Knew back when | Chandler Child Photographer

This past year, it's finally hit me that I'm almost 40.  I grew up thinking being 40 be very old, and here I am.  One of the reminders of how old I am, is when I see my friend's kids and I say...oh, I remember when you're mom had you.  Ouch...I'm getting a lot of these reality face slaps lately.

A few weeks ago, I photographed one of my friends that I met 12 year ago...in my old teaching days. I have to take a little moment to brag about my girlfriend.  Most of you may know, I taught a self contained class with children that had emotional and behavioral disorders...often a struggle finding them the best placement in a regular education class to ensure they had the best education with the support my assistants and I offered.  There definitely were a handful of teachers that I worked with that humbled me with their belief in treating everyone with the same respect, despite struggles, disabilities and overall differences.  My friend Mariah was one of those teachers.  Now don't get me wrong, she was a tough teacher and gave very little wiggle room for mistakes, but I loved how she treated my students to the same standard as her other students, bent over backwards in being willing to give them all the support they needed, and showed them nothing but care for them in getting the best education.  It's one of those relationships that always made me get teary when I worked with amazing teachers like herself.  

As a parent myself with kids in school, I'll stay stand behind that often the best teachers are the toughest  teachers.  Mariah left education shortly after her daughter was born and she was greatly missed.  Thankfully to this day, Mariah and I are still friends.

At the start of her session, of course I was obsessing with how big her children have gotten.  And I had that big face slap of wow...I remember each of them when they were born.  I guess getting older does have some perks, the perk of remembering all the fun little stages children have gone through.

Here is Mariah's daugher Ryn.  One amazing personality, has little bug phobias that she faced during her session, has amazing volleyball skills and getting ready to start junior high.  

With her I can I say, I remember when...