My Parents’ Anniversary Session

Two days before her birthday he called. “Come and have dinner with your mom and me.” “Shhh… it’s a surprise. I’ll give you the details later, love you.” His messages are always sweet and to the point. Never much of a planner, my dad usually left things to the last minute; yet, they always seemed to work out. Scheduling my parents’ anniversary session in north Phoenix was no exception.

Arriving thirty minutes before our parents at dinner, we had time to play the guessing game. Does she know? How will she react? Turning the corner, she gasped. Although I don’t remember what she said, she was overjoyed by the surprise. Squeezing my dad’s hand and the smile never left her face. Around the table she went, hugging and kissing each of us. Giving us the kind of hug you don’t want to let go of. As we sat at dinner, laughing and sharing our favorite stories, it reminded me just how lucky we are. Most families live in different cities, states, or even countries, not us; somehow, my sister, brother and I remain in the same city. It is a blessing to live near our parents and each other.

Always, on some level, I am nervous when I first start photographing. Because providing clients with an amazing experience and images are always my highest priority. But with my parents, there is an added level of pressure because I also want them to be proud of me. Over the years, my siblings and I were raised to be honest and hardworking. Taught to only accept our best effort and to use our talents. Once the session began, my nerves disappeared; I lost count how many times my parents told me, “this was fun” on our drive home. Truthfully, I cannot wait for our anniversary session next year!

Mom and Dad, first of all. thank you for raising me with strong morals and values. And providing a home where unconditional love was shown unconditionally. For giving me a home where I could make mistakes and learn from them, a safe place to land. For always providing a listening ear when I needed and advice with the ability to make my own choices. Above all, thank you for showing me how wonderful marriage can be. Honestly, your love was the keystone to our family.