Every family has a story.

Sometimes, when it’s your own story, it’s hard to see it until someone else captures it for you.

You may not notice the little ways you smile at your husband. (Some of us even scowl - oops! #honesty)

You may not notice the way your daughter throws her head back when she belly laughs.

You may not notice how close they stay by each other when they roam a giant field.

And you may not notice how beautiful and real your family is - midst all the imperfections you see on a daily basis.

But it’s yours. And that makes your story beautiful.

Heather and Eric, oh my goodness look at those colors shine! We could NOT have picked a better day to do your spring photos, and we could not have invited the sun to show up in a more lovely way. Thanks for sharing your family with me and letting me tell your story! Enjoy!! :)

She emailed me last minute to ask if I was available. As soon as I read the word adoption, I was all in.

Could I photograph the day these children became legally theirs? Yes. Could I be there to witness the moment when this family became a full unit? Yes. Would this 30 minutes be a vastly more emotional experience than I ever imagined? Yes.

I had no idea what to expect, but I knew that for those in the room… this day would never be forgotten.

Adoption is a messy beautiful thing.

Messy, because brokenness and pain and trauma come packaged together with hope and kindness and redemption.

Messy, because in order for one family to become whole, another must first be broken.

But among all that messiness - hope glimmers.

Hope for the future, hope for love, and hope because His plan is always perfect.

Jana and Dan, I can’t even begin to describe how much this meant to me. THANK YOU for including me, for trusting me, and for following the path God laid out for you. I have such a greater understanding of and appreciation for what family really means because of you. Praying God’s richest blessings for all seven of you in the days to come!