How I Met Jacquelyne Edith Events | When Life Gives You Lemon Cookies... | Personal

Though I normally try and go to bed at a decent hour so I can get up pretty early, some nights my mind and heart are just restless or excited or some combination of the two. Right now it's midnight, and my alarm is set solidly for 5:30am, and yet I know if I lay down my thoughts will simply race around my head unless I type them out first.

Today was a great day. Incredible, in fact. I took the whole day off with my love. We celebrated America with some of our neighbors, and I got to hold a happy sleeping baby for about 2 hours. I got to eat cold watermelon, drink hot coffee, and have long conversations with good friends. Oh, and I got published on a national wedding blog (MunaLuchi Bride).

It's funny how I even got there, and I have one happenstance event to thank. Months ago, I saw an event pop up on Facebook called A Crystal Clear Vision being held in Virginia Beach on a Sunday afternoon. I decided to go, even though it was so far away and I never like working on Sundays. I figured I would go meet a few vendors, say hi to some friends, and be on my way.

One of the first people I talked to was Jackie from Jacquelyne Edith Events. I can't remember what we talked about, but I know when I left I told Nathan all about her. I said things like, "I know this is weird, because I just met her for a second, but I REALLY like her!" over and over. I thought it would end there, but thankfully Jackie emailed me the next day wanting to meet. We had lunch over sushi for the first time, and that was the beginning of a great relationship.

Our friendship has grown quickly, and it led to the patriotic styled shoot which I had the honor of photographing. Beyond that, though, Jackie is such a kind person. She is a joy to be around, and I'm so grateful I know her as more than just a wedding vendor.

So the conclusion to this post is short and sweet. Sometimes life gives you lemons, and you have to figure out how to make lemonade. But sometimes, every once in awhile, life gives you lemon cookies instead of lemons - a gift in a friend you just so happened to meet that turns into a friendship you cherish.

Today, I'm thankful for Jackie. And very thankful for lemon cookies, too.

Doing Something That Matters | Durham, North Carolina Retreat | Personal

Last week, I intentionally stepped away from the phone and the computer. I put down my social media channels for a few days and scarcely checked my email. Instead, I traveled to Durham, North Carolina, with one of my best friends in the whole world for a very intentional time of retreat. I thought about notifying friends and family that I would be more or less unplugged, but I realized that was the whole purpose of the retreat - not to worry about the world falling apart while I was gone. I knew if I let people know I was away from social media, I would think the whole time about what to do when I was 'back on.' So I kept it all quiet.

Though I love them both, there's a huge difference between simply taking a vacation and spending time away with intentionality. The retreat allowed me time to focus on several things - my relationship with God, the direction of my business, and my mental state in general. I love being a photographer more than anything else in the world, but of course each job comes with its challenges. I am beyond blessed to know the BEST families and brides I could possibly imagine and yet sometimes I let my own heart and mind take over what is a beautiful gift and blessing from the Lord. When I don't book a wedding or when I hear crickets for awhile, I get wrapped up in myself - and that's the opposite I want for my business and my life.

I spent time giving myself definitions for success and failure. As trite as this sounds, I wanted to give myself permission to do what I've always wanted to - and that's living my life to do something that matters. My goal is not to become the most prestigious and highly paid photographer in the world. My goal is not to elevate myself to some level that puts pressure on me to perform for people who will ultimately step away from my life in a few short months.

Instead, my goal is first to serve God and then to serve my own family. After that come my brides and families that choose me and finally, at the very bottom, is myself. A lot of things in this world tell us to 'shoot for the stars' and that you can 'do anything you set your mind to.' It's true that I need to dream big for my business and work hard, but it's easy for me to become distracted as to why I'm doing all of these things.

So here I am, and this is all of me. I want to do something that matters. I want my life to count for something more than just standing at my desk each day and typing words on a screen or tweaking pictures. I want to love God with all my heart. I want to love and serve the people and families I have the privilege of meeting through my job. I don't want to waste my life on my phone, behind a screen, shielding myself from living.

There's so much more on my heart, but for now this is where I'll start - by reminding myself daily of my focus, and by taking the pressure off myself to be somebody that someone else wants me to be. I don't want to get lost in all the little day-to-day things and spend my time forgetting what my life is meant for in the first place. Please, I ask you - challenge me. Ask me if I'm doing this. Text me, call me, email me...hold me accountable to live with purpose and do something that matters.

Thanks for coming along on this journey with me. It means more than I can say.