he’s makin’ a list…and i probably should, too!

Confession time! I feel like such a broken record and even more of  a Debbie Downer, but y’all – I am feeling the crunch around here, trying to finish up everyone’s photos in time for Christmas cards. While I probably do my best work under pressure, I am certainly NOT a very nice person when I am stressed! That whole “Grace Under Pressure” thing? Yeah, not so much. I actually thought I was doing a decent job balancing housework, decorating for Christmas, being a good wife & mom and maintaining about a 12 hour work day until my sweet son informed me that I was not being very nice, that I didn’t hang out with him much anymore, that I never listened and that Daddy was pretty much better at everything.

* O U C H * (If I knew how to insert a sobbing emoticon here, I certainly would.)

But you know, sometimes it takes someone who loves you being brutally honest with you to help put things into perspective. Even if that someone happens to be your five year old son and even if that perspective makes you feel about 6 inches tall. Normally, I would let that revelation send me down the dark, twisty spiral of guilt and have me questioning why I ever picked up a camera and snapped that first photo, and who in the world do I think I am to set up a website and start myself a business, and why oh why are all these people hiring me because I can’t keep it together! And my water heater busted this morning, adding insult to injury, so that certainly means I’m doing something wrong, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it?!

You know what? It doesn’t.

My sweet husband looked at me today, with a sympathetic smile on his face and said, “This is just life, babe. It’s hard, but you know what? It’s GOOD.” And he’s so right. 

I never feel more alive, outside of being with my family, than I do when I am behind the camera or in front of the computer making art for YOU.

Do I need to become a list-maker? Yep. Do I need to do a little better at prioritizing? Uh – huh. Should I turn the computer OFF as soon as Jack gets home from school and not turn it back on until be goes to bed? Goodness, yes! (And that’s my new rule, thanks to Sir Honesty from the Kingdom of Rip Your Mother’s Heart Out.)

Would I change anything about this crazy path I am on? Absolutely not!!

So thank you, thank you, thank you for all the support and words of encouragement. I am on a journey, learning more and more every day what I am capable of. I am so excited about 2010 and the positive changes it will bring for both me and my clients. I am super-stoked about all the beautiful sneak peeks I have coming up over the next couple of weeks. I am overjoyed that I get to photograph 2 brand-new little babies next week. I am honored beyond belief that in a few weeks my mailbox will start filling up with Christmas cards, many of which will feature pictures that I took. I am immensely blessed. 

And I really hope Santa brings that D-Rex. Because I really think Phillip and I  Jack would get a kick out of it!