I completely forgot that I wanted to add the photos from our 1st Monton Family shoot on here. I guess better late than never, right?
This whole photoshoot was based on a drunken idea. Our good friend, Marco, stopped by for Jeni's birthday, and we knew he was having a promo for fall shoots, so we drunkenly agreed to meet him on a Saturday, all wear blue jeans and white t-shirts, and make a day out of it. I personally think drunken ideas tend to be the best ones. Like, look at this photo! Marco did such an amazing job, I teared up seeing how great the photos turned out.
The minute I saw these photos, I reminisced about us growing up, living about a block down from each other's houses, going on road trips, Sunday cruise nights, even the nights that were practically a blur but are our best memories. Physically being there during the hardest times and rooting for each other during our best moments.
After my parents split up, I had a very hard time understanding what family meant to me. For a few years actually, I stopped seeing my cousins. I'd only see them every now and then for bigger gatherings. However, for the most part, I focused a lot on my friends. I don't know whether it was because I was embarrassed or because I hated the ongoing questions from my aunts and uncles asking where my mom was. I had no intention of understanding what family meant because mine was broken. Let's just say, it was hard growing up, and I felt like I reached this weird transition in my life where I felt like these typical memories of sleepovers, roads trips, and overwhelming parties with my cousins would have just slowly disintegrated in the back of my mind. I want to say it was just a matter of going through the notion of growing up. But, I learned who was there to stay and who wasn't. I lost a lot of friends and gained a lot more family.
I personally thank my brother. He's not in these photos, but I won't lie, he was definitely the bridge between me and my cousins. He was the reason I started to come back around. And even though he knew a lot of what I was going through at the time, he always just kept inviting me. I didn't realize how lost I was in it all until I surrounded myself back with my cousins and saw the beauty of having a family. Honestly, just ones that love to be around each other and enjoy each other's company. I owe it to them for always being so supportive regardless of my decisions. For always accepting me for who I am, no questions asked. For being those people that I can always look up to. Seeing them as teenagers, falling in love, having a family of their own, and letting me be a part of it. Family can mean many things in different shapes and forms. For me, it's the mutual understanding that whatever happens, we're on each other's side. We're there for all the good times and sure as hell for all the worst. We all have our differences, but we'll show up for each other when it matters most.
I am honestly just so grateful that we spend so much of our time with each other. We joke about this all the time, but I seriously wouldn't have it any other way. This is my family. I love you all so much.
So, enough of the sappiness. Here are the photos none of you were asking for! Enjoy!
Until next time.
Jree.
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