{The B Family: An Early Morning Homecoming} Central Texas Homecoming Photographer

I am just absolutely overjoyed about all the homecomings that I've shot recently! It makes me happy that so many people are coming home!

As you've read on my blog, some homecomings happen at night in a field, some happen in the morning in a hangar, some are a sweet surprise, and well...some happen in the morning.

Early.


Very Early. Like 5am early.

Few things get this photographer awake before 8am. You have a soldier coming home? You bet I'll be there.

I had the pleasure of shooting a homecoming where the baby got to meet her daddy for the first time! In fact, she got to wake up to go meet her daddy at 4:30am one morning last week! Unlike the other homecomings, this one was quite a bit smaller, but similar to the others, friends and family trudged into a gym on a chilly morning waiting anxiously to greet their loved one.

 Then there is the waiting. For what seems like forever, everyone is on edge waiting for news of whether or not the soldiers have landed. At least there was coffee...& donuts! Sweet big brother was so patient and helpful with entertaining his baby sister!

 Sweet kisses & joyful hugs are shared as it is announced that the plane is on the ground! While this is very exciting, this only means more moments of waiting. These last moments...the anticipation, the waiting, seem to drag on. Nine months have passed without seeing this family seeing their daddy and yet the clock continues to drag so slowly!

Every eye is focused on the back door. This is THE door. The door where their loved one will pass through- finally. The door that keeps opening and shutting WITHOUT your soldier. Families watch it with anticipation- waiting for sounds of buses pulling up to the back of the gym.

 Finally, the door opens, and the soldiers march in to the cheers of the crowd. The early morning is forgotten. The soldiers stand in formation in front of their families. Because the group coming home was a bit smaller, Aeriel was able to spot her husband right away.

This is the last part of deployment, almost the worst. You've spotted your loved one- you haven't seen in nine months- and you have to WAIT. They are thanked, prayed over, and a small speech is said. Families are painfully aware of the seconds ticking by. And finally-- they are dismissed to run to their soldiers.

 If you want to see the most pure & most incredible form of raw human joy, go see a homecoming where families who have not seen each other for MONTHS are reunited. Children have the most incredible smiles, are touching their soldier like they can't believe they are real. Tears of joy are flowing and there are hugs & kisses everywhere.

After taking a few treasured moments with his little buddy, daddy get to see his little girl for the first time. He hugs both children so, so close. His family is finally together again.

 I am so incredibly happy for this sweet family! Welcome home! <3