I have graced this earth for 36 years as of today. Somedays I wonder if I am doing my part here on earth. If I am making this world a better place, if I am building a legacy to leave behind. I want to make my life mean something. More than pretty pictures. You know? I want to touch hearts and build people up. I want to inspire kindness and love. I want to do so much with what I have been given before me.

Don’t get me wrong, I have done a lot of awesome things in my life. I have felt the miracle of a tiny human growing inside me 5 times. I have spent 45 months of my life pregnant. I have witnessed first words, first steps, and millions of other first milestones. I have celebrated and cried with the joys and challenges of motherhood. I have worried, prayed and watched as my heart danced outside my body in the shape of these 5 little boys I call my mine. I have found more joy and love in my heart that I ever knew was possible!

For 20 years, I have loved this man I share life with. I have watched as our love has grown from those teenage butterflies with raging hormones to this comfortable love that feels like you slipped on your favorite pair of jeans. I have cried with him, laughed with him and loved him so incredibly faithfully for two decades. The years have been so incredibly hard at times and so easy at others. But we find ourselves always back in each other’s arms, counting our blessing regardless of what mountain we are climbing hand in hand. He makes life fun. He reminds me of what life is about-LOVING.

I have built a business from the ground up. I have chased a dream, poured my heart and soul into making it work. I have worked countless late nights, cried endless amounts of tears, and loved every single minute of it. I have become more confident as a person because I finally found where I belong.

I have seen beautiful places that God created. I have climbed mountains, dipped my toes in the ocean. I have stopped in my tracks and noticed the beauty of wheat blowing in the wind or the pop of colors from wildflowers taking over a field. I have learned to appreciate all the things most people take for granted as they stroll through life.

I have lived in the middle of the booming streets of New York and also at the end of a two mile dirt road surrounded by woods. I have called 3 states “home” even if only for a short time. I have learned to make any place a home, even if that means rolling up your sleeves and getting to work. For I have learned that home is simply wherever my family is.

So while my 36 years of life haven’t been earth shattering, I have spent them loving my heart out wherever I go. So here’s to many more years of LOVE!

And just for fun I made a bucket list if you will for things I would love to do in the next year. Some are really a reach, a few are already in the works, but some are just fun and thought I would throw them on the list for a rainy day. 🙂

*Take the kiddos to legoland
*Visit the grand canyon
*Shoot a desert maternity
*Shoot a desert wedding
*Visit Europe
*Shoot a Fearington wedding
*Shoot a mountain wedding (outside with mountain views!)
*Have photos of Travis and I made
*Remodel our kitchen finally
*Take a hot air balloon ride
*Shed this baby weight once and for all
*Master OCF (I’m getting there)
*Finish my living room remodel
*Deck out the dining room table and have a fancy meal, just Travis and I.
*Purge all our clutter
*Pay off some debt