gone fishing

I joined the Dettingers at one of their favorite family outing locations, Codorus, for their family portrait session.   The rainy forecast was thankfully wrong, so while their session start time was delayed for frost, we were all thankful that the session was a go!

Rescheduling sessions is a necessary evil at times, until I figure out some weather pattern altering plan that is! 😉  I gave props to Jeremy when he volunteered to come home early from turkey hunting the following week if we needed to reschedule.  Willing to make the sacrifice, but not required to—that’s the best of all worlds!

The kids had a blast at Codorus.  It was pretty obvious that Codorus is one of Cole’s favorite spots to be with his dad.  A little boy with his fishing rod, with his father by his side is a little slice of Americana at its best.   Jeremy gave Cole rock skipping instructions and demonstrations.  Cole did his best to emulate dad.  Only thing the day was missing was a few trout to take home for my dinner!

All the Dettingers love the outdoors and that’s even true of baby Mckenzie.  She’s just 12 months old but toddled around in the grass like she was born to play outside. I’ve never seen a baby so happy to have her feet in the grass and rocks before.  She’d crash to the ground once in a while and pop right back up without a peep!   Eager to explore the big world around her—nothing was stopping her!

Jenn and Jeremy had a very natural way between the two of them, which the camera’s presence didn’t put a damper on one bit.  When it was time for some couple shots Jeremy had no problem when I told him, ‘ok kiss Jenn.”   His grinning response was, “I could do this all day!”   I told him he was welcome to kiss his lovely bride as long as he liked!   

Jeremy was very helpful throughout the session.  He seemed a bit more vested right from the start in his photos than the average dad.  It’s not that dads don’t love the photos when the process is all said and done, but it’s the whole process leading up to the photos that sometimes has them digging in their heels a little (or a lot).   

I always joke that if it were up to dads to chronicle our families in photos there would be approximately 10 total images and 5 of those would be of cars!  It never takes dads long on a C A P T U R E D session to vest, but being vested right from the start stands out as pretty cool in my book.

Jeremy is a man who seems to know the true value of what he holds in his family.  The way he often looked at Jenn throughout their session was very touching.  He and Jenn faced a scare recently when Jenn’s history with thyroid problems became an issue that docs needed to look at further while she was pregnant with Mckenzie.  Doctors realized that a problem spot they had been watching was growing and surgery would be necessary. 

When you hear the words cancer on the phone from your doctor, you hear little else after that. You think this must be someone else’s phone call because you are far too young for news like that.   When your husband hears that on the other line he comes home from work to become the support you desperately need at the moment.

Thankfully papillary cancer is very treatable in most cases when diagnosed in younger people.  Jenn is doing well today thanks to the embracing support of Jeremy and her mom.   When Jenn needed to cry, they were there.  When she needed someone to care for her children while she was unable to hold them due to her treatment, they were there.  When she needed to get out of the house, her mom was there with a shopping trip. 

When a powder keg is dropped in your lap you have to mobilize and time is not on your side.  Jenn is beyond grateful for her family who stepped in to walk her through this valley and be the strength required for the battle she faced.   She’s full of life and love for her family, and for that she thanks God daily.  Family at its best!  And now just a little slice of that tenderness C A P T U R E D for their forever treasure to adorn their walls!

My personal reflection of how I’d paint your family…the storms may come but you’ll weather them all holding on tightly to one another!