Beneath the Flowering Trees

Mom absolutely loved flowers and trees, which makes it feel especially meaningful that both some of my final photographs with her and a Mother’s Day tradition spanning more than twenty years were surrounded by the beauty of Sibley Park.

Mom was ecstatic to become a grandma and moved to MN to be closer to us.

Mother’s Day feels very different when your own mother is no longer here.

This year, I have missed my mom so much. Since she went to heaven a few months ago, there have been so many moments where the weight of that loss has caught me unexpectedly. However, on a day specifically set aside to celebrate mothers, the tenderness feels even greater. When someone you love so dearly is gone, a day dedicated to them has a way of magnifying both the gratitude and the pain.

Even though so much changed near the end of her life, it is impossible not to reflect. You think about the conversations you wish you could still have. The traditions. The ordinary moments that never felt ordinary at the time. The photographs that suddenly become priceless.

Thankfully, this weekend was also filled with something incredibly meaningful: precious time with my family.

For over twenty years, our family has gathered for a Mother’s Day picnic and photographs beneath the flowering trees at Sibley Park. Yesterday, as the six of us stood together once again, I found myself reflecting on just how many versions of our family have stood in that same place over the years.

This year’s photographs felt especially significant. Not only because of who was there, but because of everything those images now represent: the seasons we have lived through, the people we miss, and the new chapters that are beginning.

This weekend we gathered together to celebrate our oldest daughter, Rylee, as she graduated from Bethany Lutheran College. Watching her reach this milestone was emotional enough on its own, but realizing she will soon be married to Nate in just a few short weeks made me feel the passage of time in an entirely different way.

For the first time, we were also able to meet Nate’s parents as both families gathered together to celebrate her. There was something deeply meaningful about watching new relationships begin while reflecting on the people I miss so deeply. It was another reminder that families are always evolving, expanding, and changing shape across generations and seasons of life.

And somewhere in the middle of a graduation celebration, wedding conversations, laughter around the house, concerts, and simply being together, I found myself overwhelmed with gratitude for what still remains.

Because that is the strange tension of life, isn’t it?

Even while grieving the people we miss, we are still actively living inside moments that will someday become precious memories too.

That realization is one of the reasons photography matters so deeply to me.

Not because life is perfect.
Not because every season is easy.
But because time moves relentlessly forward, whether we are ready for it or not.

The photographs we create today become part of the visual history our families will hold onto tomorrow.

One day, the image of your daughter laughing in the kitchen, your son hugging his grandmother, your husband standing in the driveway after a long day, or everyone gathered together celebrating a milestone will mean more than you could possibly imagine right now.

Those are the photographs that become irreplaceable.

This is why my goal has never been to simply deliver digital files. I want to create heirloom-quality artwork that can be seen, held, and remembered for generations. Images that carry emotion, preserve connection, and become part of a family’s legacy long after the season itself has passed.

At Woller Photography, every session is rooted in story, craftsmanship, and authentic connection. Whether I am documenting a senior season, a family legacy, or the beauty found in everyday life, I am always guided by the same belief:

Your life. Your land. Your legacy. Captured authentically. Remembered always.

This work matters to me because I know firsthand how quickly life changes.

So today I hope you hold close the people you love most. Make time for the conversations, the laughter, the togetherness, and yes… the photographs too.

I am especially thankful today for every photograph I have of my mom… and every photograph I continue creating for the people I love.

Graduates and faculty smile outdoors in caps and gowns, holding a diploma. Family gathers together to celebrate.

House with dormer windows, surrounded by blooming pink and white trees under a clear blue sky.

2 Comments

May 14, 2026, 10:01:31 AM

Denice Woller - Thank you so much Rebecca. Thank you for reading! I absolutely love that you are doing that for Eddy. What a treasure!

May 12, 2026, 9:43:54 PM

Rebecca Brooks - This is so beautiful. I am making a scrapbook for Eddy and in it are pictures of some we miss so much and an extra girlfriend. Thank you for sharing this.

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