Katie + Matt = Maternity Session!

Maternity Session  |  Katie + Matt King  |  June 7th, 2020

How special is it that I could photograph my best friend’s Maternity Session? After being friends for over 13 years, we’ve been through so much. I’ve had the honor of photographing her seaside Engagement Session with Matt (click HERE to see) her beautiful Bridal Session (click HERE) their summer Wedding Day (click HERE to see) and even their Anniversary Session! Now, seeing Katie pregnant with baby King just makes me so happy and teary eyed as I see what an amazing momma she is already. 🙂

BUT things aren’t always as perfect as they seem. Katie asked me if I could share her & Matt’s story with all of you, in hopes that it encourages some of you with the same story… and also so that you all can PRAY for them!

Katie and I have always talked about children, and when was the “right time” to start a family. I’ll never forget about 1.5 years ago when Katie excitedly told me that she was getting off birth control, and they’d decided to start trying!!! She was so diligent with tracking her cycle with an app, and was so excited to be a mama soon!!!

Well, they got pregnant!! Katie and I cried tears of joy, and then tears of heartbreak when they lost the baby soon after. Hearts still broken, and still yearning for a baby, they got the green light from their doctor – and Katie and Matt got pregnant again!!!! I was so excited to be Aunt Tiffany.

Heartbreak came AGAIN after baby #2 was also miscarried. Nothing was wrong physically with Katie, and there was no reason why this happened. We were all completely devastated. Katie was feeling so much fear, confusion, heartbreak… it was such a hard loss.

Five months later, Katie and I met to exchange our Christmas gifts. This year, I decided to make her a little flip book of all my favorite encouraging bible verses and got her a custom bracelet with a bible verse inside. When she opened the gift, Katie’s eyes welled up with tears – and she said, “I wasn’t going to tell anyone just yet – but because you gave me these verses I feel like I should tell you that I’M PREGNANT!” We held each other and cried tears of happiness again for this precious baby #3!!!!

This time, things were happily different! Her due date is August 31st, and everyone is so excited. We excitedly found out that Baby King is a BOY! Katie picked out nursery colors, and Matt put together furniture. We planned a date in July for a Maternity Session, and I designed invitations for her Baby Shower in July (yay!!!)

Then…. On May 27th I got the scary text from Katie’s mom saying that her water broke (3 months early) and that she was at Rex Hospital, getting transferred to UNC Chapel Hill. We all started PRAYING HARD.

Thankfully, baby King is safe now – but they are trying to get him to stay put for a few more weeks. Katie is now a long-term patient at UNC, and with COVID stuff happening, she is extremely limited with only Matt being able to visit.

Katie is being SO STRONG, and has now been at UNC for 2 weeks. She’s doing everything she can to keep her precious baby safe! However, we were also sad that with Katie having to stay at UNC until baby King is born… there would be no Maternity Session anymore.

BUT…. Katie goes on walks every day at UNC, and her nurse mentioned that if I just “happened” to also be on the public hospital grounds, she didn’t see why I couldn’t also photograph them!!! 🙂

So we quickly made plans for photographing the most SPECIAL Maternity Session right there at the HOSPITAL entrance!! Even with Katie + Matt BOTH wearing hospital bands, you’d never even know! It was sooooooo special to photograph this fierce momma protecting her baby and doing whatever it takes to keep him safe! Matt is already the best daddy – commuting from home in Smithfield, to work in Raleigh, to the hospital in Chapel Hill – all to be there for his family. <3

I tried tears of joy while editing this session, because we were able to have this Maternity Session, when we thought it wouldn’t be possible!!!! My bestie is such a beautiful, strong momma.

PLEASE pray for Katie, Matt, and their precious little boy. We want him to stay safely put as LONG as possible (due date August 31). If you’re a prayer warrior, please include the King family in your prayers!!!

Also, if Katie and Matt’s journey is similar to your story – please know that you’re not alone. Katie wanted their story shared so that YOU would realize that there are other people going through heartbreaking, silent struggles too.

A big thank you to my sister, Kristy, who helped me with this session!!!! I’m so grateful.

I hope you’ll LOVE seeing some of my FAVORITE PHOTOS from my best friend’s Maternity Session!!!! Enjoy!!!!