What can I say? It was a beautiful day in Chicago. The birds were chirping. The leaves were rustling in the chilly Autumn air. The clouds took over the sky, but I didn't even notice that part because Ashlee and Mike's love illuminates even the cloudiest of days. You'll see what I mean in a second. They were standing on either side of the famous Honeycomb. They were facing each other. Looking through my camera, I couldn't see them but I could feel their anticipation turn to excitement. And I knew that they were both beaming with joy. In an instant they rushed towards each other with the biggest smiles on their faces. Ashlee leapt into Mike's arms. Her own arms were wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist. He held on to her in such a way that exuded complete comfort and safety. Like one of those "I've got you" and "You feel like home" moments. They hugged each other tighter and giggled louder as Mike spun around. What prompted this spontaneous display of affection, you may wonder? A simple suggestion from me to act out the famous airport scene. You know the one... 'it's been ages since you've seen each other. How do you greet one another?' But little did I know, the true magic was yet to unfold. This is when they surprised me. Mike chuckled and said something along the lines of, "We don't need to pretend it's been a long time. This is how she greets me every day. Some days I can't even put my stuff down before she's running towards me."
You guys... not to be dramatic but I stood there watching these two beautiful people continue to enjoy their moment in complete wonder. It was like time stood still for me and I fell in love. Okay, that is dramatic, but I don't know how else to describe it. I was in such awe of their relationship and infatuated with their personalities. I absolutely love everything about this moment. I love the fact that Ashlee and Mike are so playful. They both have a silly side to them. All they do when they are with each other is giggle and smile! It's really contagious. And there's never a dull moment with these two. I love how excited they are about their life together. I love how they seem like the type of people who will forever be in the honeymoon stage. I love how easygoing Ashlee and Mike are. They both have this calming, warm nature about them, it's truly hard to be anything but happy when you're around them. Most of all I just love how perfect they are together. In every sense of what it means to be perfect. They balance each other out but also have so much in common. And their big, loving hearts were definitely made for one another. I love how my prompt was so effortless for them because it's something that speaks to their relationship. Can you just stop and think about the magnitude of their love? To have so much love and admiration in your heart for your partner that you greet them as if you haven't seen them in months? But you do that daily with the same passion and excitement? Now that's love. I adore knowing this about their relationship because to witness the depth of their love and the beauty of their connection was such a privilege. Their playful relationship is a testament to the power of love and the joy of simply being together. And I love that this moment was a very simple yet telling reminder of the importance of cherishing our loved ones and embracing every moment with open arms. Because in the end, it's the small moments of joy and laughter that make life truly magical.
Ashlee and Mike, sorry not sorry, I'm a bit obsessed. I think your love story is straight out of a fairytale and I am completely mind-blown that you gave me the blessing of being a tiny part of it all. Thank you for sharing your laughter and joy with me and everyone around you. You truly are such delightful people and I really do think you spread light and happiness every where you go. Thank you for making me feel so loved along the way too. I am truly blessed by this friendship we've formed and I cannot wait to celebrate you in October. Here's to your lifetime of grand greetings and warm hugs!
