I met Katy through CU Denver's graduate education program back in 2014 when we both decided to change career paths and pursue teaching. I was immediately drawn to Katy because she was driven, hardworking, open-hearted, and wholly committed to creating equitable learning opportunities for students. I also thought it was pretty rad that she once lived in Alaska and learned how to run a sled dog team. Throughout the program, Katy and I student-taught together at Arvada High School and became good friends-- in fact, everyone from the Arvada cohort still meets once a year to catch up. Teaching programs are good for breaking you down and building you up alongside some tender-hearted people, and I'm so thankful for that experience. Many. many times, Katy has helped offer me fresh perspectives on teaching --Caroline, there is no way we can spend three hours on ONE lesson plan when we actually become teachers-- and more recently, on motherhood-- Caroline, buy humongous panties for pregnancy and the weeks after you give birth.Katy, you haven't steered me wrong yet.Watching this sweet family play together in one of their last weeks as a unit of three made me so excited to be in that stage with our Sophie girl. That says a lot for someone who cries at every milestone, every monthly birthday, and many nights when I rock my baby girl to sleep. I've been praying almost every day that time would slow down. But, watching Tessa ham it up on the slide and prance around with her beloved stick and beg to be spun in the air just one more time and play chase with her new photographer friend--once again-- changed my perspective. Like mother, like daughter. I have so much to look forward to, and thankfully, Katy agreed to teach me all of her parenting magic tricks because I would love love love it if Sophie had the same adventurous spirit, joyful laugh, and sweet demeanor as their lovely little Tessa. Warrick family, your baby #2 is one lucky kiddo to be coming into your world and your love.One last thought about this session: I loved how very normal it felt to meet up at a playground at Holbrook Park in their neighborhood and hang out in the shade on the grass. For all you mamas out there who think you need to drive to the mountains or find the perfect dreamy field of flowers, consider this: the people in the photographs are the gold of the photographs, not the backdrops, not the fall colors, not the view. The people. I recently listened to a Coffee and Crumbs podcast where they discussed preserving memories, and I love what April Hoss, one of the hosts and writers, said."If you have the means, or if you have access and can get them done in someway, I've never met anyone that said, 'I really regret that we took all those pictures together as a family.'