It’s true, Ashley’s Maui babymoon portrait session with us was one of our last before we entered lockdown due to COVID-19. I edited this session with tears in my eyes, because closing this shoot means remembering so much. It makes me remember what I miss, what I took for granted.

I miss carrying our 38 pound preschooler across the hot sand at this very beach, sitting him on a towel with a lunchbox full of snacks and shooing chickens away from our beach blanket before they can lay claim to his pretzels.

I miss chasing our toddler down with a hat in one hand and a bottle of thick sunscreen in the other, trying to coax her in to some semblance of sun protection before she bolts to the water or samples the saltiness of a piece of carefully chosen coral.

I miss diving for shells as Adam watches over our kids on the shoreline, popping up every 30 seconds to see how it’s all going, waiting for a shaka of assurance that my sand sifting can continue. Shaka, yes, but sometimes a flailing wave of despair as he calls me in 10 seconds after I enter the water. Helppppp, his eyes scream, our son realizes after our asking twenty times before leaving the house that he now *HAS* to poop.

Right now I’m sitting with a tremendous amount of dread and uncertainty, as I dare say we all are. But editing shoots like these makes me realize that one day this will come to an end, and in adopting a new normal we will once again have the ability to connect with clients and create meaningful artwork for them to remember some of life’s most valuable chapters.