eeek!! new family pics!! {and the story of our life}

i'm squealing with delight! we just got the proofs from the incredible Jensen Photography duo and as always, i love every single one! actually, i cried i was so happy :) there's nothing like a fantastic photo to get me all misty eyed!

the photos on my blog banner were taken by the Jensens two weeks after emery came home

{this photo makes my heart ache to know i'll never see her again as God created her. i wish i could jump back in time to this day...to kiss her sweet cleft lips just one more time. actually, no. once isn't enough. a million-zillion would work much better, thank you very much.}

** view the entire homecoming shoot here

looking back, our family feels brand new. emery looks minuscule and so very weak and small. it was long before the pain of surgery. long before we knew what a sweet and sassy gal we had. 

these photos are a treasure deep in my soul.

fast forward 9 months...

i'm not sure about you, but photos speak love to me. having a beautiful moment in time captured for our family and future generations...it might just be one of my favorite things in life.

i can feel who we are as a family. i remember my kids giggling and squirming and racing. the boys were kissing their sister over and over. they kept trying to hold her hands, and she was not in the mood.

in fact, our sweet little sassy-frass wasn't in the mood for smiling one bit. not only had i forgotten her shoes (frazzled much?), but i literally woke her up from her nap, put her in the car and threw her dress on only 10 minuets prior. she was more asleep than awake. 1 hour later (after the photo shoot) she was dancing and singing and gallivanting through the grass. good thing she's crazy cute, even when she doesn't feel like smiling :)

i was so frazzled getting us dressed and fed and out the door in time, i not only forgot missy's shoes, but i also forgot to feed everyone. at least i remembered all three children.

this is my favorite photo. ever.

check out his smile...and her gaze.

yeesh, i might tear up looking at it again.

best.photo.ever.

you wouldn't know it from looking at these shots, but clint had the worst day at work...the worst in years. everything went wrong and he was exasperated and exhausted.  but somehow the hard day dissipated. maybe it was the grass under our feet or the kids laughter echoing around us.

perhaps there is something special about returning to the place you were married that sparks a spectacular evening.

we were wed at this same location 8 (or was it 9?) years ago in august. the sweetness of that day echoed as we walked and laughed with the kids. i couldn't help but smile to think of how young we were...how unknowing of the life that awaited us...and how fantastically full our lives would soon be. 

it was the perfect evening to be together

years from now i won't remember the forgotten shoes and clint won't remember the horrible day her had.

we'll look back and marvel at how small the kids were. how young we looked. how little emery's feet are. how simple life was. and i will always look back with great thankfulness at the gift of our family being documented.

cait and jeff...it's no wonder you are fantastically in demand.
you're quite dreamy :)