Lila and A. were married in Raleigh, and we have stayed in touch since then -- my own daughter Lila Mae is named after this lovely Lila -- and she is a Shutterbabes graduate, as well. Now that Lila is expecting her second child (a girl!) in November, it was time to get the whole family together for a session and to check in with their lives and marriage. Be sure to check out earlier installments of this series HERE

Lila writes:
"I'm not sure if there was a blinding moment where I instantly knew that A. was "the one". I would describe it more of a feeling that I had from the very beginning. There is no other way for me to describe it other than to say it felt like I was home.

For me, the single most memorable moment of our wedding day was right after we were married and we walked out of the doors into the stone breezeway at the church. We had that tiny little brief moment together before the rest of the wedding party poured out. It was February and cold. It had just begun to snow and the world seemed quieted by the snowflakes. There was an electricity in the air -- and for me it spoke of the exciting world that lie ahead of us.

Life for us now is just as good as it was that day. I couldn't ask for anything more. Is it possible to change while staying the same? That's kind of what it feels like. So many things have happened but we are still the same Lila and A.

Being a parent has changed a lot of things in our marriage. It presents constant challenges. There is no room for selfishness. The desire to do the best thing for your child usually makes compromise easy, though. There is also less time for each other so you have to stay aware of the amount of time you have spent together. It's important to realize if you need to take time out for the two of you to reconnect and share a laugh or, even better, a bottle of wine!

One thing I know for sure that I didn't know before having our son is how to appreciate things. Small things and moments become so valuable once you have a child. I notice and appreciate things that I would have overlooked before.

If I had to give advice to couples starting out it would be to take your time with everything. Don't rush -- enjoy each stage of your marriage and/or parenthood. It all seems to be happening so fast -- you'll blink and five years will have gone by."