Hi friends! I'm Elizabeth - Roanoke wife, mom, high school teacher, and (occasional) blogger. My husband and I have known Trent since high school; but, in recent years, she's become our family's favorite photographer - my kids barely recognize her without a camera, and basically start smiling as soon as they see her!!
I probably don't have to tell you this, but the saying "the days are long, but the years are short" is SO SO true (and the days are feeling especially looooooooong right now, am I right?). Next month, my oldest will turn 9, which feels like a big deal. HALF of his childhood is gone just like that. And, in August, my youngest will start Kindergarten. WHAT?!? I swear she was learning to walk last month!!! I'm not exaggerating when I say the time has disappeared before my eyes; I cannot believe how fast it has passed...
Still, day in and day out, I barely notice the little changes in them... The way they suddenly know how to put on (and pick out) their own clothes, the gap between their front teeth that is slowly disappearing, the spread of freckles growing across their noses. I admit, in the hustle of activities and obligations (and, geez, just keeping up with their laundry and constant need for snacks), I rarely take the time to sit still and really LOOK AT them.
... That's where Trent comes in.
Four and a half years ago, I signed up for my first holiday mini-session with Trent in hopes of getting ONE good photo I could use for a Christmas card.
I got so many great photos, it was hard to choose; AND, I fell in love with documenting our little family and my kids growth... I immediately had one of the photos from this session printed on an extra large canvas, and it sits on my mantle to this day... I'll never get Nora's wispy curls or Sam's gummy smile back, but I get to see them every single day!! My only regret? Not starting sooner.
After that first mini-session, I was hooked! Not only was it a joy to see my kids grow up in front of the camera each year, but it was a rare treat to actually have pictures of ME with them (anyone else always behind the iPhone camera?!?). Photos with Trent quickly became as much a part of our holiday traditions as visiting Santa at the mall and hanging lights on the front porch.
Over time, I realized there was no reason to wait until Christmas to have professional photos taken... So, we started meeting Trent to document other special occasions, like birthdays... And, sometimes, just on a random Thursday evening in the summer...
As it turns out, play clothes, a favorite stuffed animal, and a catepillar actually made for my favorite photos of my kids EVER. (That top one has been the desktop background on my computer for the last two years and is proudly displayed on a canvas in our house.)
Beginning a relationship with Trent and regularly scheduling sessions to have our picture taken has been such a blessing in my life... I love that photos have both a digital AND physical place in my life now. I try to regularly print and frame my favorite photos, but I also share them on my social media, turn them into post cards to send to grandparents and relatives, and print them (along with the candids I've taken throughout the year) each December in books that are stacked prominently in our home and get frequent flip-throughs.
I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to have our home full of photos and memories and to have both the big and little moments of our life documented in such a beautiful, special way. These are pictures I will treasure for years and years and, one day, pass on to Sam and Nora for them to share with their own families.
AND, as a bonus, my kids have become PROS at posing and smiling for Trent. After years of regular photo sessions, they know and trust her (and also, maybe, know she's likely to give them a piece of candy at the end of the shoot). ;)
Thanks for letting me share today!!! Now, go schedule some family photos!
XO,
E
