Olana Family Session

The sun peeked through the trees. The clouds reigned high above the tops of the Catskill Mountains. I took a deep breath in and breathed in the summer air of Upstate NY. I thought to myself, “wow, this is my home, and I can not believe I get to take pictures here.”

As many of you may know, we moved here, from PA, about three years ago for my husband’s job. Eric is the lead pastor of a Wesleyan Church here in Niskayuna called Awaken Church. As a pastor, he has the opportunity to connect with other pastors in the northeast district. It has been a wonderful connection for him, as we continue to get established here in the Upstate NY.

A few months ago we attended a marriage conference that the district hosted. While we were there, we met and spent a lot of time with Rachel and Craig. Craig is the lead pastor of Full Life Church in the Catskills. Once we realized we lived less than an hour away from each other, we started spending time with them and their three wonderful children. Since we are still getting acclimated to upstate, the Paczkowski family has been our personal tour guides for the Catskill and Hudson Valley region. One place they talked about often, is Olana, which overlooks the Hudson River.

As soon as they mentioned Olana, I knew it would be a great place to do their family photos. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed! Olana is filled with old architecture, numerous walking trails, and has an incredible view of the river and the mountains. So, a few weeks ago, on a Friday night, I had the pleasure to meet up with them to take some family photos of them.

Rachel and Craig, we have loved watching how you are raising your children in a loving, God-filled home. Thank you for welcoming us with open arms, and for encouraging and praying for us!