We visit my parents quite often and I rarely take pictures with my REAL camera!

BUT – I decided to take an INSTAGRAM BREAK for the month of July and it’s forced me to actually take REAL pictures of our lives!

I am an artist with a camera in my hands. THAT IS IT!

BUT – Enoch thought my chick was pretty good – mine is on the left! His is on the right – with a little help from me!

And some fruit – again – NOT AN ARTIST WITHOUT A CAMERA!!

This view looks toward the East – sometimes the sunset reflections are just as pretty as the sunset itself!

We had a small fire – we used to have BIG fires – with a few friends!

My parents live in the house that my dad grew up in – we moved here when I was nine.

This picture window holds SO MANY memories!

LOOKING IN & LOOKING OUT!

They want to start a restaurant when they are older – called BARDEN BROTHERS!!

SEVEN! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!

Have I mentioned I love these CRAZY BOYS!

Also – I LOVE my new lens!

Have I mentioned that I love taking your wedding photos? And then when you’re carrying a precious baby? And THEN when that baby is born?

I LOVE photographing all those moments for you!

I photographed Cassie & Erik’s wedding LAST June and their maternity session THIS June – and now – their sweet little boy!

I LOVE this perspective!

THAT SQUISHY FACE!! THE BEST!!

I’ve discovered that most newborns are happiest in the arms of their momma

Hello wedding rings – we meet again!

You see how relaxed he is? MILK COMA!!

MY FAVORITE!!

Cassie & Erik – thank you for asking me into your lives for the BIG moments!

I’ve been photographing Lauren and Dan for SEVEN years – almost EXACTLY! I first met them when they were pregnant with their oldest!

They’ve asked me back into their lives SEVERAL times over the years – but ALWAYS to capture their pregnancies!

I LOVE THAT SHOT! Kids being kids – living that country life!

She’s the baby – but not for long!

BE STILL MY HEART!!

SWEET SISTERS!!

The boy that made her a momma!

ISN’T SHE GORGEOUS!!

THOSE CURLS!!

And because I wanted to see ALL the way back – here’s a photo from each pregnancy!

That’s from her pregnancy with her oldest! SEVEN YEARS AGO!

And that one – pregnant with her curly-headed little girl!

And pregnant with the baby – that will soon be a big sister!

And now – with their second baby boy – their fourth baby!

Lauren & Dan – THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking me into your lives year after year!

I can’t wait to meet your newest addition!

Five years ago today the world fell out beneath my feet. Beneath OUR feet.

My husband was not himself. He was cocky. Arrogant. Spontaneous. Those are just some of the nicer words I can use to describe what was happening.

Turns out – he was going through a manic breakdown. Through that breakdown – as most of you know – some secrets came to light. Issues in his life and our life together – came to a head.

I was pregnant with Enoch and God had told us that AMAZING things would happen during this pregnancy.

This was NOT amazing – but does amazing mean good and warm and fuzzy or can it also mean terrible BUT great. Things can be terrible & great. Amazing & terrifying.

And I was “alone” with a two-year old boy that missed his daddy and a baby kicking inside my womb.

I say “alone” because our family was beautiful and supportive and our friends were beautiful and supportive. But I was alone in this marriage.

I was crying. Wondering. Praying. Trusting God. Some more crying. Not really hoping – trusting.

AND HERE WE ARE – FIVE YEARS LATER!

TOGETHER. Because we were all together on that fateful day.

We usually celebrate in style. But my FIL is still on the mend from his stem-cell transplant AND yesterday the rain rain rain came down down down. We found some sunshine in the afternoon and took a chilly dip in our favorite pool. The rest of the day was spent playing games – watching cheesy Christmas Hallmark movies & a little bit of Planet Earth II – spending a much better day together than this day five years ago!

Jared – I love you. I love what our marriage has become and look forward to it getting even better as the years continue. I love that you are so transparent with what happened to you and our lives. I love that you love Jesus and your parents and my parents and our families and our friends. I love how you love our boys and I love how you love me. You love me so well.

I’ve been taking photos for Arica and her family for SEVEN YEARS!

These kiddos are 7 and 4 – just like my sweet boys!

I’ve loved watching them grow!

He’s such a good big brother!

SHE IS SO DARLING!

BE STILL MY HEART!

This is the third house they’ve been in since I’ve been photographing their family!

THIS is the property they’ve been WAITING for!

Sometimes – I can’t pick a favorite between the black & white and the color – so I’ll show you both!

MY FAVORITE!!

SO VERY SWEET! MY FAVORITE MOMENTS!

SUCH A DREAMY SPOT – and it’s their backyard!

My favorite shots YET! My favorite session of their family so far! I feel like that happens every year!

Arica – THANK YOU for asking me into your lives year after year! I APPRECIATE YOUR FAMILY SO MUCH!!

I’m sure you’ve read about my friend Trudy. We met when I went to college in Philadelphia. She was my RA and took me under her wing. I was so very homesick and she was so very supportive.

I transferred after one semester but we stayed close – thank GOODNESS for email and IM – in those days!

Trudy lives in Virginia about 7 hours away. When I got married – she was there. When she got married – I was there. But that time – I was IN the wedding AND photographing it. So – my friend and fellow photog Megan Hampton came along with me. Fitzy was 6 months old and Megan was pregnant with her first!

Jared and I met Trudy and her husband in Lancaster three years ago – but – she has TWO sweet boys now and I haven’t met them.

Megan and Trudy have stayed in touch over FACEBOOK and we messaged one day that we should meet halfway – in Gettysburg – at a place called Land of Little Horses!

Monday morning we piled our 5 kiddos in Megan’s van and started our 3 hour tour!

This guy – he has always reminded me of Fitzy – and seeing him in person – made it all the more true!

He is such a sweet pumpkin!

I mean – LOOK AT HIM!!

And this little pumpkin – she is SUCH A DOLL!

It was an UNBELIEVABLY hot and humid day. But when you make plans in advance THREE HOURS AWAY – you keep them!

THOSE BOYS TOGETHER!! OH MY HEART!!

That guy lounging on the bleachers – he is cut from the same cloth as my Enoch guy.

It’s absolutely wonderful having a friend like Megan who I love and respect who happens to have a son just like mine.

I can text her – tell her my frustrations about the stubbornness and the dedication of that sweet boy and she very much understands.

BROTHERS!! 13 months apart!

Typically the horse rides are outside – but thankfully they decided to hold them IN the arena!

We saw a horse that could ADD and stomp out the answer with his hoof!

This guy – he wanted to take this little horse home in our car! ALL THE LITTLE HORSES actually!

THOSE CHEEKS!!

Trudy and her boys left mid-afternoon – because as you mommas know – wrangling a one-year old and a two-year old in nearly 100 degree weather is EXHAUSTING and the kiddos get EXHAUSTED.

We hung out for a little bit to pet some horses!

He is very seriously trying to figure out how to smuggle those 2 horses home.

This guy loves his animals too!

This guy does NOT do well in the heat – but we made sure to stay hydrated and take lots of shade breaks!

ONE LAST PICTURE before we make the drive home!

And one stop at RED ROBIN to fill our bellies! YUM!

Megan – thank you for being adventurous and awesome! I LOVE YOU!

Trudy – thank YOU for making that trip with two kiddos – LITTLE KIDDOS! YOU ARE AWESOME!! I LOVE YOU!

WHAT DOES YOUR FRIENDSHIP LOOK LIKE!?

I’ve been taking pictures of these kiddos for YEARS!

I was so excited when Roni asked me to come take pictures of ALL the grandkids together!

This little pumpkin! It’s my first time meeting her! I WANTED TO EAT HER UP!

And this little guy – he was NOT so sure about having me take his picture!

LOOK AT HER SQUISHY ARMS!!

THAT SWEET FACE!!

LOOK AT ALL THOSE GRANDKIDS! PRECIOUS!!

Roni – THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking me to come out and photograph your sweet family!

It’s SUCH AN HONOR to keep coming back!

 

Jared’s aunt and uncle were up for the 4th of July – so we got some quick family photos!

That’s my HANDSOME hubs!

Those CRAZY boys!

I hope you spent America’s birthday with the ones you LOVE!

Katie and I have had this session scheduled for MONTHS! The weather this summer has been SO unpredictable!

BUT – we eventually got a BEAUTIFUL day – third time’s a charm!

I LOVE THAT LAST SHOT!!

I love that shot – everyone is looking at me – but Jeff is looking at his son! SUCH A MOMENT!

Isn’t she DARLING!?

He warmed up to me – eventually!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

And the way to winning a little boy’s smiles – A TRACTOR!!

She has THREE BIG BROTHERS to look after her!!

Katie & Jeff – I’m SO happy that it FINALLY worked out – and on such a BEAUTIFUL evening!

I hope to see you again soon!!