You want to know something? I really, really love what I do. A long time ago, when I first began capturing milestones as a photographer, a friend of mine said, “How cool is it that you get to share in so much joy with others and consider it a job?!” She has no idea of how her comment has stuck with me, and how grateful I am to relive that statement each time I pick up my camera, especially when it involves being there for my friends.

Fast forward a few years later, and here I am, getting ready to meet two of my friends from college to help them celebrate the anticipation of their first child, and what better place to capture this milestone other than the place where it all started?

Taylor, Preston and I went attended Lambuth University together almost ten years ago (typing that number is a little harder than I though it would be). Preston and I sang in the choir together (although he was also an athlete!), and Taylor and I had several mutual friends, but it wasn’t until after we had all graduated that I really got to know these two. Since then, I have had the privilege of serving on a young women’s retreat with Taylor, singing in her and Preston’s wedding (which was also at Lambuth), and photographing Taylor’s younger sister Tatum’s wedding last fall. Witnessing the love the Taylor and Preston have for each other and how it has evolved over the years has been really inspiring for me, I know, as well as so many other people who love them dearly.

Preston’s career as a doctor has taken him all over the place, and Taylor has been at his side every step of the way, which has led them from Tennessee to Wichita, and will soon be leading them to Mississippi. They deeply value their friends and family, and above all, Jesus. When I first found out Taylor was expecting, I remember thinking that this child was going to be so loved and fortunate to have some really amazing parents, because they are already such amazing people. I immediately texted Taylor to tell her congratulations but also that if she decided to do a maternity session, I wanted to be there! And I’m glad that on a not-too-hot evening in July, Josh and I were able to meet Taylor and Preston at Lambuth to do so.

If I tried to tell you all the reasons why Lambuth is so special to me, or to Taylor and Preston, it would probably take me a good ten blog posts. So, suffice it to say that there could not have been a more perfect place or time for the two of them to celebrate all of the joy surrounding this sweet season in their lives. How cool is it that I get to share in so much joy with others? I don’t know that I can even say how “cool” it is, or even put into words how full my heart is every time I walk away from a session like this one. I do know that next month, when Taylor and Preston welcome their sweet baby boy into the world, that he is going to have two wonderful parents, and that they are going to be able to look back on his expectancy with joyful hearts, and I played some small part in their ability to do so, which means the world to me. Taylor and Preston, I love you both and am so excited to watch your family grow!

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from their maternity session.