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By the time I get around to posting this, my birthday will officially be over... but, for what it's worth, today (08.21.09) I turned 28. And as midnight draws near (and Charles sleeps, smart man!) I am reflecting on my 'Most Favorite Year'
I had looked forward to turning 27 since I was 4 years old. In fact, the first time I can ever recall really being aware of an age (over one digit) was somewhere around my 4 year and 5 month mark. My parents took me skiing during a family vacation that winter and in my little kid daycare/ski-school, I found my first love. I remember him like it was yesterday... red and white jacket, white pants (yes, white!), the coolest looking ski goggles, sandy blonde hair, and green eyes at an oh-so-dreamy 27 years old. I know this because at the end of my last day of class I marched up and asked him how long it would be before I was his age and we could get married. He told me he was 27 and that I would have to wait another 23 years to catch up to him. Thankfully, he did not bother to explain that by the time I reached 27, he would be long past his 20s... letting me down easy, I suppose. But from that winter on, 27 was the age I most looked forward to. When I hit 16 and could finally drive, I still knew I was only part-way to my perfect year... and when I was 21 and getting married, I thought that 6 years would fly by - and they did. And when I was finally 27, I thought - 'this is it - where my life begins.'
I never will search out my ski-love; I've found the guy I want to grow old with ... but I do wonder whatever became of him and if he would even remember the precocious little 4 year old that professed her love many years ago on the bunny slope... |
| So, of course, the question lingers there - how was 27 after all those years of anticipation? In a word: fantastic. I could never have imagined all of the blessings and travels life would bring me & Charles this past year... I have enjoyed every minute of my 'most favorite year' as I dubbed it almost 23 years ago. Right around my 27th birthday I found out we would be traveling to Santorini, Greece to photograph the intimate wedding of Christina + Ruben - talk about starting off my year with a bang! We also had the enjoyable task of traveling to the Bahamas for the wedding of Danielle + Jon at the One & Only Ocean Club in January, and of course, the wedding of Keke + Chris in Tortola, BVI this past June, rounded off with a trip to Rhode Island for Jackie + Tom at the Blithewold Mansion last month. We've also been introduced to new places throughout the South East and have spent many weekends now exploring the culturally rich state of Louisiana. We have been blessed in business and in our personal lives this past year (but, some things I need to keep private from the world wide web...) We have re-branded, restructured, and rebuilt our company from the inside out, and have launched a new fledgling venture that promises an exciting year ahead. We have forged new friendships and nurtured the old, made time for family - hosted our first Thanksgiving, even! - and been totally present for one another. I have watched my spouse, who has supported my growth in every endeavor, come into his own this year and I could not be prouder of the man I have the privilege of calling 'partner.' I dare say that 27 has, truthfully, been my very best year ever. |
| Someone asked me just the other day how I felt about getting closer to 30, and I can honestly answer that nothing excites me more. If history is any indication, I suspect each year will be richer than the one before - offering me new lessons and opportunity for personal growth. Am I exactly where I thought I would be all those many years ago? No way. But what I have found in my short 28 years is that life will hand you so much more than you could ever dream for yourself, if you are just open. |
| In a few months we will be hitting the slopes for a wedding in Park City, Utah and I imagine I will be reminded of that time, many years ago, when the world seemed so big and I had my whole life ahead of me. And I imagine I will feel again much like I did back then... that my future is full of infinite possibility and the very best years are still the ones to come. |
| (Thank you to our clients, our friends, and our families who inspire and challenge us everyday. I am *so* looking forward to the years ahead - whatever they may hold.) |
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Jenny & Dustin's wedding had all the classic ingredients of a gorgeous Florida summer wedding: a view of the beautiful water, green grass, a gentle breeze, fresh flowers, and groomsmen wearing casual linen attire with fitted vests. It was a perfect day by all accounts. |
| Jenny is picking up a smarty pants award for her fresh take on the bride's bouquet. The flower girls passed long stem spring time flowers to the guests seated along the aisle. As Jenny entered, she stopped to collect each stem, taking a moment to greet guests along the way. |
| Dustin looks on...filled with emotion. |
| I mentioned the breeze...stunning. |
| I'm going to do a terrible job of explaining this, but Jenny & Dustin are huge supporters of a charity called "The Land of a Thousand Hills". From what I understand, they do a tremendously amazing thing in Rwanda, helping support a war torn country by employing thousands of local citizens. You can get the entire scoop on their website: The Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee |
| We'll have some hilarious footage from this dance off soon enough, but for now...the groomsmen OWNED the night! |
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I got a call in early March from the American Motorcyclist Association about a shoot for their magazine. Their production coordinator (Nora) said that a band in Santa Rosa Beach, FL owned a set of vintage scooters, and they thought it would be fun to feature the scooters in an upcoming issue of American Motorcyclist. Turns out, the "band" was the All-American Rejects. Needless to say, I was in. |
The All-American Rejects
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Editorial shoot for the AMA
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March 18, 2009
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Stinky's Fish Camp | Santa Rosa Beach, FL
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| Keeping a straight face around Tyson is not an easy thing to do. |
| The Vespa Sprint that Tyson rode in the elevator on MTV's Cribs. |
| We're not sure, but we think this didn't make the magazine due to the...err...interesting hand placement by Nick. If you'd like to see the final article, I've created a PDF copy. Click on the image below to view the article. |
| A big thanks to the team at American Motorcyclist for the fantastic opportunity, and to Tyson, Nick, and Chris for being good sports! |
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