Have you ever had a moment?

You know, the kind where it takes your breath away.

For a brief instant of time, you feel as if you are in some kind of distorted reality- that years of time could not have passed, because it felt like you’ve only just begun.

You look at what you’re doing, what’s around you, and wonder how you got there. How could time have possibly moved so fast that in the blink of an eye, twenty years have passed?

You think- wait, I’m not ready. I need more time.

These moments happen for many different reasons, and all people feel differently in those times.

For Jim and Lacey, their moment was in the first couple weeks of January, watching their baby girl have her photographs taken for her senior year.

Only, she wasn’t a baby anymore.

It wasn’t them over there getting their pictures taken as they’re graduating, it was their daughter. The person they brought into the world together and have cherished, trained and loved for such a seemingly short amount of time.

They were just bringing her home from the hospital. They were just rocking her to sleep in the rocking chair. The chair that was given to them when she was born.

The chair that she would sit in sixteen years later after she had graduated.

Only, for them, even though it seems as though they’ve merely blinked and she’s grown up, they don’t have to say “Wait” or “I need more time.” They don’t need a redo, they don’t need to fix their mistakes.

They have made the best use of their time and raised a beautiful young lady.  Who she is today is a tribute to the love, time and attention that they have put into her, and their role as parents.

For Adya, this is certainly NOT a time in her life that she wants the clock to slow down! She has the world in front of her to conquer, and she has a firm foundation- and the motivation- to do it.

For some, it takes a lifetime to find a career that excites them. That gives them a sense of direction and purpose,. For Adya, before she has even graduated high school, she has not only acquired, but excelled in her chosen career. Her love for Jehovah and for others has moved her to devote her time to teaching the bible to others, with plans to travel abroad to carry out the same work.

So she’s not saying “Wait… I need more time,” she’s making use of her time now to learn what she needs to thrive and to have the best possible future! The pretty we see on the outside is surpassed by the beauty that exists in her heart and in her family. We know that she is going to do great things, and we are so excited that we got to share in this on this beautiful day to do her photographs!

Adya, we are so proud of you and we love you so much. Keep the sweetness you have inside and don’t let it fade away. Don’t let vanity and flattery (even when it comes from us. Ha!) distract you from what matters the most. The path you’ve chosen won’t always be easy – you will have challenges – but it will be the most rewarding. You will never regret spending your time and energy to help others. It makes them happy, and it will always make you happy. We are so glad that we get to be a part of your journey and your life. We will always be here for you, and we can’t wait to see all the places you will go! We hope you love your pictures!