Home Sweet Home {A Newborn Session}

Not only was I lucky enough to be there for his birth I was also able to get this little guy in front of my camera several times during the week I was home in North Carolina. He was such a happy guy and had no problem letting me move him all over the place looking for just the right light. Lucky for us it was August in North Carolina which meant it was plenty warm enough for some outside shots too! 

welcome sweet baby corbin {A Birth Story}

"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb." 

Psalm 139:13

I think that I maybe the only person who was excited that this little guy decided to stay a little past his due date. I had literally just arrived at my parent's house in North Carolina after 4 days of traveling from Michigan to North Carolina by way of Canada, New York, and Maryland when my sister called to say she was in labor and heading to the hospital. After a little bit of debate I was nominated family rep and quickly tossed my kids in the bed and headed out the door. When I arrived Gabi had just received her epidural and was starting to feel some relief. I was immediately amazed at how calm she seemed amidst the chaos that was swirling around her. Within just a few minutes she was ready to push and that is when things really got crazy. Corbin's heart rate started deceling every time Gabi would push and the doctors were very worried. As they started to prep her for an emergency c-section, she bravely looked at me and said, "it's okay. i'm okay. i'm not scared." As tears welled in my eyes I held her hand and prayed knowing that God was in control but scared out of my mind for my amazingly brave sister and sweet little nephew. 

Thanks to a cool-headed anesthesiologist who hung around in the room just to make sure that the epidural took the room was quickly calmed down and the OB allowed Gabi to try pushing again. Corbin was still not tolerating pushing very well but had moved down and with a few more pushes and a little help from the vacuum he arrived within just a few minutes with the cord wrapped so tightly the OB had to cut it before pulling him all the way out. He was quickly whisked away to the awaiting NICU team and we all held our breath waiting to hear that first cry. Within just a few seconds we heard that beautiful cry and new immediately that Corbin was going to be just fine. 

I am so thankful that my sister allowed me to be there with her. I was blessed to capture these images for them and I pray that they will treasure them for years to come.  

{coming soon} baby corbin

"no one else will ever know 

the strength of my love for you. 

after all, you're the only one 

who knows what my heart sounds 

like from the inside." 

so when i say coming soon, i mean coming really soon, like any day now! this beautiful mama is my younger sister gabi and i absolutely can not wait to meet sweet little corbin james because he will be the newest addition to our ever growing brood of cousins! i was so happy to be able to steal a few moments with gabi, brett, & my nephew ian on a recent visit home to north carolina. gabi is an inspiration to me for some many reasons and i am so happy to be on this journey through motherhood together with her.

as the final days of this pregnancy quickly come to a close i pray that you have a few moments to sit and enjoy this life growing inside of you. i pray that you can enjoy each kick, punch, and hiccup and even the heartburn, backaches, and swollen feet. i pray that you celebrate these days as you prepare for this new little life and all of the fun (and sleepless nights) that are to come. i love you so much and can not wait to meet this newest addition to our family. 

XOXO, 
your big sis

PS: If you could keep this little guy in until at least the 19th when I get there I would really appreciate it!! Not a big request right?

The Stanley Family

This past fall I had the opportunity to photograph some amazing families! Now that the holiday's are long gone and Christmas cards, New Years, and even some Valentines' Day cards have all been sent, I am in the clear to share all of these beautiful images. 

First up is the gorgeous Stanley family!! I mean seriously, aren't they gorgeous? And they have two of the most precious little ones ever. 

the leggett family

call to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know. jeremiah 33:3

I had not met lori or her family before this day but after only a few minutes i felt as if i had known them for years. we met in a beautiful park on the banks of the lumber river close to the town where i grew up, yet a place that had somehow been kept hidden from me all these years. lori and i connected as girls from the south, as mothers of boys and most importantly as lovers of the lord. during our time together we shared stories about our boys, the miracles that had happened in our lives and how truly blessed we are. as you can see for yourself this beautiful family is so in love with each other and was really so much fun to be around.

once the boys were able to change out of their "fancy" clothes we had some fun. they promised to rescue me from any snakes that might come our way and i promised to make them look "bad"... i think i held up my part of the deal. these brothers were so much fun...big brother couldn't quit smiling and is just about the only person who can make his "not-so-little" brother laugh or smile. i won't tell you what was going on before this shot but let's just say they were truly acting like brothers.

i think loris said she and mark have been married for almost 20 years yet when i look at these images i can't help but thinking how much it looks like an engagement session. may i be so blessed to be so "young and in love" after raising 2 kids and surviving 20 years of marriage. 

i truly believe that God puts people in our lives for a reason and i am so blessed to have met you guys. when a family loves each other and has a good time just being together it makes my job easy. lori thank you for sharing with me. i loved our conversations and was truly blessed and encouraged by your words and all that you have been through. you are an inspiration as a mother. thank you also for sharing your family with me and for being "easy."

'Tis the Season ~ Book Your Holiday Session TODAY

I have already started to book Holiday Family Sessions and October and November are filling up quickly. Please contact me as soon as possible to secure a date for your family! All sessions will be shot at a location of your choosing and usually last between 60 and 90 minutes. A $60 booking fee is required to reserve your session but will be put toward the cost of the collection you purchase.

Are you a returning client? Contact me today to hear the specials waiting just for you!

**Don't Forget: All sessions booked by October 8th will receive 25 custom designed holiday cards ($50 value).

a measure of happiness

"we tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing & appreciating what we do have. -frederick keonig

you may have already guessed that these beautiful people are also related to me but no that is not my sister although sometimes people think that we could be which is quite the complement. this is my husbands older brother ben, my nephews caden & abram and my amazing sister-in-law jessica. we had to brave a little rain and mud for this session but ben showed up on time (miracle upon miracles), the boys did awesome, and everyone (me included) had a great time hanging out. these guys are just fun!! we had a great time hanging out at their house in north carolina playing pool and ping pong and trying to soak up every minute of our time together. we hope that one day on this crazy journey of life we will end up neighbors but until that day we will recognize and appreciate every single minute we spend in the beautiful mountains of north carolina with family.

Coming Soon! {Big Sister Isabel}

piglet to pooh: how do you spell love?

pooh: you don't spell it you feel it! 

recently our family took a trip back home to north carolina to see my husbands baby brother tie the knot. we had an amazing trip and i am finally getting caught up on a few sessions i was able to shoot. this is my oh so beautiful sister-in-law Evie, my sweet little niece Isabel, and uncle baboo. we had perfect weather, perfect light, and the perfect family. evie is due with a baby boy right after christmas (stay tuned for lots more shots of this little guy) and we could not be more excited to head back to north carolina in just a few months to meet him.