A good reason to break blog silence...

I am breaking my blog silence with a vulnerable mushy birthday ode and a particularly personal love story :) Today my husband turns 35 and as ALL birthdays should be  celebrated WELL, this week is gonna be a good one!

This summer we had a two part family portrait session experience with the fabulous Meredith Amadee Photography. (check her out. she is wonderful, relaxed, loves the authentic and brings out the special :D). This session is fun snapshot of our season. We are city folk learning to be desert rats with an edge. We are falling in love with the craziness that is Tucson and the people that are our church home and the unconventional routine and rhythm that is our normal currently.

We have hunkered down, planted roots, leaned into community and looked toward the future intently. We have been asking questions about "what next"-- "where do we want to grow here in Tucson?" "what do we love?" "what are we passionate about?"...And the single most important and desperately poignant answer has been a mile ahead of all others....EACH OTHER.

I am patiently, loyally, absolutely his. Marriage morphs and fuzzy stuff ebbs and flows and we felt the current HARD and we clung to each other. In the privacy of our home and in the tension of our assessive conversations and growing pains, my head has turned more towards him. The horizon is usually my foremost gaze, but when the race with your best friend hits the hard patches, I realized how much i wanted to stick next to him as I run. WE run. Together. 

Oh best friend and only lover ever--you are mine and I am yours and I celebrate you. The simplicity of this is what keeps me tethered to home--to contentment, zeal for our family and a deep passionate longing to grow, still more, with you.

Bring on more desert romance baby. This is OUR love story and i am THRILLED to laugh, love, twirl and make-out among the cactaii many, many more times. :)

P.S. Thank you Meredith, for this incredible treasure of a session. :) you caught the silly, the sexy, the sassy, and the still. :) It was perfect! Love you! And AnaLia...for her magic with makeup. I felt like a movie star :) 

LKM - who we are and why | Meet LKM | personal

It's a new year and we are continuing to build, develop, and refine the voice, message and trajectory of LKM STUDIOS.  We rewrote our "about page", broke it into two parts--"Meet Laura" and "LKM Philosophy." We are excited about the sweet stories we have yet to share from last year and are particularly stoked about what this year has in store! 

Click on the links above to read about who LKM is and the approach we have towards photography, our clients, the culture of our studio and the life we aim to pursue holistically! Thanks for stopping by! | LKM

Steve + Aidelni | Downtown Urban Love Story | Lifestyle Engagement Session

They first met at Union at St. Philipps Plaza.

"Surely she's not really interested in me..." is what Steven thought... But what came out was, "hey, does that fish dinner taste good because it really stinks..."  Aidelni was put off by his bluntness but also saw something more charming and endearing about this man. After hours of small talk, drinks and flirtation it was time for them to part ways. 

Earlier in the evening, Steven had made a joke of how a woman all dressed up in high heels would never work with a man in sandals on a bicycle. And thinking he somehow had managed to keep this beautiful woman by his side all night he went for the line to end all lines.... " I need to get going, but do you think maybe you want to come check out my bicycle?" 

Steven walked her over to his bicycle and grinned. Aidelni smiled. He was just so stinkin' charming. Steven was still shy and unsure but he knew his moment was fleeting. " May I kiss you?" He leaned in for a gentle kiss, in the middle of the night, amongst strangers as a feeling of adoration hung in the warm summer air.  "Could a guy like me ever have a chance with a woman like you?" he asked as he got on his bike. "It depends on you.." she replied and slipped back into the bar. 

... When I first met these two I was charmed by Steven's affection and gentleness towards Aidelni. And she leans into him, affirms him, thinks he is the funniest thing on earth. She showed up to the shoot beaming, brought a fantastic wardrobe of colorful classy pieces and he was strong and patient....and loved her well. 

I love this session. I loved my time with these two. I have paused too many times at the images where they are holding each other. And the ones where they are laughing... it's a quiet, peaceful sort of thing. I can't believe I get to be part of this season of their story... | LKM