4.28.2014

Engagement - Jenny and Mark


This session was awesome on so many levels. First off, these two were such naturals in front of my camera and secondly we had beautiful weather. I found a new location that was perfect and green so we started our session there and then headed to NoDa for the second half. 

Ok, so when I ask my clients to just be natural in front of my camera, to just snuggle and be in love (because that's what I want to capture anyhow), Jenny and Mark did it from the first frame I captured of them till the last. Cannot wait until their wedding day at the end of May of this year!

Jenny and Mark, I had a great time getting to know you both and couldn't resist sharing so many images. Thank you for a great session!











The quilt these two were snuggling on was made by Mark's great grandmother, who had a talent for making quilts. Apparently she made tons of them. This one was perfect for their session.























4.24.2014

Young Faces - Veyla O'Donnell 1 year

     I have so many things to say about this session and what a perfect session to start off my 101st blog post! Veyla's story is quite incredible. It all began when Kelly, a childhood friend of my husbands, and Melissa met while working together back in their mid twenties. They got married on a New Years Eve and had a wedding celebration I will not soon forget, then got pregnant a few years later with baby Veyla.
From here I'll share their deliver story from their CaringBridge site:
When we started out for our vacation in the Outer Banks, we were looking forward to a week filled with lots of rest, laughs, & family fun. Little did we know we would be a part of something incredible. We arrived in the town of Salvo on Saturday, May 11 and met both our parents, Stacey, Chris & Gram (my sister & her family) and Ann (Chris' mom) at the beach house.  The next day, Sunday, May 12, we spent laying by the pool and then grilling out steaks to celebrate Mother's Day. I was surprised to receive my first Mother's Day cards and gifts and even made the comment "I haven't even experienced the pain of labor yet!" Be careful what you wish for...an hour or so after dinner, a strange pain started that I couldn't ignore. 
    Kelly & I decided to make the first of two 30 mile drives to the closest hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head.  The diagnosis was dehydration (which is a common problem with pregnant women at the beach), so we rested all day Monday, but the pain still persisted.  Monday night we went back for a second hospital visit that lasted a bit longer than expected... 
    They kept us overnight and around 9:00am on Tuesday morning we went for an ultrasound, just to make sure nothing was wrong. We were already thinking that once they let us leave, we should probably head back to Greensboro to be on the safe side. No one thought there was anything to worry about, but the ultrasound showed a different story.  We were rushed back up to Labor & Delivery and this is where things got a little crazy!  
     In a matter of 10 minutes, we were told the baby would need to be delivered today, but I would first be transferred to Norfolk, VA by ambulance.  A few short minutes later, we were told that I would be flown by helicopter.  Another minute went by, the doctor did a quick exam and said the baby would need to be delivered immediately.  I was hysterical during this entire time, but Kelly was able to stay strong and keep calm in the center of the storm.  He managed to make a quick call to our family who left from the beach house shortly after.  Kelly had to say goodbye to me as I was rushed to the operating room.  After an emergency c-section, Veyla Laine entered this world at 9:40am, Tuesday, May 14 at15 weeks & 1 day early.  Weighing only 610 grams (1 lb, 5.5 oz) and 12.5 inches long, she immediately won over the hearts of everyone around her :)

     After four months in VA, the family was finally able to go home to NC! Needless to say it's been a long road for this family and I was thrilled to finally get to meet this little miracle of a girl.
She was absolutely precious and made my session a breeze. Not one fuss from her during the hour and half session. 
     While editing this session I couldn't stop smiling. My heart was full of emotion and love for this family. So happy for them all and continuing in prayer for Veyla's healthy growth progress. 

Happy Birthday Veyla!










As you see above, Marty made an appearance. Now here are a few portraits of Marty looking handsome.



















This image shows how tiny her first diaper was compared to what she's wearing now. Amazing to think about how tiny she was, barely 1.5 pounds!