Today is my 28th birthday. Usually each year on my birthday, I reflect on the goals I made for myself a long time ago and compare my current situation to those goals. Most of my birthdays were spent being disappointed that I hadn’t ‘taken that leap of faith yet’ or hadn’t ‘gotten married and had children’ just yet. This year is different. This year, I’m proud of how far I have come and for once, have surpassed the goals I set for myself. That hardly ever happens so I’m really happy about it!!

Last year at this time I had recently quit my job to pursue photography. I knew it was my passion and my dream and I knew it was the key to happiness and a better quality of life. I not only built my business in a really short amount of time, but I also started teaching/mentoring other photographers, helping them to achieve their goals, encouraging them and held my first Styled Workshop! I was featured in a bunch of different wedding blogs, really got my name out there and have been booking for a very busy 2015 already! BLESSED is an understatement. 27 gave me a successful business!

When I was turning 27 last year, I was pregnant and about to be a mom in less than 2 months. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who made us a family. I learned what it feels like to love in a way I never knew I could. 27 made me a mother!

As well as becoming a mother, I learned a new and deeper love for my husband. The man that sacrifices his life for our family (and our country), who works harder than any man I know, who loves me in a way I never knew I could be loved! He gave me our perfect daughter and supports me in every crazy idea I have. Watching him be a father to our daughter and sacrificing so much to make a better life for our family… gave me a deeper appreciation and love for him. He also agreed that becoming the mother to his child made him fall more in love with me as well. 27 some how made my husband and I fall more in love with each other.

Kyle and I bought our home 2 years ago, but within the last several months, we have been ‘making it our own’ and unique to us. 27 turned our house into a home!

Since my last birthday, I have found out who my true friends are. Becoming a mother made it apparent in a lot of ways, but also having a husband who’s job requires him to be gone a lot helped us to find out also. Those that want to be there for your family when your significant other can’t always be home, will be there. The ones that aren’t, well, they show their true colors. 27 showed me who my true friends are!

27 also took the life of one of my longest friendships. A lifelong, childhood friend of mine just passed from a car accident, just 5 days ago. I still have no words and my heart is very broken. I can barely talk about it without crying. 27 gave me a new perspective on life.

Each year seems to get a little better than the last, despite the heart ache I think everyone goes through in their lives. None of us want to lose people we love, none of us want to lose friendships we thought were going to be lifelong, but each thing we go through in life is a learning experience. We put that experience in our back pockets to teach us how to treat future situations that may be similar. It teaches us how to be a better person. We grow, change and prosper from each situation, whether its good or bad.

I’m ready for a new year with a fresh start and new beginnings. I’m ready to take this year on with a new perspective. I want 28 to be another successful year for my business, a beautiful year for my family of 3, and a year of learning. I want to find happiness in ALL things, be the good in someones day, cheer people up when they feel down, put that smile on someones face, pay more attention to how I’m living not overall, but daily. Put more focus into God, pray more, worry less. Here’s to another year of life, another year of living wholeheartedly, passionately, lovingly, fearlessly, thankfully. Here’s to 28 and all it will bring!

In loving memory of my best childhood friend who recently passed, Brittany Truett Newcomb. Thank you for teaching me how to live, love and find happiness in all things. See you on the other side.