“Beth and I have known each other since elementary school which made the experience fun and effortless. I trust her creative choices completely and that made it easy for me to just enjoy these moments with my daughter. I love the documentation and storytelling aspect of photography. These images will forever serve as a way for me to travel back in time to relive a precious moment in my daughter’s childhood. Motherhood has surprised me in many ways. There were things I knew I would delight in, like snuggles, the sound of her little feet running through the house, the beauty of watching my husband become a father. But being a mother connects me to humanity, it connects me to other women and makes my perspective of life broader. My favorite thing has been watching her learn. I absolutely adore watching her learn Spanish and enjoy aspects of Peruvian culture with my husband. I’m continuously impressed with how much she absorbs and how much more independent she becomes every day. She has become my life’s grandest adventure.” Annie, Mother

“We live in a world that has a convoluted understanding of love. It’s common for people to fall out of love as often as they fall into it. And so I came to believe love was both mercurial and conditional. Then I became a mother and all that changed. The moment my son was born it clicked. It was the first time I understood what it meant to love someone more than yourself. His happiness, his security, his joy, it was all more important than mine. When he hurt I hurt and when he was happy I was happy. Elizabeth Stone once wrote, “Making the decision to have a child…it is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Forever your heart is tied to your children. I believe the only perfect love that exists is the love God has for His people; and while a mother’s love is not perfect, it is the purest love imperfect humans can experience. My children are the greatest loves of my life. My life is richer and more meaningful for having had the great honor of being their mother.

As each year passes it’s becoming clearer that this sweet chapter with them is rapidly coming to a close. We can’t stop time from marching on and our children from growing up. But what we can do is make it a priority to be present and freeze some of the sweet moments in photographs. That’s why my heart belongs to photographing motherhood. My desire is that every time a mother looks at her images she’s transported back to a simpler time. I want her to remember just how good it felt when her little ones fit in her arms. How sweet their heads smelled when she kissed the tops of them. How much it tickled when they nuzzled her neck. When I look back at this session with Annie and Fio, I know I accomplished just that. Annie and I grew up together in a small town, the best of friends. She has an amazing sense of humor, huge heart and the most beautiful free spirit. When her baby Fio was born she effortlessly fit into the role of mom. Her gentleness, her patience, her kindness and her unconditional love for Fio have made an indelible impression on me. I treasure every session we have together.” Beth, Photographer

ELISABETH KATE STUDIO
Additional Vendors: HMUA: Samantha Allen
Film Processed By: Richard’s Photo Lab