Guys. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life – how I wanted to make a living. I had a good idea of what what I wanted my life to look outside of work…. the kind of lifestyle I always imagined having. The things that were/are important to me: being a present wife and mother, being somewhat of a homemaker, and being with my own child(ren) more than I was aways from him. Secondary to those things were what I’d hoped our family would be able to do together: live in a large enough house to not feel cramped nor be on top of each other all the time, live in Paducah, have time to spend with friends and family on a regular basis, and take Disney vacations. Let’s be honest, Disney vacations may have been a primary goal 😉
Neil and I had planned to both contribute to the family income but it was also important that I stay at home “enough” and raise our child(ren). I had an interest in medicine from a young age and worked in a pharmacy in high school so my first major in college was pharmacy (or pre-pharmacy). I got three semesters into it before I realized maybe that’s not what I wanted to do. So I switched to accounting (my father’s profession). Two semesters in I knew that wasn’t the career for me. So maybe vocal performance? Nope. Web/Graphic design? Not that either. Finally, I settled on nursing. It was the first time I felt challenged and excited for my future.
Halfway through nursing school is when I found my humble passion for photography. I had zero plans of it taking me anywhere so I completed my nursing degree. Years into practicing nursing and I found myself at a crossroads with my business and my day job. I made the scariest decision of my life. Yes, even scarier than my decision to marry Neil – because, let’s be honest, when you marry your best friend, the decision feels natural and so so right. So in April of 2013, I quit my full-time, stable, admirable job as a nurse in surgery and focused my time and energy on my ever-growing business.
Between then and now, life has thrown many curve balls our way but I have never once regretted the decision to “just take pictures”. It took months of praying and consulting and praying some more but I believe that had God not wanted this path for me, He wouldn’t have provided SO MUCH for us thus far.
Because He truly has provided for me, my family, and my business. Sure, I’ve put in the hard work, but sometimes there’s just no earthly explanation of how my success has come to me. Or how certain people have come into my life.
Take for example, Morgan & Ethan, whose wedding is coming up at the end of July in the Memphis area. Yes, I shot one Memphis area wedding a few years ago but haven’t been down there since. They attend school in Arkansas. They’ve never been to Western Kentucky. Yet, they still found me and after a Skype date, chose me to be their wedding photographer. Every day I thank God for bringing them into my life and allowing me to be a small part of theirs.
Their love story dates back several years while they were in youth group in church. Not only did they attend different churches but also lived in different states. Somehow they met during a youth group trip, set by each other on the bus, and the rest is history! I just love high school sweetheart stories!!! They brought me down to Memphis for their engagement session because Morgan had her heart set on Memphis Botanic Gardens and Ethan wanted portraits at their wedding ceremony and reception location – more than we’ll have time for on their wedding day. Can I just say that I am SO GLAD I drove all that way for them! Shooting in foreign locations is kind of scary because I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, background and light wise, but man oh man! MBG – you have to see it to believe it! And now I know exactly where to take them on their wedding day at Shelby Farms Park! End of July can’t get here fast enough!
