Oh my gosh capturing this family I’ve known since grade school was such a complete and total JOY! I say that a lot but it really was so neat to see girls I haven’t seen since high school all grown up into incredibly beautiful women with husbands and families! I loved hearing what their careers are, what they love to do, etc. The more and more I get to know people I haven’t seen since we were kids the more I hate high school. As adults, away from the cliques and stereotypes and peer pressure and hormones and all that stupid crap we all go through in our teens, I crave time to sit down with everyone I went to school with so we can be friends now! I want to KNOW them. I want to hear their stories from school, their versions, their views. I want to see all the other sides of life my 16 year old sheltered self didn’t know existed. I want to catch up and learn all about them. Is that weird? I’ve gotten to know, even just a little bit, people I barely talked to in high school for who knows what reason (nothing specific at all or even on purpose!) and I ADORE them. It’s how I felt about Teresa. I was chatting with Chris that night and couldn’t come up with one concrete memory of her and I together even though if you had asked if we were friends back then I would have said “sure! of course!” It made me really sad because in just the little bit of time we got together that night I genuinely wanted to spend more time with her! She’s awesome! And so now I wonder about how much I missed out with her back then (OR it could prove that my memory just isn’t as good as I think it is which Chris is always telling me!)! Does anyone else feel this way? I actually ran into her a few nights after the session and basically said all of this to her! HA! I’m sure she thinks I’ve lost my mind but she told me she’d love to have lunch or something sometime so maybe everyone feels this way just a bit? It’s part of the reason I am one of the rare people that likes Facebook – I love seeing people I knew 20 years ago as adults living out their dreams or having kids or traveling or whatever! It’s fascinating!

SO WOW. It was really great to see Teresa and Lauren, their parents and their families! Truly it was a complete joy and I’m SO glad we reconnected. Today I actually had a mini session with a girl who was a year above me and same thing – she’s an amazing mom with two GORGEOUS kids who I feel blessed to know now!

I guess I could have just said, “Hey guys look at this super cute family!” and left it at that but I always think that I can’t be the only person in the world with thoughts like this so I thought I’d throw that out there! Anyone else have similar thoughts? Anyone I grew up with want to hang out? HA!

OK OK OK on to the sneak peek!!!

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This was literally the first shot of the evening when I was testing the light! How cute are they?

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The whole crew!

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I want more photos like this of my parents – do you hear that mom and dad?

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Lauren’s sweet family! I LOVE that baby’s belly!

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Blowing bubbles with your grandparents is the best!

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And I love how much they laughed together at the session! Maybe that’s what not having kids does to a couple? HA! But really I think they just are best friends and I love that!

THANK YOU AMERICA FAMILY! You guys are awesome!