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Yesterday marked our second month with our precious little Adele, it’s been the best two months ever.

I have experienced occasions of extreme joy, and I’ve certainly cried for a variety of reasons, but before last week I had never cried simply from overwhelming joy. After a sleepless night of laboring and an insane 4 hours of pushing, the worry and anticipation instantly melted away to the most emotional and powerful moments of my life. Seeing my daughter. Her tiny hands grasping my fingers. Her eyes turning towards my voice for comfort as nurses checked her over.

Last week Kelli and I welcomed into the world Adele J Maxwell. She is perfect.

A few photos from our 2 days in the hospital.

Before this year there were only a few occasions in which I found my eyes welling up with tears at a wedding. After all, blurry vision isn’t the best for photography, and usually I’m so involved in the photography that I don’t have time to fully process events in the moment.

That has all changed this year. A few months ago I found out I’m going to be a daddy, and a month ago I found out that I will be a daddy to a baby girl. I’ve expected many changes with this wonderful news, but one that has taken me by surprise is that every father-daughter dance since I have found myself filling with emotion as I realize that one day I will dance with my little girl at her wedding.

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I hope you did as well. It was the first time my whole family has been together in 18 months. My brother is in the Navy and could only get a few days off for Thanksgiving, so we all flew and drove from all over the country to spend Thanksgiving near where he’s stationed in Virginia.

We got to tour his aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise, where he is a nuclear engineer. It’s the world’s first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, and still the longest naval vessel in the world. Pretty impressive. Younger brother with his ship, older brother documenting with the iPhone:

From the bridge:

Most the family topside:

Just hanging out on top of an aircraft carrier:

With the whole family together, of course we had to get a photo all together:

Baby sister and wife, both beautiful, both have that glare down:

Then, since Kelli and I drove to Virginia, we decided a stop in Washington D.C. was required, and we got there just in time for sunset:

Then, we decided on a whim that we should go to New York City! I’ve been once before, but Kelli never had, so why not? Spontaneous travel is the best.

Times Square:

Wandering around near Central Park:

Lady Liberty, from a distance:

It was a great week, even the 1800 miles of driving with my wonderful wife. Now, back to albums and emails!

Kelli and I are vacationing this week with my family. This is Half Dome, lit for 19 minutes by star light.

My wife graduated from MSU a few weeks ago (really proud of her!) and my parents got us the wonderful graduation gift of a few nights on Mackinac Island. It was my first time there and it was great to spend a few days relaxing before my wedding season goes crazy. Speaking of weddings, it would be an amazing place to have one, so someone get married there and hire me to do your wedding photography!

A handful of personal photos from our little trip, check back soon for a few new engagement sessions.

We also stopped in Traverse City, and I have to recommend that anyone who enjoys art and wine go to 2 Lads winery and see artwork by my friend Jeremy Mason while enjoying Michigan’s best red wines.