Best of 2020

A few years ago, some website started the “top 9” trend of taking your Instagram feed and making a collage of the top 9 most liked images from your account for the past year. My assumption is this was a clever way to gain access to millions of accounts to further develop the algorithm that seems to know more and more about us each day. But I, like many others, delighted in seeing all my best photos together in one image. Last year the website started requiring subscriptions and money to create the collage, so I opted to make my own “best of” post. If you’re interested in a huge dose of “boy did he not know what he was in for in 2020,” check out the next to last sentence in the opening paragraph of that post. In the spirit of doing something annually simply because you did it the year prior, in order to reflect on the past 366 days, I have curated a collection of some of the best images from 2020 for the Kellough family.

The first milestone of our year is usually Maggie’s birthday. This year she had her first actual birthday party with friends at The Little Gym. We paid extra for the workers to dress like Anna and Elsa, and they looked INCREDIBLE. But Maggie sobbed in the corner for 20 minutes because she was scared, so we had to politely ask them to turn back into normal women (albeit with more elaborate makeup than one might usually see on a Little Gym worker). Maggie overcame her big feelings, and she had a blast. Bear had his own fun as well, but avoided the girls when possible. A few days later, at her 4-year check up, we learned that Maggie had a weak eye. Her birthday pictures would be the last images of her without glasses on for quite some time. She now wears a patch for three hours a day, and the doctors are hopeful that her weak eye will grow strong enough to ditch the glasses with time.

We did not know it, but the second week in March we would host our last house guests for a VERY long time. My mother and step-father came for the weekend as the COVID reports were just heating up in the United States. We spent the morning at the Children’s Museum in Houston (with hundreds of other people), and then Kristen and I considered going on a date to see the new Pixar movie “Onward.” Fortunately, we didn’t waste our money, because Disney released this movie a few weeks later on Disney+ as movie theaters (and everything else) shut down nationwide. The kids got in some sweet time with my mom, which was good considering they would not see her again for many months.

One family tradition that I have mandated every year since returning from our time living near DC is our trip to find bluebonnets for the quintessential Texas photograph. What you can’t see in the picture is that Maggie was COVERED in red splotchy hives from some sort of reaction to a fever. That early in the pandemic, we assumed every sniffle and cough was COVID, but the nurse we spoke with over the phone assured us that there was no reason to believe such a reaction would be caused by the coronavirus. Fortunately for me, my years of editing out pimples and blemishes on family photos prepared me to even out Maggie’s alarming red discoloration. The polar opposite expressions in this photo make it a memory we will enjoy for many years.

That same weekend that we took the bluebonnet pictures, my church cancelled services. Many on staff had high hopes about the time frame of when in person gatherings would resume, but no one knew what to expect. My job as Media Arts Pastor meant that a portion of the work creating our online worship experience fell to me. In just a few short weeks, our church YouTube page grew from 75 subscribers to over 1000 as online church became the only way for our church family to gather. With preschool and work closed indefinitely, suddenly we were home all day, every day, together as a family. God blessed us with incredible weather in Houston for the first couple of months of the pandemic, and we took advantage of our huge backyard. Playing in the pool, drawing on fences with chalk, swinging on the swing set, and eating lunch every day on a picnic blanket under the sun became the new routine. Also, Bear discovered his new favorite pastime was throwing anything and everything whenever he fancied.

One of the most jarring experiences this year was Easter weekend. A time that is normally filled with gatherings, huge community egg hunts, and church sanctuaries filled to the brim with people ended up being a weekend at home, watching church online. Our backyard egg hunt was plenty entertaining for the kids (so much so that we did it twice), and we made sure to dress up on Easter Sunday for some pictures. Letting the celebration of the resurrection of our Savior go by without a somewhat formal family photo was not a tradition we were willing to forego due to the pandemic.

Shortly after Easter, our next milestone was Bear’s 2nd birthday. Compared to Maggie's big 4-year old birthday, the little celebration at home didn’t seem to be enough, but he was plenty happy with his cake and presents, and we made sure to grab some family photos to commemorate the occasion.

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I HATE the beach. Truly. There is no shade, I hate the grainy feel of sand anywhere on my body, and smearing sunscreen on my pale flesh to avoid a sunburn is a terrible ordeal for me. But my wife loves it. She loves all of those things that I hate- the abundant sun, the feel of sand under her feet, and the smell of sunscreen. We even have a sunscreen scented candle in our home. As it turns out, my children also love the beach. Kristen put together a quick trip to Galveston at a beach house at the end of May, and the kids truly had the time of their lives. Our AirBnB was on the quiet west end of the island, and combining that with the fact that our kids function best before lunch meant that we had a whole football field length of the beach to ourselves for two mornings. Bear would reach out and say “I wanna hold your hand.” Once I had his hand firmly grasped, he would pull me to the waves, only to run back as soon as they started to swell, yelling “Run daddy! Da ocean is coming!”

After our trip to the beach, and successfully avoiding crowds and COVID, we started to feel a little more confident in traveling. We had not seen Kristen’s parents since the holidays in 2019, so we made a trip to Round Rock to visit with them at the beginning of June. Being close to family was the primary reason we left DC a few years ago, and going so long without seeing them was difficult to stomach since they were just over 2 hours away. We washed our hands extra well for a week, avoided people even more than we had been, and loaded up the car. The beauty of the pandemic was that I could work from anywhere, so I didn't skip a beat at work, though the slow internet speed in the Kennedy home was truly a cross to bear. And while we were there, we got together with the Hansens who have two girls that are each a year behind our two. It was a shame it took so long to get all of us together, but the kids had a lot of fun playing in their big backyard and eating hotdogs together.

For the next few weeks, we resumed a quiet life at home. Church services had returned in a restricted format on Sundays, but without childcare offered, I was the only one that went in each weekend. Our offices opened up a little bit, but the bulk of our work continued to be at home, with a lot of zoom meetings. I bought an extra robe so I had something to wear while working at home when my other robe was in the wash. For months I only bothered to put on real pants when going in to church on Sundays, and there came a point during our time at home when Maggie stopped wearing clothes almost entirely. One day we were arguing with her to put on some clothes, and she simply asked, “why?” Neither Kristen or I could reason out a valid explanation for her to wear clothes if we weren’t leaving the house. We have a private backyard, and no two story neighbors, so Maggie basically abandoned clothes at a certain point in the warm months of the pandemic. Bear tried his hand at it some, but one poop incident in the backyard communicated loud and clear to us that he was not ready for such freedom.

For the past couple of years, we have somehow ended up hosting our friends, the Kridlers, on July 4th. Anything done twice in our book is a tradition, so we were eager to continue the annual visit, especially considering they had just welcomed their baby girl earlier in the year. After some back and forth about the safety of bringing an infant around others during COVID times, they decided to join us, and Maggie was elated. Her greatest desire was to hold this baby, and after donning her mask, she was living her best life that weekend.

By the middle of July, we faced our biggest decision yet about risking COVID exposure for the sake of a taste of normalcy. Kristen’s family gathers each year at a little resort on the river near Kerrville. This year, her parents were using this gathering as a celebration of 50 years of marriage. After working through a lot of doubts, we decided that if Kristen’s parents were willing to risk it, then we would follow them to this family gathering. Spending time outdoors made it a little less scary, but we all held our breath a bit for a couple of weeks after returning home. You can read here a little about how we made such a risky decision, and the time we ended up enjoying together. We even got to grab lunch with the Litzlers as we passed through San Antonio, which was icing on the cake.

Watching a slide show of their 50 years together.

On August 11, we ditched the kids for one night with Kristen’s parents and celebrated 8 years of marriage. We got a cabin in Dripping Springs, ate BBQ, and ignored our phones for 24 hours just to talk and be together- simple, but absolutely essential. After months of children crawling on us literally all day, every day, this was needed. We are dreaming of an extended trip in 2021.

PRE-SCHOOL RETURNED IN SEPTEMBER. Dear God, what a treat. Yes, we cherished our time together, but living the same day over and over had worn us thin. The return of school was life changing.

One day in October, after we had made a routine of riding bikes around the cul-de-sac in front of our house, Kristen decided to pull the training wheels off of Maggie’s bike. As I was mowing the lawn, I noticed this choice, and thought to myself that it would end in tears and blood. To my surprise, Maggie almost immediately obtained the balance needed to stay upright. In no time, she was riding loops in front of our house. And Bear continued to astound us with his balance on his bike with no pedals, which will hopefully make his transition to a pedal bike one day an easy task.

As Halloween approached, we weren’t sure how we were going to celebrate the holiday. Our usual plan is to hit any and every church carnival and trunk or treat within a 10 mile radius of our home. With those all cancelled, our only option was a classic door to door endeavor. We had some concerns, but we discovered that most homes either engineered creative devices to deliver candy without coming close to us, or they just left a bowl of candy on the porch. After an hour of helping ourselves to treats, we ended up with two large mixing bowls full of candy for the kids (and parents) to enjoy.

November brought us a quick getaway to Waco to do everything that Magnolia had to offer, with a special thanks to Kristen’s sister Tracy for coming to stay with the kids. The Gaines have seriously made that town a new world, and the cupcakes tasted better than they should be allowed to taste. We had 6 all to ourselves and felt no obligation to bring any home for the kids.

With the return of school came the return of absurdly priced photo packages that we just could not pass up. We’re suckers for these classic photo heirlooms though, and shell out the money to hang them on our walls.

Our annual family portrait session happened a bit later in the year than usual, but we made sure to make time for this tradition. You can see a few of our favorite images here, but my absolute favorite picture was of the two of my sweet babies together.

And with that, we hit the holidays! A non-traditional group photo at Thanksgiving with my family, fun with Kristen’s parents and sister at Christmas, and a gathering at our home with some of Kristen’s extended family. Our big family gathering with Kristen’s side got cancelled, but with the change in plans, we were able to spend every holiday in Houston, sleeping in our own beds. What. A. Dream.

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If you made it this far, then you’re a true friend of the Kelloughs. We’re dreaming of the return of normalcy in 2021, but having faced 2020, we now know we can handle more than we ever thought we could.

Looking Back

Last year I posted a “Best Of” blog where I shared some of my favorite moments from the year, and I suppose I will do that for this year as well. However, I want to take some time just to reflect on this year as a whole, considering it was the most unique experience of my life, and, I assume, many others share that sentiment about their own experience of 2020.

As I get older, my life becomes less and less about work, and more and more about family. 2020 multiplied that experience ten-fold because, suddenly, I was not at work at all, and spending everyday with my wife and kids. Coming from a place of privilege, this year was not a burden or struggle for us. If anything, my job security increased as my role with the digital presence for our church became exponentially more important. The worship experience for 1000 or so people depended on me putting together the pieces of worship each week into a YouTube video. This wasn’t necessarily difficult, but I was one of a small number of people on staff with the necessary skills (and computer software) to achieve this. For two months, I did not go to the office regularly, and I didn’t step foot in the church on a Sunday. Instead, I’d wake up and cook a special breakfast for my family, and then watch the pre-recorded premiere of our church services that I helped create, making sure there were no unexpected glitches. The weather was beautiful, so after the strenuous morning of watching my phone in my robe, we’d eat a picnic in the backyard, and let the kids play for hours. Sometimes we’d play with them and, miraculously, sometimes they played together peacefully without us. I won’t say that every moment was magical, but I was astounded that my wife and I weren’t at each others’ throats by the time we emerged from our homes. I think movies most often portray marriage and love as euphoria or misery, depending on the message the artists are trying to convey. I found this year that love was comfortable. Of course, the passionate and all consuming love depicted in the movies sounds nice, and there are moments of this in every marriage. However, the comfort of being in close quarters with the same person every day for two months straight affirmed in me the true success we have found in our marriage. Reading statistics about the increase in domestic violence and depression that many faced this year, it was a subtle surprise to me that, after we concluded our lockdown, we could not name one serious disagreement we experienced during our time together. Even more than just existing peacefully, my admiration for Kristen grew exponentially. Daily I was amazed at her patience with the children, and suddenly had a new perspective on all the time she was already spending at home with the children before the pandemic. As part of her weekly routine on days when I was at work and the kids were not at pre-school, Kristen was entertaining our kids and breaking up incessant bickering for hours at a time alone. I had never pondered what that would truly be like until I faced that reality myself. Her persistent joy in laughing with and tossing the kids around at the end of the day was astounding to me as I often found myself crawling to bedtime, starving for a moment without a child demanding attention and care.

Even with the daily march through a repetitious and mundane experience, the family time was, without a doubt, a blessing for all of us. I believe my children were at the perfect age for a lockdown- too young to be afraid, we did not have to answer hard questions. Additionally, they’d much rather spend time with their mother than any of their friends from pre-school, so the quarantine was a dream come true for them. When their classes shut down, we wondered how we would survive without the assistance and regular parenting break that school provided and, to be honest, the days did meld together in some ways due to the extreme repetition of our daily experience. In the moment, this sometimes felt like an intense struggle, but looking back, this was not as burdensome as I had imagined it would be. In fact, I know now that the amount of hours together truly were a unique perk to this insane year. Coming from a family of divorce, growing up I would sometimes calculate how much time I actually spent with my dad, who I hadn’t lived with since the age of two. Seeing him every Wednesday night for two hours, every other weekend, and then alternating major holidays (throwing in a solid month in the summer), it was not hard to see that if the hours spent with a person’s father were represented by coins in a jar, my jar would be far less full than that of my classmates who lived with both of their parents. I didn’t actually do the math, but by the end of quarantine, my four year old daughter had probably accumulated more hours with me than I had with my father by the time I made it to high school. There was a certain comfort I found in that. I did not spend every moment fully attentive to my children, but by proximity, I believe they each experienced something in a way I never had- two solid months with both of their parents in the same home every single day.

If you think about it, few people in the world before this pandemic could say they had a similar experience as children, regardless of their parents’ marital status. We were one of the families that can truly say this year blessed us because of the sheer volume of hours spent together as a unit. I proclaim that with a tinge of guilt, knowing that so many others had a completely different experience, and I hate that for them. What God used to bless me was a crucible for others. It is not fair in any sense of the word, and I cannot claim to understand why He does what He does, but I believe He is working in each our lives in a unique way. Although this pandemic is still not over, I am looking back and seeing the long list of benefits for me and my family from a year spent in very close quarters. To wrap up 2020, we made sure to continue one of our COVID friendly holiday traditions, taking our family self-portraits in October, and sending off Christmas cards to friends and family. Below are a few images of our family, in the midst of a pandemic, pretending everything is normal, and documenting memories that will hopefully become framed heirlooms in a few decades. -J

River Inn 2020

What started as a family trip every other year has turned into an annual gathering of Kristen’s extended family at a small river resort in Hunt, Texas, which is near Kerrville… which is near San Antonio. The word “resort” has a connotation to it that I think you would be hard pressed to attribute to this location in reality. You can rent tiny condos of varying quality, as they are individually owned, for a week on the Guadalupe River. Sometime in history a dam was built creating a swimming and fishing area, with a water slide (“flume”) down to a lower wading area. The accommodations are sparse, with a game room and tennis court being the only other options for entertainment. The cell service is non existent, and the wifi is just present enough to infuriate you as it cuts in and out, and lags for no reason. I suppose bad cell service and wifi can lead a person to focus on what really matters, which for us, are the family members who are able to make the trip in that particular year.

With COVID-19, the status of the gathering at River Inn was questionable for a while, but when it came time to come together, about two-thirds of Kristen’s family was able to make it. For some time I have been suspect, and even judgmental, of anyone who has done any sort of gathering with people outside of their home during the pandemic. For many years I have viewed almost every issue as black and white. In recent years, I truly have begun to see just how much gray area there is in our lives. Now, some grays are darker or lighter than others, but in general, it’s difficult to find a cut and dry, 100% correct action in many situations. I think the global pandemic is revealing that a bit. The extreme answer is to close ourselves off physically from everyone as much as possible until this event passes. For those taking this route, I will not ever blame them for such precautions, and we adhere to this plan for the majority of our days. This virus is certainly terrifying in many ways. But when we’re looking at the brevity of life, and how time is slipping away for some things as this pandemic crushes one month after the next, I find myself making some decisions I would not have considered three months ago.

River Inn, like any resort, has multiple people using the same common spaces, most notably the swimming and lounging area by the dam. Social distancing was not impossible, but coming into contact with unmasked strangers was part of the experience. Additionally, although we had our own room, limiting our close interaction with family members outside of our four was not feasible. We had no guarantee that every family member was completely void of the virus, although no one had any notable symptoms of concern (and we know that passing the virus asymptomatically is common). With the cases continuing to mount in America, many looking at our family gathering would surely consider us reckless and inconsiderate of others as we ate and swam (unmasked) together for three days. However, the patriarch and matriarch of this family is celebrating 50 years of marriage on July 14. In their early 80s, these gatherings at River Inn are bound to be approaching the end of feasibility for them. With a multitude of rocky stairs, a considerable distance from a hospital, and the requirement to bring all your food and supplies for three days, the years in which Kristen’s parents can make this trip are approaching their end. When viewing this as simply a vacation, it’s easy to consider our participation as unwise. But when you consider my children who have a limited number of river gatherings with grandma and grandpa left, the idea of skipping a year was much more difficult to consider. When Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy chose to take the risk and make the trip anyway, our decision was made for us. We cannot pass up opportunities like this for our children to spend extended time with family members while it’s still possible to do so. If the oldest and most vulnerable of our family were resolved to go to the river, we chose to follow their lead, maximizing our time with them.

Our days were filled with swimming and throwing rocks in the river, and with nightly gatherings over shared meals. Our final night was centered on a small anniversary celebration with cake, a tribute video, and family pictures. The decision to gather with our family was not 100% right or 100% wrong- few decisions are. We were not ignorant to the risks we were taking, and did not assume that our family would be immune to the trials so many have faced from this virus. In this season, every decision is weighed with risks and rewards, and we are all seeking to make decisions in a world that is rarely black and white. We will use the next two weeks as we cut off all possible interaction with others to enjoy memories made, and pray protection over everyone who gathered to celebrate vows exchanged half a century ago.

Lily // Senior 2020

Sometimes when I think about all the things the class of 2020 has lost, I fail to consider how I would feel if the same thing happened to me as a senior. Looking back, so many things that take place over the last semester of senior year don’t seem as important to me at 33 years old. Of course, when compared with marriage, the birth of children, moving across the country, and a variety of other things that have taken place in my adulthood, my state debate championship that would have been cancelled had a I been a senior this year, just doesn’t seem like a big deal.

But when I think for a moment about how so many moments in my last semester of high school felt at the time, I feel such sadness for these students. I’m not going to list all the things they are missing, but I know if I were in their shoes, I would be crushed under the loss of so many moments that were stolen. Yet, even in this chaos, these students are graduating, and they are creating special memories.

In lieu of a graduation walk, Lily’s neighborhood organized a parade where seniors could decorate their homes, and receive congratulations from friends and family as they drove by. Lily’s mom wanted a few photos of Lily with her decorations, and also a few images to be used in the fall as Lily plans to participate in rush at the University of Texas at Austin. I was honored to grab some really great moments right in the front and backyard of her home.

Lily will be part of the Theatre program at UT, which is the same program I graduated from, entering the school in the fall of 2005, 15 years ago. This connection made me feel extra sentimental as I captured her enthusiasm for the next phase of life, posing in front of a giant Hook ‘em sign her mom made. I have no idea what life is like at any other university, but my years at Texas, specifically in the Theatre program, were incredibly fun and meaningful. I know that Lily is going to make so many incredible memories in the coming years, and I can’t wait to see where she goes in life.- J

The Family Photo

My parents divorced when I was two years old. Photography wasn’t rare in the late 80s, but it surely was not as easy as pulling out a phone from your pocket. Due to the brief amount of my life that my parents were together, in combination with the fact that photography was not as accessible, I have made it to adulthood with only one physical family portrait of my parents, my brother, and me.

As you can see, the blond child completely steals the show in this family portrait. You can also take note of the classic backdrop, incredibly on trend 80s outfits, and the fact that everyone was directed to look just off camera.

I share this portrait to argue in favor of two concepts that I think people in all stages of life should consider:

1. The annual family portrait is critically important for documenting the years that move by so quickly.

2. Printing your portraits to display in your home should be a non-negotiable.

As you know from my story, you never know what changes may come in life. Of course most families won’t face life altering tragedies or divorces, but the reality is, your family as it is right now, will never be that way again. Dad’s facial hair will go through phases, mom’s hairstyle will vary year to year, and the kids will constantly change as their small bodies go through two decades of constant growth and hormone changes, drastically altering the way the look.

But just taking these pictures is not enough. Displaying them in your home is exceedingly important. For one, printed portraits can become heirlooms later. Additionally, when your children see your family together on a daily basis, regardless of where life takes them, they will internalize the truth that they are part of a unit; a group of people bound together until the end of their days. Finally, when decorating your home, printed portraits hold more meaning, purpose, and love than anything you can purchase at Hobby Lobby, or any work of art you can spend money on.

You may not have the budget to get portraits every year, but you have a phone that can take a pretty good picture, and you can order cheap prints almost anywhere, and find simple frames online and on clearance in many different places. The only excuse for not printing and displaying your portraits is laziness.

For me, the entire purpose of getting into photography was to document my family in a way that my childhood never was. We make an effort to take our pictures every October in preparation for Christmas card season, but then we always print and display our favorites. We don’t print them all, so here are some that might only live on digitally. -J

Abi // Senior 2020

I am discovering that enduring intensely hot and humid summers here in Houston is rewarded by exceedingly beautiful winter weather. On the day before New Years Eve, the temperature was idyllic and the lighting was perfect. The Hartzogs have been some of my biggest supporters in ministry since arriving 3 years ago, and it was a privilege to capture some images for Abi who is graduating in just a few months.

Abi exudes a strong positive energy that is almost palpable, even when she isn’t saying a word. She has so many different dimensions to her interests and personality, as she can be seen cheering on her high school football team late Friday night, and then feeding her livestock early on a Saturday morning as a daily chore for her FFA participation. She is committed to her faith, and has gone thousands of miles away with our church to serve those in need. Abi never has a fear of missing out because she doesn’t miss anything. If she has a desire to do something, she does it. The following images capture a few aspects of her personality, and I think they depict her quiet energy in an exciting way.

Best of 2019

It’s natural to come to the end of the year and think about all the things that have taken place over the last 365 days. The primary reason I became interested in photography was so that I could better document the life of my family, so looking back on the last year’s worth of photos reminds me of all the special moments. As I looked at a year’s worth of pictures, I could sense that this year was mostly about family. Of course, there are friends in the mix, but most of my moments were centered on time with relatives. Maintaining friendships during this parenting season is outrageously difficult. Trying to coordinate with other guys or couples to hang out with is really discouraging to me. The thought crosses my mind that I want to hang out with someone, and then we have to work through our calendars to try and find one mutually available time to hang out. And then if it’s a couple we want to spend time with, as opposed to one of my guy friends, we have to figure out a babysitter, which takes a lot of effort, and a bit of money. I have a desire to create and maintain meaningful friendships, but during this time of life, it’s just a discouraging endeavor. I am hopeful that this is only a season, but because of this, my time with friends in 2019 was at a minimum, but my time with family was probably higher than it has ever been. After my kids leave the house, I will hopefully have decades to cultivate meaningful friendships, so for now, I will choose to appreciate the increased time with family, even if it cost me time building meaningful friendships.

Here’s a look in pictures at a few of our favorites moments.

Maggie’s personality grew larger than life in 2019, and this picture is one of the earliest I took after learning how to use a flash to get indoor images that I can be proud of. Here we have a the response to the question, “Maggie, can you show us your sassy pose?”

Bear spent a lot of time in the high chair this year, but it was a relief that he could finally feed himself. Sitting around the table together at least twice a day was a ritual that was sometimes fun, and often times mundane. However, I have no memories of sitting around the dinner table with my mom and dad, so these boring daily routines have deep meaning.

Maggie turned three in February, and we had a super small moment together just the 4 Kelloughs to celebrate. She didn’t mind as she got to eat cake and enjoyed a new stuffed animal that could talk and say her name. Although I love simplicity, there was a part of me that felt like she deserved so much more. I am looking forward to celebrating her more in 2020 as Kristen is already dreaming up a party with friends from church and school.

Our backyard was a favorite for 2019 as Bear began to hit the stage where he could do more outside than just lay on a blanket. The mosquito situation is infuriating at times, but we refuse to let the tiny demons keep us from enjoying our giant backyard.

The sunset breaks through our back window in a way that makes our living room glow once a day. The thought struck me one day to capture an image and this is what I got.

2018 was a pretty terrible year in many ways, so at the beginning of 2019, going to church as a family was still a bit of an overwhelming prospect. Easter Sunday was one of the first Sundays after some time when we were all at church together again. Also, looking at this photo reminds me I need to learn my angles better because I default to profile like a pregnant woman showing off a baby bump.

When we finally found a free Saturday in April, we drove an hour and half to a bluebonnet field that we knew of, only to find it had been tilled to dirt because the flowers had already come and gone. We drove around for a few minutes and found this TINY patch of bluebonnets and, dang it, we were resolved to get at least one pic of these babies in front of the flowers. Bear was born right after bluebonnet season in 2018, so this was his first experience. Maggie choked him with love.

First birthday parties are my JAM. I love being with my extended family. I love hosting people in my home. And I love choosing decor, food, and costumes in theme. Being born on May 5, Bear’s Cinco de Mayo party with fajitas and Mexican flare was a no brainer. And he smashed his cake without fear or restraint.

With Bear’s birthday came the last of our monthly photo sessions. These were such a significant part of our lives, and since we are feeling some doubts about having more kids, this could be our last monthly session ever. Bear made sure to give us some photographic gems to go out on.

For my birthday towards the end of May I asked for a quick family photo shoot. We went to one of our favorite spots near Rice University and snapped some quick pics. This image that Kristen took represents the dream I had since I was 8 years old. Being a husband and father was a goal for me ever since I saw the end of Forrest Gump (at way too early of an age thanks to my dad). There’s a moment at the end where Forrest Jr. gets on the school bus as his father watches on. This was the exact moment when I felt being a husband and dad was how I wanted to spend my life. Family life, without a doubt, is full of ups and downs, but I’m happy I’ve achieved my dream. I guess it’s time for some more dreams in 2020.

Being in ministry has a way of bringing a variety of incredible people into your life. Sometimes, you don’t realize how important some of these people are until you leave them behind as you take a step in a different direction. Lexie and Trey were in the 9th and 10th grade when I came to Gonzales as their youth pastor in 2010, and they had just started dating. I am a staunch opponent to high school dating, but these two were the caliber of teenager that somehow rose above the common immaturities and issues I observe in young relationships. Leading them was a highlight of my time in Gonzales, and they continue to be friends from afar. We invited them to come for 4th of July, and we’re glad we did, because visiting them in 2020 just got much more complicated as they are expecting their first child!.

At the end of July we took a vacation just the two of us to Excellence Playa Mujeres in Mexico, and we’ve been talking about going back basically every day since. This was a sweet few days where we had nothing to do but sit around. We sat by the communal pools, we sat by the all included bar, we sat in the 8 different all included restaurants, we sat in our room hot tub, we sat in our private rooftop soaking pool, we sat by the beach. We sat and sat and sat and it was glorious.

While on vacation, Kristen’s mom kept Maggie in Austin and my mom kept Bear in northeast Texas. An hour further north is where my grandparents (step-mom’s parents) live. Five hours is a LONG drive with kids, so I took the opportunity to take Bear to see them since I was already on that side of Texas. I hate how complicated it is to get away for a weekend to see family, but I’m glad I snuck in this quick visit.

On August 11 we arrived at 7 years of marriage. Here we are in front of some of Houston’s finest brown bayou water. We went to a place called Finn’s Food Hall for dinner and were not disappointed. What Houston lacks in picturesque scenery, it makes up for in endless delicious food options.

One of the incredible blessings of working at my church is the free preschool for my kids. This year, Bear joined Maggie in staying until 4 pm two days a week instead of just 2 pm. Kristen now has two full days without the kids, which is life changing.

We did our family Christmas card photos in October and I couldn’t be happier with the results. My camera remote has made it possible to get quality family portraits every year for free!

In November we visited my college friends David and Stephanie in Augusta, GA. Our kids basically line up four years in a row, and it was fun to spend a few days with them in their giant historical home. It was rainy during our stay, but we almost didn’t notice as they have an entire third floor play room. That plus the 15 passenger van I rented to cart us around for the weekend made for an awesome visit. We are looking forward to a few years in the future, however, when the kids can leave us alone for 45 minutes so we can play a board game in peace.

This year Bear was big enough to start taking baths with Maggie. Having a boy and girl means that they will both have a better understanding of human anatomy than I ever did at their age coming from a family of all boys. Bath time together makes things a bit easier logistically, and there are some super sweet moments as they splash together.

THANKSGIVING IS THE BEST. That is all.

My brother makes an annual visit from New York each December, and my dad and step mom usually come down to Houston to see him. This means more family time in the holiday season, which is becoming more and more important as I see the value of my children spending time with their extended family.

Holiday travel is an excuse to take some detours to see family that is not always easy to get to. We were going to visit my Grandmother during our Christmas travels in 2018, but she got the flu. Fortunately, she was healthy this year and we got to share a meal as we passed through Waco on the way to Kristen’s extended family Christmas gathering in Ft. Worth.

I’m obsessed with family photos. I’m not sure if anyone at family gatherings cares about them as much as I do, and I might irritate some with my determination to make them happen, but I don’t care. Gathering the weekend after Christmas in Ft. Worth with Kristen’s family was awesome because the weather was incredible, and Maggie got to play with her cousins. On my side of the family, there are no children Maggie’s age, so gathering with Kristen’s family is always special because of the opportunity for her to play with family members in her same stage of life.

2019 was a steady climb towards things getting easier and better for the Kelloughs, and I’m happy we were able to document so many moments in pictures.

Thanksgiving 2019

I love Thanksgiving more than Christmas. Saying that probably seems heretical and anti-God, but it’s not. I could list a lot of reasons, but the fact that Thanksgiving centers entirely on relationships is why I think this holiday might honor God even more than Christmas in some ways. A defining characteristic of God is His eternal relationship with the other two parts of Himself. This sounds insane, and there’s not really a way to talk about it without sounding like a crazy person, but the bottom line is, God loves being in relationship with others. And since we’re made in His image, our default is to hunger for relationships. There are a multitude of wounds we can take on or environmental factors that can diminish a person’s desire for relationships, but I truly believe that, if the soul were untarnished, it would be at it’s happiest knowing and being known by others fully. When families and friends-like-family get together simply to enjoy each other, I am 100% sure God is loving every second. Each moment together might not be full of warm fuzzies, but a holiday focused entirely on bringing people together is surely something God loves. The more Christmas becomes focused on material things, the more I think Jesus might enjoy hanging out to watch the Macy’s parade and the dog show.

Thanksgiving brings some of the sweetest people I know together each year, and having children of my own, this day becomes vital to helping my kids form memories with people that are extremely dear to me. Take, for example, my Uncle Roger, who is married to my mom’s sister, Melody. Uncle Roger is literally the most kind person I have ever known. It seems like the man cannot say anything harmful or negative about anyone. His presence alone is enough to calm any tension in any room. He lives about 4 hours away from us and works insane hours at work. Without this annual tradition to bring him to Houston where our Thanksgiving is hosted, my kids would not know him. Or consider my Aunt Tamie, who is my mom’s sister. Being the host of our annual gathering, she starts planning her Thanksgiving event in July, sewing small quilts that she decorates and mounts on cards, and then writes out heartfelt invitations to friends and family. She creates an after-lunch Christmas craft for everyone to make and take home, and she always sends everyone away with a personal gift she has created. To top it all off, she rents a bouncy castle for the kids, so she is our personal hero for providing Maggie with something to do while we visit. Without Thanksgiving, my kids might not get to make as many memories with her or many other family members. I love Thanksgiving for the people that it brings back into my life each year. And I also love my family’s sweet potato casserole. It’s very important to me.- J

The Dockalls

Recently a friend of ours texted to see if we were available for a session on short notice. Her mother-in-law had decided she wanted family pictures the next day before one of her children moved overseas with her husband the following week. We were available, our go-to park was a convenient location, and we made it happen. This is why we got into portrait photography- capturing the moments that matter most for families and couples.- J

Jack // Senior 2020

Senior portrait sessions are always special to me. Knowing that these pictures will not only go in all the many different publications and recognitions that seniors participate in, but that they will also be displayed in a family’s home for the rest of their lives, is really special. Of course family portraits are meaningful, but if all goes well, each person only gets one senior year. The images captured in a senior portrait session have an added weight of meaning simply because at no other time does any normal non-celebrity have a portrait session devoted only to them. It’s just a very unique opportunity, and I am honored when parents trust me with these images.

I know Jack to be exceedingly easy going, and his portrait session reflected that. He was willing to do whatever was needed to grab some special portraits, and he made my job very easy. At his private school, he is part of an internationally acclaimed pipe and drum corps, so we spent part of the session putting this side of his academic career on display. I think these images put his relaxed demeanor and quietly cool nature on display.

King Wedding

Documenting weddings is extremely difficult. At each one I learn a great deal, and when I get home, I’m kicking myself for not doing something that I wish I had. I have to remind myself that the goal cannot be perfection, but simply doing my best to capture as many small moments as possible. I’m looking for the moments that the photographer can’t quite capture the same way and the moments that take place out of sight of the bride and groom. This gives them the opportunity to enjoy the story after they’ve experienced it as the main characters.

On September 1, 2019, friends and family gathered at The Gruene Estate in New Braunfels, TX to celebrate the wedding of Jacob and Stephanie King. It was a clear day for a beautiful outdoor ceremony and reception in a venue that had the perfect Texas vibes.

There are two specific moments that I’m so thankful I was able to capture. Of course the Bride and Groom are the stars of the video, but I always love documenting the friends and family as they experience the biggest day in the lives of people they love dearly. As Stephanie was putting the final touches on her look for the day, the bridesmaids gathered around the door to peak into the room. There’s a moment where one of her friends is overcome with joy for her friend, fighting back tears, captivated by the specialness of the moment she was observing.

The second moment happened between Jacob and his mother. As she was helping him with the last pieces of his attire for the day, she embraced him, speaking into his ear her feelings about him, expressing her gratitude for getting to be his mother, and sharing with him how proud of him she felt. A single tear then rolled down her cheek as she was experiencing this special moment of connection with her boy.

Emotions are always high on a wedding day, which can sometimes lead to some frantic moments, but every single person this day seemed to simply experience the extreme joy of the moment, without any of the usual chaotic moments I get to see. It was an honor to document the marriage of Jacob and Stephanie.

Excellence Playa Mujeres

We have gotten into a rhythm of taking a kid free vacation every year. After adding a second child in 2018, a break from everyday life became absolutely imperative. I prefer vacations where we go and see things, while Kristen prefers to literally sit around. With this past year being particularly hard on Kristen, I deferred to her choice of vacations, and she found a really incredible all inclusive resort near Cancun.

Five days at Excellence Playa Mujeres was absolutely what we needed. We had done cruises before, which were fine, but this all inclusive experience was exponentially better than anything we’ve experienced at sea. To begin with, we weren’t surrounded by crowds of people. Boats make money when they are full, so they schedule cruises in such a way that they fill up. The all inclusive resort, on the other hand, just exists all year round, with no need to fill every room every day. I’m not sure if there is a busy season, but in July, we had plenty of separation from other vacationers. At this adults only resort, we could eat at one of ten restaurants, order any beverage, get 24 hour room service, demolish the snacks from our mini bar to be refilled daily, and grab pastries and coffee all day in the coffee shop, all without having to exchange any money, or accrue charges to be settled at check out.

Additionally, there were so many places to lounge around and read a book in peace and quiet, with a waiter nearby to fetch whatever beverage you were craving. To top it off, we sprung for the rooftop pool suite which included, as the name implies, a small soaking pool on our private rooftop terrace. This was 100% the best part of the experience, and if you ever book a vacation here, do not hesitate: get the pool suite!

We grabbed a few images of the experience, and are planning to be back in the future for sure! It was a great way for us to reconnect and enjoy each other’s company without kids hanging off of us, or the need to think much about where to go and what to do.- J

Horton Wedding

One of the coolest things about working in full time ministry is all the meaningful relationships you make along the way. In my very first church, one of my first youth workers was a woman named Tish. She had four kids in the student ministry, and she was eager to jump in and serve. She became one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters during those first few years of ministry.

Now her kids are getting married, and she invited me to come document the wedding of her oldest son Baylen to his bride Jesslyn. These two dated in high school (while I was their student pastor) and then went their separate ways for a time due to life circumstances. When Baylen moved back into town a few years later, he discovered Jesslyn was single, and he didn’t waste a second rekindling their romance.

On December 15, 2018, the First Baptist Church, which Jesslyn had been part of since she was born, was filled with friends and family celebrating the love of these two high school sweethearts. I was honored to document this special day for my Gonzales friends.

Our 2018 Favorites

2018 was full of change and struggle. When looking back, we might not remember every moment fondly, but there were an abundance of things to celebrate. Here are some of our favorite images, representing some great things in the lives of the Kelloughs.

We kicked off the year with the purchase of our first home. This real life grown up step is still crazy to us, but we’ve used the huge backyard and guest bedroom to host family and friends, creating some great memories.

Maggie had a quiet second birthday (especially compared to the event her first one was) because we were in the process of moving. We still found a way to celebrate with grandma in town, and we won’t forget the way she lit up at her card that played the chicken dance when she opened it up.

A great sunset and Maggie’s good mood combined to make one of our last photos as a family of three really special.

Kristen spent the first four months of this year pregnant, carrying Bear longer than she did Maggie, making the last couple weeks of April especially difficult. We were able to do a proper maternity shoot with him, which we weren’t able to do for Maggie, but the sweetest moment was when Maggie reached up to rub mommy’s tummy.

This is the first Kellough family photo as a foursome. Grandma waited in the hallway before meeting Bear so we could have just a moment to pray together and grab this portrait. Kristen once again made delivering babies look easy, but this was definitely the beginning of a hard season of change bringing him home.

Maggie’s first picture as a big sister. This is the highlight of 2018. Moving from only child to one of a pair is something that truly changed her life, even though she doesn’t really understand it now. With the addition of Bear, we are looking forward to years of family road trips, holidays, bickering, random moments of them being sweet with each other, playing together, and a million other things we can’t begin to imagine.

This year, we got to spend more time with family than we ever have before since getting married. Kristen’s parents are in their 70s, so time with them feels more precious than with others, and this year was a little crazy. Kristen’s mom took two falls that broke her hip, leading to several months of recovery. She’s back to 100% and loves getting down on the floor to play with the kids.

Two weeks after Bear was born we had a family wedding in northeast Texas. Justin got this picture with his parents who divorced when he was two, his brother, Maggie, and Bear. Growing up there was a bit of awkwardness whenever his parents were in the same place at the same time. The grandkids have performed some miracles, bringing his side of the family together in ways he really didn’t think was possible.

Moments like these are why we got into photography. We wanted to be able to grab quality images of moments we want to remember forever. We can’t get over how sweet Maggie looks, and how serious Bear appears to be. He has definitely proven to be a little less smiley than Maggie was when she was his age, but he’s warming up for sure as we close out 2018.

We basically never take a picture without at least one kid these days, but here we are on our 6th anniversary. Every year we are married is another year to be proud of.

Learning how to parent two kids while battling hormone changes, gallbladder issues, high blood pressure, and a smattering of confusing health symptoms made a large chunk of this year tough for Kristen. Summer was insane, but we survived, and moments like these became more frequent as we started to emerge from the woods in October.

With the addition of Bear, we all struggled a bit to adjust to him being around. We had settled into an easy routine as a family of three, and he did all the things newborns do, throwing our lives into a bit of insanity. As we got used to him being around (and when he started sleeping through the night), he became more and more charming every day.

Maggie’s growth and development has really taken off since January 1. At Thanksgiving she was chasing down her cousins 4 and 5 years older than her, carrying on conversations, and pretending to be Super Maggie in a cape made by her great aunt. This year we really saw her interacting with and enjoying family close to her age for the first time.

Christmas was so special this year with the addition of Bear. There’s something about siblings at Christmas that is really precious, so watching them in matching pjs open their stockings (Bear really just kind of held his) was a memory that we want to hold on to, so we’re glad to have this image.

Choi Wedding

There are some people in this world that take a little time to “warm up” around others- they might be shy, standoffish, or reserved when first meeting new people, but after they get a little comfortable, they come alive.

Grace is not one of those people. I don’t think I’ve met anyone more immediately warm and welcoming than this woman. She goes from “zero to best friend” in 1.2 seconds, and on her wedding day, she seemed to outshine the sun. She was so full of joy that she couldn’t contain her laughter from the moment we started filming until she and Kenneth drove away into the night.

Speaking of Kenneth, there is a quiet strength about this man that you can almost feel in the air around him. Some men who are quiet come off as shy or even timid, but the confidence Kenneth exuded as he walked through all the events of his wedding day was unmistakable. He spoke few words, but he looked so dang cool doing it that no one could mistake him for being anything but the obviously bold and self-assured man he is.

This day was a beautiful series of moments intertwining two distinct, but charming families, under the common banner of Christ’s love, as displayed through a moment of worship at the beginning of the ceremony:

“I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation…”

These two have already been building their own lives on their relationship with God, and their wedding day was simply a moment for them to join hands in the goal of continuing to put their faith and hope in the foundation of Christ. This video captures maybe a fraction of a percent of the beauty of that day, but I was honored to play a small part in documenting the moment where these two committed their lives to each other.

Bedtime

I don’t think there is anything in parenthood for me that is more precious and also more laborious than bedtime. After being at work all day I immediately jump in as best as I can to help with the kids, and it always seems that the sweet release of bedtime cannot come quickly enough. Real talk: I just want to get the kids to sleep so that I can selfishly stare at my phone or watch TV. There is nothing honorable in my desire to get them to bed quickly, and honestly, Kristen does most of the work anyway. However, in the same moment I find myself wanting to rush through the bedtime routine, I also feel a sincere desire to try and savor this daily ritual.

Using the potty, bath time, putting on diapers and pjs, combing hair, brushing teeth, reading books, running down the hall (twice- every night!), praying, and what seems like a million other little things are what I like to call cherished chores. I’m positive that in just a few years I won’t be needed for bedtime, and in this moment, that sounds awesome. And while I don’t see myself weeping every evening as my kids say “goodnight” and run up the stairs to shower and hop in bed, I don’t doubt that on occasion I will remember the bedtime moments we’re experiencing now with a great deal of appreciation and nostalgia. Scripture says that Mary was “treasuring up all these things in her heart” about the early life of Jesus, and I never considered myself to be sentimental, but dang it if these sweet babies aren’t giving this Tin Man a heart. I am treasuring up all these bedtime things and more.- J

Lorton Wedding

I don’t know what it is about the song “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette, but somehow it has buried itself in my mind in such a way that I will start singing it loudly and randomly, at least a couple of times a month, for the last decade or so. It came out when I was 9 years old, so I’m not even sure how I first heard it. It’s not like I was listening to Canadian alt-pop-rock in between recess and lunch at school, but, here we are, with me singing it so often that when my pre-schooler hears me belting it out she asks, “is that the wedding song?” There’s something about that hook that is etched onto my brain:

“It’s like RAY-EE-AYYYYNNN on your wedding day!”

Jacob was part of the first youth group I led as the full time youth pastor in the small town of Gonzales, TX. He was one of a handful of guys that connected with what I was trying to teach about Jesus, showing a desire to go deeper and grow stronger in his faith. We met often at the gas station in town with the Subway attached to talk about Scripture and life. Jacob has grown into a man that is caring, loyal, physically fit (which was a cool journey for him), and passionate about his faith. He is starting a brand new chapter of his life with his bride, Libbie. She is confident, strong, outgoing, and the perfect match for my friend.

On September 3 a large group of their family and friends crammed into a tiny house that was never meant to be a wedding chapel. A relentless rain drove the wedding festivities inside, and one might think rain on your wedding day could damage such a joyful occasion, but nothing could be further from the truth. The small home that had been converted for use by bridal parties to get ready for weddings taking place in the courtyard outside was bursting with love and happiness as so many friends and family cheered on Jacob and Libbie as they exchanged vows in what was once a living room.

It was not ironic, or even unfortunate. The rain on their wedding day was absolutely perfect, intensifying the love, support, and joy tenfold as family and friends rallied together to make the exchanging of their vows truly special. I was happy to document and create a video showcasing the roller coaster of a day for these two incredible humans.- J

Fam

We lived in the DC area for three and half years, and I thought it was pretty incredible. I've never had a serious attachment to my family, so living a thousand miles away didn't bother me too much. Honestly, I saw my family about as much in DC as I did when I lived in Texas- mostly for major holidays. This was fine with me. This was not fine for Kristen. My parents are in their 50s with, presumably a lot of life left (although my father's penchant for high risk activities, high blood pressure, or close circle of questionable friends might cut his life a bit short). Kristen's parents are just shy of 80. When we moved she immediately felt the weight of missing out on their life, imagining us wasting precious years with them a thousand miles away. The feelings came to a boiling point when we had our first child in DC, causing a sense of urgency to get back home as soon as possible. One of Kristen's fears she expressed early on to me before we were married was that her parents would die before they met her children. I can't say I relate, but I can't judge a person for such a selfless thought- she cared deeply that our children and her father had as much time together as possible, so here we are back in Texas, eating breakfast tacos and Whataburger, and seeing family at least twice a month.

I say all this to articulate a change in me that has occurred since having children- before kids, I could truly get by with seeing my family a couple of times a year. It's not that I didn't like them or enjoy spending time with them, I just left home at 18 and didn't really feel the need to look back. In college I made some of the greatest friends I could have ever asked for, connected with an incredible mentor, and found meaningful work in ministering to students. The need for familial relationships was met elsewhere.

Adding these two humans to my life has changed things- not drastically and suddenly- but I'm beginning to see how valuable it is for my kids to be around family as much as possible. Having moved several times, I now understand that friendships, although strong, rarely last in a powerful way beyond the location where you shared life. With family, you will always end up together at holidays, weddings, and funerals. With friends, crossing paths after a season of life has ended is just more complicated. So this past weekend my mother and step-father visited, and we invited my aunt and uncle, who live 45 minutes away, to join us for dinner at our house. It was a simple evening, marred by an attack from fire ants in our backyard, but still a moment that needs to happen more often, which would never have happened in DC.- J

Warming up

It is becoming apparent that welcoming your second child is so much different than welcoming your first. This, at least, is the case for me. Being the second child myself, I had thought I would have a special place in my heart immediately for my son, but he's competing with a two year old precious moments machine. My daughter, even when being difficult, has a charm about her that endears her to me more and more each day. For so long, my son has been kind of a lump. This is no different than my daughter was at his age, but when she first arrived, the magic of a fresh baby in the home was overwhelming for me. Truly every sound and movement was something worth paying attention to. For my son, we've already seen the newborn show, so it's not the same. Additionally, whenever I find a moment to truly focus on him, whether intentionally or not, my daughter finds a way to draw my attention back to her.

I say all this to express a feeling that is hard to describe. It is taking time for this tiny human to truly grab my heart. However, I sense that he is making headway- his almost permanent wide-eyed expression, the gurgling noises he makes, the little comb over hair style, and his increasingly precious response to my voice is doing the trick. I believe if we all try to hide complicated experiences like this, we truly start to believe we are one of the few people to feel a certain way. If we would all find safe ways to express complex feelings- like taking a few months to truly be captivated by your new son- then maybe less people would walk around feeling like they're off center from the norm. It's nothing new to comment on the effect of social media, so I won't spend much time rehashing arguments that others have made, but now, more than ever, we are able to put our best sides on display. I am sensing that more and more people are getting tired of seeing our façades, so maybe the new trend can be to show the true parts of ourselves in addition to the best parts.

This guy is truly working his way into my heart, and I can see how he will uniquely occupy a space there that my daughter won't be able to get close to.- J