Florida 2017

A sugary white Florida beach adorned with this light and these three little people…yes please! My own family photo shoots are not glamorous nor do they run smooth by any stretch. I experience the typical stress filled moments leading up to our five minutes (yes five minutes!) of actual photography. Outfits, hair, accessories and oh, I can’t forget to grab my tripod to set up! It’s a rush to make it out the door and to our location, three kids in tow. But in the end, if only a few shots are captured that’s all that really matters. It’s a sweet time to reflect upon; sand seeping in between our toes, the pure joy and excitement that the ocean gifts us with, the calming sound of one of God’s greatest creations and memories that will last a lifetime.

When I look back on these pictures what will I remember?  The little toes of my 18 month old squishing through the white grains of sand?  Her smile?  The way she says “turtle” in the most adorable voice?  How she hugs us all as if to say how much she loves us with each gentle embrace?  Will it be watching my 8 year old create sand cupcakes for hours, blond curls blowing in the breeze?  Will I remember how her blue eyes danced with the emerald water behind her? Will my son’s docile and gentle voice and questions about life, love and God’s creation come to my mind as he ponders this vast ocean he sees before him?  Will his creative endeavors of building sand castles, tunnels and never ending fortresses be how I can see his six year old face years from now?  These are the reasons why we pick up and leave our everyday life when we can.  We grow together; we get stretched together and we will cherish these days forever.