Sometimes it feels like college was just last week.
The last time I saw Miranda and Nick, we were rehearsing for a recording session with Drake University’s Wind Symphony. Rehearsing in FAC on campus, all music educators, and spending our days making music together, usually on very little sleep.
And now? Miranda is a preschool teacher, Nick has traded the classroom for actuarial practice, and they’ve been married for 14 years with two kids of their own!
ELEVEN and EIGHT.
How did that happen?!
It was such a joy to reconnect with these two and meet Elsie and Sullivan (Sully) for the first time. There’s something special about seeing people who knew you in a completely different season of life and getting to catch up on all the chapters you’ve missed along the way.
For their fall family mini session, we met at Jester Park and drove around until we found just the right light. We landed on a spot with gorgeous fall colors, a gravel walking path, and a tree branch creating the prettiest natural framing lines overhead.
And because it’s Jester Park, we had a little extra soundtrack for our morning: elk braying in the distance! Between the buffalo, elk, winding roads, and beautiful fall colors, there’s always something to discover around the next bend.
We originally planned this session for September, but Iowa weather had other ideas. After too much rain forced us to reschedule, I’m honestly glad we landed on this weekend instead. The fall colors were gorgeous, the weather was lovely, and the timing couldn’t have been better.
Miranda and Nick, it was SO good to see you both again! What a gift to reconnect after all these years and document this season of life for your family. I’m grateful we finally made it happen!
And just like that, my last fall family session of 2026 is in the books.
I have two weddings coming up over the next two weekends, and then CKP’s 2026 photo season will officially be wrapped up. What a beautiful way to head into the final stretch! 🤍
