• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Meet Anna
  • The Blog
  • The Experience
    • Weddings
    • Business & Brands
    • Lifestyle
    • Portraits
  • Contact
  • Galleries
  • Bright Bliss Preset Pack
  • Book A Mini Session
Anna Filly Photography

Anna Filly Photography

Roanoke, Virginia Wedding Photographer specializing in timeless wedding, engagement and lifestyle photos.

Turning 21, Kitten Cuddles + Our Christmas Family Photo

3 Comments

IMG_8022This weekend my little sister, MyraJoy turned 21 years old. I am such a sap- lemme tell you.  She is my world- my best friend- my sidekick- my little girl…. watching her grow up into the fantastic woman that she is has been such a blessing.  Myra is the most driven person I have ever known.  Her determination inspires me, her deep deep love for people mystifies me and her passion for the Lord spurs me and sharpens me endlessly!  There simply is no one like MyraJoy Filliben- and that is a beautiful and wonderful thing.IMG_8068IMG_8064IMG_7996She’s my best friend <3IMG_8052
Not ONLY did Myra turn 21 this week, but she also moved into her *new* big girl apartment and out of our parent’s house!  Needless to say my emotions have been everywhere- my little sister is growing up so fast!  We have laughed, cried, adventured and reminisced all week.  It has been such a gift!  And the best gift was TOTALLY getting to spend the weekend in Myra’s new home in Harrisonburg, VA!  We celebrated her 21st birthday with her sweet boyfriend, Fisher and discovered some of the many wonders that Harrisonburg has to offer! Including The Cat’s Cradle, a rescue shelter for cats. Needless to say, we just had to get some kitty cuddles!

IMG_79642014-08-10_0002IMG_7762IMG_7745IMG_79882014-08-10_0007IMG_79732014-08-10_0008IMG_79442014-08-10_0003IMG_78042014-08-10_0005Love this!IMG_78152014-08-10_0004IMG_7882Kitten kisses!IMG_78452014-08-10_0006IMG_7876
On Myra’s actual birthday we were able to dress up and go out to dinner with the whole Filly Crew- and it was SO MUCH FUN!  We shared a meal together, laughed and shared our favorite memories.  Moments like these are so treasured.  Since we all looked so snazzy, I (of course) suggested we take a family photo, and mom loved it so much she declared it our new Christmas Card photo!  haha!2014-08-10_0010IMG_8151 Aren’t they gorgeous?2014-08-10_0009IMG_8160IMG_8238 and of course Myra & Fisher are perfection- so snapping a few of them was another MUSTIMG_8195 Love this family.  I am SO BLESSED!IMG_8199Happy birthday, Joy Girl!  You are such a light!  I adore you!!

Cheers to 21!

xo
AnnaFilly

PS and Yes, I’m heading back  to Alabama today!

 

Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: 21, Anna Filly, Birthday, boats, Christmas Card, couples, Family, Filliben Family, Fisher, food, Harrisonburg, Honey, James Madison University, JMU, Ken, LOVE, mj, myra, myrajoy, photo, sisters, travel, twenty one

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa Hughes Hartz says

    August 11, 2014 at 2:27 pm

    Beautiful !!!! Beautiful pics, beautiful family Just Beautiful !!!!

    Reply
  2. Honey says

    August 11, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    MY LADIES! I miss you, both already! So proud of the daughters God has blessed Ken and me with. Longer Than Forever! I adore you both….Love Ma & Majah:)

    Reply
  3. MyraJoy says

    August 11, 2014 at 9:23 pm

    Anna this was beyond sweet. You make me feel so special. Thank you. I love you, Nanna.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

More about Anna

Hi there! I’m Anna Filly, a Wedding & Portrait photographer in the sweet, deep South. I love hosting dinner parties, sparkling water, & magnifying love through the art of photography. I have a slight obsession with fresh cut flowers, ice cream is my guilty pleasure & crinkling nose laughter is my muse. Grab something sweet & browse the site! I’m so glad you’re here.

Let’s Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to get the latest

Categories

Footer

  • Contact
  • The Blog
  • Galleries
  • Sweet Words
  • Bright Bliss Preset Pack

Virginia Wedding Photographer located in the Roanoke Valley.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
I’ve never been more thankful to be their momma I’ve never been more thankful to be their momma than I am in this moment. Getting a front row seat to their little lives is the greatest gift. We are in the “good ole days” & I am soaking up every minute. It’s hard. There are days where I struggle. But then I’m reminded that that’s the point. My job isn’t to be perfect, my job is to point these little ones to Christ. He is perfect & he is full of liberation & life. What a joy to be their mom. What a gift it is to watch them grow up 🤍

Currently in my feels the day before Lina turns three ! 🥹🫶🏻
This day 🥹 Courtney + Nic’s Wedding was such This day 🥹

Courtney + Nic’s Wedding was such an incredible day.  Filled with tender moments, vibrant friends and the most dreamy details, every single aspect of it reflected this couple so perfectly!!

A huge thank you to the vendors that brought this day to life!

Hair - Carolina Apgar at Mirror Mirror
Makeup - Jessica Hall at Gorg Jess
Venue - Sunnybrook Plantation
Florals - Lindsey Ann Florals
Photography - Anna Filly Photography 
Wedding Coordination - Sarah Painter, Tammy Scaggs & Emma Stanley with Sunnybrook Plantation
Videography - Piximpress 
DJ- DJ Flex with RSP Entertainment
Cake - Dawn Bobbitt 
Catering -  Sunnybrook Plantation
Our 2025 beach vacay is in the books !! We are so Our 2025 beach vacay is in the books !! We are so thankful for this time we get together as a family of six (plus our precious, Avery!!). We watched sunrises on the beach, swam, enjoyed time with friends who feel like family & soaked up all the sunshine. What a gift !! Each of the kiddos have grown so much this last year. Watching them in the water amazed me. Judah dared the waterslide without hesitation, Alexander played in the waves with joy, Faith started swimming like a fish & our forever water bug -Lina- continued to be the precious mermaid that’s she is !!

Things I don’t want to forget:
☀️ potty training Alexander the week before vacation & him ROCKING IT 
🌊 Judah, Grayson & Dawson chasing the waves
🫶🏻 how much fun it was connecting with Dave 
⛵️ celebrating my bestie’s birthday with a sunset cruise & Judah driving the boat 
🎂turning 34 
🌅sunrises with the littles 
🤩 how much Lina liked chicken wings (just like her daddy!)
🍹 virgin pina coladas with Avery 
🩷 how friends can feel like family
🤟🏻 how undeserving & abundantly grateful I feel
Just living on cloud 9 over here after the most ma Just living on cloud 9 over here after the most magical weekend. 🥹🎀🥂🎂🌸

Our second annual Girl’s Night in the Garden was absolutely beautiful. It was magical. It was uplifting. It was SO fun !! I am so thankful for each of these women & how they have lived life with me. They encourage, equip & inspire. What a treasure !!!

Throw yourself a birthday party & make it whatever you want it to be. It’ll be the best — I promise 💕

Ps. I never want to forget the 60% chance of rain the whole week leading up to it — and then not a drop !! 🫶🏻
Judah graduated Pre-K today ! Our sweet boy is now Judah graduated Pre-K today ! Our sweet boy is now on to kindergarten !!! We have had such a fabulous experience at his school. We are eternally grateful for Ms. Allison & all the teachers that have loved our little ones. This momma is going to bed so grateful. The friends Judah has made over the last three years have  been such a gift. I pray they last a lifetime. I can’t stop reminiscing over my favorite moments 🤍 I’m firmly aware that these are the “ good ole days”. What an incredibly sweet season 🥹🤍
This lovely wedding day was a huge highlight in Ap This lovely wedding day was a huge highlight in April! A weekday wedding, Haleigh & MacCrea tied the knot on a Tuesday. The weather was perfect, they shared private vows before the ceremony & these two were smitten! 🌸✨
I absolutely LOVED chasing blooms & capturing pure I absolutely LOVED chasing blooms & capturing pure sunshine for Addy’s Senior portraits. 🌸✨🎀 Addy is lovely, hardworking, gracious & sweet. 

Can you believe that half of these were captured in front of a Dairy Queen in the middle of the city ?! 

Senior portraits, Roanoke photographer , Roanoke Va
That winter light just hits different. ✨🩵 Can That winter light just hits different. ✨🩵 Can you see the blue in it ? Sometimes I even see blush. 

When we first moved to Southwest Virginia, I was in complete awe of how much WIND the area received.  Gusty winds make for even colder temperatures, and I’m not the biggest fan of the cold.  Ask any photographer and they will tell you that wind is your biggest enemy when capturing photos. 

Even with the gusty winds, Leigh Ann and Andrew’s maternity session turned out incredible.  We used the wind to our advantage and beautiful portraiture was captured.  I mean— just LOOK at that first photo!!

Leigh Ann + Andrew are counting down the days until they get to meet their little one.  Aren’t they darling?! I absolutely loved this session!

#maternityphotoshoot #maternityphotos #roanokevirginia #roanokeva #roanokevaphotographer #carvinscove
November 🦃 🍂 🍽️ This month held so man November 🦃 🍂 🍽️

This month held so many precious events & emotions. I am a girl who feels deeply, so when our family nanny (& my unofficial little sister) asked me to be her Matron of Honor, I became an honored puddle. Everyone in our family of 6 got to be a part of Jaydon & Avery’s wedding day. It was marvelous. In fact, right before I was about to walk down the aisle, Faith toddled over to the dirt, rubbed her hands in it and wiped them all over her white dress😂THEN, she decided to walk down the aisle TWICE. I love that little biscuit so much. 

Judah turned FIVE this year. I look at him & I see a baby who became a boy who is becoming a man. This child is so precious. His tender heart & adventurous spirit remind me that there is so much life to be lived.. & to never take life too seriously 🤍

Lina started using the big girl potty. 🚽 Literally just because. Magical! She continues to live however she pleases & I love that about her. She will find her way & she will do it joyfully. What a gift.

Alexander is our energizer bunny. He is forever helping me with tasks & chores. He is always the first to want to bake or cook with me & needs daily outside time. He reminds me that I need to slow down. To observe, to listen, to be— doing isn’t the point. BEING is. God knit this child together with such vibrancy— I never want to miss it bc I assume my way is better.

Our sweet family got to do so many wonderful things. From early morning bagel dates with dad, to hosting Friendsgiving, to seeing Wicked (I cried, shocker), to Christmas Tree hunting & hosting my family for Thanksgiving- it was such a joy to have so much love & light in one month.

*not pictured but I want to remember: Feeling like myself again, Dave having sparkle in his eyes, the absurd amounts of laundry, Faith walking everywhere like a drunken sailor 🥹, learning to ask for help, hiring contractors (in October) to renovate a bathroom (a one week project turned to four weeks), & one of the brothers shared the gospel with me- I cried (shocker , again) bc his story was so incredible & I needed hope that night. So grateful.
Abounding in gratitude & generously blessed 🥲 I Abounding in gratitude & generously blessed 🥲 I love this crazy crew of mine. We may have practically three 2 year olds (aka super spicy, independent toddlers) but it is the most magical thing being their momma. I can’t get enough of these little loves.

Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours 🤍 🦃 🍽️

Copyright © 2025 · Design by Restored 316