Love you, Sister

As long as I’ve known Lindsey, she’s brought people together. Last weekend, she brought us together again - this time, to witness the beginning of her married life with Alec.

Here’s what you need to know about Lindsey - she is pure light. She shares this light with everyone around her, and people are drawn to her like moths to a flame. I’m convinced that her heart takes up most of her 4’11” frame. She’s small, but mighty. She always has room to love more people, and I wish I was more like her in that regard.

We met in college, on a mission trip. I don’t know why I was on a mission trip (I’m still a Muslim, lol), but I credit that trip for a lot of great things in my life. Lindsey befriended me when I was going through a lot of change and found myself a bit lost. She completed my college experience. She supported me as I found a career and a cause I believed in. She taught me about football and stood with me in the stands until I loved the sport. She introduced me to Hannah. She introduced me to her other friends, and she never let me feel like an outsider.

One night, Lindsey decided that Hannah and I were her sisters. In one fell swoop, Lindsey became part of my family. If you could choose your sisters, I think you would choose Lindsey and Hannah too. This weekend, our family got bigger, and Hannah and I got our BIL (Brother-in-law a.k.a. Alec).

Alec is a rare gem. He balances Lindsey in every way. He nurtures her light and finds a way to make her brighter than she ever was. At first, I was surprised by how quiet he was, and then I found it to be the magic of Alec. He’s quiet, but thoughtful and observant. He will wait for his moment, and he’ll say the perfect thing at the perfect time. When Alec and Lindsey came to visit DC, I remember working hard to make Alec laugh and feeling triumphant when I succeeded. Alec is genuine in everything he does, and especially in how he loves Lindsey. I feel so lucky to have witnessed their love for each other unfold, and to know that my sister has met her match.

Although I didn’t take a lot of photos during their wedding weekend, there were a few moments that I’ll cherish. Only Lindsey can give very serious bridesmaid instructions while holding a festive (and perfectly silly) maraca in her hand. Classic Linds. These are moments that I’ll want to remember forever. Like when we discovered the cheddar and chive scones and passed them between all ten bridesmaids, in a perfect example of “sharing is caring.” Or when Lindsey was literally glowing from highlighter on her nose, and she breathed a sigh of relief when I had come to the rescue with my powder to help tone it down. My personal favorite moment was when we all sprang into action when Lindsey’s dress had some mud on it, and Tide To Go was the ultimate hero (Tide, have your people call our people about sponsorship opportunities).

Thank you Lindsey and Alec, for including me in your day. Thank you for sharing your light with all of us, and making it a little easier to believe in love. I love my sister and my BIL.

It was truly the perfect weekend, and I can’t wait to see the photos that Alex took. It felt right to title this blog the way Lindsey and I end our calls, with a simple “Love you, sister.”

Tiny Humans

I’m in the stage of life where a lot of my friends are having kids. It’s not uncommon to find me at a play-date on the weekends . Nyira was the first baby that I’ve ever taken photos of, and she continues to be my muse. She has a magical quality about her, where she looks at you with such intensity that the rest of the world melts away. My camera and I were there when Cora and Eliza learned how to blow bubbles for the first time. Cora’s face is one of pure joy when she realizes that she can blow as many bubbles as she wants. Eliza is more reserved, and you can see the intensity in her eyes as she eats her cupcake. I didn’t know what to expect at first, but I came to love these tiny humans as much as I love my friendships with their parents. As they grow up, I can see them learn new skills and how they grow into their personalities. These tiny humans have so much of my heart, and they have taught me to be present and enjoy every moment.