I always love the chance to capture the special relationships in a family and an extended family? Just that much more special! It is always so fun to photograph the kids playing, capture the stage of mom and adult daughters, and the other sweet moments that happen amidst a beautiful summer night. The Stretz extended family were one such fun portrait session!

Have a blast as you wrap up the final days of summer and head back towards the school year! 

This family session is a super special one for us on the blog today! Meet the Kirsch family, a family we have known for the past ten years. When we first met this family at our church, their son Noah was battling and, to God be the glory, beat cancer. We have had the pleasure of watching them throughout the years growing up but also grow as a family, as they have continually opened their home to the foster system, welcoming and loving those who come and go in times of need as well as creating permanent homes for others as well. We have firsthand seen how challenging it can be but also how they have learned, surrendered, and allowed God to mold their hearts as imperfect human beings seeking to serve a perfect God.

It's officially that time of the year, where extended family all around gather to be near! It was so fun to take a walk outdoors with the Hawkes extended family to document the specialness of this stage of their relationships in family photos. My favorite moment of the shoot was when I asked if we should do a photo of the "originals" — they had a good laugh about it, but it is true. I absolutely love seeing how families have expanded throughout the years, but there's also something special about seeing the original family that started and then being able to compare that to the wonderful families that have grown and continue to change from it. So, in true fashion, I have the extended family photo at the top of this blog post and you'll have to scroll to the very end to find the originals — you're welcome!

I always love it when "kids" reach out to say they want to gift their parents an extended family photo session at Phalen Regional Park. What a perfect gift to capture this stage of life as a family! We had originally aimed for an earlier date but had to reschedule and in classic Minnesota weather, the second night's weather was better than we would have originally gotten. This family is a fun-loving crew and were game to get a bit silly amidst all the family portraits. So fun to meet you all, Jones extended family!