When is the best time to have surprise visits from life-long friends...? Hmmm, ANYTIME! Darlene became a faithful follower of my blog some time ago, so when she traveled to Florida from Atlanta, Ga to visit family and friends, it was the perfect opportunity to capture the crew so she could have her own post!

We grew up in the same local neighborhood, eventually created tons of chaos in high school, and now stay in touch from different states as we build our families strong. Darlene is married to Jason, a faithful soldier in the US Army, and they have three beautiful boys Noah, Lawrence, and Nicholas who were an absolute blast to hang out with and capture.

Darlene: It was wonderful hanging out for the day and catching up while we had time. Thanks for always keeping it real and providing tons of laughter. You have a beautiful family - I am super proud of you and look forward to good times ahead. Lots of love ~

Long before she detected on her romantic radar, Ricky was in full pursuit of his future bride with his eyes fixed on the prize and his hand to the plow. They established a solid friendship, however, while Ricky was clearly developing feelings, Kelli was unaware of his intentions sensing that friendship was all he had in mind. Needless to say, they continued laughing together, playing together, sharing life together… and consequentially their story began to develop while the door to their hearts unknowingly began to open.

With great anticipation, Kelli and Ricky pulled into our driveway after five-hours of traveling from Gainesville ready to rest and relax in preparation for our early morning photo experience, which would indeed prove to be an absolute blast! With so much in common, it felt as if time slipped from our hands as we swapped stories, ideas, beliefs, and our experiences realizing that we were becoming connected as friends very quickly. Watching these two interact throughout the day only magnified what we already knew to be true of their genuine and sincere love for each other not to mention, their strong romantic connection which we captured with honor.

Kelli and Ricky: thank you for your friendship, your kindness, your laughter and sharing your life with us. We are grateful for your caring hearts and want to express our deep appreciation. We are looking forward to an amazing weekend with you guys… maybe we can fit a little triathlon training in there too…? The competition is on!