MELANIE I 44 - Commemorating new beginnings!

I love getting to know and highlighting these incredible women who participate in my 40 over 40 photo sessions.

Meet Melanie, she is 44, incredibly smart, beautiful, and super fun to hang out with. She’s a single mother of a smart, handsome, expressive, and energetic little boy. She’s a federal public servant and a non-practicing attorney who loves books. There is something special about being in a library or bookstore because the smell of the books brings her joy.

She loves the emerald green forests of the Pacific Northwest, all forests really but especially those. The fresh, earthy smell of the trees and dirt makes her feel connected to nature. She believes in the interconnectivity of the mind, body, spirit, and our ultimate oneness with nature and God. She believes we exist to learn, grow, evolve, and that love, joy, and kindness are what we are meant to try to put out into the world. She also believes there is no such thing as perfect and that we should embrace our imperfections, for they are what make us beautiful and unique.

From going away for college, deployments to war zones in the Middle East, being in an abusive marriage, and having her child, she’s had life events happen that she is choosing to see as opportunities. Opportunities to learn, grow and evolve, which she believes is ultimately the purpose of our being here. It is because of these events that she values spending quality time with her family and friends, respect for others, personal responsibility, spirituality, and being independent.

Her family and friends describe her as a great mother and friend, a public servant, brave, full of inner strength, kind, compassionate, and super smart.

Plans for her future include traveling to Scotland, learning jiu-jitsu, to retire and be able to do the things that bring her personal satisfaction with the ones she loves. Additionally, she would also love to grow a library.

A myth about being over 40 that she would like to bust is that life is downhill from here. You don’t stop dreaming after 40 and your dreams are not the same as in your 20s or 30s. In fact, they can be more well defined and thought out based on experience.

The advice she will like to share with younger women is “Don’t worry about what other people think or say. Wear that bathing suit or dress. Live your life with confidence! You are a badass!”

Melanie came to have this photo session experience with me to commemorate new beginnings. Thank you for giving me the honor to capture your beauty and to celebrate this season of life with you. My hope as always is to have these images be a constant reminder of the beauty and strength you carry inside and out.

Much love,

Tamara