Making Memories at Deception Pass | Anacortes, WA Photographer

For military families, there is the before, the during, and the after. Your life revolves around cycles - and I'm not talking about school cycles or even calendar years. I'm talking about tours, duty stations, detachments, deployments, surges, IAs, and the countless other ways those who serve "do" their jobs. I know families who have been given two weeks notice that they are moving halfway across the world. I know new mothers who have had to come to terms with their husband being sent on an IA for the next fifteen months. So how, do you ask, do military families handle this? 

I can't speak for everyone, but I see a lot of people living in the moment. I see them cherishing the time they have before a deployment, persevering during the time apart, and working so very hard to get life back to normal after their families are reunited. 

Melissa and I have worked to make this session happen for almost a year now. And because of various scheduling changes, it kept getting pushed. But as the time before Eddie's deployment narrowed, and their family prepared to be apart for months on end, we knew we had to make it work. And man did we squeeze it in! Melissa and her adorable son literally flew out the night of our session to be home with family and pass the time more quickly while Eddie is gone. 

I pray that this deployment goes quickly and easily for the Valle family. I pray they are surrounded by love and reunited stronger than ever. And I hope these photos help in some small way while they apart.