Posted on April 18, 2012
.
I was so excited to photograph Emily for her first birthday because I hadn’t seen her since she was an itty bitty newborn! Like typical one year olds, Emily loved to be on the move! She wasn’t in the mood for sitting still and every time she got excited, she stuck out that little tongue 
My favorite part about Emily’s photos is her amazing blue eyes. Crystal blue, bright and sparkling. What a doll baby
Here are a few shots from our morning together. Thank you mom and dad for bringing me your baby girl!
I love that Emily was totally unsure if she was allowed to eat the cake. “Ummm, are you SURE I can do this, mom??” So sweet
Posted on April 12, 2012
.
When I think of romance, I think of southern love and characters from novels like Gone with the Wind, Cold Mountain and The Notebook. I picture men and women who love completely and kiss hard. I picture couples who hold hands when no one is looking and steal kisses while the other sleeps. There was just something so vibrant and electric about Taylor and Blake. I could feel the longing, the love, the passion these two have for each other. And like a good book, I was pulled in and captivated by their story.
Taylor and Blake’s mom flew in from Alabama the day before and I met them in the barracks parking lot that night. It was dark, cold and there would be no fanfare for this homecoming. We waited for just 6 guys who would ultimately be dropped off by a van and suddenly appear from the darkness. As we waited, we could hear the cheers from a larger homecoming around the corner. Taylor waited as patiently as she could. Blake texted her with updates on his location. First from the gate into base, then from the armory, and then asking her if she could hear the honking from the truck carrying their gear. Yes, we could hear the honking, but it was so dark no one had any idea where to look or focus their attention. And then without warning, there they were. A handful of tall men, making their way to their families. Taylor took off in a sprint and in true romantic fashion, jumped into Blake’s arms. These two are clearly crazy about each other and as you’ll see, they couldn’t really keep their hands off one another. It was such a joy to witness that kind of young, fearless love you only read about in books.
I’d like to congratulate these two on their upcoming wedding back in Alabama and wish them a lifetime of smiles. Here is their homecoming story…
Posted on April 8, 2012
.
I could see the anticipation in her eyes, the tension in her hands, a pout on her lips like they were excited and yet so nervous for that second first kiss. Seven months had passed and in mere moments her Marine would be close enough to smell, close enough to touch. Close enough to place his hands on her belly where their first child was growing, waiting to hear the echoes of daddy’s voice.
It’s difficult enough to imagine spending all that time away from your husband while he serves overseas in a combat zone. Now imagine that he left soon after your wedding– so soon that you two never had a chance to set up a home or enjoy that blissful honeymoon stage. And then imagine telling your husband from thousands and thousands miles away that you two will be expecting your first child just weeks after he comes home. It’s a hard hand to accept, but it’s one that military wives are dealt all the time. Luckily, some gals have amazing support systems while their husbands are deployed. Stephanie is one of those gals. Her parents and sister stood at her side on the parade deck, anxiously awaiting for one Marine in particular to march through the fog and into Stephanie’s arms. She texted him, “How will you find me?” He responded, “I have gorgeous wife radar.” It was a bit of a frantic hunt to find him amongst the camouflage, but once she did, Stephanie melted in her husband’s arms. Later, when they were alone, they opened a sealed envelope Stephanie had been holding onto for a few months. Inside it said, “GIRL.”
I’m so happy to share with you this amazing couple’s homecoming story. As you can seen, they’re over-the-moon-in-love and I’m thrilled for them to start their life together as a family. Congratulations
Posted on April 5, 2012
.
Where we love is home,
Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.
~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Homecomings are, as expected– full of emotion. Anxiety and nervousness, hope and joy, sometimes fear, and always love. But there’s an unmatched, all-consuming excitement when a wife and mother is preparing to introduce her husband to their son for the very first time. I was so honored and extatic to be a part of the R Family’s homecoming. Watching Dad embrace his daughter and then hold his baby boy for the first time was inspiring and exhilarating. I did my best to fight back tears that night, and admittedly, I have to fight a little more each time I look at these photos. In these images I see a brave family, a strong family, a complete family. I see love. And though war may separate us, it is that love that holds everything together in time of absence.
Here is the R Family’s homecoming through my eyes…
