Two days ago at this time, Annika was upstairs napping, I was sitting at my desk editing some images, and Jed was just finishing up at work....when the phone rang.
Two days ago at this time, we found out that a birthmom had made the hardest decision of her life, choosing us to raise her beautiful, sweet, loved baby boy -- to give him the life she couldn't.
Two days ago at this time, our world expanded exponentially and our hearts got even fuller (if that is possible).
Yesterday at this time, we were racing to catch a plane to Texas. We caught it, with 4 minutes to spare.
Today, right now, we are sitting in a hotel room in Houston, holding our gorgeous little boy. He is four days old, but we feel like he's been in our hearts forever.
We're still processing the whirlwind that was the last 48 hours. We had just filled out our final paperwork to become active with our adoption agency 18 days ago. We thought we'd wait about a year. Instead we waited two and a half weeks before we got a call telling us our son had already been born & when could we come get him? It still sounds so wild. We can hardly believe it's all real, but here we are with this tiny little man, and he's ours. All ours. We are absolutely, undeniably, screaming from the rooftops, jumping up and down, overjoyed at this incredible surprise!
Into the universe we release a trillion and more thank yous to his precious birthmama for giving him life, for protecting and nurturing him over the last 9 months, for trusting us to care for him and raise him the way that she hoped, and last but never ever least -- for giving him his beautiful middle name.
Without further ado, we introduce our newest family member, and Annika's baby brother, Zavier Jordan.
Welcome to the world sweet boy! We feel so lucky that out of all the parents in all the universe -- you chose us. We're already head over heels.
]]>Even though James and Melanie's wedding was already featured in a super fun post over at 100 Layer Cake, I hadn't actually gotten around to posting any shots here.... Melanie and the team at 100 Layer Cake did an amazing write up on their incredibly nautical wedding, so if you want to read the full story hop on over there and check it out. If you want to see a few more photos (even more than before!) stay right here and scroll on down to the loveliness!
I couldn't decide which was my favorite shoe shot, so you get them both!
This shot cracks me up. Mel + James are so much fun and they both have a great sense of humor. We had a blast running around the estate grabbing photos of them -- you would never have known it was 107 degrees out on their wedding day! (No joke, it really was one hundred and SEVEN degrees outside. WHEW!)
I just have to say one more time what an AMAZING job Scout's Honor Co did with all of their wedding stationery! The invites, save the dates, programs, and all of the paper designs were so modern and unique and fit the beachy theme perfectly. LOVE!
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If I spent every weekend shooting Indian weddings, I think I'd be a very happy girl.
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Have I mentioned lately that this child is my stars, my moon, my light in the dark? I feel like she was hand picked for us. Seriously, just plucked out of a universe full of babies by the wisest hand anyone has ever known.
I spend a good part of each night laying in bed just before I fall asleep, wondering at how terribly clumsy each step felt on the way to her, but how exactly right it all looks in hindsight....as if each bumbling move was orchestrated to come together into this sweet symphony of family, and every measure led us directly to her.
How lucky are we to have found each other? That question occupies a little part of the back of my brain...pretty much all day, every day.
But especially when I find her wandering around the house, giggling, with a sweater pulled over her head.
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]]>Plus, Melanie and James are a blast and planned an incredibly fun, relaxing day. You'd never even know that it was 107 degrees out that day. No joke. It was really, really, really hot.
Congrats Mel & James [or as I prefer to call him....Jimothy]!
]]>I loved that it had such meaning for them (they pick their pumpkins there every year, and have been stopping by this little farmstand for treats for ages).
Also, I was terribly impressed at how nice (and not half asleep) they looked at that hour of the day. I'm pretty sure I've never EVER looked this good at 7 am. :)
Enjoy....
These guys who worked at the farm were so funny. Love the hat!
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Also, three cheers for the ever amazing Kate Sielski -- coordinator at Crossing Vineyards. I love this venue, I love Kate, and I love the fact that she was literally days away from giving birth to her first little babycakes on this very hot wedding day and she was just a cool cucumber all day long into the wee hours of the night, as always. She never fails to deliver the most gorgeous, perfectly planned days to her couples. She's an absolute star. (And a mama, now, too -- congrats Kate!)
On to the wedding day.....
No, she doesn't bike yet.
But she definitely needed it....
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