I arrived at the Rempels home early Saturday morning & they welcomed me in with loving arms. They went about their day with their regular routine, as if I wasn’t there… & it was ABSOLUTELY beautiful.
I loved this day SO MUCH. Last summer, I did a whole bunch of family sessions, night after night & while I love families and I love kids, I would usually leave the session feeling disheartened, like something was missing. The kids usually didn’t want to be there, their laughter wasn’t in the photos, their heart & the sparkle in their eyes wasn’t there. The parents usually were frustrated by the end of the night because their children wouldn’t look at the camera when they were suppose to or they wouldn’t be behaving like the sweet, beautiful children that they are. At the end of the session I would say “okay, yayy you guys are all done!” & the kids would run wild! They would play, giggle, hug their parents and love on each other. THIS. This is what I was missing in my photos! While the parents & I were trying to get “the perfect shot” (the photo of everyone looking at the camera & smiling) I was missing out on the actual perfect, beautiful shot of the parents loving on their children and each other, of the kids laughing their faces off and telling the most hilarious jokes, and of a family simple being a family!
This day with the Rempels was filled with everything that had been missing from my family sessions! It was filled with so much love and laughter. With bruised knees and mama kisses. With tickle fights and dance parties. With dirty dishes & crying babies. With good morning snuggles & goodnight hugs. The Rempels home is a place where people come to gather, where good conversation dwells & a place where they choose joy through the toughest circumstances.
Rempels, thank you. Thank you for inviting me into your home for the whole day to document your beautiful, every day life. Thank you for believing that there is beauty in the ordinary, in the mundane tasks of life and that it is worth remembering, worth documenting. Thank you for choosing each other, day after day. For having so much patience, kindness and love for your kids. Thank you for being real, honest & open with each other & for choosing joy. xo, t
xo, t
Felicia
on May 23, 2016 7:44 pmTeresa! I have no words. I don't even know these people and I am literally bawling over these unbelievably special, precious, BEAUTIFUL photos! THIS is so what I want and what I have been looking for for our family. We are moving to South Africa next year and I want a session like this to capture our life in the only home my kids have known up until now. I am so glad I briefly met you and thought to get your contact details last summer. You are amazing and a joy to follow on IG, constantly blowing my mind with gorgeous content and words.