My favorite month of the year is October, and that is especially the case in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The air has that perfect balance of crisp and cool, cut with the warmth of the sun. The smell of roasting green chile floats pleasantly about town. The cottonwoods and aspens are just starting to change, and the bosque slowly turns a bright shade of yellow. And, in the early hours of the morning, in the early days of the month, hundreds of hot air balloons fill the sky all at once. For nine days each year, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta hosts the world’s largest mass ascension of hot air balloons, also one of the world’s most photographed events. It is a sight impossible to describe, and it is magical.
I knew I couldn’t miss it when I moved away from Albuquerque over the summer. I know firsthand, when you’re living out of state and the Balloon Fiesta comes to town, there is no greater feeling of homesickness. The balloon photos fill every social media feed. You see the balloons launching from the field. You see them floating over the city. You see them touching down on the river. You see them landing in the streets. You wish you were home.
I know my friend Madison knows exactly what I’m talking about. I met this girl when we were thirteen and completely different people. In the years since, we’ve gone on to different high schools, and colleges at opposite ends of the country. She hasn’t been able to see the Balloon Fiesta since high school, and we haven’t lived in the same city since we graduated high school, yet she is still one of my very best friends, and we like to think of ourselves as being in a “couples relationship.” Or whatever you want to call a couple of couples who loves to double date and brunch together ;)
Well, to get to the point. In a serendipitous turn of events, now Madison and Steven live in Phoenix, and though that still doesn’t mean we’re back in the same city, we’re a heck of a lot closer. So despite her being 37 weeks pregnant, she knew she wanted to make the trip to see the balloons, and I knew I would just have to grab a maternity session for her while we were there together.
Serendipity.
I am so happy that I could not only see my best friends just before their little one makes his debut, but also capture these final days of their expecting, against the absolutely perfect backdrop of the hot air balloons in Albuquerque, the city where they met, where little Grey Michael’s story really began.
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My favorite month of the year is October, and that is especially the case in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The air has that perfect balance of crisp and cool, cut with the warmth of the sun. The smell of roasting green chile floats pleasantly about town. The cottonwoods and aspens are just starting to change, and the bosque slowly turns a bright shade of yellow. And, in the early hours of the morning, in the early days of the month, hundreds of hot air balloons fill the sky all at once. For nine days each year, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta hosts the world’s largest mass ascension of hot air balloons, also one of the world’s most photographed events. It is a sight impossible to describe, and it is magical.
I knew I couldn’t miss it when I moved away from Albuquerque over the summer. I know firsthand, when you’re living out of state and the Balloon Fiesta comes to town, there is no greater feeling of homesickness. The balloon photos fill every social media feed. You see the balloons launching from the field. You see them floating over the city. You see them touching down on the river. You see them landing in the streets. You wish you were home.
I know my friend Madison knows exactly what I’m talking about. I met this girl when we were thirteen and completely different people. In the years since, we’ve gone on to different high schools, and colleges at opposite ends of the country. She hasn’t been able to see the Balloon Fiesta since high school, and we haven’t lived in the same city since we graduated high school, yet she is still one of my very best friends, and we like to think of ourselves as being in a “couples relationship.” Or whatever you want to call a couple of couples who loves to double date and brunch together ;)
Well, to get to the point. In a serendipitous turn of events, now Madison and Steven live in Phoenix, and though that still doesn’t mean we’re back in the same city, we’re a heck of a lot closer. So despite her being 37 weeks pregnant, she knew she wanted to make the trip to see the balloons, and I knew I would just have to grab a maternity session for her while we were there together.
Serendipity.
I am so happy that I could not only see my best friends just before their little one makes his debut, but also capture these final days of their expecting, against the absolutely perfect backdrop of the hot air balloons in Albuquerque, the city where they met, where little Grey Michael’s story really began.