My husband is active duty in the United States Army National Guard and spends at least one weekend a month away from home.
In our marriage, we spend up to a year apart with brief visits to actually spend time with each other. Phone calls are great and FaceTime has brought a new level of connection to conversations. None of it keeps me warm at night though. I end up feeling really pissed sometimes because I’m doing all the work. I’m cleaning a house, potty training, and telling bedtime stories. My loving husband gets to live the bachelor life: up late, playing video games, eating out.
The result is a lot of resentment for him and still no physical connection for either of us. There have been times when I miss him so much but I’m so burnt out that I ignore his call. I know it’s wrong, but I just want him to be here. And I know as soon as he says, “How was your day?” I’m going to explode.
To say this puts a strain on a marriage is an understatement.
Even when he’s gone for a weekend, I find myself thinking, “I want a weekend away!”
So how do we keep the passion alive? The love? The sex? Yeah, I said it, and we’re going to go there.
This month, I had an opportunity to share some of these obstacles with Ashley from Pink Photography. She was able to create an afternoon scheduled around childcare just for me. She asked me all kinds of questions about what I wanted from this afternoon and experience: what I wanted from my images, what I was concerned about, if there were areas of my body that I wasn’t comfortable with, etc.
By the time I arrived at the studio, I was feeling like Ashley and I were long lost friends. Her makeup and hairstylist turned me into a sexy goddess in an hour. Ashley had laid out my session around my answers and our conversations. She captured my personality and those smiles that my husband misses most when he is away. She was conscious of my “problem areas” after having two babies.
The images that she captured definitely made my husband want to come home to be with me.
He might even defend my freedom with a little more conviction knowing this is what he’s fighting for!
I really appreciate that Ashley took the time to consider not only who she was photographing but also who the images were for. She didn’t make me feel cheap in taking them but rather super sexy and very comfortable. She reminded me that these images would be so special for him.
One photo she captured of me looking out the window, I imagined myself looking for him to come home, and the best expression came across my face. These photos are genuine and authentic. We even used his uniform as a prop to make it that much more special when he leaves with his uniforms.
The session with Ashley at Pink Photography was perfect for keeping the spark alive in our long distance relationship. I also think these images would ignite a spark for any couple who wants a special gift for their spouse or to add a little something extra into your relationship. Thank you Ashley for an incredible day of photography and the amazing nights that followed! XOXO
