If you came to my house today and took a look around, you would see my walls covered in photos. Many, MANY of those photos were taken by my dear friend Davey. Davey photographed me in a field of flowers on the side of a highway nearly 11 years ago as a 19 year old bride. This was way back before photos like that were a thing. He indulged my creative side and has been following my family around ever since snapping some of our sweetest moments for us.

A little more than a year ago, I got to be there for the birth of Davey and Marissa’s son Ansel. And I’ve had the honor of documenting much of his first year of life.

For his one year pictures we took Ansel to pick his first apple. It was one of the few, non rainy fall days we’ve had this year and that little boy was just full of wonder and curiosity as he surveyed the hundreds of “balls” on the ground.

Davey and Marissa lost their first baby to miscarriage. I have watched Marissa work through grief and her desire to be a mother. So I have just melted going through the pictures of her holding Ansel. I can just hear the contented sigh and see the thankfulness brimming from her bright eyes.

So thankful for this family and their intertwining into the threads of our lives.

Happy first year of life sweet Ansel!

www.helenjoy.com