Happy Thanksgiving my friends!
On this special day, I want to pause and share the things I’m especially grateful for right now. There are, as always, so very many… but I’ve narrowed it down to five this year that are at the top of my mind:
Jonathan. He’s the best dad and the most thoughtful husband. From taking little things off my plate so I stay (somewhat) sane during the crazy fall season… to making fires and snuggling our kids in the family room on Saturdays while I’m out shooting… to making our date nights happen even when it’s hard to squeeze them in… I could not be more thankful for all the ways he’s been there and shown us how much he loves us this fall.
The clients I’ve watched grow up. I’m heading into year 13 as a photographer, and there are quite a few clients that feel far more like family to me than simply clients now. Joy wells up inside me when I look through my lens at these kiddos that I met as newborns or toddlers and are now into their double-digits and even teenage years. They’re not my kids, but I feel so proud of who they’re becoming and grateful beyond words that their parents keep bringing them to me to capture their journeys. ❤️
Shannon, Cricket, and Meg. Shannon’s a given… she’s my best girl and ever-faithful sidekick. And these two kitties have filled our home with epic joy this year!
Stronger Executive Functioning Skills. 😂 No, seriously. When I began working at Vine Academy last year, I learned something amazing: I am not biologically a crazy, disorganized, chronically late person… I’ve only been that way because there are actual skills and strategies one must to learn in order to efficiently function! MIND. BLOWN. Since the beginning of last year, I’ve basically gotten one-on-one executive functioning coaching by Vine’s director and other teachers, and guess what?!?!? This old dog is learning some new tricks!!! Practice makes perfect… and I have PLENTY of practice ahead of me… but this fall has been my smoothest season yet and I am GRATEFUL for the peace of mind these new skills are bringing me!!!
The health of myself and those I love. If I’ve learned one thing this year, it’s to not take the health of ourselves or those close to us for granted. I’ve begun taking care of my body on a new level this year… paying closer attention to how much I move, what I’m eating, and my overall mental state. Self-care is a gift… not only to ourselves but to those who love us. It’s been modeled for me this year and I intend to embrace it until I can model it for the ones I love. ❤️
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you… we’re sending all our warmest wishes on this sweet day of gratitude!
XOXO,
Amy