Labertew | Family Session

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I think everyone would agree that Ewing Manor is just one of the prettiest place in Bloomington-Normal. Every time I have the opportunity to have a session there I’m just so excited about it!!! The home is gorgeous & has so many fun areas to take pictures. So obviously I was BEYOND thrilled when the Labertew Family decided to have their family session there.

It was my second time taking pictures of this family & I know these are my favorite pictures of the two sessions we’ve had! Jacob, the eldest of the Labertew kids, is at away college in Missouri & so having the whole family together meant a lot to them all. We laughed a lot during our time together & I know you can see it in their expressions through these amazing family images!

Joel & Angela are our pastors at our church & I’m just SO THANKFUL for this amazing family! 

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Rumley | Family Session

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The Rumley Family has a very full schedule! Put together the calendar of their 5 lives plus mine as a mom & wife, we had quite the time finding a time to get a session in before the fall beautifulness had gone away! THEN when we got to where I wanted us to do our session, the location was being used- I was so bummed! But then I went a little deeper into the wooded area where we were meeting & found an EVEN BETTER spot! I’m honestly so thankful we weren’t able to photograph in the first spot because I like the second spot SO.MUCH.BETTER. Even with all the difficulties we had with getting together & find a great location, the Rumley Family’s session is one of my all time absolute FAVORITES.EVER.

I say all that to say- even when there’s adversity, you can still find beauty.

The Rumley Family has faced a lot of difficulty, pain & unknown in the past couple of years & when I look at these photos I can’t help but see the beauty & the goodness of the Lord. I love their family & I love these photos. I seriously cannot choose a favorite so just get ready for LOTS of pictures of the Rumley Family 😉

Also let me just say when I look at these pictures I think #familygoals 🙂

           

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Nebgen | Family Session

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I love the fall! And I love photographing families!!! And when you put those two together- you’ve got one of my all time favorite combinations!!!! I seriously wish the colors & weather of the fall could last longer because it’s just such a gorgeous time of year to take photo’s.

I was SO excited when Brenda connected with me about doing their families photo session! It had been a long time since they’d had photos together & that made me feel even MORE honored that they chose with me to take some updated ones. And we had a blast in the meantime 🙂 I love all of the photos we got! Take a look for yourself 🙂

       

 

 

Birkey | Family Session on the Farm!

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When someone invites you out to their farm to hangout & take pictures, as a photographer you can’t say “YES!” quick enough! That’s what happened when Rachel told me she wanted their family session to be on the farm their family has together & for it to be a fun & laid back session. And that’s exactly what it was! Complete with plaid shirts, apple picking, 4-wheel riding & a gorgeous sunset!

Some of you may know that my other part time job is watching them & their brother two days a week. Elizabeth gets to come with me & these three cuties are the big brothers & sister Elizabeth will never have 😉 The Birkey kiddos are just plain special to our family. I’ve been nannying for the Birkey family several years now & I’m just so thankful for the relationship my little family has with theirs & I’m so grateful for the job in general.

Now here are some of my favorites photos from their session!

 

I’m still catching up on blogging sessions that I had this past fall & this was a favorite I had. Today I wanted to make sure it got published because the twins just turned 5 (their bday is Valentines Day!). I remember when we were praying for Birkey babies to come along & now they’re 5 years old!

And Winston is the adorable baby brother 🙂

One of my favorite family photos ever!!! Love the joy & realness in this picture! Love you Birkey’s!!!!!!!!

 

Poppins | Newborn Session

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Amelia is now a BIG sister! Aubrey Maureen was born just a few days after Christmas on December 28. I’m a little partial to December baby’s myself 😉 so I was pretty excited when little Aubrey came before the new year 🙂

Here’s a few of my very favorite photos from my time with the Poppins Family. I just LOVE what we captured!

Sweet, sweet Aubrey Maureen!     

Kymber, you are SOOO gorgeous!!!! Just stop!!! This is seriously a new favorite mother & precious baby photo of mine!

This is what big sis does while she’s waiting for her turn for pics 😉

   

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Charlotte | Newborn Session

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Today’s post is about a very, very special girl. She is so special. Her story is amazing & miraculous, one of hope & promise. In fact, I’ve asked her momma to share her story, their story of how they prayed, waited & longed for Charlotte. It’s a story that she needs to tell, not me. Their story is a wonderful reflection of the power of God & needs to be told as only the mother of Charlotte Elizabeth can tell it. I invite you to read these words that are directly from Charlotte’s momma’s heart.

“We had almost given up hope that we would have a child. Charlotte has three siblings in Heaven, who sent her to us. After the heartbreak of two miscarriages and one ruptured ectopic pregnancy, she is the blessing of God’s redemptive power. I thought my body was broken, and because we prayed through tears we learned God’s healing is perfect. She is perfect, because God takes the broken and makes them whole.

She is our miracle…

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The odds have been stacked against her since the beginning, and yet here she is. The road on the journey to this point of her life was paved with many obstacles. I had gestational diabetes and a marginal cord insertion while pregnant with her. Every minute of her life, even before conception, has been covered in prayers of those who love her. She is the living proof that God listens to His children. I held my breath for nine months. I was guarding my heart from another lose, but she is here. God’s protection is perfect. She is perfect, because God shields those who find refuge in Him.

She is our fighter…

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Diamonds are formed by heat and pressure over time. Our story is one of walking by faith through the fire. She is the outcome of our refining and the embodiment of God’s faithfulness. We have been waiting years for her, and while still not understood with our finite minds, God’s timing is perfect. She is perfect, because from ashes God makes beauty.

She is our diamond…

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Our story will shape the kind of parents we will be. It will shape the person she will become. I prayed that she would be healthy and that she will grow to know Jesus. We still have scars on our hearts for the ones we lost, but she is the string God used to stitch the pieces back together. I pray she will be the light of God’s love. I believe that God has big things in store for her. While we do not know the future, we rest in knowing that God’s plan is perfect. She is perfect, because God creates life where there was nothing. She is our joy…

 She is our child.”

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Thank you Elyse for sharing your heart. Your beautiful words needed to be put along these photos. Tears well up in my eyes every time I read your story & look at these photos. May the Lord grant you & Chuck wisdom, patience & peace as you raise Charlotte. May her story, your story be told to encourage others. You’re a strong momma because you lean on the Lord. I love you. I can’t wait to watch Charlotte Elizabeth grow up into who the Lord has designed her to be! – Naomi

Chuck & Elyse’s maternity pictures are HERE if you missed them.

 

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Olson | Family Session

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It’s the week of Thanksgiving & I’m finding myself listing things I’m grateful for. It’s not a surprise to me that most of  “things” are indeed people & the list of people I’m thankful for seems to be unending.

I’m thankful for my friend Kaela. We met about 7 years at a weekend retreat for pastors kids in Illinois. Kaela was coming with a team from a church in Rockford to volunteer their help & my sister & I were coming from Normal. I don’t remember how or even what we said when we first met, but I know Kaela & I clicked & I wanted to be around her laugh & wise words as much as I could that weekend 🙂 If you know Kaela she’s all about scarves, messy buns & loving people. During our time at the retreat, God used her to confirm some stuff that was going on in my life & I’ve never forgotten that.

Kaela & I did get to meet up a few years ago in Fargo, ND where she was working & my mom’s side of the family live. We exchanged updated life stories & I told her about the guy in my life (Eric) & she told me about the guy (Peter) in hers. Fast forward to 2016 🙂 Kaela & her little family have been traveling in the U.S. this year & getting ready to travel back to Africa to love on the people there & tell them the Truth & Good News of life. It worked out perfectly for them to come by Normal & we had a mini photo session, spaghetti AND the BEST PART of all was that our girls got to meet! (Photo of that at the end of this post!) Oh & of course our husbands had fun meeting too 🙂

Now I’ll quit writing & let you look at these pictures- pictures of such a PRECIOUS & SPECIAL family.

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Arielle sure loves her mommy & daddy!!!!

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This one just melts my heart to pieces.

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And of course this!

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She’s the joy of their worlds.

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Those eyes & that smile!!!!

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I love this next picture. I wasn’t planning on this happening, but if you look close to the right of this picture, you can see mommy & daddy in the picture 😉

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JOY overload!!!

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And these two!

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Peter, Kaela, & Arielle, we love you guys!!! We hope to have many get togethers, even if they’re several years a part 😉 in the future. We are praying for you three & that God will protect & use you. Love, Eric, Naomi, & Elizabeth

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Hackbarth | Family Session

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Kenny, Katie & Gavin moved to Bloomington-Normal almost two years ago. If you know Eric & I, you know that we love our church & are thankful for the community that we have there. The Hackbarth family moved here so that Kenny could be our Worship & Fine Arts pastor. We’ve enjoyed getting to know their little family & having them in the same small group as ours. Katie is just plain gorgeous, Gavin is hilarious & Kenny is so kind.

Katie had a particular vision on mind for their family session & it meant to much to me that she chose me to carry that out. We met up in a fun part of Bloomington downtown & I just love what happened! Their personalities & my camera was a match made in heaven. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all these pictures we got. I know after looking at these you’ll want to be friends with Hackbarth family too & I don’t blame you 😉

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Gavin Paul is seriously like a little model. He’s such a sweet kid!!!!!

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One of my fav’s! hackbarth-7hackbarth-4

Gavin, you completely stole my heart during our time together. hackbarth-5hackbarth-9hackbarth-3hackbarth-6

These two! I love their connection & playfulness with each other!

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Katie, you are SO beautiful. hackbarth-17

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Hackbarths, my family is so thankful your family is here. Thank you for your serving & loving hearts. Kenny & Katie, your love for Gavin is so special. You are AMAZING parents & I can see in your eyes how much you care for him. He is growing into a strong & sweet little guy. We can’t wait to see all that the Lord does through your family here. And thanks again for letting me come hangout with you guys 😉 Just say the word & I’ll do it again in a heartbeat 🙂

 

 

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Shea | Senior Session

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There is one HUGE downside to senior high sessions for me- saying goodbye to the senior at the end of their session. Each time I work with a senior, I sit down with them weeks, sometimes months before their session to brainstorm & create an experience that truly captures THEM. (To read more about how I work with seniors click HERE.) I get to hear their heart, their past & their dreams for the future. And the same was with Miss Shea. Shea & I met actually the summer I was pregnant with Elizabeth when I did a mini session with her family. Her mom mentioned something about me someday doing her senior pictures & I secretly hoped that it would work out! And it did!

Fast forward to this fall to when we sat down at Barnes & Noble & talked over her session & pieced together alllllll the things that would help show SHEA in through her senior pictures. Shea has a HUGE heart for Haiti. She’s been there numerous times, in fact when we met up at B&N she was going to be leaving in just a few days to go back! Shea wants to be a nurse & plans to help others including continuing to help the people of Haiti.

I love this girl’s heart. She’s non-fussy & just really cares about the important things in life- family, loving people & her relationship with the Lord. We actually stayed in one neighborhood for her session but I got to use some new “spots” in it for Shea & I’m just thrilled with how everything turned out!!!

Shea is beautiful inside & out! I wish you could hear her laugh through this post but you’ll just have to take my word for it- it’s simply delightful as she is! (And shout-out to her mom, Heather, who was just as fun to be with as Shea! I totally think they have a Rory/Lorelai Gilmore type relationship 😉 )

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Shea enjoys playing the keyboard & I just LOVE how we were able to incorporate her keyboard!!

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Ready for GORGEOUSNESS??!!!!

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And of course we had to incorporate her love for softball!!! (Which Shea can tell you I know nothing about! haha! We had some good laughs about that! 😉 )

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One of my favorite pictures of Shea!!!!!!! Such JOY! I LOVE HER & her HEART for people!!!!

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Shea wanted to use some of the things that she has from Haiti in her pictures & to that I said- Oh yes!!! All her jewelry is from Haiti. And her Toms are hand painted with a design from Haiti!!!!!!

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Like I said in the beginning of this post, the one thing I just don’t like about senior sessions is having to say “goodbye”. Yes, I live in the same area as most of my seniors but they’re usually busy & ready to hit the college world. With Shea, I hope our paths cross often in the future. In fact, we actually saw each other at Walmart this past week! haha!

Shea, I’m so proud of you. I know I really barely know you, but I know that you have a great foundation to make a difference in your world. I know the Lord is going to use you- just keep your eyes focused on Him. Don’t turn to the left or the right, but just listen to His voice & leading. He will bring you through such an amazing adventure. Hugs & love to you girl! <3

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