I met Ashley only a year ago, which is a little crazy, because it feels like I've known her longer than that.  Over the last year she's become a dear friend.  She's also a photographer, and her and Matt are expecting as well, so these days, we have a lot in common!  She was actually one of the first people I told that I was expecting.  We were headed to a photography conference in D.C., and when you have eight hours of road time, secrets tend to find their way out. ;) When Ashley texted me with the news that they were expecting a few months ago, I was so very ecstatic for them.  We promptly decided to start going for weekly walks together in an effort to keep the pregnancy weight gain at appropriate levels.  I've loved this little tradition we've started, and she's been such a gift from God.   She and Matt had been planning to do anniversary photos to celebrate their second year of marriage, and since Pete and I rather desperately needed to update our photos, it was a perfect opportunity to swap sessions.

One of the things I've noticed as I've gotten to know Ashley better over the last few months is how she talks about Matt.  They've been married for two years now, which is plenty of time for the "magic" to wear off and the difficult realities of marriage to set it in.  We've spend a lot of time together, and I don't think I've ever heard her say a negative word about him.  It's not that she's gushy or inauthentic or putting on a front.  She's real about the fact that they don't always agree on things, but whenever she speaks about him or their relationship there is always this tone of deep, genuine gratitude that comes through.
What they share is all of the best elements of love combined.  It's the fun, crazy-about-you kind, but it's also stable and grounded.  And the best part is, they actually KNOW how special what they have is, and they fight to protect it.  That's rare and beautiful.