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Have I told you before that I have BEAUTIFUL clients? Yes? Well, I will say it again. I have beautiful, kind, and precious clients! In honor of these two tying the knot six months from now, I wanted to share their session for you all to see! P.S. Brace yourselves for a handsome puppy, a gorgeous tulle skirt, and two lovebirds.

I remember the first time that I heard about Andrew. Meg came to work one day and was acting SO different. She always has a smile on her face, but this was a very different smile. I finally said, "Okay, spill! What is going on?!" From that day on, Meg's life was forever changed. Every time she spoke of Andrew, she spoke of him in the highest regard. I knew that he was something very special from the beginning. He loves Meg the way a man should love a woman, pursues her each and everyday, is very intentional, and is the perfect companion for her! Meg and Andrew, I loved getting to witness your love story write itself for the last few years and could not be more excited for your future together! I pray that you always remember to dance with one another, hold each other close, and give Huxley an infinite amount of kisses. 

Lastly, I think we can all agree that we are all ready ready for these two to have the most gorgeous babies. Can I get an amen? :)

This right here is my best friend, Kate. I have known her since I was one month old and we have been side-by-side through every stage of life together. What is so funny about our friendship is that we have so many similarities, yet SO many differences. We can laugh at them now and make jokes about it, but for so long I felt like I was letting Kate down for not enjoying the same things in life that she did. Growing up she was always very skilled on the computer, had a wide variety on her music playlist, enjoyed movies I had never heard of, and knew great restaurants to eat at downtown. Well, not much has changed! Kate and I constantly laugh at her question to me, "Have you heard of ____ band?" (Spoiler alert! Sometimes I would lie and say, "yes!" hoping that she would think I was semi-cool) Now, we just look at each other in silence and laugh and I usually follow up with, "Yeah, I know. You're going to have to teach me about them." Or, the occasional text "Hey Kate, who is a good 'easy listening' artist for my plane ride?" This girl knows her music and movies. I'm the worst at actor's names, but she keeps me in check! And on the other hand, I keep her in check with celebrity gossip, what the Kardashians are up to, and dating/married life dos and don'ts. See, we balance each other out. :) 

When I think of my life with Kate, I think of just being real and raw. When Kate came to me 10+ years ago to tell me that she had been struggling with an eating disorder for a while, I was taken back. We had spent so much time together, how did I not notice? I felt like a horrible friend for not being more attentive to her needs and what she was going through in secret. At the time, I knew nothing about eating disorders, but Kate was so patient with me and was willing to sit down and answer any questions that I had. She was real, vulnerable, honest, and I appreciated that so much. Over the years I have learned a lot more about eating disorders through this amazing woman. She created a blog, http://www.smallstepsupward.com and honestly, reading her own words and experiences helped me understand her heart more than anything. I looked forward to each post because there were so many layers to an eating disorder that I hadn't quite thought about yet. Some posts were very hard to read because you never want to see your friend hurting...you feel helpless and don't know what to say or how to help. I never wanted to be a trigger, or say something that would trigger Kate. But, as time went on, I knew that by not saying anything about her eating disorder was only hurting me. That's the beauty about a true friendship- having honest conversations and laying all of your fears out on the table. Since that day, Kate and I have been real, raw, and honest and I feel so fortunate to be a safe place for Kate.

Kate, you encourage me everyday to see the light in life, to belly laugh when I think something is funny, to belt out the Lone Bellow on a rainy afternoon in the car, and to constantly pour into people's lives the way you do. You are changing the world by telling your story, lobbying for rights for people with eating disorders, and for advocating for all of the men and women who have yet to find their voice. I am so proud of you for graduating with your degree in social work and I know that many people will be changed because of your heart. 

(Also pictured: amazing boyfriend, Mike and adorable dog, Annie)

For those of you reading, I have a big treat for you today! I had the honor of photographing this beautiful, fun, energetic, compassionate, and kind family two weeks ago. The Oates family is so special to me because the big brother was one of my first students at The Rise School of Austin! It has been so neat to watch their journey unfold and for their family to grow over the years! You guys, this mom is a supermom! She has three kiddos under 5, is an advocate for children with Down syndrome, keeps it real, and has never met a stranger. These two together as parents know how to still have fun, laugh at their crazy life, and enjoy each day as it comes. Christie and Tim, you two are amazing people and anyone in your life is blessed by your presence!

Now, can we talk about the little cuties that they have created together? Big brother is quite the adventurer and has the athletic ability of a twenty year old. (But really, he was climbing rocks at Bull Creek like it was NO big deal. I think Bull Creek was the perfect version of a playground for this guy. It was amazing!) Big brother was being so helpful in our session and didn't miss an opportunity to make brother and sister laugh! Also, I've never seen him more excited than when we told him he could finally dip his toes into the water after being so patient all session! Little brother is, simply put, the biggest heartbreaker! He stops the show everywhere he goes and knows exactly how cute he is! :) I had the honor of being in his classroom for a period of time and grew close to him. He loves a good tickle fight, will sit on your lap anytime you are remotely close to the ground, and loves a good dance party! Little sister is beyond gorgeous! She is seriously going to have a hard time finding a boyfriend later in life due to her older brothers protecting her. She is in very good hands and treated like the princess she is! 

Lastly, I want to get a little personal here. I had a close friend in elementary school who had Down syndrome and it completely changed my perspective growing up because I knew that there were people who were different than me. My friend inspired me to volunteer for Special Olympics at an early age, be an advocate for her at school, get my degree in Child Development from TCU, and ultimately become a teacher at The Rise School of Austin. My students taught me more about myself than I could've ever imagined and continue to inspire me. There are so many organizations that are working to make sure that ALL children are respected, treated fairly, and loved unconditionally because that is what they deserve. I urge you to watch these two videos here (you may see a cameo from me) and here, or visit DSACT.com and http://cstx.wish.org and to see how you can volunteer or donate! Lastly, if there are any parents out there that have children with developmental delays and have been putting off a family photo due to your crazy schedule, I am running a special offer for you!!  Please email me for more information at info@mckenziecoronadophotography.com. I cannot wait to hear from you!

If I have twins one day, I hope they turn out like these two. G + G, you two are such amazing kiddos. Your passion for Jesus, your friends, and your mom is unlike anybody else's! Your dad would be so proud of both of you. Thank you for making my job easy and for updating me with "what the kids are doing these days". You guys, ENO hammocks are no joke. It's pretty much our equivalent to Razor scooters. Oh to be young and in 7th grade! Happy Easter, everybody!