I have been so incredibly blessed this year! I have a brand new healthy baby boy and my hubby is back from his deployment, what more could a girl ask for?!?! How about incredible clients that have been so supportive of me this past year as my belly got bigger and the question of when would this baby come loomed overhead. When we found out we were pregnant and I looked at my due date I realized I would be working right up till this baby came and would be back at work very shortly after too. I was worried, I’m not gonna lie! I’ve heard horror stories of being put on bedrest at 5 months and I just prayed please please don’t let that be me! When I shared the news with my clients I was worried that they might be nervous, and rightfully so, of keeping me on to shoot their weddings. You can imagine how overwhelmed I was as I read their replies of how happy they were for me and no one abandoned ship! They all trusted that even if I could not be there that they would still be getting beautiful wedding photos from my studio. It was a trust I did not take lightly, I prepared for the worst by bringing on a fabulous second shooter, Lindsay to train to be a mini me throughout the season. I also brought along extra help at the end from my wonderful friends Charlotte and Rachel! I am so thankful for those girls for backing me up and being prepared to take over at a moments notice.
Every wedding this fall has been filled with such encouragement from my clients and their families, I felt so blessed. The little gifts that have showed up for Will were so unexpected and we appreciate them so much! It’s fun to see how excited everyone is for us and how anxious they all were to find out if he was a boy or girl. While on maternity leave I was blown away to find 2013 couples who waited for me to come back so they could meet to chat about their wedding. In a world full of photographers these clients were willing to put their wedding photography decision on hold while I spent time adjusting to my new baby! Definitely something to be thankful for and I can’t wait to work with these clients next year!
As I play catch-up finishing up my last wedding edits, getting albums approved and organized and squeezing in portrait and engagement sessions I’m thankful for my Mom! She has been coming by to watch Will for me so I can focus on getting my work done! Thank you to my patient clients who are anxiously awaiting your photos, I promise I’m busting my butt to get them to you ASAP!! Major thanks to my mom for putting up with my “fussy” baby ;)! haha!
Last but certainly not least I’m so thankful for my wonderful husband, David. I remember my dr warning me at one of my appt’s that not all dads are good with babies, a lot of them don’t get involved until the kids are almost a year old and are more interactive. I’m happy to say that is not the case with my husband! From changing every diaper at the hospital to waking up with me for each feeding the first week to taking Will as soon as he comes home now to give me a break. I love that man!!! He will even entertain Will during dinner so I can have a hot meal. He doesn’t just hold Will either, he will play with him and do funny things so Will starts smiling and making noises. I love it! I am thankful everyday to have him here with me in the trenches so to speak, we definitely know we are parents when we talk about our child’s poop on a daily basis and with others!
Of course one more thing I’m thankful for is the healthy baby I’m holding right now! He is sweet and adorable and I feel truly blessed to have him. He is my rainbow baby and we are so in love with him!
Photo by the super talented Marta Locklear!
Melissa Arlena is an award winning lifestyle newborn photographer in Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia who has earned her Master Photographer Certification from NAPCP in maternity, newborn and family photography. Her natural and simple work has been featured in magazines and online blogs worldwide. She has been named Best Maternity and Newborn Photographer in Richmond and Charlottesville, VA in 2024.
what a year of blessings!