What went viral this week: A mom gets her doctorate + a BFF photoshoot

Viral photos capture why having a BFF is so awesome

We’ve heard of engagement shoots, maternity shoots, newborn shoots…but best friend shoots aren’t really a thing. That is, until now. Two moms recently decided to commemorate their long friendship with a series of adorable photos, and the Internet is loving it. Samantha Clark and Christina Arthur have been best friends for 23 years, and when they hit their friendship anniversary this year, they decided to celebrate by posing for professionally-shot photos. These images capture both their personalities and friendship so perfectly! “I thought it would be perfect for us because anytime we get together, we just laugh and act goofy and just straight up always have a good time with each other,” Samantha tells Inside Edition . These women have been friends since they were 7 years old and have been together through so many major life moments, from the teen years to their weddings and subsequent divorces, to the births of their children. But while Samantha and Christina have definitely seen each other through their most serious moments, this photoshoot is pure lighthearted fun. They even shotgunned beers and ate chicken wings on camera—and if that isn’t #friendshipgoals , we don’t know what is. “We’ve seen each other at our highest and we’ve seen each other at our lowest. Through thick and thin, we have been able to count on each other. Even if we went weeks without talking or seeing each other, we always picked up right where we left off,” Christina wrote of the friendship in a post published on Love What Matters . “It is truly a beautiful thing and a blessing to be able to call each other friends. Besties. Ride or die. Partners in crime. Soul sisters!” We couldn’t love this more. Not only are the photos so cute and fun, they also represent something really powerful. It’s easy for us to get caught up in our own lives, especially after we become mothers— but our friendships are so important . This is an important reminder that we should treasure and celebrate those bonds…whether that’s with a photoshoot or not. The photography business that captured the images, Easy Breezy Photography, is totally starting a trend with the BFF themed photos! Another BFF shoot in Target proves this photographer just gets mamas.

Kids congratulate mom on her dissertation defense and it’s too cute

Y’all my kids sat quietly + listened intently during my dissertation defense…AND surprised me with a performance… https://t.co/g4zJG9B2uv

— Dr. Candace N. Hall (@hallofacademia) 1568932185.0

As Good Morning America reports, a mom who earned her doctorate in higher education from Maryville University near St. Louis, Missouri is going viral this week for the sweetest reason. After 30 stressful minutes defending her dissertation, Candace Hall saw her three waiting kids cheering for her. And they didn’t just cheer, they danced a perfectly choreographed dance to “We Did It” by 1K Phew. “I was shocked. I was happy. I was proud,” Hall told GMA. The mom of three works full-time as an academic program coordinator at Washington University in St. Louis and goes to grad school at night. Her best friend (her kids’ godmother) taught them the dance and helped them make the signs to congratulate their mom on her big day. Hall told GMA people often told her she was crazy for trying to raise three kids, work full-time and get her doctorate, and that’s why this day meant so much to her. She’s grateful for the support of her BFF, her husband and her kids. “I hope my kids take away that they can do anything that they set their minds to. I know people say that all the time to kids growing up, but I hope that I’ve demonstrated that,” she said. Yes you did Candace! Congratulations! ?

This moms viral photo proves why representation matters

Four-year-old Maren Anderson happens to use a wheelchair. What she doesn’t happen upon often is representation of other people using wheelchairs. That’s why when Maren saw an ad on a Ulta store last month featuring model Steph Aiello, she literally stopped in her tracks, says her mom Carolyn Anderson. Carolyn took a picture of the moment and posted it to Facebook, where it went viral. She captioned it: “Well Ulta, you absolutely stopped my girl in her tracks this evening. It was mesmerizing to watch her stop, turn and gaze at this poster. So thank you.” That was a month ago, and this week, as NBC Washington reports , Maren got to meet the model she could relate to. Maren and Aiello hung out at Ulta and picked out nail polish together. For Aiello, the experience proves that what she’s doing matters. This isn’t just about modeling products, it’s about modeling diversity and letting kids see themselves reflected in the world around them. “This is what the world needs,” she said. “The world needs this to be our community as opposed to just my community.”

This teacher is going for viral for carrying a student when she needed it

Field trips can be hard for kids with accessibility needs, and when Shelly King learned her daughter Ryan’s class was heading to the Falls of Ohio on a field trip she was worried, Today reports. Ryan uses a wheelchair and her mom figured she would need to carry Ryan all day in a backpack carrier if she wanted her daughter to participate in the trip. “Normally with field trips like this, when they’re not accessible, we take an educational day and she and I go out and make our own field trip in the city,” King explained, but the Falls of Ohio was something she wanted Ryan to see, so she was willing to carry her daughter all day. But one of Ryan’s teachers heard about King’s backpack plan and stepped up to save mama’s back. Fourth-grade science teacher Jim Freeman wanted to make sure Ryan was included so he offered to carry her in a child carrier. King was touched by the teacher’s act and posted photos of the trip on Facebook, where the story went viral. King is happy the story did go viral because she wants the world to know how much she appreciates her daughter’s school. ?