little things turn into big things

Slowing down and really taking the time to savor these first days of fall weather and the last days of rest before things really start getting crazy around here. Joyful, indeed. (New mug from Rachel Allene!) I broke out all my leggings and long sleeved shirts again. I have 4 engagement sessions, two rounds of mini sessions for family pictures, a shoot with Abby, plus a wedding on my schedule from next weekend through the end of October... which also means I have enough content from this year to keep me blogging through MARCH. Say what?! My mind is blown.

I still can't stop thinking about being in the hospital last year and in the weeks that followed, I hit a wall where I was like "What the hell am I doing?" I was constantly looking for something to post on Instagram and Facebook, and counting down the days until spring and my wedding season started which that signaled that busy season was here again. All I had on my calendar was Emily's wedding, Abby's senior pictures, and Brittany's wedding. I ran my numbers today and I've made the same amount of money this year that I did last year and we still have Q4 to go.

This whole year has been a giant learning experience for me. It's been almost a year since my flop of an event with Next Stop Kids Shop last fall where nobody bought tickets. I finally put my money where my mouth was and invested in my future and I'm 100% convinced that is how I got to where I am now. I hit my wedding goal for next year this week! Every single day, I wake up so damn grateful that this is my life. That I have found a way to do the thing that brings the most joy that any job ever has. And there are still days where I have to pinch myself because sometimes I cannot believe that I really don't have to go to Hardee's anymore and perpetually smell like grease and stale french fries. ;)

Last October I was watching everyone on Instagram immersed in busy season and wishing I was in it too. This year, I have 4 engagement sessions with some of my awesome 2020 couples, a shoot with Abby, two rounds of mini sessions for family photos, AND my last wedding of the year the last weekend in October. That meme that's like "Check on your photographer friends. October to us is what April is to accountants. WE ARE NOT OK." is 100% gonna be me once all this gets into full swing.

So I'm savoring these days when I let myself take a nap in the middle of the day and coffee from a mug that's going to become my new favorite, for sure. Cheers, friends!