Every homecoming I had the honor to photograph swept me off my feet with the intensity of emotion, made me humble, and taught me more about human nature than I could ever learn in a lifetime.  

This Monday afternoon was triple of everything I have ever had to experience before. Amongst many families waiting for their loved ones, three of my friends - and yes I dare to call all three my friends, were patiently (or not so much) counting down the minutes left until they feel whole again.  

Julia with her gorgeous babies, Shea, and Elizabeth, all went through a bigger whirlwind of emotions in a single morning than they did in the nine months of deployement. Constant changes of time, the worry you will be late, and then finding out there is still hours to go, the constant back and forth is no joke for any woman who is waiting for her loved one. But at the same time, this craziness of the morning before unities every single woman I got to observe yesterday. It’s like for a few hours we are sisters, and the bond between us (no matter how short lived) is unbreakable. 

So let me tell you Julia’s story through these photographs. The joy, the nerves, the anxiety - it is all there - and of course absolute unconditional love! 

Welcome home and thank you for letting me capture these!