Some day I should sit down and write a book on all the amazing, selfless, cheery, wonderful people I meet along my business journey.  Melissa would be up there with my favorites, for sure! My first time meeting Melissa, she was attending a MOPS meeting at AHUMC. First impression: this girl is so stinkin’ happy! Haha, she just radiates joy and optimism, and I felt – that day – that I was in the presence of someone truly made of greatness.  Melissa is the wife of Matt, mother of Tyler and Jake, and baby girl Claire Catherine is snuggled perfectly in her sweet belly. Jake, her middle child, I had the honor of working with as last year, Melissa was the organizer of CTFOB, right here in San Antonio!!! She called me up and asked if I’d be willing to be a photographer at the head shot clinic they were putting on. I jumped in with both feet and Jake was just one of the many children with Down Syndrome I got to photograph!!!! You can see him on the front page of my website in the intro slider!! Needless to say, I’m so thankful to have met and gotten to know Melissa Lawrence.

Now that you have some history on Melissa and myself, let’s dive into this Lawrence Family Maternity Session in the Bluebonnets! This year I happened to find a beautiful, rich Bluebonnet location with lots of contouring and depth.  I LOVE this spot. =) There were even some White Bluebonnets, which I had never seen before… Tyler and Jake jumped right in with their 7:40am energy and lots of laughter.  Grandma was there to help with smiles and let’s just say she made these photos HAPPEN! She was phenomenal with the kids and I could tell they love her BUNCHES.  This photo session was one to just sit back, admire, and take in some major life lessens.  The patience this family has with their kids is supernatural.  They were playful with them, smiling TONS, laughing and over-all just a beautiful picture of what parenting is all about.  They got down on eye level, threw them in the air, played chase, tickled, sang songs and maintained a joyous refrain.  These pictures you see are complete truth of what this family exudes in real life. They are my heroes and my hope for the future.

Thank you, Lawrence Family, for creating a picture of parenting that sends me straight home with open, loving arms for my own kids and makes me want to be a better mamma. Being around you all is so enlightening, incredibly fun, and truly inspirational. I feel blessed just to know you.

~Hannah Charis