This couple is amazing.  I have been friends with them for almost three years now after meeting them at our church, DC Metro.    Some of you might remember them from this shoot that we did almost a year ago.  It has been such a joy to watch this couple prepare for this little one’s birth.  They have such a deep, deep love for her already and it shows in everything they do.  They have personally challenged me very much as well.  As a family, they have taken huge steps of faith that although might not make sense to the people around them, they followed God.  They trust that while this pregnancy caught them by surprise a little, they knew full well that God had a plan.  They have been blessed so many times over because of walking in faith that God has got their back.

Ray & Summer – Thank you for being an example to so many others around you.  You have amazing hearts and I know that this little girl will be so blessed to call you Daddy & Mommy.  I can not wait to meet her (& find out the secret name:) ).

♥ Heather

Ray’s only request with the maternity pictures was that some of the pictures reflect where they currently live.  As most people in the DC area they do not expect to live here their entire life so he really wanted to remember this time in the nation’s capitol.  So, we started at the Lincoln Memorial.

Memorial bridge in the background…

Doesn’t Summer look amazing???

Almost exactly a year ago we took this image……

So I thought it would be fun to take a similar one now!  Oh how a year can change your life…

Then it was off to the Capitol….and I promise that the sky did really look like that!

At this point we were all so hungry that we forgot to get any bare belly shots.  Summer really had wanted some, so we met up the other night to make sure to capture the belly before she delivers (she is due 7/5/10).  When we were talking I had a vision of what I wanted.  So I asked Summer if she was up for and thankfully she was.  I can not even begin to express how happy I am with these images.  As I was processing them today tears started rolling down my cheeks before I even realized it.  For an artist, to create something that moves you like that is priceless.  Thank you Summer – you are truely beautiful.

Just taking a moment out from processing an amazing maternity shoot to share an image that I grabbed while on that shoot.  I have now lived in the DC area for almost 3 years (wow time flies!!!) and I am not sure if I will ever get used to seeing our nations monuments on a regular basis.  When I started shooting professionally so many years ago now I never imagined that I would be doing a maternity or wedding photos on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, a baby shoot at the Jefferson Memorial, and so many more.  Will I ever get used to seeing these landmarks???  I hope not.  When I see them I think of my dad (who passed away a few years ago from cancer) and how he and so many other have served our country.  I want to remember that it is by God’s grace that I was born into this country of freedom.  So I hope that they still make me pause when I see them….