Natasha + David | 4 Year Anniversary Shoot

so kiss me and smile for me
tell me that you'll wait for me
john denver - i'm leaving on a jet plane

He was leaving.  When he returned he'd be leaving again.  Going and waiting and coming, for months and years of his life.   But his commitment to the United States Military, waged war with his commitment to his Natasha.  She knew he had to go, and loved to be his wherever he was.  Semper Fidelis! On a stony February day, they promised the grandest promise: to never leave you or forsake you, until God by death shall separate us.   Their simple ceremony in a local park, with their mothers as witnesses, was an act of longing, adoration, support and love.  Within hours, David was leaving.  But not forsaking, not "leaving."  His body would be away, but his heart was always with her.  She sent him off, with her love leading him home.


Over their four year marriage, they've care-packaged, surprise-visited, texted, messaged, wrote, missed, cried, become extra creative, dreamed, reenforced and remained.  In 2010 they were able to fit in a candy, colored, cheerful "wedding" ceremony and reception.  Their friends and family smiled, and the sun made the day oh-so bright.  Before long, he was gone again.  But they worked to keep their love and hearts young, smiling and, yes, bright!







And here there are, with resilient affection and grateful closeness.  David is officially a civilian.  They celebrated their anniversary together.  They painted ceramics, side by side.  (Hilarious ceramics at that: a garden gnome and Harry Potter coffee mug.  Cute nerd alert!)  You can see it in their eyes.




The last four years have been beautifully long, and worth the sacrifices.  They are still, and calm.  Resting and united.  Still full of candyland spunk, with a seal of faithfulness and maturity.

Happy Four Years.  I'm thrilled you are in person, under the same roof, celebrating together.  Well done, both of you.  Soak this up.

Josh + Samantha {SugarLoaf Mountain Engagement}

it's yours to take wherever you go

through the years you'll always know

it's yours to keep
we are man + wife | michelle featherstone

"I decided to only do the 3-day free Match.com trial,
and had told myself that it would be entertaining if nothing else, 

I would see who else I know is on the site have some laughs and be done. 

The emails started coming in and of all of them, I responded to Joshua. 

His message was short and sweet. 

He wasn't over-flattering, 

wasn't suggesting we meet, 

wasn't calling me 'sexy',
he just wrote to introduce himself. 

I remember he made a joke about how he lived in West Virginia but he wasn't from West Virginia 

which I thought was funny."

"He signed his message, saying 'It's all about taking that first step, which is always the toughest.' I thought to myself, 'he's right', and so I wrote back. That started a chain of emails, several from Joshua and several from me each day, all of which left me feeling like a kid with a crush." "Three days later, I told him my trial was over, but I had created an email account just for him.I'm so happy I did that because nowI have an email account with nothing but our messages. We still go back and read some of them from time to time and laugh. I hope to print them one day and share them with our children as we tell our story."
Have you fallen in love with Josh and Sam yet?I have.I love this happy, friendly, nerdy, child-like, beautiful couple. "She is the biggest 80’s music fan and it cracks me up seeing her sing every song.
She loves to dance and its fun catching her when she’s doesn’t think anyone is looking."

"I love that Joshua doesn't get embarrassed by me.
When an 80's song comes on in the grocery store and I start to dance and sing, he doesn't get embarrassed.
In fact, he encourages me, because he knows I'm having fun and he doesn't care who sees." "I love making her smile because seeing her happy is very important to me."

"His laugh, his jokes, and his light-heart is contagious in the best way.
Everyone who meets Joshua likes him.
I love love love that my friends genuinely like Joshua." "Samantha loves Christmas with a passion that is child-like.
When I hear Christmas music, all I can think of is her."

"He plays online video games. Such a nerdy quality, I know.
And yes, I harass him about this, but I have my own nerdy qualities too, so I support his."
"We love going to the grocery store (Is that weird?).
We have so much fun at the grocery store together that now we hate going alone."

"The first year we were together we saw eight live music shows together."


They go on and on about how he packs her lunch for night-shift,
(she's a NICU nurse.)
Or how he loves Dunkin Donuts
(especially the Manager's Special.)
Or how she makes the best Sunday eggs in the world,
while she thinks it's pretty dang hot how much he loves to read.
With only a handful of interactions with these two,
I feel like I know them.
They talk long, lovingly and unhurriedly about each other.
They are quick to say something sweet or uplifting about the other -
to the person's face, to me, or to anyone else who will listen!

Josh and Sam seem like real people,
with real personalities and quirks,
who really fell in love.
They love the odd little parts of each other,
and don't take for granted dynamic aspect of the other person.
"She has such a passion for life and anyone that is part of hers is blessed.
She is beautiful, smart, honest and always tells me how she feels.
I love Samantha for being a down-to- earth person."

"He's totally, 100% himself, all the time.
He's loving and silly, and makes no apologies.
He has never ever curtailed who he really is when he's around different people to impress them.
I'm so happy for this, because I think who he really is is really great!"

They are who they are.
And they love who they are.
They have given their hearts to another,
with the complete trust and security of knowing it will be loved forever.
No gimmicks, acts or games. Just real love.

In the real, loving, somewhat cheesy, but fully genuine and meaningful words of Josh:
"Our love has no boundaries...

... to the moon and back."