A Look Back on 2019

moving away, getting married, adopting a rascal.

This year was undeniably a crazy, hectic, stressful but beeeautiful year.
The year started pretty simple, doing the same old things everyday. And then July came. And everything we knew flew out the window. We packed our lives up and moved 7 hours away, got married, and then adopted a furry tornado named Forrest.

JANUARY

Such a simple time, now looking back. This was a month of exploration and growth (much like every January). Leah (Polished Prints) and I were planning up some new photography ideas and she mentioned that she wanted studio photos - which I had never done before. So January is when I invested a whole lot into a home-studio and practiced, practiced, practiced.

FEBRUARY

February was my first studio shoot - and the biggest stepping stone I’ve made in my career. I have been completely infatuated with studio work ever since then and I can’t thank Leah enough for pushing me and encouraging me. The rest of February was pretty calm and content for me, as far as I can remember.

MARCH

March was spent diving deeper into my craft and honing in on some skills. I began creating stock images and selling them online (you can browse + purchase them here). I also shot the Auden line this month which sparked a whole new world for me.

APRIL

April was a month of restoration. Dylan and I spent extra time outside, I worked on art other than photography, and we really just took it easy. That’s really all it was. :)

MAY

May was my first shoot with Samsonite. Little did I know that it would turn into what it is now! This month I spent more time focusing on organic textiles and desert tones. (It’s obviously stuck with me - that’s my niche!)

JUNE

June was the start of the party. The first weekend in June was Sarah’s bachelorette party and the last weekend was mine. This was also the month that Dylan got called for Memphis. So life took a big turn this month.

JULY

And here it is. The start of the whirlwind. Dylan left for Memphis and lived out of a hotel while I spent every day packing up our apartment and endlessly searching online for places to live. My bestfriend got married and we moved the following Monday. It was hectic and scary and so overwhelming but I still believe it was for the best.

AUGUST

August was tough. I was trying to work in a new environment and I realized how much different my career was going to look now that I’m without the people and things I was used to. I also spent a lot of time traveling back to Illinois to plan our wedding. A lot of tears were shed but a lot of moments of inspiration came about as well.

SEPTEMBER

Probably the most beautiful month I’ve ever had. We got married! We had our friends from South Carolina and Toronto come stay with us for a week which was honestly the best time ever and then we traveled home to get married which was - how do I even express how amazing it was? And then 4 days later… we adopted a Belgian Malinois. And I swear I love him with all my heart but I’m begging everyone to stay away from adopting one of these monsters. LOL My life is 100% not the same!

OCTOBER

October was a month of tears, laughter, and lots of alcohol. Puppy blues are so real. I had them bad. I felt way over my head about Forrest and felt like my life was spiraling downhill. I’m so thankful for Dylan’s relentless love during this time. AND for my bestfriend Sarah to come and visit for a weekend. She and I explored Memphis a bit and maybe had too much to drink on Beale St.

NOVEMBER

November. What to say of November. I turned 27 (not really a highlight cause I’m old now). Forrest has already doubled his size. I traveled to Nashville with the ladies in my family which was much needed. I spent more time in the kitchen and we FINALLY got a new sofa! I spent a lot of time this month making healthy changes and really tried to figure out my new daily schedule with such a high-maintenance dog.

DECEMBER

And here we are, December. Coming to the end of a decade. The month began with a full on girls visit for the weekend and I could not have been happier. I feel so refreshed and revived when I’m with them. Dylan and I are spending Christmas together at home and traveling back to Illinois later in the month. So far, it’s been a good month - and we’re very ready for 2020.