Howell Family | St. Patrick's County Park

Adore this beautiful family. April and Nate are some of my husband and I's dearest friends - and their sweet girls, Macie and Emma are absolute darlings.

Had a blast with them a few weeks ago at St. Patrick's Park. The weather was beautiful and their smiles were infectious!

Always thankful to share in special, fun moments with families!

The Craft Family | St. Patrick's County Park

I simply ADORE this family. I've known Sarah and Brandon for MANY years - as we all used to work together back in my high school days! AHHH, crazy how time flies. And OH SO THANKFUL how technology can still connect us.

Their family is incredibly adorable - beautiful - and oh so sweet.

Despite the frigid temps we dealt with the day of their session, they still managed to look so precious - and had so much fun together! Some of the most genuine interactions I've ever had the privilege of photographing! Beautiful in every way. Family time, certainly is the BEST time! ♥ Thankful to share in these moments!

Out of the Darkness Community Walk 2012 | South Bend, IN

I had a really special honor on Saturday, to photograph an event that brings to the surface a really tough subject: suicide.

This was the second time an event like this took place in the South Bend area, and I was really humbled to be able to be a part of it once again.

Did you know … There are over 30,000 suicides in the United States each year. It's the fourth leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years in the United States. 90% of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable and treatable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death.

We must learn the warning signs and learn more about what we can do to help those who are uncertain of how to help themselves.

Out of the Darkness Community Walks do just that. They happen all over the country and are directly associated with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which is the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide.

Walks like this are organized to help survivors of suicide - to connect them with others who are in the exact same place - who need the shoulder of another to help them along the way.

I was very thankful to meet some amazing new friends and be inspired by their stories - and their strength. Thankful to see such beautiful camaraderie and 'togetherness'. ♥

To learn more about how you can be a part of this cause, to join a community walk in your area, or to simply learn more about the risk factors and warning signs, please visit http://www.afsp.org/. 

Jim and Kelly | Couples Session | St. Patrick's County Park

I've known Kelly and Jim for a little over a year now. My husband and I were blessed to be able to photograph their wedding just over a year ago.

A few short weeks after getting married, this amazing couple received heart-breaking news. Jim had stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

The last year has been a trying one for them - however, good news came just weeks after celebrating their first anniversary: Jim was in remission.

This couple is SO, SO special. Such an inspiration. So thankful I know them. So blessed to be able to photograph them in this moment and time. And incredibly blessed to see TRUE LOVE. They are BEAUTIFUL. And their love is shining! ♥

"True love doesn't happen right away; it's an ever-growing process. It develops after you've gone through many ups and downs, when you've suffered together, cried together, laughed together." ~Ricardo Montalban