Introducing sweet little miss Maggie McClain.
Author: rachelpbaughman
Emily and Ryan
My dear Emily, I’ve never seen you happier than you are when you are with Ryan. What a gift to be able to spend the rest of your life with one who so clearly loves and enjoys the woman that you are. You make everything more fun, and your wedding day was no exception. The crowd who traveled from near and far to celebrate with you in the mountains is a testament to the investment you and Ryan make in your relationships.
You entrusted me with the honor of capturing your wedding day. Thank you for believing in me and insisting that I be your photographer! It was more exhilarating, more exhausting, and more fun than I ever thought it would be.
Best wishes to the newly Nolands!
Isaiah
Being brave with our stories invites others to share their stories too. These friends have been brave with their story of infertility and loss. They have wrestled with all the questions that come from the wait. But only God knows why we are made to wait. And only He knows who we are waiting for. It turns out that Mike and Lois were waiting for Isaiah. The call came, they said yes, and now they are all home. Welcome Isaiah!
Monica and Jake
The forecast for Monica and Jake’s wedding day was full of rain. But in spite of the dreary prediction, these two could not have been in better spirits. They gathered with family and friends along the Anne Springs Close Greenway for a sweet and intimate celebration of their love.
Fortunately, it turned out to be one of those days where the weatherman isn’t right…
A huge THANK YOU to Autumn with Olive Leaf Photography for inviting me to second shoot on this wedding!
Childersburg
In 1953, my grandparents moved into this home. It’s the place where they would go on to raise their two children and where they would spend the next 63 years.
The loss of my grandparents has also meant the loss of this familiar place. Very little was changed here over the years, so stepping inside is a little like going back in time. I had the opportunity to walk through it recently as the packing was being done, and I was flooded with memories in each and every room. Memories of eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on tv trays. Of summer days in the swimming pool and picking strawberries in Grandmother’s garden. I was reminded of slumber parties in the basement with my cousin and of learning to play corn hole in the backyard.
The house today is tired. It’s dusty and empty and quiet. But in my memory, the house is clean and tidy and full of people. There’s a kaleidoscope on the coffee table and a jar of pretzels on the kitchen counter. There’s a mini fridge full of coca-cola and a garage stuffed with Grandfather’s “treasures”. And that’s the version of the house that I’m going to hold onto.
* In loving memory of Richard Joseph Peterson and Marilyn Tanner Peterson *
the best kind of weekend
I never knew how much I would love being an aunt. And getting to have these little guys visit for a whole weekend was a little slice of heaven.
Adopt a Block
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Dream Center exists to give hope to the hopeless by engaging forgotten communities and joining their hands with the body of Christ across Charlotte.
One of the outreach ministries of the Dream Center is Adopt-A-Block. Every Saturday, a volunteer team visits the J.T. Williams community to serve the people in the neighborhood. Relationships are being built and the gospel is being shared. In honor of the ministry’s one year anniversary, the Dream Center team threw a massive block party. Children were invited to participate in games and crafts, free hair cuts were given by a local hairdresser, and everyone was treated to a feast prepared by Chef Jim Noble.
To learn more about the Dream Center or to get involved with their many outreach opportunities, visit their website at http://cltdc.org
Asher
So much of the heartbreak in my story can also be found in theirs. It’s one of the reasons I feel such an affection for them. Our friendship is new but feels seasoned. And receiving the news that they were headed to meet their son made my heart explode. Welcome home Asher. We’re so thrilled to have you here!
Jennifer and Jason
“All of these lines across my face, Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I’ve been, And how I got to where I am
But these stories don’t mean anything, When you’ve got no one to tell them to
It’s true… I was made for you”
-Brandi Carlisle
A new chapter is beginning in the story of Jennifer and Jason. And it begins on the day their two families become one.
The Smitherman Family
“For all the things my hands have held, the best by far is you.”
rachel baughman photo 