I woke up this morning and knew today was the day. I’ve been meaning to write this blog post on the new direction I want to take with my business and I just haven’t done it. I’m not sure why I haven’t yet…maybe out of fear? I don’t handle change very well and fear is something thats always stopped me in the past from doing things I’ve always wanted to do.

But I have to remind myself that I quit a stable corporate job to take this business full time and to the next level. And that risk paid off in more ways than I could ever imagine. I kicked fear to the side and followed my heart and I can’t believe almost 5 years later here I am with a successful business that allows me to stay home with my babies. I’m forever grateful to everyone who has ever hired me for portraits or for their wedding. It’s because of YOU that I’ve been able to make this dream a reality.

When I started this business almost 5 years ago, I didn’t realize it would be my full time gig, but 6 months later I was able to quit my corporate job and go full time. I was pregnant and it seemed like the best thing since I was increasingly getting busier and busier and I wanted the opportunity to stay home with Aubree. I’ve consistently shot around 15 weddings a year since then and its been everything I’ve ever dreamed of…

…until now.

We not only have a second child now (such a blessing), but we have a toddler who wants to try new things like dance and soccer and swim. And I have a husband who travels a LOT for work which leaves me alone with these kiddo’s a ton (thats changing soon thank goodness) and it makes trustworthy childcare almost impossible to find. Just this past spring, I wanted to get Aubree into soccer at the Y but practice and games were on Saturdays. Kyle was deployed and I had weddings most Saturdays so I couldn’t put her in soccer and it killed my mama heart. She was missing out on something new, fun and exciting…a part of her childhood she’ll never get back because of my schedule. The schedule that I’m able to create. I quit my corporate job so I could create my own schedule, have it be as relaxed or as full as I want and to create more quality family time. And all of a sudden, I’ve realized our family time has been so limited due to weddings. When Kyle IS home, we need that time to be quality time, family focused, and we need to be together. I’ve felt guilty rushing off to weddings and being gone for 10+ hours on a Saturday and then feeling like a mac truck hit me on Sunday morning and not feeling like physically doing anything with my family. These kids are little, and they’re only little once. Babies and toddlers don’t keep.

Which is why I’ve decided to temporarily stop shooting weddings.

I can’t even believe I just typed that sentence out. My heart literally aches and feels like it skipped a few beats. Weddings have always been my thing…but I have prayed non stop about this and after it being on my heart for a long time, I finally got the clarity I need a few Sundays ago. I was laying in bed watching Joel Osteen with Kyle and Finn while Aubree was still asleep, and he just spoke to me. I felt God using Joel to get through to me. I literally got cold chills and realized what I needed to do and ever since, I’ve been working towards that.

I have new dreams and goals for this sweet little business of mine.

And the biggest one is: to start shooting more FAMILIES, MATERNITY and MOTHERHOOD. Family is where its at yall. I would be nothing without my family. Family portraits are so important and I want to strive to create a fun experience for families. I also know and understand a whole new meaning to motherhood after having a miscarriage last year and fighting for our rainbow baby, Finn. A scary pregnancy with a ton of unknowns…but once he was here and I was able to meet our little miracle, I knew there was something MORE God wanted me to do with that experience.

I’ve transformed our 4th bedroom into a studio and will start taking studio sessions for families, maternity, boudoir/ maternity boudoir, lifestyle newborn, mommy & me, etc. and I’ll also be using our garden tub for milk bath sessions. I’ll be focusing on families and maternity/motherhood from here on out and my goal and dream is to create a memorable experience for rainbow mama’s and babies. My head is SPINNING with ideas and I’ve already started to put a few into action, so bare with me on these changes :)

I have a few more weddings to shoot this year and I’ll be shooting one abroad next year! I WILL be making a few rare exceptions for siblings of past brides and weddings abroad, so for those of you who have reached out and already chatted with me, you’re still in good hands :)

This decision isn’t permanent. At least I’m not looking at it that way. I’d like to think its temporary while my kids are little and that I’ll pick weddings up again one day. I love being a part of a couples forever and their new exciting chapter, I just have to put my family first right now and I need to focus on whats currently been making my heart sing, and thats families, maternity and motherhood! SO, if you’ve been looking for updated family photo’s, a maternity session or lifestyle of any kind (whether in your home or my new studio), let me know! I would LOVE to be a part of your family and motherhood journey!

I feel like a weight has been lifted! I’m so happy I finally got the courage to put this out there and my hope is that its received well and I can continue this sweet dream with families and motherhood! Its okay to keep dreaming and hustling to make those new dreams work. Especially when you’re putting your family first.

These sweet babies of mine. They’re angels and gifts from God and they deserve their mommy and daddy to be with them every weekend. They deserve soccer practice and football practice. Dance lessons and recitals. Weekend trips and Saturday evening walks through the neighborhood. Its because of these babies that I’m a mama and able to shoot motherhood with an understanding heart. And I’ll spend every day of my life letting them know how loved and special they are. And it all starts by getting my Saturdays back and loving on this sweet family of mine.

Photo credit: my amazing husband and baby daddy who’s really freaking good behind the camera, even though he refused to ever be my second shooter at weddings ;-) LOL