Where It All Started
I have been playing this blog post over and over in my head for weeks! I am so glad I finally took the time to sit down today and type it and see it in front of me. A few weeks ago I was rummaging through an old box of childhood photos and I stumbled across this stack of pictures, and through some laughs I realized some things that changed my entire perspective on my career.
For my tenth birthday, living in Baltimore at the time, my request to my mom and grandmother was to spend the day in the harbor. I enjoyed wandering through the shops, visiting their Barnes & Noble, and having a semi-fancy lunch (not much has changed with me). As we were hopping in the car to head toward the city, my mom handed me a perfectly wrapped gift box into the back seat. My mom is a gift-wrapping superstar. I excitedly opened the box to reveal this sweet thing!
Ever since I can remember my mother has been the best gift giver. She just gets me. I have never opened a gift from my mom that I didn't fall head over heels for and this one fell nothing short of that.
Here were the two first pictures I took with my snazzy new camera!
This was Brooke (my baby sister) at 4 years outside of my grandmothers before we left that day.
You know I had to take a selfie with it... And those bangs though? WHAT ARE THOSE
So, I know that these are probably only interesting to me. I am most likely one of very few people on earth who enjoy staring at a complete stranger's childhood pictures. BUT the reason I am writing this is to give a peek into my story and show you what makes me ME. My brides, my future brides, my friends, seniors, Moms who have had their babies in front of my camera since they were a cute little bump under their maternity dress, families who I have documented through hardships and celebrations, etc. This is the story behind my art and style.
Pulling these images out of that box couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Its a crazy time of the year. I'm up to my ears in editing and mail-outs and discs and USBs. Working from home is not all its cracked up to be always. Sometimes I wake up and realize I have been wearing these sweatpants for two days. I have clusters of days where I feel depressed and find it hard to get off of the couch. I have days where I feel like a failure as a mom because instead of making the boys lunch- I've been staring at my computer for three hours. It's not always glorious.
When I look at these pictures, I see a passion. A passion that started such a long time ago and has grown into something that will provide families with moments otherwise gone. I don't care if your great grand children remember my name. I am just happy they will have something tangible to hold in their hands to remember someone they loved so much who is no longer there. I'm so glad that I was able to capture the very second your dad saw you in your wedding gown for the very first time. Or that moment your newborn smiled while she was asleep. It's really not about me at all. God has an incredible way of designing your life and preparing you for what you're meant for. He deserves all the glory and I am grateful for the eye he has given to me and my love for creativeness. I went years without knowing that this was what I wanted to do and it feels so good to feel like I have finally found my niche. So when the days get long, and I have a hard-to-please client- these are what I'm going to look at. They're a reminder that I am doing something that I am in love with doing. My challenge to you is what reminds you of happiness? What makes your days seem not so bad? My boys are also a huge reminder of why I do what I do. I want them to be proud of my accomplishments and who I am as their mom.
I am done being mushy now and you can laugh at my attempt to style a background and put my baby brother in a doll's bassinet...
