Meet a REAL American Hero

I went to Annapolis this past Saturday for a very special portrait session.  I am putting this on my photography blog, but I really wanted to share on my personal blog as well.  Back in March, a couple of weeks after Brad got home, I got a letter from a girl who saw my website and found out about Oplove Reunited through my website.  She was sad that she didn't know about it sooner to have pictures of her family before her husband left for Iraq.  He had just returned from Iraq and she was asking if I would consider coming up there to do a session and if not, could I recommend someone. Brad and I had been to Annapolis a few years ago for a wedding at the Naval Academy and we loved it so I told her I would definitely think about it, Brad and I are usually up for a road trip. At that point she wrote to me and told me a little bit more about their family and George's time in Iraq.  After hearing their family's story there was no way I wasn't going up there to meet this young family and do a session for them as a small token of my appreciation for their military service.  And, yes, I said THEIR military service.  George spent 15 months in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Infantry, but Carolyn spent 15 months at home with a baby keeping "the home fires burning".  Carolyn's desire was to have some nice pictures of their 3-year old son with George in his dress uniform so Zach would know how special his dad is.  Even without all the military background this family is super special.  I had a great time with them and it was well worth the drive up there.  I won't go into details here because I don't think that Carolyn and George would want me to, but just be assured the man is a hero and I really wish our children today were growing up with heroes like him plastered on their walls instead of pictures of sports and entertainment stars.  Men like George are the ones who deserve to have their pictures on children's walls!  (Click on the picture and you can see a larger version)