Family Mini Session
Carmel, Indiana
9/2020
Disclaimer-- I have had a rather rough two weeks. I don’t want to bore you with facts but I feel like it's my duty to share a bit of my story and some of what I've learned from it. I'm sure that disclaimer really makes you want to keep reading..?? :)
2 weeks ago Sunday, my sweetheart had the idea to wash our mattress cover. In the back of my mind- I was screaming “No!” but I didn’t have a real reason to object so I said nothing. Fast forward to Monday- itchy. And Tuesday- itchier. (I didn’t even know it was possible to be itchier than itchy.)
Long story short- I now know why I was screaming on the inside. It was actually going to be a perfect precursor for how I would feel for the next two weeks as I would wash, lint roll (sticky stuff helps), flashlight inspect, and vacuum our laundry and bedroom 1,000 times over.
Why might you ask? After lots of research I've learned- memory foam mattresses are extremely flammable. So to protect consumers, manufacturers made them safe by wrapping them in a fire retardant. That’s something that stops fire in its tracks. Our manufacturer chose fiberglass.
Many times I have wished, even tried, to take off my “adult” hat in hopes that it would dissolve the problem. It didn’t work so instead I worked tirelessly to remove all the fiberglass from our clothes.
I don’t know if you all know much or anything about it but- if you only learn a handful of things about it in your whole life to help guide your decisions regarding it, let it be these things--
1) Take the time now to go look at the tag on your mattress cover. If it says- Do not remove. Your bed very likely has fiberglass in it- either in the inner cover or in the mattress itself. Leave the cover on, save up, and as soon as you can haul it to the curb for garbage pick up and buy a fiberglass free mattress. I promise. I’m saving you in the long run.
2) If you ever have a brush in with fiberglass (I sincerely hope you never do), you can wash it out with a lot of patience and hot water. Some pro tips- run an empty load to flush out your washing machine in between loads and if you shine a flashlight on whatever you are washing- you will be able to see the fibers easier.
As of today- we are 98% fiberglass free…
I'm still working on the last 2%.
So… after all of this, my husband said- “Yvette, reschedule your session.” I didn’t and headed to my session anyway.
All this adulting left me feeling tired and frankly quite heavy.
Then- this family showed up. I put my camera around my neck and spent the next hour laughing, tickling, and saying “yellow” (inside joke!).
As I did everything else fell away. For that hour- I felt like I was floating. On my drive home- my mind turned to this quote.
“What I want in my life is to be willing to be dazzled… To cast aside the weight of facts and maybe even float a little above this difficult world.” – Mary Oliver
This family is nothing short of dazzling. Not even the heaviest of obstacles could keep me from them. Aside from avoiding fiberglass entirely, please find something that you love and do it often. It will be the escape you need in the moment that you need it… believe me!
I love you, Futrell Family.
Until next time.
-Yvette Cherie