Matt, Brittne, + Payton | family

Family is beautiful and the more time I spend behind the camera capturing families (especially with little ones), the more I realize how crazy important it is to be focused and present in every moment I spend with people. Matt and I went to the same high school and his brother, Josh (who also went to the same high school!), just happens to be married to one of my best friends, Amy. The one thing that Amy warned me about before this session? "Don't fall in love with Payton!" And, well, it's just impossible not to fall in love with all of them. 

Ben & Summer | maternity

First, I'd like to say that I'm going to try my hardest not to get overly mushy in this post. Please bear with me OR kindly scroll through the paragraphs below to some pretty cute photos of two people who clearly missed their calling as models... 

You may or may not know this already depending on how much you follow me on social media, but Summer and I have been friends our entire lives. Our parents attended the same church together and 27 years ago, we were born about one month apart and we have been friends ever since. I've said it probably a thousand times (or more) in my life, but having a friend to walk through so many seasons of life with is amazing. She is, as they say, my person. Though we've gone through times of not talking much, we've also really never known a life without each other. She gets me, I don't need to explain why I am the way that I am or share the reasons behind some of my quirkiest qualities... because she already knows. It is an incredible treasure to be known by someone and still be loved by them. 

Summer is warm, funny, beautiful, loving, real, strong, intelligent, and simple in the way that she knows what's important to her and she doesn't let life's junk complicate it. I love that about her and she challenges me to do the same just by being her. She is that trustworthy friend who everyone longs for. I know that whatever I share with her, my deepest hurts and most embarrassing moments - they're safe. She has always been fiercely independent and she's always been confident in who she is. I'm going to sound like a cheeseball here, but whatever - her laugh is the best and one of the reasons I love being in her company is because it means laughing to the point of my stomach aching. It refreshes my soul and helps me work on my abs (LOL). When we're together, we can just BE. I can't tell you how many times she has put up with a simultaneously sobbing and giggling Andrea. Yes, sobbing and giggling, because I'm INSANE and she has always been around to keep my emotions grounded and giggle along with me when I'm being crazy. And her husband, Ben... Oh, Ben. I spent most of my life thinking that there was absolutely no way anyone could be good enough for my best friend. Really. I seriously thought it was impossible and if you know Summer, you will understand why. Then came Ben, this guy who has treasured her heart from the moment he began his pursuit; who always shows up and gives his everything to all that he does; who complements her strength with his quiet sensitivity; who visibly seeks to bring out the best in her; who takes care of her with his life in a way that honestly never stops amazing me. And can I share something sort of embarrassing but also very honest with you? He is really so great that I still have these moments when I wonder if he might actually be a robot because he is just so LEGIT. If you know Ben, you probably understand this... HOW IS HE SO LEGIT?!

All of this is to say, I love these people wholeheartedly. I am overjoyed to see them grow together and now, take on new titles as "father" and "mother." I know they will love Baby M and raise him to be a confident, strong, loving, and faithful man of Christ. And I can't wait for the years to come to be there watching and cheering them on. 

So... let's pretend that I didn't sob my way through all of that and move on to some cute photos of these two expecting friends of mine.  

Kurt & Katelyn | married

Kurt and Katelyn share a love that weathers all things, believes the best, and lifts you up within only moments of meeting them. Why? Because they love Christ first and it fuels their love for one another AND for everyone around them. When I first met Katelyn, I immediately felt at home with her as though we'd been friends for years. I think this is one of the most beautiful things about her. And when Brent and I met both Kurt and Katelyn for their engagement session, we were cracking jokes and laughing and talking about life right away. If Katelyn is laughing, Kurt is definitely nearby. And if Kurt is grinning, he's probably beside his beautiful bride. 

October 1st, 2016, is a day that I won't soon forget. Easygoing, fun-loving, and just plain wonderful. 

Jordan & Jenna | married

It's difficult for me to find the words to describe Jordan and Jenna's wedding day. It was FULL. Full of love, full of encouragement, full of joy, full of tears, full of laughter, full of Jesus, FULL OF FUN. And it was beautiful - by far, one of the most beautiful days I've ever been a part of. Not because of Jenna's flawless makeup or her amazing custom dress, or Jordan's straight-out-of-GQ suit, or the crazy perfect weather we had. It was because of Jesus. As soon as you meet them, God's hand in their lives and in bringing them together is so very evident - and they're not shy at all about sharing it. I love it! 

When I look back through the images from their day, tears fill my eyes like they did in those very moments. Remembering the overwhelming emotion while their loved ones joined them in worship during the ceremony; the moment that Jenna's father saw her in her dress; the anticipation on Jordan's face as he saw his bride walking down the aisle toward him. Jesus was in every moment and in every moment, he was given the glory. It was beautiful! 

It took me FOREVER to narrow down my favorites from this day, so here are just a few... 

Nate, Melinda, + Jude | family

If you've ever found yourself reading through my blog before, it will come as no surprise to you that I was pretty excited when Melinda reached out to me for some family photos! We connected through her sister, Jenna, whose wedding I had the honor of capturing just a few weeks ago (be on the lookout for a blog post very soon!). In the short time that I spent with Nate, Melinda, and (future model) Jude, I grew to love them. I mean that - and it's challenged me to be a little extra honest with you, my reader (Realistically, "you" are probably my mom  and/or dad ... and a few close friends who are AWESOME and support me always. Thanks guys!) ....so here's something personal:

Life is really precious. We all know it, we've experienced its fragility in one way or another and have been reminded in loss and in plenty that every moment we have is a treasure not to be taken lightly. And I also think we all know how easy it is for those truths to get lost in the shuffle and busy-ness of everyday life. Over the past few weeks, I've had the honor of meeting so many beautiful families, all at different stages in life. And I want to share something kind of embarrassing with you: I cried as I went through every set of photos. This is 100% true - just ask my husband, he loves it! ...jk, I think it's somewhat traumatizing for him to come home to me weeping in front of my computer screen almost every day. But the reason that I'm sharing this with you is because it's been a reminder of how thankful I am for life - and how thankful I am that people actually choose me to capture pieces of theirs. 

I also want to tell you that when I spend time with you, I'm not just thinking about taking your photos and I'm definitely not thinking about what time it is or how long we have left in the session. So what am I thinking about? I'm thinking about how overjoyed I am that you trusted me to capture some of what makes YOUR life so very precious. I'm thinking about the importance of what I'm doing - that it's not just for sharing to social media or for Christmas cards, but for capturing a season of your life that might be filled with struggles, triumphs, pain, loss, joy and leaving you with something tangible to remember it by when you look back and reflect after years have passed and you may have forgotten all about it... I'm thinking about the honor it is to get to know you and your family. I'm thinking about God's hand in your life and how he has orchestrated every moment of your story. 

I'm thinking about how God SEES you and at the same time, I am praying that he'll give me the eyes to see you the way that he does. And while I'm thinking about how much God LOVES you, I'm also praying that he will fill my heart with the love that he has for you. My friend, when you ask God to do something like this, HE DOES IT. 

And finally, I want to tell you that no matter what you're in the midst of right now, your story - YOUR LIFE - is so valuable. God says so, so I know it to be true. Those moments, both ugly and beautiful, are valuable and they are worthy of capturing. When we share our stories, they can bring hope, encouragement, and even healing to those around us. Life is short, the memories swirl faster and faster as we get older. Take the pictures, treasure the moments - the generations of your family and loved ones who come after you will treasure them, too. And I promise you won't regret it.