“Hannah took our announcement photos for our first pregnancy. Three days after announcing with those photos, we lost that baby. Losing our baby was the hardest season we have ever weathered as a couple. But those photos don’t bring us sorrow of our son’s passing, they bring us the joy of his life. Those images that Hannah captured are all that we have of our son.
I knew if we were ever gifted with a child again that I wanted Hannah to take the photos. The obvious reason being that she is incredibly talented. The less obvious reason being that this Mama heart just really needed some redemption to our story. If I am being honest, I spent most of my next pregnancy in battle, afraid to fully feel motherhood again. The wounds were still mending and I was far too fearful to have any of the pregnancy professionally captured. It was a season of growth and healing for me. But you better believe that I booked Hannah for our newborn session as soon as our baby girl was born. And this session was the most extraordinary experience of redemption…

“When I first saw this gallery, the fusion of light and color gave rise to a well of emotions. Hannah was flawless in the way she captured our whole family. We had weathered many hard days before our rainbow baby arrived. We named our first son, the child we lost, Belen Luke meaning “arrow” and “light” respectively. Although we never got to hold him, he made us parents and it has never been our intention to hide his light. The days and months following that loss were dark and dull, but we held fast that light would come again… Then we found out we were pregnant for a second time. It was an exciting, but very emotional journey for both of us. Amidst our fears we learned to choose joy; to trust the Lord to walk us through that season no matter the outcome. And when our rainbow baby finally arrived, she absolutely colored our entire world. I look at these images and both of my children are represented so beautifully. The brilliant light coupled with the vibrant colors tell our story without a word…

“I’m sitting down to write this in the quiet of evening, just after rocking my little to sleep. I sit here completely overwhelmed with gratitude. Motherhood is sacred. We were never promised a child, and yet we were gifted this tiny vessel, eventually capable of more than we could ever imagine. She is the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to us. And we have the privilege, the sacred responsibility, of nurturing her heart and her mind. The weight of responsibility is enormous. It’s tiresome. It’s selfless. It’s painful. But it’s the greatest honor I’ve ever held. And it amazes me how mothers are created to flourish in this role. It’s a love that knows no bounds. It’s grace upon grace. It’s new mercies that somehow show up every morning (even at 3 in the morning)…

“My journey to motherhood is not what I ever imagined it would be. The journey is often marked with pain and heartache, and yet most of us carry those burdens quietly. Reflecting on and sharing our story has brought us a great deal of healing. Our story of loss has given us a depth of understanding that each precious life in our family is a gift. It’s those moments of pain that have helped us fully experience joy… for one cannot be recognized without the other. I look back on our journey with great reverence. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. And if there is one thing I am confident of, it’s this: He makes all things beautiful. Really, really beautiful.” Madeline, Mother

HANNAH HASTON PHOTOGRAPHY