It occurred to me recently that in the two plus years I’ve had my business, I’ve never actually done a post to introduce myself. This is for a few reasons: For one, in the name of full transparency, I despise things that seem self-promoting and I kind of chalked the introductory post into that category and decided to just stick to posting pictures I took. Also, it didn’t seem totally relevant. I could tell you all sorts of things about me but really, don’t you just want someone to take pictures for your family that you will cherish? What does that have to do with my family or why I started my business, really? Or maybe it does. And that’s the conclusion I’ve come to that has resulted in this post.
This picture was taken exactly two weeks after my son entered into this world. Two weeks to the day after becoming a mom. This picture brings back so many memories. It was also the first time I met Kami, the amazing woman behind the lens that has photographed our family consistently ever since this picture was taken. My kids know her, they love her, and we count on her visiting from Idaho, the state where she now resides, to take our pictures. I remember the condo we were living in, and how it suddenly felt so different the first time I walked through the door with a newborn babe in my arms. I remember the trail behind our house where I daily walked with Everett, eyes mesmerized at his eyes taking in the world. Photos have this amazing ability to transport us back into time. We see a picture and for some inexplicable reason, we can even remember the smells - the perfume I loved during that season of life, the way my son’s newborn baby skin smelled, and the list goes on.
Well, during that season for me of so many firsts, I swore I wouldn’t forget. I wouldn’t forget the learning to walk phase, the eating first foods phase, the first words, the things that made me laugh, made me cry, and everything in between. But I did. And then we had my daughter and things got exponentially worse. Who loved avocados? If Cora’s first word was “daddy” what was Everett’s? How in the world do I capture all these things and also be present? Surely I took pictures and wrote things down…but where? And how do I organize them? And what should I do with all these random jottings down of a momma who is desperate to remember?
Let’s be clear. I don’t have all the answers to all of these questions. I have come up with systems and ways of organizing because if you know me you also know that coming up with organizational systems gives me life in ways I can’t describe. I have picked up a few things along the way that I’d love to share with you, but I know that we need one another on this road of savoring and I think we all have a lot to share. However, it was exactly in this space that This Savored Life was born. It was born out of a desperate desire to slow and to savor. To document each season of life and to do it well…for my family, for yours, and collectively as a community.
When I launched this business I wanted it to be more than just pretty pictures. I wanted to be a part of your story. The one that is unfolding during this season of life and the one that will unfold four years from now. The part of your story with one kid and the one with two kids later. I also want to encourage you in how to savor - with pictures, sure, but with all the other things too. I will be popping on here to share some of those strategies and I hope that you will share the things that are changing your life for the better too. I want this to be a place of inspiration and community. And when I reminded myself of all of this (during a run where I do my best thinking), my mind was reeling. I have SO MANY things I want to share, but I want to know what YOU want. What about parenting is getting in the way of savoring for you? If you’re not a parent - what prevents you from savoring life?
So I write this very longwinded post in a way to forewarn you of what’s to come. You can count on more of the pictures that give me so much joy to take and to share. However, I’m going to start tapping into some of the other aspects of savoring too. If you feel stuck and want me to address something in particular - please ask! If you don’t know what you want but want some ideas on how to slow down long enough to savor, I hope you’ll stick around for the ride.