Success.

In October I started posting a few pictures I had taken for friends and before I knew it I had people I had never met asking me to take their pictures. 

It all happened so quickly.

It felt like I was now running my own photography business overnight. 

It most likely felt like that because...that's how it was!

Funny how that works, huh?

During those fall months I was enjoying what I was doing, but I was struggling with the balance of being a working mom. 

Thankfully we were in a position where I didn't need to have a job.

And, I didn't want to have a job or my own company; it all just happened. 

It was hard for me when I was just a couple sessions in and I could see Adalyn's pictures getting pushed to the side because I needed to work on my "clients". 

I took the winter months off and prayed about what to do.

I ended up taking some newborn pictures {which I loved!} for a few friends and that only increased the demand.

As spring was approaching, I knew a decision had to be made.

I was told over and over that I had a gift.

That this was a talent. 

So I was feeling compelled not to waste it if it was a truly a gift.

I prayed about it some more.

Talked a lot about it with Mr. B and those close to me.

I decided to become more official- to have a website, raise my prices, have new packages and only shoot a few days a week with hopes that I'd be able to have more of a balance for the spring/summer season.

With just two months in {now}, I became overwhelmed.

I don't know how working moms do it. 

Finding the balance of being present, cleaning, cooking, enjoying, relaxing, playdates, family, friends, wife, mom and sleep is... hard. 

The fact of the matter is you really can't give both your work and your homelife 100%.

You can't.

It was always my dream to be a mom.

I honestly never dreamt of being a photographer.

It's still weird to say that I am one.

The more I edited and posted, the more people would contact me for their sessions and I would get overwhelmed.

Some people have joked around with me saying

 that's a business,

 that's success, 

that's how it works.

But as "successful" as my short-lived photography company was, it wasn't where I wanted to put my success.

It wasn't where I wanted to give my time and attention.

I was behind on the pictures that mattered most to me. 

The ones that I take of my moments to capture and freeze because they are going too quickly. 

The moments where I try not to blink because they're gone.

So fast.

As much as I love to bless others, and I will continue to do so for family and friends, the business aspect is not where my heart is. 

It's not where I want my time and energy to go. 

In this season of my life I'm called to invest in our daughter and Lord-willing, future children.

I'm not interested in making investments.

Although the extra money was nice, it's not worth it.

I'm happy with my decision. 

I feel relieved.

I feel a weight lifted.

I feel like I'm back in the game.

I love that right now it's 12:30am and I am documenting our life and not editing someone else's.

I have truly been blessed by blessing others.

I love how many clients have become new friends and I am thankful for the support that I know I will receive from those around me. 

I know the Lord has given me this gift and will continue to use me in other ways until I am in a new season of life where I could possibly pursue photography as a career.

Until then, I will continue to capture these precious moments,

because this is where my heart is.

This is my gift.

New Year. New House!!

I have so much to catch up on.

I feel like I am too far behind that it will never happen, but I'm determined to do the best that I can in the next few weeks! 

Although I am so thankful for my phone and the fact that I can take a kazillion {not really because I seem to run out of storage all.the.time} pictures on a whim, I am always bummed that I don't take more pictures with my real camera. 

So these are pretty much all instagram catch ups, but it will do!

We celebrated Adalyn's birthday in Texas!

We had so much fun visiting with Mr. B's family! 

I love Texas! 

I loved our Christmas card this year and meant to post it:

Back.

Christmas was fun this year and makes us extra excited for the years to come!

We had a big snow storm and played in the snow.

A few days after Christmas we BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOUSE!!!!

We've been working hard on getting the house ready. Thankfully we didn't buy a fixer-upper like Mr. B wanted, but it was outdated so we've been working our hineys off with the help of our awesome families!

  It's come a long way in a short amount of time and we are exhausted!! 

It feels like an unending process, but I know it will be worth it!

 It already is! 

And of course, I really should've taken better before and after pictures. 

So bummed about that. 

Like, really bummed. 

That old saying "Don't blink"....

it's true.

Two of my maternity sessions from Captured. had their babies and I experienced my first newborn sessions.

Handsome Nathan...

And beautiful Emilie...

I fell in love.

It was so much fun and I can not wait for my other newborn sessions!!

Today the weather warmed up and we were able to enjoy some fresh air in our new backyard.

It was a nice break from all the house stuff and I can't wait until the warm weather is here to stay!

I'm going to try reallllly hard to stay up to date on here!

Looking forward to what God has in store for us in 2013 and we are thankful for the new exciting steps that have already been taken so far.

This year will be about making our first house a home and I'm looking forward to documenting it!

By the Calendar.

Can we pause time so I can at least fill out my calendar for July?!?

This has been like this for almost 5 months now.

A reminder of how fast time has gone by.

If only time would go by as slow as my procrastination calendar.

It would be so wonderful.

How is it that my baby is now less than a month away from turning one?!

Sunday she turned 11 months.

I went to my friend's wedding on Saturday and she looked so big compared to my old roomie's baby.

When did she get so big?!

She is the youngest in our group of friends we have here in NH- seeing her next to a 6 week old put it into a new perspective of how she's really not a baby anymore.

So as time continues to fly by, I continue to keep busy.

I'm getting things together for the big first birthday.

My little photography business has been much busier than I ever expected!

And I recently started selling Scentsy too!

And of course, I'm always busy capturing pictures of my sweet girl too!

And precious moments with her friends

So as badly as I want time to stand still.

As badly as I wish time really did line up with my calendar.

It doesn't. 

Booo.

So I continue to find the balance of being busy and enjoying each moment because it goes way too fast. 

Captured. Photography Page

I love taking pictures of Adalyn.

I love my camera {canon rebel xsi}.

It allows me to very easily take really good pictures. 

I honestly still have tons to learn. 

I am always in auto. 

I don't know half the settings.

ISO.

F-stop.

IDK. 

Get it? 

I Don't Know.

I thought it was a little clever. 

Anyways I'm so not ready to start a real business. 

I've had sweet people give me kind and encouraging words- prompting me to do so-but I'm really not at that level yet. 

Recently, I've had some friends ask me to take pictures of their child and nervously I said I would. 

Out of my comfort zone, but great practice! 

Through this I decided to to start a separate photography facebook page to upload the photos. 

It's a tiny step, but it's a step and we will see where it will go! 

Like my page, Captured. photography, if you want to follow along! 

I try my best to capture every sweet moment of my baby girl- moments that pass WAY to quickly and I am blessed and honored to be able to capture moments for others!