Time for the tissues, parents. We are officially down to the final week before graduation, and I don’t think any of us are emotionally prepared for it.
I photographed Rivers for her senior session back in the fall, so I was glad when she asked me to photograph her cap and gown session at Babcock too. Rivers is one of those people who is simply fun to be around. She is playful, sweet, full of personality, and somehow still graceful while walking through uneven grass in heels, which honestly deserves its own diploma.
And her mom? She held the props, helped with all the little things, and smiled through it all. But I could feel it.
That quiet ache so many parents are carrying right now. The realization that this chapter is almost over, and our babies are stepping into the next part of their lives whether we are ready or not.
As the mom of a graduating senior myself this year, these sessions are hitting differently. I keep finding myself behind the camera trying not to cry right alongside the parents.
It is such a strange mix of pride, joy, nostalgia, and heartbreak, all wrapped together in one very short season.
I am grateful I get to be part of these moments, not only for my own child, but for so many families walking through this season too.
Here’s to you, Rivers. You did it.
