Last year on Valentine’s Day, I posted zombie pics I had taken for a Romeo & Juliet-esque themed zombie video. This year, I’m going with something more traditionally heartfelt: a beautiful, young family expecting a new member any day.

Shannon is one of those amazing women whose gentle, sincere, caring nature immediately presents itself to you. Her fun-loving spirit shines around children. (It was a hoot to see her and her partner, TJ, act our scenes from movies with their daughter, Victoria.) She is also a certified doula, a person who provides emotional, educational, and non-medical support to mothers before, during, and after their births. It is easy to see why this is such a perfect profession for her. She is currently studying to become a midwife, and is a board member of Mothering the Mother, a local doula organization. The organization has an outreach program that assists single teen moms at their birth, and as Shannon says, “what an important time for a woman to have a doula,” so that teen moms are not alone during this significant and life-changing moment.

Thank you Shannon, TJ, and Victoria for sharing your day with me, and getting a glimpse into the special bond your family shares.

Here’s just a couple of my favorite pics from today.

Advertisement