hartleigh jane photography: Army Wife

She ends every Facebook post with EET <3, his initials. Her countdown to July 27th has begun. She hasn't seen him since mid December when he walked through the airport gates, headed to Afghanistan, as she held their 2 week old son in her arms.

"It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do" she says.

At the same time, she was thankful he had been there at all. Eric left on deployment when Ashley was just shy of 4 months pregnant with their precious son. He scheduled his R&R leave for her due date and arrived at the hospital mere hours before their son was born. This was mostly due in part to Ashley putting herself on bed rest when she initially went into labor. For 2 days she kept that baby in and when Eric let her know he had landed in the US, and was about to get on a flight for his final stretch home, she figured it was safe to get up and shower and prepare to go to the hospital. Her contractions were much closer and much stronger when Eric called to tell her that......his flight had been delayed. She told him she would try to hold on but ended up leaving for the hospital while Eric was boarding his plane. A family friend picked him up at the airport and they rushed to the hospital.......

When Ashley contacted me and inquired about having her little man's pictures done, I came up with a million different things that I wanted to write in this blog post. Things about love, sacrifice, honor.....so many things. But, there really aren't words. There aren't words enough for what thousands and thousands of men and women are doing every day for us. There aren't words for what their families go through. There aren't words for the sacrifices they make being away from their spouses, loved ones and most of all, their growing children. Ashley says she has found a strength she never knew she had and I don't doubt her.

She told me "I would never choose to go through this deployment but it has strengthed everything about me and us. Our relationship, our communication skills. I've learned that things I used to think are important in life, aren't that important at all. I worry about him all day, every day and when I hear his voice, my heart simply melts"

To Ashley, Eric and the thousands of troops and their families: thank you. There really isn't much else to say, but simply thank you.

Enjoy your sneak peek and when Eric gets home, I think you should just keep making babies because you do a very good job!! This little man is so incredibly handsome!

Ashley repeatedly insisted that she has 10 more lbs to lose before her husband gets home in July. Um...honey? I would KILL to have your figure!! You look amazing and you're a stunning mama!!!