25 Years in His Arms: Angie's Story

Angie reached out to me after seeing my Valentine's post, Wrapped Up In Purple Clover. She and her husband were moved by the intimate photographs of the couple that I featured and wanted to do a similar session to celebrate their 25th Wedding Anniversary. Angie and Jeff told me that they spend their Friday evenings drinking wine, playing Cribbage and enjoying the simplicity of being together. We wanted to start the session in the same way, so we found a secret spot on the farm to spread the quilt that they brought. As we chatted about how they met, I found myself swept away by how Jeff looked at Angie. I almost wanted to put down my camera and just watch him watching her. It was both refreshing and breathtaking to observe. I wondered, does she know? Was she seeing what I was seeing?

“He looked at her the way she needed to be looked at
like the whole world could crumble
and he wouldn’t blink”

— Atticus

I asked Angie to share more with me about her 25 year marriage. She said,

“I could write that Jeff is my best friend, a great father and a great husband. All of it is true, but pretty basic and boring to write. What I really feel about him runs deeper and what I feel in my heart is hard to put into words. I am in awe of him and sometimes feel as if I don’t deserve what I have. He makes me feel valued and important. He is there to cheer me on in life and also talks me off the ledge when my anxiety level gets too high. He is a great partner in helping me raise our four children and always, always has my back. I am so blessed to have him by my side. I hope I’ve met his expectations over the years because he has completely exceeded all of mine.”

— Angie Hansen

There are moments that I photograph that I'm unaware of until I look back and am blown away by the emotion on my screen. As Angie's soul rests and breathes in Jeff's arms, her tears spill out. Come sun or storm- no matter what has happened in the past 25 years and what will happen in the next- she is home in his arms.