This is a story I’ve been dying to share in detail with all of you!!  The story of how I came to know Erin and Matt is one that still blows my mind sometimes :)  First, let’s back up to about 8 years ago.  Tim and I had been married a few years and had added our daughter Evie to our family.  We had outgrown our home and had hopes of buying a farm near Decatur at an auction.  I still remember Tim calling me that morning (I couldn’t make myself go to the auction in fear someone else would walk away with MY house…) and simply saying to me, “Pack your bags, Baby!”

Through the process of closing the house, we met Kathy.  Her parents had left her the house after their passing and had decided to sell.  I know it was hard for her to let the house go as it held so many memories of her childhood.  But I was just as eager to start making memories of our family within its walls.

Fast forward to two summers ago.  Now a mommy of two and new business owner who reveled in over booking herself  (I was a crazy woman), my days were very hectic.  I remember it being a hot day, and my first day with no sessions in WEEKS.  The kids were at Grandma’s and I refused to get dressed and padded around the house in my pj’s all morning.  That’s when the doorbell rang.  I RAN upstairs to put on acceptable attire and when I came back down, the car was beginning to leave.  I stepped outside to wave the car down.  Out of the car came a smiling woman who I didn’t recognize.  She must have known it because she said, “Do you remember me?”  It was Kathy :)

I welcomed her in and apologized profusely for the mess..and hoped she didn’t think I had trashed her house!!  She asked about my work and I gave her a business card so we could keep in touch.

Here’s where it gets fun!

Last summer I got an email from Erin.  She was struggling to find the perfect fit in a photographer for her wedding.  She mentioned it to her mother one day in passing.  Guess who her mother is ;)  KATHY!!  They looked me up..and within a few days, I was on the phone with Erin discussing plans for her wedding.

Erin and Matt  make their home in Chicago and wanted to shoot the engagement session in their beloved city.  I also thought how great that I now live in her Grandparents house…we could shoot part of the session HERE!!!!

Erin and Matt came down to visit family over Mother’s Day weekend…when it seemed to rain more than anything here.  They arrived at my home and we shot a few out front before the rain started to drizzle.  The front of our house has stayed virtually the same for years, so I hoped it would feel just like old times for Erin.

We took cover in one of our barns, where Erin remembers playing as a child.  It was so fun to hear her talk about what she remembered about the place!   To be honest, it was a little nerve wracking meeting them for the first time and taking them around to all the places where we store our JUNK..but Erin and Matt were so incredibly sweet…and the camera LOVES them both!

Then over to the second barn on the property.  Another admission…I’d only been in the loft once before and wasn’t sure I liked climbing up the ladder to get in there again!  Oh, but it was sooo worth it!

Can’t decide which is my favorite.  Aren’t these two smokin’ hot??!!!

To be continued……images from our Chicago session coming shortly!