Travis returns from deployment!
Not my favorite photo (bottom right) in the world (because harsh sunlight is not flattering one bit haha) BUT definitely my favorite moment of 2020!! We got our neighbor to get a photo of us in front of our new home in San Diego the moment Travis got back from deployment! We attempted a selfie in the backyard first (bottom left) but couldn’t get the iPhone in the correct place and also get the dogs heads in it too. I should have just taken out my tripod, but we were so excited to get a photo and it didn’t matter if the photo was perfect, it was more about just being together and having the moment recorded in our history of love.
Our home feels complete and my heart is so full of love. The pups and I missed Travis soooo much. Deployments can be tough. We don't get to call or text our loved ones when they are at sea. Communication is limited - it's just email and FB messenger (if you are lucky). It's awesome when the ship pulls into port and you get to see your loved ones face during a quick FaceTime and even better if you get to fly out and join them for the few days they are on land.
As I am sure 2020 has been a whirlwind for many, Covid19 really made things even more difficult for this six month deployment. All except one port call was canceled for Travis due to Covid19. He had to be quarantined in Guam for over 20 days in a hotel room by himself while they tested and retested everyone on his ship to make sure it was safe to return. I was in Colorado visiting my family and my whole house got Covid19. I was super sick and my dad was hospitalized. After a lot of rest and focusing on health, I moved to San Diego in June and set up our new house (with the help of my mom and dad, thankfully). It's hard to go through big things like that when you don't have your significant other with you. I am a very independent and strong woman (which I believe all military spouses have to be with the ups and downs) but this was a really rough deployment.
We are finally settled into San Diego. I finally have my office set up and am ready to get back into work mode. I took a great amount of time off to focus on my health, my family, my home and my well being. I am finally ready to start booking sessions (being extra safe with only outdoor sessions) 🙂 🙂 I can't wait to make the most out of the rest of 2020. #staypositive#countyourblessings
This is the first photo we attempted to take in covered shade in our backyard, because open shade is the most flattering for photos. I tell people this all the time when they panic that the sun has gone behind the clouds. It’s just the prettiest light, but we were struggling to get a good photo without taking out my good camera and tripod.
So we asked our neighbor to get a photo of us in front of our new house with the American Flag and two pups. We knew the light was harsh and crappy (the photographer in me cringes at this photo) but we wanted to capture this moment and let Travis change and enjoy our evening together. So it makes for a fun photo lesson! SHADE IS ALWAYS BETTER!