Shannon Holden Photography

This is a session that I wanted to share long before now, and well before my blog break happened this past year. In fact, this was one of my very last sessions of 2011, photographed just a couple of days before Christmas. Normally I’m on vacation at that point, recuperating from the long, busy Fall portrait season. But when this family asked me to create their portraits with their children and grandchildren, I certainly could not say no.

They mean a lot to us, you see. Mike and Kathy have blessed our family in ways beyond measure, some they don’t even realize. Kathy is the Principal at our children’s school. But that job title does not describe adequately what she does for those children … those families … she shepherds. Never in my life have I seen a person pour such love, wisdom, grace, and prayer into a community of people as her. Though I can’t imagine how she has enough hours in the day to do all she does, she never hesitates to offer her time and her insight when one of her students needs her. I often describe our school as our village, and she is one of the significant reasons why. I don’t know how I would ever survive this parenting thing without her and our incredible teachers walking alongside me.

As a pastor at our church, Mike has also been instrumental in our lives. His ministry has helped Chris and I strengthen and grow our marriage, giving us a foundation and a connection that I’m not sure we would have found anywhere else. Mike even performed my baptism, and later he baptized both of my sons. I hope that one day he might also baptize our daughter when she is ready.

I can say without hesitation that I would not be the wife, that Chris would not be the husband, and that we would not be the parents we are today without Kathy and Mike. We are far from perfect. We make countless mistakes. But we know that through all our mistakes, we have wise counsel and prayerful guidance when we need it. And yet, they are both so gracious, so approachable, and even humble. Yes, I admire Mike and Kathy more than they will ever know, and I was deeply honored to be their photographer.

Much love,
Shannon