What better way to start off the morning than with three precious little girls? I couldn’t have been more delighted to capture this family during such an awesome time in their lives!

Eric, is the worship pastor at our church and let me tell you, the Lord has given him a wonderful gift of leading others to the throne in adoration of our Lord. If you’re looking for a place to come and praise, you need to join us one Sunday! His wife, Kristin has an amazing voice too- so it was no surprise that on this day, there were lots of songs being sung, dances and twirls!

We’ve actually been trying to coordinate a time to get together since they moved to the area and Naomi’s sweet arrival was the perfect reason to finally make it happen. The morning started off with a quick mini session with the big sisters.

Mary Grace was so much fun and really allowed her personality to shine through. There is nothing sweeter than capturing a child, being a child. How wonderful to be able to look back on this season of her life and remember her smile, her spunky attitude and her laugh!

Next, it was Abby ‘s turn to charm the camera! A fast paced 2 year old is so much fun to capture because in the middle of their running and constant movement, precious little moments like these can be frozen!

We paused for a snuggly family moment before Naomi stole the show!

Of course, this post wouldn’t be complete without an official welcome to the world Naomi Hope!! Here she is, at all of 6 days old. So sweet, cuddly and kissable! What a beautiful gift from God she is and how blessed she’ll be to grow up as a daughter in this incredible family!

Ah, the love of a big sister…

I can not get over the sweetness of this next image!

While Naomi’s bedroom decor was created with her in mind, this Moses basket has been passed down. Each sister has spent time sleeping and relaxing in it, so it seemed fitting to capture Naomi taking her turn.

And finally, what’s a newborn session without a little alone time with Mommy?

When I received the email letting me know that sweet Mary Grace had just made her debut, I couldn’t have been happier! I just adore her family. In fact, you’ve already seen them on this blog before in two different heritage sessions! Mary Grace’s big sisters are so incredibly adorable and I knew that she would be just as precious.

Precious turned out to be an understatement!

With sweet little cheeks, big eyes and dimples that melt your heart- it was one welcome to the world session I won’t forget.

Mary Grace is so blessed to be born into a family that treasures their relationships with one another and their past. We used her grandmother’s punch bowl, which actually caused great concern for her big sisters, who wondered why we would put her in a pot!  Then she cuddled up in a family heirloom bassinet, on a handmade family quilt, was rocked by her siblings in an antique family rocking chair and completed our time with the family baby cups! What an incredible way to incorporate the past with the tender innocence and beauty of the future that will be carried on with Mary Grace.

While Mary Grace ate her lunch, her big sisters took me upstairs to show off their room. I couldn’t help but to capture at least one precious image of these darling princesses.   Ah, look at their beautiful eyes!

Martha and Bobby, thank you so much for trusting me, yet again, with such tender moments. It’s always an honor to be in your presence and to chat about life as if no time had passed since we last saw each other! Mrs. Strickland, what a wonderful surprise to be able to spend some time with you as well. I always knew I was blessed to have you as a teacher, but how incredibly touching to see you actively in the role as grandmother, singing, reading and imparting truths to them… exactly as you did to so many of us in high school! Mary Grace, I just adore your family… and you too!  Welcome to the world!

Two newborn girls in less than two weeks! Ah…. I’m in “photography heaven!”

Welcome to the world precious Naomi! We are so excited you are here!

I’m home from a wonderfully relaxing weekend with my incredible husband, just in time to find lovely little notes like this in my email:

“I love, love, love our book! It was so hard to envision what it would look like in print, but it definitely exceeded my imagining! I’m basking in beautiful picture bliss…. hope your day is just as wonderful!” -Meg

Definitely makes “coming back to reality” a lot easier!

Have you ever really just needed a break? A vacation? A few days to escape? A weekend to hide the “to do list,” to unwind, to relax, to refresh?

Insert  incredible, wonderful, thoughtful, romantic husband here- who a month ago planned a surprise get away for us, not knowing just how much I would need it!

With almost 3 full weeks of sickness in our house, including strep throat (3 separate occurrences), ear, sinus and upper respiratory infections …this mom has had little to no sleep. Try mixing that with sessions, an editing and design list more than a mile long, the end of the school year and yes, pots and pots of coffee and well, you simply have a recipe for disaster! Case in point, emails being typed at ridiculously late hours, with jumbled words and sentences meaning something totally different than when conceived in my mind.

Yes. I’ll take that vacation.

I’ll take a few days of the sun in my face, the wind in my hair and my husband’s hand to hold. I’ll take one Saturday morning of sleeping in, having breakfast in bed and not having to rush to the computer or open up Photoshop. I’ll read a good book (Weird by Craig Groeschel is already packed), I’ll freshen up my tan and I’ll savor silence, peace and the blessing of a man who planned something special, not knowing it was just what the doctor would be ordering!

For a few days, all the other stuff can wait.

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Jeremiah 31:25