2018: A Snapshot

Hey Everyone!  Here’s to 2019 and starting something new- I’m SO EXCITED to be adding a blog to my website!  This post will give y’all a sneak peak into my crazy life over this past year.  While yes, the most important part of choosing your photographer is loving and connecting with their work and style, I believe it’s also super important to know about the person you will be spending a good chunk of your wedding day with!  If you know me already, you probably know I am an open book.  I want to know about you and conversations tend to dive deeper than just surface level (I was almost a counselor, so I guess that makes sense… lol).  Hopefully by reading this entry you can get a glimpse into my life and see the reasons why my heart and soul are so fully invested into this business. (sorry, it’s a bit lengthy)

As you can see below, my world revolves around my one and a half year old, Jacob.  He was born on my husband’s and my 1st wedding anniversary with the biggest blue eyes and one swirly curl on the top of his head.  Yes, today he still has those, and he is the cutest, funniest and craziest little human that has ever existed.  And trust me, when I say crazy, I mean CRAZY!!.  This little guy has the most energy of anyone I’ve ever met.  If I could bottle it up, and sell it, I would literally make a fortune!  Right now he has 2 speeds, jogging and sprinting… once he figured out how to walk, days later he was running around and he has never slowed down!!

One of our favorite family game right now is what we call Jacob zoomies.  My husband, and I sit on opposite ends of our living room and each take turns catching, twirling and throwing Jake in the air while he runs as fast as he can and DIVES into each of us.  Our other (fuzzy) child, Macy, is also usually running around making sure to get a belly scratch from the person Jacob is not jumping on.  Sometimes Jacob gets so excited that he dives too early and face plants right into the ground… in which case Macy will run over kiss him until he pops back up and laughs it off.  Let me tell you, moments like these really make motherhood the greatest job in the world.

But it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, being a parent is beyond difficult.  People who say it is the hardest job in the world are not exaggerating in the slightest.  Besides the endless amounts of energy, for my husband and I, it was trying to cope and live with sleep deprivation.  Jacob did not sleep through the night for 14 months.  Not 14 weeks, 14 months.  We spent countless hours researching sleep strategies, sleep sacs, etc.  Nothing worked, he continued to wake (and stay awake) numerous times at night, often wake-sleep in 45 minute intervals.  This was probably one of the hardest things I’ve gone through.  I could hardly perform at my day job, make myself food, or really do anything other than focus on taking care of my child.  And even sometimes I felt like I was doing a lackluster job at that.  I knew I needed help when one day I was on the interstate and had to pull my car over because I started seeing black spots.  I began questioning if I was cut out for being a mom if I couldn’t even successfully drive myself to work.

Somehow, we made it through with the amazing help and support from both of our families and my friends who so graciously would come over just to let me sleep.  I had to count small victories each day, I learned to be gentle on myself.  With answered prayer, the sleep issues slowly started to disappear when Jacob started becoming mobile AND now that he runs (possibly faster than myself) for a good majority of the day, he sleeps 11 to 12 hours at night without a peep.  It is funny to think of how much appreciation I now have for a full night’s sleep.

So, the reason I started this business…  you guessed it, my son.  Throughout all of those sleepless nights, he never stopped looking at me like I was the greatest person in the whole wide world.  He is healthy as a horse, a social butterfly, and loves fiercely.  In his own ways, he lets me know that I am a rockstar and the greatest mom ever, and you know what?  If I can succeed even a little bit at this motherhood thing, I truly believe that I can do anything.  I now know I have the courage and strength to follow my dreams.  I know I have the resilience to overcome failures.  And I also know I have the passion to succeed.  I am so incredibly blessed to have something so amazing result from such a difficult time.  And I am even more blessed to have such amazing people in my life to support and encourage me through it all.

So yeah, 2018 was probably the hardest BUT most successful and rewarding year of my life.  I ditched my day job, became my own boss, and am pursuing something that I love and gives me purpose.  I’ve grown and I’ve learned that I can be a mom and still be a business woman!  So here’s to 2019, rocking it out, being thankful each and everyday and enjoying this crazy ride we are all on together. =)

(some of my 2018 highlights)