Grant + Hillary came to the Black Hills to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, and wanted to document their trip with a photoshoot. When I found out they would be hiking several trails along their journey, I asked if they would be up for hiking for their photos and was SO EXCITED when they agreed! We met at Sylvan Lake and hiked to the nearest overlook to watch the most beautiful blush sunset. 
I love that they slow danced on top of a mountain at sunset, while thinking back on their wedding day a year ago. It seriously can not get any more romantic than that!!!
I had been using the gorgeous pink sunset as a backdrop, but I didn’t want them to miss out on the beauty of it, so they took a moment to just soak it all in. Then, Grant soaked in the beauty of his bride. ;-) 
I love that among all the sweet, romantic photos, they were still quick to laugh with each other – a good sign of a good marriage, if you ask me! :-)
Thanks again, Grant + Hillary for reaching out and for going on a little adventure with me! I can’t wait to see where you go for your next anniversary!!
Dec
20
2018
Dec
10
2018
‘Tis the season for Christmas cards to be sent out to family and friends! We used ours to make a very special announcement, but ever since we sent them, I’ve felt like we weren’t being totally honest, and have been wanting to share the whole truth. Finding the courage and the right words have been a challenge.
Long story short: we are expecting another baby girl in March, and we are also expecting our time with her to be very limited.
Longer story below..
The night we took these photos, we were so eager for the next day when we would find out if baby number three was a boy or a girl at our 22-week ultrasound.
We brought the kids with so that they could be part of the excitement, and Elodie could barely hide her smile when she found out she was getting a baby sister! Lance whisked the kids away while I finished the ultrasound, and I laid there for almost an hour, watching her spin and kick and try to suck her hand. Babies are such a miracle!
Then, after the ultrasound when my doctor came into the room, our lives turned upside-down. The doctor had tears in her eyes, and the first thing she said was, “I’m so sorry.”
It turns out that our beautiful baby girl has Trisomy 18, and if she does make it through delivery, her time with us will be very limited.
It’s been a difficult reality to grasp. We are trying to live life as normally as possible, but it’s just not the same. We’re not rearranging the house to make a nursery. I’m not searching for all the cute baby girl clothes. We’re just waiting to see what happens next, praying we’ll get to meet her alive. We savor every kick we feel and heartbeat we hear, but still we know we’ll have to say goodbye before we’re ready.
All we ask for this Christmas is a little prayer. A prayer of hope for the best possible outcome, and for the strength to make the most of these next few months. Thank you, friends!
