Are we really looking ahead to 2020?!
That’s just wild…
So let’s get wild! Let’s have a blast capturing your (or your child’s, if this is a parent reading here, ha) true essence as you head into your Senior Year.
Don’t worry - I’ll definitely capture a portrait(s) for you to submit to the classic yearbook, too…
SEE YOU SOON, SUMMER 2019!
Always,
Andrea
Redundant it may be, my annual love letter to May is here.
And even after our most recent Winter that carried on and on (and on), once May shows up in full force each year, it always feels like all of a sudden everything has turned over. Just like that:
The grass is green and unruly.
The trees are lush and shading us again.
The bright blooms are mother nature's perfect gifts.
The dandelions are bursting with so many new wishes.
The windows are open, letting in loud birdsong and fresh air.
The daylight lingers much longer.
Which means our dinners are starting much later.
Which also means all screens are off so much more - and without a hiccup.
The dresser drawers are stocked with warm weather clothes.
And my babies, their skin, sticky from all the outdoor play.
Which means more bath time before bed time.
Which also means that, after taking in all of this goodness, they (ha, we) tend to all collapse in their beds at night.
Hearts full and renewed.
Despite its exploding energy, May makes me want to be still. Perhaps it's because I well know how fast it'll go by. And it did, again.
And because ever since becoming a Mama, my personal connection to each season has become front + center within this life.
So, for the most part, I do carry out an abundance of quiet observing of this favorite month.
The natural assumption is, Winter is the best for such stillness. But when it's cold and dark for weeks and weeks, too much of that stillness can chip away at my well-being. Not an uncommon occurrence at all.
But, May - her stillness is different. Of course it is.
It's full of big deep breaths, a new face towards new skies.
It's all about re-welcoming the senses; the hearing, the smelling, the tasting, and the touching that is Spring.
Here's what I want to remember about our May 2018:
And there were so many other simple moments sprinkled in throughout. Don't forget to cherish your mundane - that's where the love really sticks.
Thank you, May. You'll have my love letters forever.
XO,
Andrea
I wear my heart on my sleeve, so to speak - I always have. And more than ever, I consider this a personal strength rather than a weakness. With that, there comes being consistently forthcoming about sharing on struggles of all kinds. And if we allow it to be so, our struggles (and the stories that pair with them) can profoundly connect us on this beautifully basic human level, which I wholeheartedly believe to be essential for genuine connection.
As this pertains to being a photographer and building a sustainable photography business, I also believe it is important to talk about the struggles + setbacks that come with the territory. Success, no matter how one measures it, does not happen swiftly. There's always a learning curve taking place and the journey has no end point, really - and why should it? We are constantly shifting and therefore how we define so many things throughout our lives are shifting just as well.
Success requires this very quiet persistence while fanning the (in my case, creative) flames of your work. It also requires surrendering to the timing of many variables; I touched on this a little bit in my post from last week.
Now, I totally get it: there's great value in portraying our professionalism as business owners. Being vulnerable about our setbacks can feel really scary; like it will make us appear to be less than within our profession. We all want to put ourselves out there like we've got it (mostly) together and I value the importance of that position.
But, I don't think that the two sides of this coin are mutually exclusive. They absolutely have a necessary balance to each other and both inspire others who are navigating their own journeys. I value that well-rounded inspiration endlessly, especially as a woman and a mother working from home full-time. It is empowering when other entrepreneurial women/mothers share their stories in this regard.
That also reminds me of a book gifted to me, which is now a favorite in my collection: In the Company of Women. It's a stunning compilation and every once in awhile, like when I'm feeling discouraged or just need an uplifting, I open it up to page through all of the awesome stories. They all remind me to take comfort in the constant process; there is so much strength to harness right where we are.
To come full circle on this post today, I will share this last tidbit:
Last night while I was doing some client work after dinnertime shenanigans wrapped up, I glanced down the stairs from my desk area to tune into what my children were up to. Their infectious giggles + simultaneous bickering caught my attention to their game of Go Fish. I quickly grabbed my camera, for I am reminded daily of how fleeting these moments are and I am a sucker for the sheer simplicity of such a scene.
After grabbing a few candids of their game, it was time for me to join them before the bedtime routine proceeded us. We concluded our evening with dancing (our evenings often include dancing!) to the always-on-lately Coco Soundtrack - SO GOOD.
I had more work to do, but the juggle-struggle always calls...
Go Fish!
These grainy memories, in all their glory. XO
My goodness, it feels good to re-enter this space again. April is here! And even though there's fresh snow on the ground in WI this morning (uggggh), Spring WILL come sooner than later and a newfound sense of renewal always comes with it.
To rewind just a bit: my Fall season as a photographer went out with a bang last year. I was so thrilled to conclude my mini-session event as an absolute fun success. Even more so, it felt celebratory to see that my S N E wheels were turning in new motions as 2018 was approaching. January swept in with a most lovely postpartum-family home session and there I was, skipping in delight over the tone being set for a new year for S N E.
And then Life happens, yeah?
Ha, it always does. Life! And after I work through feelings of being utterly flustered with the changing of a course, especially in this case as a business owner, I (almost) always know how to circle back around to accepting what is the here + now.
So with my Winter plans for S N E on pause, I realized that I needed to pause, too.
As I wrapped my energy around this type of resting, I reminded myself that there's purpose to all of our seasons, professionally and personally. And if we're so lucky enough to be in such positions, then I believe that we must tune into what is deeply pulling at us and not take it for granted.
It's all about the embrace...
This time, for me, the embrace was about honoring other intentions for myself as well as for my family. Furthermore, early on it had struck me that this Winter season that just wrapped up (kinda, ha!) was going to be the last one with my youngest at home with me 24/7, for she will head off to 4K come this Fall. I realized that I/we really needed to sink into a simple routine while my bigger kiddos were at school all day. More so, what became of our dinners at the table together during those dark Winter weekday evenings was what kept us close to each other.
Cherish is the word, always.
My postpartum doula work has been wonderfully steady all Winter and my purpose with that work simply overflows my cup. We also enjoyed an awesome family vacation back in February (our first one in a few years that took us away on a plane) with my amazing (ahhhmazing!) parents, and I've been able to reconnect in areas of life that have really needed my attention.
For me to reiterate how grateful I am for this life would be an understatement.
This Spring season upon us feels full of sweet promises. Maybe it's simply what Spring brings out after the cold days officially slip away for another time. Maybe it really is going to be a better season for me to press play here again and unfold what is fresh for S N E. And there's lots of freshness coming!
Whatever it all may be, I will know what to make of it.
Cheers to the embrace of a new Season...
XO,
Andrea
Highlights from our FL/Disney Trip, February 2018
Oh this sweet little family... what an absolute delight it was to capture them with their first-born baby girl, Madeline Rose. I've known Chelsie since she was a spunky little girl, so of course I just couldn't believe my eyes when I was viewing her through my camera lens as a brand new beautiful mother. Time is just nuts like that! And these evolving life moments take my breath away...
An end-of-June evening at Kettle Moraine ended up being the perfect spot for this newborn family session outdoors. Furthermore, the love that this strong duo has for their daughter, and each other just as well, is absolutely stunning.
Check out their sweet highlights (tap on photos to look through the scroll set!):
When Nichole (my midwife, dear friend, and one fierce woman who I adore for so many reasons!) signed up for a family sesh with me, I jumped for joy! There's never a shortage of giggles with the awesome Baumbach Family, featured here today. With my camera in hand, they kept me on my toes, and I loved every moment of it. This beautiful family's love, it is so special and I love witnessing it whenever I get the chance to spend these little doses of time with them.
Nichole, thank you so much for having me capture your beautiful souls!
XO,
Andrea
As I often declare, I love love when I am offered the opportunity to photograph families in their home spaces. It is special each time and the Thomas Family was no exception; what a lovely treat it was to capture them!
It was a gorgeous June day and the smiles were as bright as the June greenery, so we took advantage of the light outside. I could feel how special this home is to this beautiful family and that is just one of the best parts of being a photographer: Celebrating the life + love of families.
Check out their highlights:
The gorgeous family featured here today became instant friends to us, my little family. One of my favorite recent stories to recall is when Bekka & I connected at a wedding on NYE 2016. It makes me giggle every time and I just knew in that moment that we'd become Dancing Queen Amigas for a long time to come!
Now we get together as families and it is full of laughter + dancing; two of the best things on this planet.
Check out the highlights from their golden May family mini-sesh:
Baby boy has arrived!
But first, let's rewind back to his mama's stunning sunrise maternity sesh, shall we?
Mothers and their beautiful bellies, I just can't get enough.
Abra, my beautiful friend, you took my breath away on this crisp May morning. Thank you for going barefoot in the cold for me, ha! I will be witnessing your mothering journey unfold, in awe, I am certain. Your boys are beyond lucky to have you at the center of their world.
XO!
Seriously, what is better than Spring + baby smiles!? Those are a couple of my favorite things, no doubt about it.
Here's the O'Brien fam: that lovely Spring evening light, a little basketball that makes their baby boy smile so big, and their love at the center of it all.
It remains such an honor to continue capturing them ever since Finn was born...
XO
Featured here today is a new family. And the stunning mama at the center of her beloved unit holds a cherished spot in my heart, for she so generously took such good care of my own babies when I/we really needed those date nights sprinkled in here and there. It was such a treat for me to capture her + her bump and then... her gorgeous baby girl! It's even more special to witness her blossom into a new mother...
Stories have this awesome way of connecting us, changing us, and inspiring us. They are powerful and have this great ability to take us outside of our own experiences in order to acknowledge so many others' experiences that are different from our own, which is why I am so passionate about sharing them.
Especially, extraordinary women's stories within what may seem as just ordinary life roles: educators, safety leaders of all kinds, medical support/professionals of all kinds, mothers, patrons of women's rights, volunteers, etc.! Their dedication and passion towards their work, within their own families + communities, are absolutely boundless.
It is women, I believe, who are the heart + soul of our world.
Brenda (captured above), a Dual Language Learning teacher in our community, so generously shared part of her story with me:
Andrea: Did you always know that you wanted to be a teacher?
Brenda: When I think back to my childhood I believe that I did always know that I wanted to be a teacher. No one in my family is a teacher so I am not sure where the desire came from. I am the oldest of four so perhaps that passion to teach others came natural to me. I always pretended my sisters were my students and I just loved it. I always told myself that I needed to prepare myself for a job that requires so much time, organization, and patience. I started preparing myself when I was only about 8 years old when I pretended to be my sisters’ teacher. I loaded my school schedule throughout high school and college to mentally prepare myself for this job. Being bilingual also encouraged me to become a teacher because I knew that I could make a difference in students’ lives if they were coming from a Spanish speaking home.
A: How has being a teacher changed you?
B: Since I have only been a teacher for about a year and a half I feel that being a teacher has not changed me because of the situations that life has put me through. Taking ELL (English Language Learning) courses opened my eyes to many things I thought I was aware of when it comes to identity. Now being a teacher I have had the chance to appreciate the differences there are in each individual.
A: Who has always been the biggest influence in your life?
B: I have been asked this question many times, I have not yet come up with an answer. When I had to write my personal narrative for my college application, I chose to write about how my father has influenced me. He came to this country with nothing, all on his own and was only 17 years old. After working so hard he was able to raise a family here. With no education, being illiterate he has accomplished many things and he is a very loved person by many. He doesn’t allow his struggles stop him, and I believe I have inherited that from him.
A: What is one (or more) of your proudest achievements?
B: My proudest achievement has been graduating from the University of Whitewater Wisconsin with Summa Cum Laude honors and getting hired before graduation. I always knew it would happen because I tend to do anything it takes to make my dreams come true, but when it actually happened it was surreal. The day of graduation I cried like a baby, but they were happy tears!
A: What are some of your future hopes for yourself and for your students?
B: I hope to continue to be part of this movement of bilingualism. I come from a town where English is the language of instruction and I was forced to learn another language without learning my first language. I don’t want my students go through this because knowing two languages is an asset to anything you do in life. What is most important for me for my students is for them to be good people. I want them to be able to realize the importance of their education and make their own decisions about how hard they want to work to be able to achieve their goals.
A: What family traditions of yours do you cherish most and why?
B: I come from a traditional Mexican Catholic family. I sincerely value the morals that my parents have taught me that come from both my heritage and religious background. I cherish our family’s traditions in holidays and other aspects because they have been able to maintain these traditions after living in the states for so long. Some traditions that I most cherish is the celebration of the birth of Jesus and the remembrance of His resurrection during easter time. Other traditions I cherish are having a tight bond with my family and being able to go my grandmother's house on any given day.
A: Has your life been different than you imagined?
B: I always imagined myself as a teacher, so I wouldn’t say that is different. I guess I imagined myself more energetic and excited when I imagined myself as a teacher. But I never realized how difficult the journey would be to become a teacher. The amount of stress I imagined does not compare to the actual amount of stress there is to be a good teacher. It is just at a level I have never experienced, but I am certainly great for it.
2016 has brought me here, to a new space for new chapters of this journey.
I'm so excited to explore my new website and even more so, for what 2017 will bring for my Sweet Near-East nest; a humble little blogspot that evolved my hobby photography (and more of my personal passion projects) into an actual business for me to dive into.
Thank you for being here with me.
Truly,
Andrea
