Aymee & Lynette: A Love Story Remembered

Aymee & Lynette were each other's soul mates.  They met in the early summer of 2006 and felt an immediate connection. Although they faced adversity from outside forces, their union was the blessing they both had been searching for.  

On June 3, five years after they first met, the fun loving ladies were married.  Life was good.  They were inseparable and their union grew everyday.

Then tragedy hit. One day Lynette was riding her motorcycle, and the next day she was lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life.  Aymee was by her side every step of the way.  Despite severe complications Lynette was a fighter and showed signs of recovery.  The road would be long, but Aymee took her vows "in sickness and in health" very serious and would be by her wife's side, loving her through it all. 

Then, again without warning, Lynette was gone and Aymee was left to navigate life without her soul mate.

This past Christmas was the first holiday Aymee would be spending alone.  She reached out to family and friends and asked, if they felt moved, could they send small items that would help her memorialize Lynette.  That's when a mutual friend of ours reached out to me.  She really admired these two ladies and wanted to have me design a personalized gift for them.  After going back and forth on a variety of items, Marcia decided to have me create a memorial table for Aymee & Lynette.

Lynette's favorite colors were hot pink and neon green, so that would be the color pallet.  

Also, they would often say to each other, "Live everyday as if it's a gift.  That's why we call it a present." So this quote had to be incorporated as well.  

Lynette called her bride "sweet pea" and Amyee affectionately referred to Lynette as "babee girl". These would need to be represented too, but most of all she wanted butterflies.  

Aymee felt that butterflies symbolized freedom. 

"Therefor, we are free to love whomever we fall in love with." 

Butterflies would be the focal point.  

With all this beautiful inspiration I started to paint.  As I reflected on the memorial table set before me I couldn't help but feel so sad for Aymee's loss, yet inspired to create a piece that would represent Lynette's love of life, as well as, the love these two women shared.  I was emotionally invested.

The heart with wings is something that came to me one night when I couldn't sleep.  I often will find inspiration during these times.  I felt it was wonderfully symbolic of  Lynette and decided to include it, along with their wedding day.

I think Aymee was touched by her memorial table. 

 I know I was touched by their story. 

I hope you were too.  

I am so honored to be apart of people's lives this way. 

REMEMBER:

"Live everyday as if it's a gift.  That's why we call it a present."