Imagery, Ministry and Family

Well it has begun! Tim and I have lived in our house for over a year and a half now and we have this extra room in back. It’s a room with a very large hot tub that doesn’t work, and it was so old that it would be cheaper to get a new one than to fix the old one. So, we never really did much with it. The dog sleeps out there and the hopes and dreams of a workout room has been bounced around many, many times.

Going back to my saga, of “a kid changes everything” I have hoped that I would be able to work at times from home. The days I am at home and him nappin’ away, I would love to get some work done. So…. guess what!?! No more, computers everywhere camped out on the kitchen table! We are doing DEMO this week and transforming this space into something incredible!

If you didn’t know, I am pregnant with a lovely little girl. I am very excited that this time she won’t have to sleep on me at the studio, with the lights out a week after she is born. I can work around her little schedule.

WISH ME LUCK and give my husband PATIENCE with ME!

This is the face of my son, Tripp. He is an amazing testimony to God’s goodness and His creation. I just home today after a little trip to New Orleans this week. Our national photography convention, Imaging USA, is being held there this year and my family and I were invited to take part in a pre-convention “get-to-gether.” I am blessed to have friends in my industry that have a FAMILY owned business as I do, we kiddos, even though most of us range in the 30-40 year old range are called the G2′s, or the second generation. We spent the last 3 days discussing exiciting changes, and also the challenges we face in this business. It’s a wonderful time and I am honored to be apart. But, on the drive back, it got me thinking just how apart of this “family,”  I am. Some of these people I could call in a heart beat and I know they would take care of me, no matter what was going on. They have my full support in business, in friendships, in questions, in camaraderie, in anything. It isn’t the easiest thing to come by, but I am lucky. I am blessed to know that I got to spend some time with educated people that are far beyond my dreams of what I want to be in business…. And, they didn’t mind me being there.

They say if you want to be successful then you need to surround yourself with successful people. If you want a good marriage then surround yourself with those that have a better marriage than you. If you want to be an amazing parent, spend time with those that are and look at what you can learn. If you find yourself in a place where you feel “down.,” maybe you don’t even know why, perhaps you should look at what you are surrounded with. What you funnel in, will come out. Are you pouring out love? Is that what is overflowing in your life? Or is it guilt or envy, even strife with the people you love.

My prayer for you and myself, reminds me of that verse that I love. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. God transform me, daily. Less of me, more of you.

The BUMP is here!!! Yes, many have been asking for photos and I didn’t do much with Tripp, but I decided to take the challenge of a self portrait at home with a timer, a big window and natural light! Love it.

I have sincerely enjoyed have a week off to be at home, gather myself from my busy December and just focus on my family. Family is so important to me.. on my radar scale, it ranks in the top 3, so I am glad to have the time to refocus, recoooooop, and relax a bit.

oh yeah, my top 3:

1. give God glory in everything I do, and that my life would bring Him glory

2. love my husband more than anything, protect that relationship and serve him the best I can

3. put family as the priority and not let, work or my circumstances trump the convictions I have to be the best mom I can be.

I have been thinking about this a LOT with the new year… Cause everyone thinks of their new years resolutions and what changes they want to make. But, those 3 are the most important and I need to remember to keep them at the top of the list! Sometimes LIFE gets in the way and during the quest to have MORE TIME, like everyone wants to have, we can loose sight of the priorities in life. They just get muddy with everything else, but then I remember a saying that always comes back to me, “Failure to plan, is like planning to fail.”