Many of you who are reading this already know Sam, the gorgeous mom-to-be featured in this blog and accompanying photos.  I have done several sessions with this lovely young lady and her family in the past but this one was a little out of the ordinary! I already knew that she was gorgeous  and that she was always easy to work with, but what I didn't know was what a trouper she is -- especially at 7 and a half months pregnant!  

We had been talking about this session for a while and just waiting for the perfect evening to do it but with so much rain and cold weather, the windows of opportunity have been very small and didn't look promising for the next several days either.   We had been watching the forecast and knew that thundershowers were expected by 5:00 yesterday afternoon but when 5:00 came and went and it was still looking like a beautiful evening,  I messaged her and we decided to give it a try.  

So poor Sam rushed home from work and got ready and we had agreed to meet at her house at 6:45.  When I left home, it was beautiful and sunny -- 10 minutes later when I got out of my car at her house, the first crack of thunder boomed.  But no rain.  Sam said she was still game if I was.  So we decided to continue on to the location we had chosen for the session as we could always just turn around and come back if it started raining. When we got there, opened the car doors -- more thunder.  But still no rain.     With both of our busy schedules and the uncooperative weather we've been having, combined with the fact that we were already there, Sam said she was still up for it so out we went!  We took a very quick couple of shots on the grass beside the lakeshore and then we both agreed it would be fun to get a few shots IN the water.  So, off went poor Sam into the ccccold water and we got in a few more shots before the rain started.  But then the rain did start -- not pouring but a good shower for sure.  Sam's hair, which had started out so perfect quickly got flattened somewhat within a matter of seconds.  But even as it was raining, we realized that there was a little bit of sunlight off in the distance and then a beautiful rainbow appeared just above where Sam was still standing in the lake!

Those closest to Sam will know that rainbows have a very special significance to her.  It was kind of a magical moment, I think.  So after all the indecision about whether to go ahead with the session or not, and in spite of the thunder and rain, we knew right then that it had been exactly the right time to do the session.  That is, until after the rain when something I was totally unprepared for came out of nowhere and attacked me -- BLACKFLIES!! I have never seen, or been literally chewed by so many all at once in my entire life!! I have bites in places I didn't even know I had!  I'm sure Sam was getting chewed also but no complaints from her! (Later when I was washing the maternity gown, I expected the sink to be full of mud and dirt but couldn't believe the number of blackflies that were caught in the lace of the gown!)

Thank you so much, Samantha, for being such a beautiful and cooperative model.  :-)

J.