I'd like to say I don't have any fun on my sessions and that it's all business, but I can't. I'd definitely be lying. This one proves that without a doubt. It also helps when you know the family you are photographing. Leticia and I go way back when our oldest girls were in preschool together. TIme sure has flown by and our little girls aren't so much anymore. When Leticia called me late Fall and said she'd like me to photograph their family I was beyond excited! When she said they'd never had a professional session I was a tiny bit nervous. I'm not sure why as it turned out The Porters were 100% my kind of family to photograph!

Leticia, Daron, and their 3 beautiful girls let me in their every day like they knew exactly what my gig was all about. I was greeted by their girls in pajamas and tutus, got to see hair braiding at its finest, was treated to coffee, watched some serious gymnastics moves (Daron was on the Cheerleading team at the University of Tennessee) and best of all had a blast watching this family play outside their family home in Sandy Springs, GA. We ended our session at the girls school for one final picture.

I've been thinking about the words I wanted to say for awhile now about the Porters. The love these parents pour into their girls and the bright, shining happiness that radiates right back from those three would make anyone's heart melt and it sure did mine that day. One word that resonates this season and immediately came to me when thinking about this family is Joy. Joy is everywhere in their heart and home.

“As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible. Joy is always possible. Whenever, meaning—now; wherever, meaning—here. The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience. The joy wonder could be here! Here, in the messy, piercing ache of now, joy might be—unbelievably—possible! The only place we need see before we die is this place of seeing God, here and now.”

- Ann Voskamp