Today I am celebrating my bloggerversary.
It was actually about a month ago. But, today my web host is taking out my annual subscription fee... so, it was a pleasant reminder of how this all started, and where I am today :) I started thinking and planning this venture long before I actually started it. Years before. But, life takes over and somewhere, somehow the days come and go. All of the times I said "someday I will" kept passing me by.
I always wanted to do the photography. However, I didn't really know how bad until I started to dig into all of the beauty that is captured. Photography seems simple. Take a picture, edit, print. But, it is so much more. It is a vision. It is an art. It is an expense. It is time. Time away from family to pursue something that fills my heart. It is time researching and shopping and packing and unpacking a car. It is a garage and basement FULL of props. It is always working to be better. It is about taking 800 pictures to get just that perfect 1. There is always at least 1 perfect one. It is consoling children - and their parents. It is trying to sell a business - but really, it is my heart. It is guilt in selling something I love to do. I have so much to learn. But, I am learning every day. I love the world that families let me into. I am hired to capture moments that they will treasure forever. I love my job, my hobby, my passion :)
I didn't have a passion for a blog - never even considered it. My Mom actually mentioned it once... I thought she was nuts! Then as I researched, I realized most photographers had them. So, I came around to the idea. As I have mentioned in the past, I found several bloggers and I fell in love with their writing. The way they tell stories and share ideas. They would share their heart - out for the whole world to critique. I haven't come up on many critics. Thank goodness! I don't think my skin is thick enough for that. I am SO thankful no one has commented on all of my grammar and spelling errors. I was never very good at those! But, I love to write. The blog has evolved into much more then it was intended, and I love it. I realized through writing, I always felt like I had something to say. In my quiet moments, I would talk to myself, sometimes out loud - sometimes in my mind. But, I always have something to say :) This blog has helped me talk out some tough times. It has helped me to stay positive; stay focused. I read back a year from now and I love that I have a chronicle of my life. An evolution of who I was, where I am going, and who I am not yet. More importantly, I have captured Brayden's everyday life, his innocence, his charm, beauty and wit. It has given me the outlet to share my pride, my joy, My Boy. I will keep that forever. And oh how he has changed! So much can happen in a year.
A year from now, life will be different from where I sit today. I anticipate it will be very different. There will be many more posts about Brayden and how he is growing too fast. I will share lots of new client faces (God willing) and lots of repeat clients too (God willing). I will share my own wedding chaos... oops, I mean planning. And, who knows what else will come along the bend. :) Many more ups and downs of life. We will make plans for a future and I am sure there will be many detours that we wont see coming. That's life.
Thank you.
To all of those who have given me the opportunity to photograph your special moments. You gave me a chance when my portfolio was very small. I love that we have laughed together through difficult children, uncooperative weather, and pooping babies. Together, we smile pridefully at a beautiful moment captured - both sharing our hearts, yours of your family and mine of my work. And to everyone that has read along this crazy, extraordinary, everyday, wonderful life of mine - thank you for reading (especially through the grammatical errors). To everyone that has commented through the site or through facebook, I don't know that I could ever express how much your words mean to me. You take time out of your lives to read and comment. I appreciate it all.
On this bloggerversary I will have to do something special.... I may wait till spring (nice picture taking weather). Maybe do a "Re-Grand Opening" of Life, Love & Lemons :)
Thanks again! And, stay tuned! New updates to the site will be coming and some other surprises too!
A million thank you's - and many more to come!
xo ~Megan