Well, since I lost everything, I’m working on getting everything back online. It’s a long process, especially since I’ve gone back to work in an office, full time, Monday through Friday. I’m also in the process of rebranding and redoing my website entirely.

Whew!

But a lot of things have changed since I originally started my photography business. First, when I started, I did NOT want to do weddings. I knew that it would be super stressful and I just didn’t want to go there. However, I’ve changed my mind. That’s a woman’s prerogative right? ;)

I’ve decided that’s where I would like my business to go, what my focus will be. Weddings, and boudoir. Excited? Totally! Nervous and scared? Most definitely. But on the weddings side, I love to see people happy. I love to see that joy, that love, between two people. The pride in parents as they watch their children join with the person they want to spend the rest of their lives with. That makes me joyful inside, and that is what I want to surround myself with. And on the boudoir side, I like to do anything I can to support and encourage women. To make them feel sexy. To show them that no matter what their insecurities are, they are beautiful!

I feel that to focus on both of these aspects of photography will allow me to help people, in my own way. To capture those once in a lifetime wedding moments, that can never be repeated. To be able to show a bride a moment that she didn’t even get to see because she was so busy, but is priceless to her. To show a woman a picture of herself looking so hot that she says “dayum, is that me?!” ;)

I feel like I’ve grown up so much in the past almost four years. I’m a different person than I was. I’ve decided to surround myself with peace, love, and joy. That’s not to say that there won’t be hard times, or nasty people around me. But I have a choice to let myself get torn down by those things, or to choose to accept things, work through them, and eventually overcome with a smile on my face and peace in my heart.

Wow that sounds cheesey right? ;) But so true!

So let’s see, what else has changed. Well, my only child is now 6 years old. SIX years old. S – I – X years old. I can’t believe it. I know every parent says that, but I’m going to say it too. Time flies. He’s turning into such an interesting little boy, with such a neat personality. He’s protective, loving, and sweet, while having a HUGE attitude – all at the same time. He’ll tell me he loves me one moment, and the next is rolling his eyes at me. He is most definitely going to be a handful, but I look forward to every minute.

Other changes… well, I’m engaged. :) Yay!!! Right?

I was convinced after going through some really nasty stuff that I was going to be single for the rest of my life, and I was okay with that. I had a very strict set of standards for how I expected to be treated by a man, and unless someone fit the list, I was going to be single. Let me be clear – these were not standards that are superficial – no looks, economical standards, etc. These were standards and rules for how I expected to be treated, and if someone didn’t meet those standards, he didn’t deserve me. Sound conceited? Not at all. I just knew that I wanted, that I DESERVED, to be cherished and treated well, and I wasn’t going to settle for less.

So with that said, I was going to be single for the rest of my life, right? WRONG! God had something else in mind for me.

Enter Tom, the love of my life. We dated, we had fun, we just enjoyed each other’s company. Isn’t that what life is about? We had our tiffs, we had our misunderstandings, and I’m sure they’re not the only ones we’ll experience in our lifetime. But July 17th, in Central City, all dressed up and looking spiffy, he proposed to me. I cried (yes it was the ugly cry that us girls dread doing in front of anyone else) and said YES! And now I’m engaged to the love of my life, and I never imagined I could be so happy.

And internet, check out the coolness that is Tom – when we went to Central City we got all dressed up because we were going to the opera. Because I don’t get my man dressed up that often, (nor do I dress up myself that often!) I decided to hire a photographer to take pictures of us looking fabulous. The lovely Greta Dawn was taking pictures, and Tom decided to propose WHILE she was taking pictures, so that I would have pictures of the proposal. He knows how much pictures mean to me, and he planned the timing perfectly! How flippin’ awesome is that?

So now, because I mentioned that I want to do weddings, Tom has said that he wants to second shoot for me. Wh-wh-what?! He’s decided to second shoot, and has started really diving into photography and learning everything he can. He’s doing SO well, and seems to be excited to move forward, not only supporting me in all of this, but doing it WITH me. He is my rock, my Love, my support, and truly my other half in every way.

So, a ton has changed. :) I’m scared, excited, nervous, anticipatory, and a whole SLEW of other adjectives that I can’t list here. But most of all excited. Excited for what God has in store for us, both in business, and as a family. I am extremely blessed, and I am grateful each and every day for my blessings.

Look out world, here we come! :D