Math was never my strong point, but I promise you, I have that equation correct.

If you’ve seen me at a wedding or in-person recently….this announcement is no big surprise to you.  But I’ve been pretty quiet about it otherwise – at least on the internet.

We are having a baby!

Our little girl is due in January – perfect timing for this wedding photographer.  Absolutely no one will be missing out on photography because of this pregnancy.  I’ll be back to shooting in no time after our daughter arrives, and my last wedding before then is in December.  I’ve had a blissfully easy pregnancy in all reality.  I’ve kept up with every wedding, every work-out (yes, still hitting the gym!) and every commitment without much issue.  I’m still running around in heels at each wedding, even at six months pregnant!

Hubby has been wonderfully supportive and the best part of all of this has been watching him – truly.  Just seeing his excitement is so much greater than anything I feel about carrying our child myself.

Needless to say, we are a bit excited around here, and can’t wait to meet our little one!

I promise not to turn the blog into babyland.  But I’ll give you a few updates as we go.  And no…..this isn’t the reveal of the Secret Project.  That is still something else.  I know, I know, the suspense!

***I know that for those struggling with starting a family, in any capacity, that a giddy and gleeful pregnancy announcement by anyone comes with a sad pang.  I know this because that is how we felt while we were trying to get to this point.  This wasn’t the simplest of journeys for us.  Let’s just say that sometimes it isn’t as easy as they make it sound in jr. high health class.  In all reality we were lucky, especially compared to the trials faced by so many.  But I know that when someone was truthful about their journey it always made me feel less alone.  So if that is you – you aren’t alone.  And, you’ll get here.  You will.

All images in this post taken my our lovely friend, Melissa Schollaert.  Having maternity pictures taken wasn’t something I ever thought I would do, but Hubby and I haven’t had pictures taken of us since our wedding day – and I couldn’t hide the belly anymore, so here we are.  In the end, I’m glad we have these last images before the two of us become three.  I want our kids to know we had a life before them, and even among them.  Big thanks to Melissa for putting up with our awkwardness!

Shooting for the secret project a couple of months ago resulted in this image.

What do you think it means about the secret project?

Yeah, I’m teasing. :0)

I’ve spoken, oh, a few hundred times before, about the awesome friends I made at the Italy Workshop back in 2009.

Since then, we’ve been staying in touch; organizing inspirational shoots, attending reunions, chatting on skype and attending conferences together.  We started giving ourselves a cute moniker, “The Italy Girls” in shorthand during our conversations.

Before we knew it, that shorthand grew to a solidified group, and now we have our very own blog!

We thought it might be fun to document all of our crazy adventures and reunions in one location.  Go ahead and click on over to follow along!  We’ve started things off with a full recap of our gorgeous ranch wedding shoot out in the Las Vegas desert that was featured on Wedding Chicks last week.

I am thankful for many, many things in my life, not the least of which includes my husband, family and friends.

Today though, on this blog, I want to give thanks for something else.  Something that rarely gets thanks, and quite honestly, mostly gets beaten up.

(photo by my awesome assistant Aliza)

Dear m three studio,

Today, on Thanksgiving, I am thankful for you.  Thankful that your presence in my life has given me so much.

Because of you…

I wake up in the morning with a deep desire to get to work.

I have met more remarkable people than I can count.

I have made friends, amazing, life-long friends.

I have had the joy of witnessing the beginning and joining of families, over and over again.

I have an outlet everyday for my creativity, and people who want to pay me for it.  Amazing.

I have been tested, and so has my marriage, my integrity, my stamina and my talents.  And I am stronger for it.

I have seen what love looks like in a thousand different ways.

I have basked in the sun, braved the wind and played in the snow.

I believe more than ever in marriage.

I know that all I truly need to support my family is inside myself.

I have travelled all over the world, seen new things, experienced different cultures and formed new bridges.

I am surrounded regularly by beauty.

I am reminded each day that I am an artist, and therefore I strive to get back to that place where I feel it.

I take time to appreciate the small things and take time to notice the hidden.

I am in control of my life, my schedule, my days.

I dream bigger (and I was a mighty big dreamer to start with).

Looking back, starting you was a fluke, a happenstance, almost an accident.  But that small (okay large) leap of faith has been such a remarkable turn in our lives.  You have grown and changed from my initial vision in ways I could have never anticipated.

It can be easy when I’m buried in work and short on time to not feel grateful.  To feel trapped and heavy.  To feel like you only take from me.  Especially at this time of year when I am burned out from a very busy wedding season, I can sound ungrateful in my grumblings.  But the reality is you give so much more than you take.  And today, I want to remember that and feel grateful for it.

So today I give thanks to you m three studio, to your clients, to your friends, to your colleagues.  Because you have made my life rich with so much.

Love,

Molly

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!