In Which Jeff + Dusty Cherish their Angel Babies : northeast, tx family portrait and lifestyle photographer

I hope you don't mind

 that I put down in words

 how wonderful life is

 now that you're in the world.

|| elton john ||

There's something magical about dreaming, waiting, praying, desiring, hoping...coming up short time and time again only to wake up one day and realize all of its over. The waiting, the hurting, the pining, the reaching, the climbing. The time has come. And you finally have all you ever wanted and more. That is the brief summary of why Jeff and Dusty have such an undeniable twinkle in their eyes when they hold their daughters. The daughters they thought they'd never have...and yet, the Lord saw fit to grant them after all.



I can honestly say I have never seen two people cherish their children more than Jeff and Dusty with their Princess Madeline Rose and Baby Claire Bear. Like right in the middle of a shot they'd just hug them tight and Dusty, with a sigh, would say, "It just doesn't get any better than this. I wanted to be a mother for so long and now that I am its just like magic everyday. Even when they're fussy or sick and I have to hold them...its a wonderful honor! I'm getting to comfort a baby that's mine who wants me to comfort them cause I'm their mama. It's such a joy. God is so great."
(I would just stand there in awe like, "What is this? Poetry hour? Did anyone record that!? THIS IS BEAUTIFUL! :'D)





Let's just say I don't know how this girl could be any cuter. It should seriously be illegal. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. The whole time I was editing...and even now, every time Trevor sees pictures of her he's like, "NO! But you don't understand...she is actually THE cutest child I have EVER seen." And I just nod with a wide eyed , "I knoooow RIGHT?!"



Seeing Dusty truly loving her girls in such a transparent honest way was a stunning thing to capture. 









In fact, everything about capturing the whole family was a stunning thing to capture. Just to give you into a little peek into how I work...I always overshoot but....this family session was a record for me. When I walked away that evening I looked at my camera and was shocked that I had shot over 900 pictures of them. I JUST COULDN'T STOP. OKAY. I COULDN'T. ;)

Another marvelous thing about this pair is that they are actually photographers too! Is that what made them so natural in front of the camera? I doubt it. Their overflowing love was completely real, free, lovely and anything but staged...all I had to do was sit back in awe of it. :)











STAHP.






JUST STAHP.




As we moved to the next location Dusty sweetly asks, "Do you think me and Jeff could do some...y'know...of just us?" *looks preciously into his eyes and puts her arm through his as he smiles at her* I fervently agreed and told them it was so refreshing to have a married couple actually ask for pictures sans-kids because sometimes during a family session that's the last thing people want! Some people seem to think couple-only shots are for those that just got engaged, or just married, or haven't had kids. They both looked at each other and giggled. "But we're still just as in love as we were when we had engagement pictures done! In fact...much more so now! Marriage is such an amazing thing. The longer you're with someone, the more wonderful love becomes! You're really going to love it." (Such a darling thing to tell me who, at the time, was less than two weeks from my wedding day.) And goodness me, for having almost ten years of marriage behind them...they were totally more in love than an engaged or newly married couple. Having endured raw life with someone gives a different kind of love-gleam in your eye...the hugs are tighter in a mesmerizing way...the plethora of inside jokes and funny things shared between glances are exchanged so fluidly...the kisses are more tender and everything about the way they interact was evident that they were in the arms of the soul they treasured most.





That gorgeous red ring on her finger is a garnet and was given to her by Jeff for Claire's birth (it being her birthstone.) The funny thing is...he bought it a while before she was born because they already knew the due date was in January. But because baby Claire came a little late they were afraid there for a second that garnet was gonna be the wrong birthstone. ;) But coming just in the nick of time, she managed to still be a January baby. :)



A certain little someone couldn't stand Mommy and Daddy getting all the attention for the whole time. ;)


















Singing "Let it Go" What else? ;)


















Man oh man, I loved working with you guys soso much. It was an incredible joy and honor. And I'm excited to now not only call you clients but friends. :)