There’s something about living (and now working) in your hometown. Maybe it’s the sweet smell of familiarity. Or maybe it’s running into people now as an adult, that you knew as a kid and briefly reminiscing on past memories or moments. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but I know that I love it. I love that working in my hometown means running into people I knew so many years ago. And Trista, is one of those sweet people.

We greeted each other at the door with a warm hug.

And the memories came rushing in. Trista and I grew up in the same church, so together, we spent many nights in Youth group, many hours on retreats and shared both laughter and tears with our friends. Trista has this calm, soft-spoken voice that instantly brings you peace. She has such a tender heart, and now watching her on this new adventure, brings my heart overwhelming excitement. Watching Trista and Justin work together as a team during the session was heart-warming because Leland was so content in their arms. He was exactly where he wanted to be.

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Justin’s heart is in scuba diving because he used to be a scuba instructor in South Florida. Scuba diving is still a passion of his, so they wanted to incorporate a beach theme into the session which was perfect for a dreary Pennsylvania day. Listening to Justin talk about his time as a scuba instructor was so fun! You could hear the excitement and energy in his voice as he talked about his experience basically living on the water. I was so jealous, but so thankful that he came back home to Pennsylvania because he and Trista are so sweet together and have created such an adorable miracle!

There were so many personal touches and details in the session: the scuba gear was Justin’s, the seashells were Trista’s great-grandmothers, and Leland has a blanket that was knit by Trista’s best friend’s mom. It was such a sweet time together! Trista, thank you so much for reaching out to me! Leland is an angel, and I am so excited for your family as you embark on another adventure!

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