Sweet Evan

In 2011 I got the honor of photographing the Cerrillo family for the first time. I immediately adored sweet little Evan. I remember telling Jennifer that I have always loved special needs children and that I would LOVE to photograph her handsome little boy. I had no idea how much I would learn from him and how attached I would become to this precious little family. I remember our first session when I was doing silly things and making silly noises to try to get Evan to look at me. Evan would turn his head in the other direction when I got my camera near his face, it made us laugh so very hard and I just kept bouncing back and forth around him until he eventually let me get his photograph. I remember when Jennifer mentioned that Evan loved the feel of the grass on his face so we laid him on the grass for some photos. He smiled the BIGGEST smile and it was SO very heartwarming. I learned from that moment that Evan would smile when he wanted to smile and there wasn't much I could do to convince him to smile when I wanted him to. Sometimes he would bust out the biggest mouth-open grin and other times there was a sly little half smile. Over the years I waited patiently for those smiles as he was laying down, as he was snuggling with his mommy, while he looked intently at his daddy and more recently as he was snuggled by his little sister. Every one of these captured smiles made my heart race because they were a surprise and they were always in Evan's timing. My heart melted this past December as I watched Emery with Evan. Evan would turn his head when he heard her voice and even sometimes at the mention of her name. Emery held onto her big brothers face and gave him kisses as she talked to him and told him she loved him. It was absolutely priceless. These images are more priceless today than they have ever been because sweet Evan has gone to be with Jesus. My heart is always wrapped up in my business and I always say that the smiles and moments that I get to capture, become my memories too. Sadly, the same is true for the hurts. As I grow attached to my clients, they become friends that I look forward to seeing and whose lives I am sincerely invested in. Ive prayed and Ive cried as my heart hurts at the loss of Evan and at the thought of the pain that I know his sweet family must feel. I hope that in the teensiest, tiniest way, these images can bring a smile to their hearts as they remember these sweet moments and the beauty of their sweet, sweet Evan. I know that he made a huge impact in many lives, he certainly left his little smile etched in my heart and mind.