capturing life one image at a time
John Michael is the newest little guy in the Garver home. His mama was raised in a house full of girls. And now she’s raising a house full of boys. While the life of a boy-mom is a life of dump trucks and dinosaurs, baseball and bugs, she seems to breeze through it effortlessly. Together with her husband, they are training up a new generation of southern gentlemen. And I am here to glean all of their boy-raising wisdom!
November is National Adoption Awareness Month. If you are local to Charlotte and looking for a way to get connected to adoptive families, I encourage you to check out Adoption Support Alliance. ASA is working to build community among adoptive families. They offer classes on adoption as well as support groups for those touched by adoption. It’s an organization that has been a gift to my family and one that I am eager to support!
I had the opportunity to serve as one of the photographers at their annual family photo fundraiser again this year. It’s an event that’s open to anyone wanting to have their photos taken and all the proceeds go to support the work of ASA. It was a beautiful day attended by adoptive families, foster families, and folks who were just excited to smile for the camera for a good cause. Many thanks to all of those who came out!
I think Avery’s big brother perfectly captures the range of emotions that come when a new baby joins the family. We love to cuddle them and show them off. But then sometimes we just feel tired of all the attention they need and get. I get it. I’m the oldest of my siblings. But trust me little man… the older you get, the more thankful you will be for those siblings.
To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
2020 was tough. But the year was also filled with unexpected blessings. Neighbors became friends. Lots of books were read. Time with friends and family took on a whole new level of precious.
I’m feeling particularly thankful for the time I was able to be behind the camera in 2020. A special thank you to all of the mamas and daddys who invited me into your holiday season! Getting to spend time capturing these, and so many more, faces was truly a highlight of 2020 for me.
Happy New Year!
*rachel
This mama schedules a photo shoot every year for her daughter’s birthday. I love that tradition! They will always have these pictures to look back on and remember their spirited and spunky daughter on her fourth birthday. This year she surprised her now-4-year-old with a sparkly new dress during our session. Her little face is full of pure joy!
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a fundraiser for Adoption Support Alliance. ASA is a Charlotte based non-profit that provides support and services to local adoptive families. They offer adoption support groups, educational classes, and counseling. Through the work of ASA, adoptive families in the Charlotte region are better able to connect to one another and get the needed support to navigate the complexities of being an adoptive family.
Our family has been richly blessed by ASA. The classes we have been able to attend and the families we have been able to meet have encouraged and equipped us to boldly move forward in our own family’s adoption journey. So I was eager to say yes when they asked for my help.
In the fall, ASA hosts a family photography fundraiser. Each family that purchases a ticket receives a 20-minute photography session with a local photographer. All the proceeds go to fund the work that ASA is doing year round. I’m incredibly thankful to all the families that came out to have their pictures taken!
Since the day she was born, we have called her Baby Anne. It feels like she’s outgrown that name now that she has celebrated her first birthday! This precious girl has the sweetest demeanor. So we were all a little surprised when tasting her birthday cake sent her into a crying fit. Big sister didn’t seem to mind though, because that just meant more cake for her.
Happy First Birthday to you Anne!
A rainbow mobile meticulously crafted by her mama. A vintage truck carefully restored by her daddy. And a springbok hide from her grandparent’s home country. This session was filled to the brim with thoughtful details and special mementos.
Your house is the place where you feed your family. It’s where you fold laundry and binge-watch The Office. In these last few months, our homes have also become our offices, our schools, and our playgrounds. It feels like every single aspect of our lives is now happening within the walls of our homes. For each of us, our house is the setting for the story of our pandemic experience. What better way to capture a memory of this crazy season than with a family “porchrait” at your home?!
rachel baughman photo 