It was more than 5 years ago that I met my friend Mary. She was leaving her corporate job to pursue her larger than life dream of working with expecting mothers- she wanted to become educated and specialized in every niche of motherhood from doula services, to lactation consulting, to planning the perfect baby shower.

I watched her firsthand guide my close friend through her first birth experience, and I have never seen anyone more perfectly fitted to do so. It was 5 years ago that I photographed head shots for her to use on her new website she was planning and dream life she was building, and 5 years ago that we sat in my favorite New Haven coffee shop where she told me she wanted so much to have a baby of her own, but until that happened she would pour herself into the new families of others. That she would do everything she could to help mothers be mothers, as she waited to be one herself.

She’s the kind of woman that you meet and instantly know what a gift it was to spend time with her because she’s just that incredible, and you sit & hope that all the good in her rubs just a little off on you.

It was 5 years ago that she told me as a brand new photographer, that she wanted to book her maternity session, even though she wasn’t expecting yet, because she knew she wanted me to photograph her when it did happen, and jokingly teased that she knew my prices would just increase as my business grew so she thought she should book then. As a brand new photographer I was floored by her faith in me.

Year..after year began to go by. Hoping. Another year. I prayed. She kept hope. Another year. More hoping. More praying. More than 5 years. And then…I got the text. “Remember when I booked that maternity session 5 years ago?” …I cried.

She is expecting TWINS and it’s finally public news so I can share!! God is so faithful and moments like these are SUCH a deep reminder to me that what I get to photograph is the greatest honor. Honestly there aren’t even words for it sometimes.

Sharing one of my favorite portraits here from my very first session celebrating twins, and feeling unspeakable joy for Mary’s photographs to come. What a beautiful gift.