2012 was a wonderful and truly blessed year. I’m SO glad I became a consistent blogger last year because it’s truly amazing to be able to look back, not just on beautiful weddings and portrait shoots, but on the incredible things that happened in my personal life, as well. That’s one of the reasons I LOVE having a blog that can be a platform for my work, but also for sharing and documenting (even if just for my own sake) my life. I also know it can be so easy (for me!) to get caught up in all of the things we’re looking FORWARD to in life that we forget to really savor and be grateful for all of the things we have right NOW. So I want to take the chance to look back on some of the things I’m so grateful to have experienced in 2012.

In February I went to WPPI for my first time ever. It had been a desire for a few years prior, but I know this was the PERFECT year to have gone. Whether or not it’ll work out again in the future, I don’t know. But me and my business benefitted so much from what I learned, I met several of the photographers I’m most inspired by, and I started/grew some incredible friendships. Especially with my amazingly awesome room mates (and ladies I’m so happy to call friends), Laura, Korie & Melissa, and my ever-kindred curly-haired dear, Sarah. :)

In March, my siblings came out to Richmond for a visit over Asher’s Spring break, and naturally I tried to hipster-fy them by taking them to Lamplighter. (But it obviously didn’t work.) We did lots of other fun things, as well, and it’s always meaningful when they can make the trek out here to see me!

In April, I turned 26 on Easter Sunday and had the most marvelous and special day (with a home-made brunch & personalized Easter-egg hunt!) because of my amazing husband. He outdid himself, for sure. :)

In May, Asher graduated college and I couldn’t have been a more proud sister. It was incredibly special to get to go back to Indiana to watch him walk and sooo fabulous that a couple months later, he took a job in Northern VA and is now closer to me! :)

Also in May, I was grateful to have been able to join Aaron at TeenPact National Convention, again, and document the week for them. Always such a joy to stand alongside hundreds of teens worshipping the Lord together.

Shortly after getting back from that event, Aaron & I brought home Cooper & Penny! Definitely one of the best things we did together this past year, and we continue to love having them in our life SO much.

At the end of July, though he doesn’t LIKE getting his photo taken, much to my delight Aaron agreed to do a session with the wonderfully talented Rachel-May! It was the first shoot we’d done since our wedding, and the photos continue to make me so, so happy. I’m blessed with a husband who sacrifices for things he knows are important to me, and it makes the photos that much more special everytime I look at them. :)

In August, my sister GOT MARRIED! There aren’t many better things in life than seeing those you love most start new and amazing chapters. I’m SO happy for her & Marvin, and it was a day of true celebration and joy.

I was blessed with a lot of quality time with my family in 2012, because in October my parents made a trip out here to Richmond, as well! It was so much fun showing them around the city and checking out some places I had been wanting to see, but hadn’t gotten around to. I always cherish time with them!

In November, we celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary (though we didn’t do much of anything because I was sick) AND I got to meet John & Sherry of Young House Love at one of their Richmond events! Definitely not something I thought I’d get a chance to do at the beginning of the year, so it was fun!

Our new nephew was also born in November, and it was amazing to be down in Florida with Aaron’s family to get to meet him just hours after he was born!

December was packed full of some amazingness, as well. I got to be in a DREAM shoot in my wedding dress….

Did a Help-Portrait event with some amazing friends & colleagues here in Richmond…

Annnd got to spend Christmas in Indiana with my family for the first time since being married.

See what I mean?? It was a rich, beautifully blessed year. Not without it’s hardships….as losing my Grandma Butch two weeks before Christmas was, and still is, very hard. But the pain of that loss has caused me to hold all of the other blessings even more tightly. To go invest in 2013 with all that I have, truly savoring relationships in the present, and not just looking ahead in life at what’s next to come. Yes, planning, preparing, setting goals, etc….but not forgetting about what, and who, is right in front of me TODAY.

What were YOUR top favorite events/experiences of 2012?? I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to look back and realize what a blessed year it was, so please share! :)