I visited my mom in Chattanooga last weekend to help her while she was recovering from surgery and brought my sweet 10 month old along.

My mom mentioned she wanted to get a photo with the grand baby before we left. So we stepped out in the front yard to try and get a lovely golden hour photo of them together.

My daughter is at the stage where she really loves new people. They’re interesting. She can cluck at them. She can wave to them. She examines them. But she has no interest in them holding her.

So here it is, folks.

Yup. This is what we ended up with. It is possibly the greatest success of my photography career. Tears and Aqua accented tennis shoes and all.

I tell my clients I “capture authentic emotion.” When they hear that, they are comforted to know that they’re going to have photos of real smiles and real laughs not fake ones. Not that they’re going to have photos of screaming children.

This is a success because it showcases one of the most important things I’ve ever learned from my mom.

When things are falling apart, just roll with it and laugh. Laugh at yourself. Laugh at the circumstances you find yourself in. They’re funny if you step back and think about them. And continue on.

That’s what mom is doing here. Jemima is screaming her head off and my mom isn’t the slightest bit offended. She isn’t disappointed that she’s not getting the picture she wanted. She’s giggling over the situation.

My mom has modeled for me how to have joy despite what the people around you are doing and regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in. She is lighthearted and capable of making the best of any situation.

I hope that this is something I will be able to pass down to my daughter as well.

So there it is folks. The most beautiful portrait of my mom doing what she does best. Smiling.