A year ago, I officially became a business owner.

It has been a year full of crazy schedules, late nights, tears, opportunities and a lot of coffee, lemonade and Starburst Jelly Beans. I have learned that owning a business comes with a unique set of challenges, but is always worth it.

I am so thankful for everything that has happened in the last year. I can not put into words how blessed I am for my friends and family. (And those who let me steal their Wi-Fi when we hangout because I usually have work to do.) They’ve taught me new things, kept me sane, made me laugh and helped me remember that life doesn’t always have to be so serious.

I also have to give mother Mary a huge thank you. She lets me leave the house a mess, with equipment lying in various places, paperwork covering the coffee table and for leaving the porch light on when I come home at night. And we can’t forget the time she spent sitting next to me when I had to business taxes and I was ready to quit this right then and there.

I also cannot give a big enough thank you to all of my clients for choosing me to be their photographer and trusting me to capture their special moments. Thank you for inspiring me and helping me fall in love with my job over and over again.

“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” – Confucius