I really wasn’t planning on having family photos taken this fall, our wedding is this coming Saturday and I knew we’d get lots of portraits there. But then my good friend {and amazing photographer!!!} Abby of Abby Jean Photography came over for dinner with her family. So we did a little trade. It was amazing. When Abby sent these photos over late Sunday night I was so elated, there is nothing like getting a link to your gallery of family photos.
This was us one year ago, and here we are today. So much has changed, but most notably we’ve moved, and planned a wedding. Last year’s session took place right after we got engaged, this year we are almost married. It is exciting, surreal, joyful, and causes me to reflect with gratitude. God has been faithful to my family and I.
While I shot hundreds of sessions like these for clients before I had my own family, the concept of these sessions always triggered me. I remember on Christmas season feeling so sad in my apartment alone with everyone’s cards on display showing beautiful, happy families or couples about to be wed. Why our timing is not His, and God is full of mystery, I do marvel at the way in which He chooses to redeem, even the littlest of things:
Cilla was so goofy and happy for her session. Abby has a way with little ones and is great at getting genuine smiles and lots of laughs out of little ones. I am so glad I put Cilla’s hair up in pigtails for these. She finally has enough length and thickness to do a hairstyle like this. It melts my mama heart.
I will cherish these images forever. While i was taking photos of Abby and her fam, her husband Jake remarked, “thank you, photography is my wife’s love language.” YES! I could not agree more. While I know I push it with the sessions, I also know I will never regret them.
