A McEnheimer Miracle: Kaitlin's Journey through Grief & pregnancy | Virginia Photographer

Kaitlin’s journey. Her story is one that no one wants to go through, but a miracle in every way. Having been together for 8+ years, her & Eric lived life to the fullest and made every situation a positive one. From sharing a laughter filled life, creating a new life and to losing an unforgettable life.

I was blessed to have photographed Kaitlin & Eric’s journey from engagement to now maternity. Their engagement Session was wet & foggy but in Eric fashion…. we made the most of it! Eric was a natural in front of the camera and he made Kaitlin a natural too. The chemistry was evident and no matter the situation, every moment was memorable.

We started at Elmwood Park in downtown Roanoke and the Patrick Henry Hotel, where they were getting married. They kissed in front of that iconic PH sign and played peek-a-boo around streetlights (not joking, it was so fun). As we traveled up the mountain, the rain subsided and the fog thickened but that didn’t stop us! As you can see, instead of being disgusting, it was a dream.

To this day, it is still one of my favorite shoots. Until their New Years Eve wedding. Talk about a PARTY!!! While the Patrick Henry Ballroom is no longer a wedding venue, the echoing sounds of love and support that filled those halls will live forever. Fully indoors because it was a cold cold night, Eric & Kaitlin said their I Do’s through tears, laughter and scripture reading. Fun fact… Eric tried to kiss Kaitlin BEFORE they were pronounced they were husband and wife and while I won’t share the picture captured of this moment, let’s just say you can imagine her expression when she leaned back in astonishment of “whoa, you can’t kiss me yet”! Have no fear though… they shared many kisses following and finally kissed at midnight to bring in the new year of 2019!

As happy couples do, they tried to build a family! As months passed by, they experienced several losses in their family. From Eric’s best friend, their first pregnancy and Eric’s older brother. Supported by faith and their family, this resilient family remained as positive as they could be through their trials and kept on going. And then the most feared moment happened. Having just celebrated his 42nd birthday on May 8th, on June 9th, 2020, Eric left this Earth and made his way to Heaven. If you knew Eric, you knew he was a friend to everyone he met and his passing not only affected his family & friends but shook everyone who had met him. But as you can tell, their story doesn’t stop with his passing. God truly had a hand in all of this, as their story gets much much deeper. If you’ve read this far, just know, it’s worth it to keep going…

Eric loved to play the lottery and would often pick family members birthdays, sentimental dates such as anniversaries and such as lucky numbers. When placing things in his casket to be buried with him, Kaitlin chose a random lottery ticket that happened to have his Dad’s birthday on it and some other personal items remaining private for sentimental reasons. But what Kaitlin didn’t know at the time was that while she was giving him gifts to keep forever, Eric did the same. One week (to the day) after Eric passed, Kaitlin found out she was pregnant with their rainbow baby!! But even through this momentous occasion, her heart was breaking. Full of shock and surprise, excited yet sad & scared. In that very moment though, beyond blessed to know Eric didn’t leave her alone and a piece of him was going to live on.

Though it looks like time has mended her broken heart after losing her husband, it still breaks to this day. Eric knew though.. he joked that he knew she was pregnant before he passed and although Kaitlin might not have known yet… Eric knew. And he knew his girls would be taken care of, loved by so many and will share a life full of miracles. After finding out she was having a baby girl, Kaitlin chose family names for their daughter, to mimic Eric’s initials, EJM. BUT… given all of this, this precious McEnheimer miracle baby has much more of a story. To truly understand just how much of a miracle she is, it wouldn’t be the same without knowing her due date of February 23rd, the same day Eric’s dad celebrates his birthday… the numbers on the lottery ticket Kaitlin randomly put in Eric’s casket to be with him forever.

Fast forward to yesterday when we decided to capture this new journey in their lives. To include Eric in every way possible, she asked her family & closest friends to be apart of her maternity session. The old saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child and in Kaitlin & Evelyn’s case, this statement could not be more true. Even though Kaitlin is going to be a fantastic mother, she knows she has a village who will love her baby girl just like her daddy would have! Along with their friends & family, Kaitlin brought Eric’s favorite hat, his favorite oversized jean shirt, his comfy shirt & Florida State vest, a picture of him from their wedding, the fur she wore for their wedding and most of all, she wore his wedding ring.

He made her whole. Now… even though he no longer walks this Earth, his presence still remains. When a rainbow appears, like the double rainbow that appeared after his funeral or in a gorgeous glowing sunset and just when we needed him most, he made his presence known during our shoot. Now, Kaitlin has a piece of him forever, in their precious daughter Evelyn Jane. We cannot wait to meet this sweet McEnheimer miracle. For those who want to know, this is not the last you will be seeing of the McEnheimer girls. Baby E has been gifted a newborn session so…
stay tuned.

** This is Kaitlin’s story through my eyes as her photographer. These photos are of raw emotion and the information shared has been given and approved by her & her family. I ask that readers please respect her privacy and their families privacy as they travel this journey together.
Thank you. **