welcome, Haven | Nashville lifestyle newborn photographer

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am Adonai, your God, the Holy One of Israel — your Savior.

… Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the East and gather you from the West. I will say to the North, ‘Give them up!’ and to the South, ‘Don’t hold them back.’

Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth — everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

— Isaiah 43:1-7

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the Kellys | Nashville family photographer

“I've been struggling with a couple things lately. By lately, I mean the last couple years. And by struggling, I mean I do battle all day, every day with these thoughts. I am so weary of them, and I am ready to move on. ⁣

I'm ready to accept that this may be as complete as my family ever feels, and I'm ready to accept that this body I'm in is good, and I don't need to fight to make it smaller anymore. ⁣
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I wrote to photographer extraordinaire @shelbymlynnmick and I asked her if she could help me. If she could capture the love and joy in my boys' eyes when they look at me.

Maybe if I could see it in their eyes, I could learn to be kind to myself? Maybe if she could capture what a special thing we have right now in this sweet, fleeting season, I could cling to gratitude instead of the hope for a feeling of completion? ⁣⁣

It was quite the ask for a photographer. But I'd say she came through. I'm so grateful for these pictures. And I'm so grateful for this season. And this body that has done so much for me. And that you all bought my skinny clothes that don't fit anymore so we could afford to pay Shelby. 😂⁣
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The pictures with the sunflowers are for Annie. You'll notice Shelby put in a shadow for her, too, so that I could have a picture to remind me that in our hearts, we are complete.”

Rachel posted that message, minutes after I emailed her family portrait gallery. It filled my cup to overflowing. And reminded me why I do what I do.

I am just now sharing these photos, because 1) I am chronically slow at blogging my sessions, and 2) these portraits and the stories that go with them seem so intensely personal and sacred to this family that I haven’t felt sure that it’s okay to share them. But I’m sharing them now, with Rachel’s blessing, because 2020 has me discouraged, and I need to remember that my job, my art, whatever — the photos I take with families — they’re important. They can bring healing. And we all need healing.

Rachel and I sent a lot of emails back and forth in preparation for this, and we both wanted to find a way to honor their daughter Annie, who was stillborn, in these portraits. We decided on 5 sunflowers, because she would have been 5 years old, and a little shadow-help from Photoshop to show that Annie is part of their family.

I see so much beauty in this family and so much strength in this woman. I am so grateful for the chance to spend some time with them, and I wanted to share these portraits with you.

welcome, Adelaide | Nashville Lifestyle Newborn Photographer

“To love or have loved - that is enough.

Ask nothing further.

There is no other pearl to be found

in the dark folds of life.”

— Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

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the Wheelers | Nashville family photographer

“Believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance,

and have faith that in this love

there is a strength and a blessing so large

that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it.” 

― Rainer Maria Rilke 

Letters to a Young Poet

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the Dixons | Nashville family photographer

“With you, I can be myself;

With you, I don’t have to be somebody else.

It’s like putting on my favorite pair of shoes.

I like to be with me when I’m with you.”

-Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors

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welcome, Caleb | Nashville lifestyle newborn photographer

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 3:3

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welcome, James | Nashville lifestyle newborn photographer

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure;

then peace-loving,

considerate,

submissive,

full of mercy and good fruit,

impartial, and sincere.

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”

James 3:17-18

If you’d like some music while you look through these, just press ‘play’ before you start scrolling. I chose a song that once created a nice, holy moment between me and Natalie, James’ beautiful mama.

eucharisteo Tuesday

6,685. work + worship running together

6,478. mothers who want photos taken during hard seasons

Last night we took family photos with their whole clan. After the nine grandchildren were back inside, and the sun was quietly setting, Andi asked if we could finish with some portraits of her and Josh that somehow acknowledged and honored the difficult season that they’re in.

I’m sorry the past year or two has been a little dark, friends — but keep holding onto one another, and keep looking towards the light. Please see yourselves as others do — full of strength, courage, faithfulness, goodness, and beauty.

“Photography” means “writing with light,” and that’s what I wanted to say to you both with the fading light of yesterday. I hope you feel all of that when you see these photos — but if you need the translation…there it is.

Thank you for trusting me with your portraits, Rays. Bless you.

the Hawkins | Nashville family photographer

“May this our home be a harbor of

anchorage and refuge,

and a haven from which we journey forth

to do your work in the world.

May it be a garden of nourishment

in which our roots go deep

that we might bear fruit

for the nourishing of others.

“May this our new home be a place of knowing

and of being known,

a place of shared tears and laughter;

a place where forgiveness is easily asked

and granted,

and wounds are quickly healed;

a place of meaningful conversation, of words not left unsaid;

a place of joining, of becoming,

of creating, and reflecting;

a place where our diverse gifts

are named and appreciated;

where we learn to serve one another

and to serve our neighbors well;

a place where our stories are forever twined

by true affections.”

— excerpt from “A Liturgy for Moving Into a New Home,” from Every Moment Holy by Doug McKelvey

These were their first family photos as Nashville-dwellers, which is why I chose a section of this liturgy to accompany the photos. I absolutely loved my time with them, and I hope that comes through in these photos.

Bless you, sweet Hawkins.

welcome, Olivia | Nashville lifestyle newborn photographer

“You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah.

Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are from the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.

The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the woman in labor gives birth. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land.

And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored around the world.

And he will be the source of peace.” — Micah 5:2-5

“The unexpected Bethlehem King is the once and coming King, the King of the first and still coming second Advent, the King coming again to rule the earth and make all the sad things untrue. The wonderland is unfolding even now, Kingdom coming, because His Word ‘will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands’ (Isaiah 55:11-12, NIV).

The dance of the sugarplum fairies just withered a bit.

The very trees of the fields are going to dance and clap their hands. The King is coming, and the new Kingdom is stirring. And stirring in you. When the King rules your world, you cease to worry. All worry dethrones God. All worrying makes you King and God incompetent.

There is a King born in Bethlehem and on the throne. You can breathe.”

— Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift

(You’re right — it’s April, and we’re in Lent now, not Advent. But Olivia is a December baby, and I wanted to share her newborn session — and take the excuse to revisit Ann’s Advent devotional book, The Greatest Gift, which I love reading year-round, not just in December. I hope her words and the photos of this marvelous little family bless you.)