A Birth Worth the Drive: Welcoming Joey Grace at USA Health Women’s & Children’s

There are families who become part of your story just as much as you become part of theirs, and Casey’s is one of those for me. Joey Grace’s birth marked the third time I’ve had the honor of documenting their journey into parenthood, and I don’t say this lightly: watching their family grow has been one of the greatest joys of my career.

This story takes us across the state line to USA Health’s Women’s & Children’s Hospital in Mobile, Alabama. A place that’s quickly become more than just a favorite hospital to shoot in. It’s become my own women's health care home too. Because some places just get it right.

Casey, an OB/GYN herself, had recently returned to USA Health (where she did her residency) as a physician after her practice in Pensacola folded. She and Royce still live in Pensacola, but when it came time to choose a care team for baby #3, there was no hesitation. She knew exactly where she wanted to be: back with her mentors, Drs. Holliday. Yes, plural. They’re twin sisters and both OBs, working side by side. (If that’s not poetic enough, wait until you hear how Joey made her entrance.)

I always love getting to photograph births over in Mobile. There’s a different energy there, something slower, more personal. The facilities are family-friendly, and the staff? Incredibly kind and present. I never feel like a number when I walk through those doors, and clearly Casey felt the same. It's a bit of a drive from Pensacola, but the care is absolutely worth it.

A Gentle Day... Until It Wasn't

Joey’s birth was long in hours, but easy in spirit. We hung out, we chatted, we waited. Dr. Holliday was still finishing clinic, and Casey, ever the team player (because she always thinks of others first), decided not to break her water just yet. She knew things would go fast once labor got moving.

And, well, she wasn’t wrong.

The moment clinic wrapped, things kicked into high gear. Casey had her AROM, and Joey Grace came flying into the world with such urgency that Dr. Holliday barely got her gloves on. A blink-and-you-miss-it moment. But I was there, camera in hand, and ready to shoot.

The Sweetest Homecoming

Afterward, the room slowly filled with quiet celebration. Residents, Casey’s own students, stopped by to meet the new baby. There was this beautiful full-circle moment in seeing her, fresh from birth, surrounded by women she’s taught and mentored. It was equal parts professional respect and personal love.

Asher and Rebecca, Joey’s older siblings, didn’t get to visit that night as it was too late by the time things wrapped up. But we FaceTimed them in, and their excitement over meeting their new baby sister was… well about what you’d expect from a toddler and a pre-schooler. We’ve already got a newborn session on the calendar, and I knew it was going to be chock full of love (and chaos).

Why This Birth Stays With Me

The birth space always feels like home to me. Then there are the births where the people are home. That’s what this was. Familiar, warm, anchored in trust and friendship. Casey and Royce allowed me in yet again, and I witnessed not just a new baby’s arrival, but the deep, quiet strength of a woman who spends her life welcoming others into the world, now choosing exactly how she wanted to be cared for in return.

Joey Grace, you were so worth the wait, and the drive.