crider family

I met Jill through mutual friends on Facebook and I am forever grateful.  She is an amazing person and a wonderful friend.  We were moving and she was one of a few I would know upon arriving after a cross country trip.  It was even better when I found out that our husbands would be working in the same place.  My husband met her first and when I asked him what she was like, I only knew her online, his response was “she’s southern”.  Vague but typical.  I should have know better.

Fast forward a year and I am still in denial that she and her family are moving away and I will be back to online communication only with her.  Seeing the moving truck in front of her house with boxes all over the yard helped but I can pretend that I saw that at someone else’s house.

Seriously now, I was thrilled and nervous when she asked me to take photos of her family.  She knew what she wanted and where and that made it somewhat easier.  Location is half the battle and that was taken care of for me.  As we got closer to the day I started trying to figure out how I was going to get their personalities to shine through with just my camera and lenses.  How do you show Jill’s caring nature and witty sense of humor?  She is also able to throw a “bless her heart” with no one being the wiser.  The one thing I was sure of was that I would be able to show her impeccable style.  I also had to figure out how I would show Jim’s drive, determination, and smile (yes, he does smile)?  His love of his family was plain as day and I didn’t have to worry about that one at all.  Then there’s Jack, 13 and all boy not wanting to smile because he had recently gotten some new hardware and it’s just not his thing.  Honestly, is it in any boy’s nature to smile for the camera?

I hope I was able to capture all of the above and more.  This was a special session and the pressure was on.  We started out at their home which happens to be a historical Queen Anne.

We had to get the whole family.

Jill also wanted some shots with her baby… her Camaro.  She already had it posed and ready to go with El Paso and the Franklin Mountains as a backdrop.

Perfection.

Now it was time to move on to the Old Fort Bliss Replica.

I will take that smile, Jack.

A nice grin.

Getting closer.

Even better.  He couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“We loved you before we knew you, even when there was just hope for you – we loved you.”

It was time to give the teenager a break so I went off with Jill and Jim.

There were some words I can’t repeat being said by Jill, imagine that, which caused him to laugh.

True love is amazing.  Real love is undeniable.

Thank you for trusting me with your family photos.  I was thrilled to be asked and had a great time with you all.  I especially want to thank you for your friendship.  Enjoy your journey and I will “see you later”.

“Home is wherever we’re together.”

**Thanks for helping me out Ronya.