Rachel + Bryan | Howard County Conservancy Maternity Session

Writing about friends is so hard! Especially friends like these two!

Bryan and I have known each other for a little over 10 years now, as he was Steve’s roommate for a little while in college. Since Steve and I were really close (though just friends – we didn’t start dating for several more years!) we saw each other quite a bit. Rachel and I had met at the infamous “Shindig”, Steve and Bryan’s New Year’s Eve party of 2005/2006, but it was really just briefly in passing. I think the coolest part of this party is that we were all there. Steve and I were just friends, and so were Bryan and Rachel. As a matter of fact, our relationships have been parallel in many ways! We met our spouses roughly around the same time and were friends for a LONG time before ever attempting dating or realizing that that might be a good idea. We started dating months apart, got engaged months apart, and got married months apart. It’s been fun to go through all of those stages in life together!

It’s really hard to make new friends as an adult, and I’m so thankful that Rachel and I have become so close! It’s actually a pretty fun story: In February 2010 when Steve was away for the Olympics, I got the sweetest Facebook message from Rachel. “So, I hope this isn’t weird since we don’t ‘technically’ know each other, BUT since Steve is going to be gone for a while, we should have a girls night one night! Just get dinner or something. At least it’s one night you won’t be bored. lol Let me know!” We ended up getting together later that week, bonded over our love for fried pickles, and talked for hours. Just like that, I had a new friend. Over the next several months we’d see each other frequently, and by the time Steve and I got married, Rachel was definitely one of my best friends. She’s become close with my other closest girl friends, and we’ve been there for each other for everything big and small over the last several years. Having such an awesome friend enter your life at this age is really a special gift.

I was so excited when Rachel told me over brunch (a favorite of ours) that she was expecting AND that they wanted to me capture this time for them! Fast forward several months and here we are, just weeks away from Baby Z’s debut! I’m dying to meet her and hold her and to watch these two incredible people transform into the amazing parents that I know they will be.

Without anymore rambling, here are my favorites from Bryan and Rachel’s session – photographed with love!

This one is my favorite!!

I love the rings of a married couple. Three plus years in, they show the wear that real life brings. Still beautiful and sparkly, but real.

I love that they brought these little baby shoes! And soon there will be little baby feet to fill them! Ahh!

Love this real moment, Baby Z was wiggling quite a bit for them! :)

Bryan and Rachel, thank you so much for having me capture this special time for you!! I can’t wait to meet your little one and watch her grow!