bam." With Damian Marley right by his side, the Brooklyn MC's slick bravado had the crowd entranced. "Oh, it's gonna be a special night tonight," Hov said.
The rapper then delved into earlier classics, including "PSA" from 2003's Black Album and "Heart of the City" from his notorious 2001 album, The Blueprint.
Billboard continued:
Jay's flawless ability of weaving in and out of generations and providing multiple medleys, proved to be a shining point during his performance. First, he glided through "Moonlight" and his socially-charged record "The Story of O.J.," before skating past classic records like "Izzo" and "Big Pimpin'."
Before closing out the night, the lights went dark, and many assumed the show was over. Instead, the man of the weekend surprised fans with special guest, Meek Mill.
Meek Mill popped up and gave an earth-shattering performance of "Dreams & Nightmares." Hov returned on set and jumped into some more B-side records, including "Hola Hovito" and "Allure." To close things out, Jay recited his new poem, "Dream On," which perfectly encapsulates his rise from Marcy Projects.
We can't wait to see what Jay-Z has in store for Sacramento this December!