Wow. What a year. I can’t even wrap my head around everything that has gone on this year professionally and personally. I’m a MRS! (Hi babe) I’m living in a new city and a small business owner (whoop!) I remember someone asking me years ago what I would want to do if I could do ANYTHING. I was even scared to even think photography. I never ever thought I would be fortunate enough to love a job so much. The funny thing is, I don’t think I’ve ever worked harder and been happier at the same time. So crazy how those two things can coexist! 🙂 Now not only am I able to work full-time from home, but my handsome hubby has jumped on board both logistically and creatively and made my little dream of a business stronger than I ever thought it could be.

It took me a lot longer than I expected to go through the sessions I had last year. I have shot over 100 sessions this year. That means on average I was shooting every 3 or 4 days! Wow. Makes me want to take a snooze. I’m so glad I did though! As I sit back and absorb the year I can honestly say that I’ve grown so much and have so much growth yet to do. I almost don’t recognize the photographer at the beginning of last year. Then I look at the work I do now and feel there is still so so much to learn. I had a small epiphany a few months back. I was working 14 hour days just trying to get “caught up” and empty the queue of sessions that I had to get edited. At some point down the road I started believing  that success was having NO work to do. Keep your head down and get through. I remember Barrett looking at me one day and saying, “well if we are doing what we’re supposed to be won’t there always be something to do?” Holy crap. He’s right. Work is never done. And that’s OK. What’s important is to be doing meaningful work and to be constantly striving to be better. What a different way for me to do work. Not keeping my eyes on the end but allowing myself to be absorbed in the now. He’s smart. Glad I married him.

SO what’s in store for 2014? Who knows. But I feel like I should dream *BIG* and make a list. I love a list. There is no better accountability than writing down some goals. Just ask my other 10 lists 😉

2014

1) Create a better work/ life balance.

2) Book a wedding out of the country.

3) Get published in a wedding blog (Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes or the like.)

4) Nurture and follow through with personal photography projects.

5) Do things that scare me.

6) Work on my Spanish

7) Get Barrett to do a Christmas Card and buy me a kitten. Meow.

Girl’s gotta dream.

I’m sure I’ve left out some fabulous shots but here are a few of my favs. They speak to me either because of the image itself or the experience I had shooting it. Cheers to 2013 my friends and here’s to an amazing 2014!