The Days are Long but the Years are Short

I have so much to update you all on. It’s been a really insane two weeks for me. A good two weeks overall, but also a transitional, busy, spiritual, hard, tiring, providential, reflective, full-circle kind of two weeks. The kind that force you to slow down and think. And the kind that can bring about a new perspective on things.

On the business side of things, I’ve found two new fantastic interns whom I’m really so excited about. I will definitely introduce them to you in the coming weeks and share more about the projects they will be tackling. I think they are both going to be a great fit because they both bring unique and valuable skill sets to what I need in my business. I received so many emails from you guys out there (thank you, thank you to all who ‘applied’) and feel like several would have made a great fit, but these two just seem like in all facets they will be a super fit.

You will also finally (properly) meet my associate Jenny Bishop, who has been with me now for more than a year now. She has shot several portrait and newborn shoots for me and with me, and will now be branching into associate weddings as well, so I’m very excited about what that holds and will share more in the coming week. There are several behind the scenes marketing efforts going on to facilitate her role and how to share and present her packages/info/etc so I know this is an area the interns are going to help kick that ball through the uprights.

In the past two weeks, my fall season feels like it has officially kicked in with the uptick in photoshoots. We have lots on the books already Sept-October, and a busy wedding season Sept-November.  So I’m trying to organize, streamline, and simplify to plan ahead (while simultaneously attempting to execute on my idea-factory-little-bit-A.D.D-brain that loves to think big picture and create) for what will be a very jam-packed fall. I will announce any available holiday portrait shoot dates soon and plan to get the fall newsletter out to clients within the week.

Conversely, we have also honed certain practices, learned some important lessons and are trying to grow wiser in areas. Owning a business is not easy, and there have been days when it’s not fun, other days where its downright painful, either emotionally or in the pocket book, but I think they have been lessons learned and that I have grown from some experiences recently.

But perhaps the biggest deal to me of the past couple weeks… my Jordan started Kindergarden. I wasn’t prepared for what an emotional transition that first day is for a Mom. It’s such an exciting time, but one that is also filled with reflection, nostalgia, some nervousness and fears, and mostly a little bit of letting go. And that’s just our emotions. The kids have their whole bag of emotions too. Every Mom that I’ve talked to who has walked her Kindergardener (at least the first born) to the door that first day seems to express the same general emotions. It’s just kind of this unexpected little-big deal. One of my girlfriends said to me when Jordan was a baby, “The days are long but the years are short.” And I can’t think of anything that sums up motherhood more. If I could boil down the past two weeks for me to some sort of nutshell emotion, I can really only think reflection. And sincere gratitude. I’ve been especially reflective of just how fast her first 5 years have gone by, and now I get to watch her enter this next chapter in her life… childhood.

So how can I share all of that without a cruddy little point and shoot photo of her on the first day! My J (left) with her best friend E :-)