Thanksgiving is a time that people come together and tend to reflect on things they're thankful for. As I was thinking about what to say, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the amazing families I have the honor of serving. I wanted to share an open letter to all of the 133 families I've had the honor of working with this year.

 

To My Families:

There aren't words to truly express how thankful I am for all of you. You allow me to come alongside you and capture moments in your family's lives that you'll get to treasure forever. The loud (and sometimes chaotic) moments, the silly moments, the snuggly moments, the meltdown moments, the cheesy moments, and everything in between. Family sessions are so special because there are so many things that happen behind the scenes that I get to see when others only see the final product. I get to see all of the silly noises and crazy dance moves that Dad makes to get the perfect smile from the little ones. I get to see the unprompted hugs and kisses that make for the BEST photos. I get to see the adorable glances and grins when I capture photos of Mom and Dady by themselves (and of course, the “ewws” and “awws” from the kids when their parents kiss). These are all moments that keep me doing what I love. Thank you for allowing me to play a small role in making these memories.

To those that I've served before, I love watching your little ones grow! Their personalities always seem to flourish more each time I see them. The younger ones may not remember me from session to session, but I never forget them! Thanks to Facebook I get to follow many of you throughout the year and we are able to stay connected. My favorite thing in the world is getting to serve you multiple times as the year goes on simply because it allows me to keep up and help capture the beauty in your everyday lives. The birthday parties, the various mini-sessions, the family sessions – I love them all!

To those I met for the first time, thank you for trusting me with your family's memories this year! I know it can be nerve-wracking to take the leap and work with someone new, so it means so much to me that you saw my work and decided to give me a shot! For so many of you, we had an instant connection and I know we'll be working together again in the coming year. I am so glad to have met you all as you've joined the Rebecca Rice Photography family!

Because of all of you, I get excited to head to a session. because of you, my cheeks hurt from smiling. because of you, the hours spent working are SO worth it. Because of you, I'm sure I have a six-pack from laughing. (Ok, maybe not…but it sure feels like it!) Because of you, my heart is full. Thank you for sharing your family . Thank you for caring about the memories enough to want to have them captured. Thank you for loving each other so genuinely. Thank you for being you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo, Rebecca