Uncommon Family Photos

My second child was still a baby in our family's last professional photo shoot.  Yesterday we had our first session with our family of five.  At a time when we are especially unsure of our future, this is a big deal for us.  Will my partner lose his hair with chemo?  What will our lives look like in six months?  Will he live with cancer to see another year?  Everyone in our family now has a cold except for my partner, who is under strict orders not to get sick.  At home he refuses to be separated from us, yet stays far enough away to stay healthy.  We presented an uncommon situation for our amazing photographer.

Near the end of the session, as my partner and I held each other and our children played in the background, I thought of how this closeness could make him really ill, how we were taking a risk to commemorate our togetherness, and how I may not be able to hug him like this in a decade.  Yes, I cried on film.  Each moment is an incredible gift.  The more we live in each moment, the easier these steps forward.  Bitter and sweet.  As is much of life.  I intentionally hold my partner while leaving a little space for what our future holds.  We live in these moments together, holding each other in the ways we are able.  I love my people.  I love my life.  I love this time together.  I love the closeness we share.