Kendra | Chicago Portrait Photographer

There were four of us. Part of the notorious “‘K’ Group” in a certain 2nd grade Sunday school class. Kendra, Kim, Kirstin and Krista. With a few honorary members whose names started with other, less k-like, letters of the alphabet. We were the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants from a small Wisconsin town…well, without the pants. Friends who overcame the silent treatment of elementary school and teenage drama to remain in each others’ lives, despite the challenges of change and distance.

So when my husband announced he would be heading out of town with some of the guys, I jumped at the opportunity to reconnect. Kendra moved to Chicago a couple of years ago and she just thrives on the fast-paced city life and all that it has to offer. And for a weekend, we slipped back into the comfortableness of our friendship, as if time and distance had never even existed.

Kendra’s always had a strong gift for teaching. She now uses her talent as a Zumba instructor and personal trainer. While in Chicago, I had my first Zumba experience and I can tell you – I now get what all the hype is about. Maybe it’s taking a class from someone who knows exactly what she’s doing – who you can tell loves every second she’s in front of a class – or who’s so attentive that she knows who needs the extra push to work a little bit harder or who needs the extra help (me!) to get it right. Whatever it is, it’s clear to anyone who steps foot into Kendra’s often overflowing classes that this girl is so hard not to love and is completely in her element.

Kendra made the mistake of mentioning that she wanted headshots at some point. That desire turned into a two-day event in Kendra’s neighborhood and around Chicago. In my defense, I say that it was not due to my shutter-happy self, but because of the windy city’s freezing temperatures. Oh, yes. And wind. How ironic. Regardless, I find the results absolutely stunning, because I find Kendra as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. Here’s the proof: