To you, my heart and soul, the most important man in both mine and Emerson’s life, we are beyond blessed to have you. In my heart of hearts, I always knew you were going to be a great dad, but never did I imagine just how made for this role you are. I can’t wait for Emerson to grow up so that I can tell him all about the times you rocked him to sleep, cradled and calmed him down when no one else could, taught him how to kick a soccer ball at 10 months old, made him laugh till it hurt, and ran around empty fields together. I can’t wait to tell him just how much he adored you as a teeny tiny baby and I can’t wait to see how he will grow to love you even more than he does now. To the man we both adore more than anything in this entire world, you are the greatest there is. Thank you for always taking such great care of us, showering us with hugs and kisses, and making us the happiest bunch around. We love you oh so much.To my dad, my papa bear, my tati, I love you with my whole heart. For years, you were the only man I looked up to and when I thought about what kind of father I wanted my children to one day have, I prayed for someone like you. Thank you for being such an example to me, for loving me no matter what, and for teaching me God’s ways always… I’m so thankful for the way you’ve sacrificed everything, your selflessness, big heart, and giving spirit. You are the greatest dad a girl could ever ask for and the greatest grandpa Emerson could ever have.

To my father-in-law, I always hoped that someday I would be lucky enough to get another dad that loved me like his own. Not only did I get lucky, but God was so good in giving me much more than I could have imagined. For being so good to me always, telling me I’m your favorite, showing me what patience looks like, always speaking with wisdom and kindness, and displaying a true character modeled after God’s heart, I love you. I couldn’t have picked a better father-in-law and I’m so glad your ours. 

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there and a big thank you for the role models you are to your children!

Today marks 11 months since you’ve blessed our lives by becoming ours. Eleven months… whoa. That gives us exactly 30 more days with you as our little baby—well, officially anyway. Emerson, my sweet little boy, I wish I could find the words to describe how very much your daddy and I love you. From the moment you wake up in the morning with that goofy grin on your face to the very last yawn at night when you cuddle on our shoulders, you are nothing but pure joy. Our lives are happier, brighter, sweeter, and totally complete with you. And you’re so much fun! We laugh all day long at your discoveries, your little antics, and your big personality. You love singing, you love walking, and you’re obsessed with being outside. So much so, that I can count on hearing you banging on the front door or waving “bye-bye” at me, letting me know you’re going outside with or without me at least 10 times a day. On my worst days, your energy and that big smile that is plastered on your face, makes my world happy again. 

Your daddy and I are so lucky to have been chosen to be yours. From the beginning, we’ve celebrated every single milestone you’ve hit, big or small, with photos, videos, journaling, silly clapping, and lots of “yay’s!!!” You crawled before you could sit up confidently, at 6 months. And three weeks later, when you picked yourself up by holding on to furniture, we knew it wouldn’t be long before you took your first steps. I tried to hold you in my arms as much as I possibly could because I knew the day was soon coming when you would want to be on your own. At 9 months and two weeks, your daddy and I were playing with you on our floor when we saw you crawl over to the wall, pick yourself up, turn to us, and before we could even grab our cameras, you took three confident steps towards us. I have a confession to make: I cried that night. I know that to some people that just sounds silly, but to me, you were growing too fast. It was all happening way too quickly and I was secretly hoping you would take your time growing up. But it’s okay because even though you don’t always want to be held in my arms, you still want to hold my hand as you discover this world on your own two feet… and that’s pretty darn awesome. Last month, you started to know how to “play” with us and let me just tell you, your daddy and I have never had more fun. You not so quietly hide from us and when we “find” you, the squeals and bouts of laughter that come from you make us the happiest bunch in the world.   

Your perfect day is when mommy and daddy are both home, you get to go to the pool (goodness, do you love being in water), and then a picnic at the park where you swing for as long as we can push. You don’t care for slides much and you’re more interested in picking up sticks while walking around with them like a warrior heading for battle. Should your daddy or I try and take those sticks away from you, prepare for World War IV everyone. Though you are fun and adventurous, you’re also kind of an old soul. We often find you quietly looking out the window in apparent deep thought. You sometimes get real serious and just sit with your books around you, and I daydream of you being a writer or a poet. But then you take your little drum stick (my wooden spoon) and bang on the books, and well, that’s the end of that daydream. You have your preferences of who can hold you and love on you and you’re kind of cautious when it comes to strangers. You smile at almost everyone, but some people you’ll go right up to and others you’ll run away from. I sometimes feel bad for chuckling at the way you “choose” people, because we really have no idea what your criteria is. Grandma and grandpa are your favorite and you are your happiest when our home is full of people you know and love. You prefer me the most, which I love, but your daddy is your world. He is the only one you give endless hugs to and when you hear keys in the door, you will stop everything and run towards it with your arms stretched wide open. Oh, how I love you both.  You adore your friend Abi, and she adores you right back. It’s the sweetest thing to watch the two of you together.

My sweet Emerson, we love you oh so much. We’re the luckiest in the whole world and we can’t imagine life without you. Our hearts are the fullest they’ve ever been with you in our lives and we can’t wait to keep on doing life with you as our baby. Happy 11 months, Ems! 

This year for Mother’s Day, we traveled to Chicago for a wedding, and Adi and I were both away from our moms. I so love my job and I especially loved this Chicago couple, but I have to admit, it wasn’t easy missing my first Mother’s Day ever with my little Emerson and being away from my own mom. Did I also mention my dad’s birthday fell on Mother’s Day this year? I think it’s safe to say I won’t be getting daughter of the year award. I’ve never really understood the kind of love a parent experiences for a child until I had my own. This mama thing is no joke and when you add up all the restless nights and the full workdays with no lunch break, you get on your knees and thank the good Lord for giving you that kind of unconditional love in your own parents.  I’m convinced that for me, there’s nothing on planet earth that comes close to being Emerson’s mama and I feel overwhelmingly blessed to think that I’ve been chosen for that role in his life. When that little boy of mine reaches for my face, plants a big juicy one on my lips, and holds my hand as he wobbles around, my heart swells so big that I swear it could burst open. To know that my own parents have loved me like that for all these years is mind blowing. It also makes me want to go back to my teenage years of eye rolling and lip smacking and body slam myself to a brick wall.

My parents sacrificed everything for me and have loved me at my very worst. They’ve taught me to value the important things in life: not bigger and better, but simpler and wiser. They continue to inspire me and amaze me with the exemplary lives they lead… lives filled with a desire to serve others and a will to follow God every single step of the way. Mom and dad, I’m the luckiest daughter in the world to be loved by you two and I hope with every ounce of my being that my son will one day love me as much as I love you both. So, a Happiest of Birthday’s to my daddy and a Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, Adi’s mom, who is the best mother-in-law a girl could ever hope for, and all the mamas in the world. Though you deserve to be celebrated year round, I hope you all got a thoughtful card, some beautiful flowers, and a delicious breakfast in bed!

I know I’ve shared these photos before, but they are such treasured photos of my parents and my mother-in-law on the day that I became a mother. I can’t wait until Ems knows just how very lucky he is to have them. 

You know how every now and then one of those days comes along where nothing goes as planned, you have a million things to do, your baby skips a nap, and you don’t get a chance to eat lunch until almost 4, yet somehow, it’s still a good day? Today was one of those days. N-o-t-h-i-n-g went how it was supposed to go but strangely enough, I felt that it would be okay. I really shouldn’t feel that way though because Adi and I will be traveling to Chicago tomorrow for a wedding and I have yet to do laundry, pack, run my thousand and one errands, make baby food for Emerson while we’re away, and wash my hair (no, seriously, it’s a luxury these days). And here I am, making time for a bowl of rocky road and an episode of Flip This House. Priorities, people… it’s all about priorities.  Anyway, while we’re super excited to be going away for the weekend, I’m also incredibly sad that I’ll miss my first Mother’s Day ever with my little boy. There will be a lot of face-timing, phone kisses, and tears on my part and some good making-up celebrating when we come home. Meantime, I’m sure we’ll be instabombing pictures of one of our favorite cities while we’re away, so feel free to follow along here if you’d like. And because every post is just better with a photo, here’s one that has nothing to do with this post (you know, to go with the theme of my day) and everything to do with what I love more than my rocky road: a gorgeous bride in a beautiful gown with lovely light. Perfect day after all.

Hi there! If I have any readers left out there, I’d just like to say a big THANK YOU and bless your hearts, you kind, kind souls. You guys, I’m sure you already know this and I know I sound like a broken record, but I have been so incredibly bad with blogging and it’s really not Emerson’s fault. Though I’d like to blame it on the fact that look, I have a 10 month old (whoa!!) who refuses to let me get near the computer, we all know there is nap time. Truth is, I’ve been working a lot and trying to rediscover that initial feeling I got from blogging. If I’m going to be honest, I’ve kind of lost that feeling and it makes me sad because I miss it. The excitement of hitting the “publish” button and the anticipation of the first comment has been replaced with life stuff. There is so. much. going on over here (good stuff, happy stuff, stressful stuff, work stuff, and all kinds of other stuff) and I really need to get better at managing my priority list. This has been a battle of mine for as long as I can remember and having Emerson (poor thing is getting blamed again) has only shown me just how much I really struggle with that.

I’m really close with launching a new look on this blog (hallelujah thank you Jesus amen) and with that will hopefully come a fresh, new start for me. One that will involve better prioritizing, more blogging, better time management skills, and reconnecting with those feelings I get from writing. Gosh, I miss it. Anyway, that’s the plan Stan (couldn’t resist) and I’m just hoping you’ll stick with me. And if not, that’s okay too. But here’s a little incentive… you know I love a good first look and since we’re talking about “feelings” and all, this one gave me butterflies. I’ll be sharing this beauty of a wedding with you all soon as we launch the new blog. Have a happy Friday, friends, and may your weekend be as lovely as can be.

Meeting this beautiful couple in West Palm Beach to photograph their engagement photos was quite the event. We started the day off at the breathtaking Bethesda By The Sea church (oh, you know, the church where Michael Jordan got married this weekend… I mean, NBD) and finished off the shoot walking the streets, discovering the most perfectly lit spots. I particularly loved how willing these two were to do anything and loved the easy way they connected with my camera. As we walked the streets, we exchanged stories about home renovations, school woes, last minute wedding planning stresses, and our shared love for the Miami Heat. You know, all the important things in life.

In between these conversations, we’d stop to take a few photos of their love and I couldn’t help but notice that through all of life’s stressful circumstances, the one thing we can rely on is love. When we stop and touch our foreheads together, wrap our arms around each other, and softly kiss, all of the world’s problems are replaced with the freedom that comes with love. Suddenly, we are free to give, free to love, and free to forget all else. Alex and Alin, thank you so much for the opportunity to photograph your engagement. I had such a blast with you guys getting lost on the streets and getting to know your love. In your marriage and in your new life together, there will sometimes be stress, unfavorable events, and unforeseeable pain. My wish for you is that in those moments, you stop and give yourselves the freedom to forget everything except for the love you feel for each other.

Enjoy your photos and I can’t wait to share your beautiful wedding soon! PS. Thanks for saving my door, Alex. ;)

So incredibly beautiful, these two.
Bethesda by the Sea, you have my heart. oh, my light… how I love this. 

Oh, my. This is such a special post for me. If there’s anything that gets those happy tears flowing from my eyes, it’s seeing a mother with her child. Stephanie and I basically grew up together, spending our summers at her pool, going on road trips, spending every dime we had at the mall, and sneaking into movies we couldn’t get into. Some years back, Steph made the move to beautiful North Carolina and we’ve all sort of gone about this growing up business. This last time she visited, I couldn’t help but smile at how very different our lives are now. We were once so careless (and tan) and now, our daily activities revolve around being mommies, chasing our careers, and growing daily in our faith. Plus, there’s a lot more sunscreen (obviously feeling nostalgic about the baking in the sun days). When Steph asked me to capture her with her daughter, Chloe, just doing the things they love, I had no idea I’d end up blinking back tears a few times (this mommy thing has really gotten to me, you guys). It’s a beautiful thing to watch your friend in the best role of her life and it’s even more beautiful to know how blessed she is to have such a sweet, big-hearted, angel of a daughter. I fell hard for Chloe and by the end of the shoot, I wanted to bottle up her sweet innocence forever. Steph, I love you and your little Chloe and I’m so honored to have been able to capture you both in moments that I hope will make your hearts smile. 

Before the shoot, Steph let me know that she and Chloe love playing Candyland together. I encouraged her to bring the game and let me photograph them playing, but I didn’t expect to see Chloe not so secretly arranging her cards in a way to make sure she wins. Sweet soul is so innocent that she doesn’t quite get she’s “cheating”.  Hey, when you’re as cute as she is, you can get away with anything.

This face, right here: just perfect.  My darling Steph, you are so beautiful.  After such hard work, everyone deserves a little ice cream… and no one enjoys it more than Chloe.  Absolutely adored this moment below (like, went home and told my husband he needed to give me a daughter next or else, adored). ;) 

They were a couple of high school sweethearts that walked the halls together holding hands and sneaking kisses at their lockers between classes (I would know because I went to school with them). Too in love to separate after graduating, they went to college together, moved in together, and graduated together. After college, they continued their relationship, all while discovering, growing, and encouraging each other’s passions, careers, and talents. With Jordan landing a great job and Aniela pursuing her career in modeling and acting, they knew that no matter where life took them from that point on, they would follow each other around forever. And so this love story continues with the two of them married, living a life they’ve always dreamed of, traveling the world together, and never taking a single moment for granted.

To celebrate 5 years of marriage and 14 years together, Jordan called me with his plans of surprising Aniela with a vow renewal. He would invite their closest family and friends, buy her a dress, book the venue, and even get her a bouquet. It was in that moment I realized that this man loves his wife. And I mean, loves his wife. Obviously, I knew this to be true, but it isn’t often that you see this kind of love. So of course, this event quickly became a favorite of mine. Bonus points for the fact that they’re a gorgeous couple and I absolutely adore them. Jordan & Nel, it’s been such a blessing to be in your lives and to have known you both for so long. I love your love and I can’t wait to see it just keep on growing.

A big thanks to The Angler’s Resort for being such an awesome venue. Absolutely loved shooting at this charming hotel! Hey Aniela, toss your bouquet (meaning, pretend to)!!!… Aniela literally tosses bouquet. =)

Two of my favorite photos of the day below. Thank you random guy tanning for making these extra South Beach.

I’d just like to take this opportunity and publicly declare TGIF, followed by the world’s strongest fist pump. Took you long enough, Friday. If there’s ever been a week that I’d like to have disappear, it’s this one. Good riddance you bad, mean week, you. Of course, it wasn’t all bad all the time… like that one day where Emerson started making a new kind of sound that resembles singing (voice of an angel on earth, I tell you), and that other day where he suddenly started picking himself up and holding onto furniture like a boss, and of course, there was Valentine’s Day yesterday, when papa showered us with flowers, balloons for our little, and sushi takeout. So yea, I guess it wasn’t all bad. I’m not going to bore you with all the details of what went wrong but we’ll just say it was one of those weeks that made me thankful for health and all that good stuff we too often take for granted.

Speaking of good stuff, I have so many great shoots and weddings to share with you. I know what you’re thinking, but you know, I’ve got a 7 month old that just doesn’t understand mama can’t lay down on the floor and let you climb all over her because she needs to blog. So, climbing-1, blogging-0 it is for now. But I’m trying, so that’s gotta count for something, no? I think so. :)

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite shots taken in South Beach (where else?) at a surprise vow renewal last month. Man, I love my job.

Happy Valentines Day all! Today, I get to be extra cheesy because you know, it’s my blog. Those that aren’t feeling the mush, feel free to come on back tomorrow. No hard feelings, I promise. ;)

The story goes like this: A little while ago, there was this guy with ridiculous good looks (ladies, I’m talking the works here with green eyes, dark curly hair, and chiseled cheeks) walking the halls of my highschool, completely unaware of the effect he had on all the girls. He was shy and quiet, which just meant mysterious and totally swoon worthy. Eventually, he became my peer counselor and I, along with all the other girls, swooned away. Just thought I’d add that my issues for needing a counselor started purely with gym class and somehow got much more serious with each passing day. May or may not have been the green eyes. A few years later, we began dating and I’ve been counting my blessings ever since. Luckily, there’s a lot more to him than just good lucks, but of course, no harm in having bonus points. The charming boy that made my palms all sweaty in highschool, went right ahead and stole my heart forever when he became my husband. So on this all about hearts and romance day, I’m going to get all cliche and declare my husband as the best husband ever. And I know everyone says that, yaddayaddayadda, but simmer down ladies and let’s just settle this once and for all: mine’s the best there is. ;) In all seriousness, he really is—for me. I believe that God created Adi knowing that he would one day be my husband and I his wife, and I’m thankful to Him for writing us such a beautiful story.

Adi, my love, today is just one of those holidays that comes around once a year where people are supposed to shoot each other with cupid’s arrow and shower each other with singing cards, dinner dates, heart shaped confetti, and flowers galore. Today, people everywhere are going to see romantic comedies and tell each other “I love you” a little more. But somehow, I got lucky enough to have today be really no different from the rest. Minus confetti, singing cards and cupid aiming for god knows where, because that would just get annoying reallll fast. You, my love, are my gift from God and it’s you that I get to go on this beautiful life adventure with. It’s you that I get to love and be loved back so completely and unconditionally. And best of all, it’s you that I get to raise, grow, and love our little Emerson with and hopefully add more littles to our family.

My darling Valentine, it’s you that I love… always has been, and always will be. So as I said, you’re just the best there is.