The last few weeks have been filled with so many of life highs and quite a few lows.
I was driving back from the beach last night (that in itself is a crazy story to follow) and it hit me how I think we expect life to just always be up…and when its not up, we are disappointed. (or at least I am) I get so down on myself when things are hard, when life is difficult, but I realized how we wouldn’t be able to experience the JOY of the highs if there were not the lows.
Last night was just crazy, and I have to laugh at how it just kept getting worse. I finished an awesome family session at OIB…sat in a nest of fire ants and ended up having to drive all the way home in my underwear (praying that I would not get pulled over) not to mention, before that, my battery died and I was a bit stranded. I have also had some major computer issues (big big ones, very costly ones) and it’s just been extremely stressful. In addition my hubs is at the point where he’s using his wheelchair nearly 80% of the time, we need a new van, and OMG…those are SO expensive…like $75K expensive, more than our single income household can manage, it’s been a season of “when it rains it pours” but I will tell you, when you have victories in those seasons…they are SO sweet, they seem even bigger. So as I was able to take a small nap today, I was thankful for the lows as they make the joys so much more joyous!
I want to give thanks for some really great JOYS that are happening, not only in my personal life, but also the life of SAP
- We’ve had some amazing publicity opportunities lately…not things that we have sought out, but that have sought us out! I can’t tell you how awesome it is when a BIG organization or the news calls and says “we want to do a story on you, or we want you to work on this project” It always amazes me and I give God all the glory as He has truly ordered our steps.
- Life on the road (gone about 5 days a week during the summer) leaves my life at home a bit crazy. It means piles and piles of laundry, it means a car that looks like an episode of hoarders, it means lots of meals out, its forgetting to take the trash out and so you have to wait an extra week for the trash to come …you get the picture. Well, the last few days, I’ve had more days at home…which has been wonderful! And I have been able to accomplish so much. Right now the smell of home made cookies is in the air (because I had time to bake) Makaley and I went blueberry picking and peach picking, I organized all our papers and files (huge feat) and made so much headway on the laundry and even had a wonderful date night with my hubs. It’s so nice…it feels good to sit in a more or less clean house.
- We booked a family vacation…a true away away vacation where I will not be able to be on my phone or work…and I’m so excited about 6 days in the Caribbean with my family. We so need it and I’m so grateful!
- I misplaced some very dear things to me…and after stressing and praying and stressing, I found 1/2 of them and believing that the others will be found (I would appreciate your prayers)
- We came to the very hard decision NOT to re-enroll our kids at the school that they have been going to since we moved here. This was huge, we struggled over it, we prayed, we agonized, but now we have a peace. I’m so thankful, thankful for the new place and journey that my kids will be on and believing that this will be the best for them.
- One of the things that has been heaviest on my work load is the editing. I love this part of what I do, but I came to the conclusion that if I can turn over files to someone and have them edit, then I can shoot more and that is making more of what I do. So I began that process in the early summer and found a young woman to help…it wasn’t easy at first, and I think we all got a bit discouraged, trying to match my style etc…but through much perseverance, we are getting there and it’s such a lift off my shoulders. I’m looking forward to the day when I turn all of it over to the editor!
- Tuesday’s Together from the Rising Tide Society! I can not begin to tell you how excited I am to be a part of this group! The purpose is to promote community over competition. I am going to do a blog post about this and the impact this has had on my life…but it’s taking me a long time to write it. But this group of creatives that meet on regular basis (every 2nd Tuesday of the month) is so energizing and amazing! I feel so blessed to be able to help facilitate it. Anyone is welcome…we’d love to have you!
I continue to meet amazing families that I get to work with. Families that I would never have the pleasure of meeting, it it were not for this small business of mine. I love it when I meet a family and then know instantly that I adore their images…I know as soon as I take them, that they are going to be wonderful, that they capture exactly what I want them to and I can’t wait to share with their family! This family was exactly that! Look at these two cuties…they were so much fun, and their family loves them so! They have no idea how blessed they are! Their order is set to arrive this week and I can not wait for them to see all their beautiful prints! Thank you so much D family for such a wonderful session at Holden Beach! I hope you cherish your images for years to come!
