Happy Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

The New York Times' "Motherlode" blog marks the holiday with a story about a portrait photographer and a recent subject of hers: a very pregnant fighter pilot.

Many women struggle with how to approach their career when pregnant and after baby is born. But flying F-16s takes the mother/work balance to a new level.

"Flying fighters while pregnant, and while breastfeeding, was impossible, due to the G-force that the flying would exert on her body," the New York Times writes.

Check out the gorgeous pregnancy portrait of Major Stephanie Kelsen in her uniform. The story, though, focuses on the lessons learned by the California photographer, Shlomit Levy Bard. Her sentiments benefit us all:

"Looking at the photos of her round belly popping out of a flight suit reminds me that it’s ok to embrace who we are at any given moment — even if pieces of our identity seem as contradictory as a pregnant fighter pilot," Bard tells the Times. "Most important is accepting ourselves fully, and that we be present in whatever we are doing."

Happy 4th, everyone.

Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma