Love, love, love, love

I had the pleasure of photographing a couple of badass friends and their badass weddings over the past year and while skimming through everyone's Valentine's Day posts I realized that some of their awesome faces (and their attendees' faces) needed to be shared. #thisislove

I've been so lucky to stumble across these great peoples' paths and being near them gives me hope and excitement for the future despite everything I listen to and read in the news. When I'm down (which is often lately) I flip through these pictures from the past 12 months and realize we've got it so good to be blessed with each others' company.

Noah, Kim, Stevie, Kati, Nick, Allie, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your oh-so-kick-butt-day!

If you love your friends, you will serve your friends. If you love your community, you will serve your community. If you love money, you will serve your money. If you love only yourself, you will serve only yourself, and you will have only yourself.
— Stephen Colbert

Happy Birthday, My Love

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You hold Henry
in the incandescent overhead light
as dawn peaks through our windows. 
He's holding onto you like a baby chimp; 
his little paws clasping your back
and his legs wrapped around you
as tight as two carpentry clamps. 

Swaying back-and-forth, 
like you did when they were babies. 
Swaying, kissing his cheeks, and swaying
Repeat.

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They only know a mother  
who is present. 
They only know a mother  
who helps their tears go away. 
A mama bird protecting her chicks
from that crazy bald eagle. 


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Exhausted,  
I don't appreciate you enough. 
And, 
when I do
I appreciate you  
too much. 

You are a genius.
You made this happen  
[I point all around me] 
in spite of me
always going over my allowance.

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You are
my five-star
life hacker app
that was activated
that first day we met: 
course-correcting my worst instincts
tempering my anxiety
and showing me
my potential. 

God only knows where we'd be without you. 

You are so loved.