lily B photography

2010 flew by. i really can’t believe how quickly it came and went. so many things happened. i felt so much. this year, i lived. and, now that it is over, i can’t help but feel a tad bit overwhelmed by it all. life’s beauty – my own humanity – the fragility of it all. life keeps happening. and i find myself wishing it would slow down for a minute. i want to remember every moment – sure. but, i also want to fully experience every moment. those things are different. first, you experience. then, you remember. sometimes, i am so busy trying to store memories that i forget to fully experience the moment in the first place. does this make sense?

things from this year first experienced and then remembered:

this year, my family moved from alabama to alexandria, virginia. we decorated our house (a work still in progress). we learned our way around (again, a work still in progress). we fell in love with our neighborhood and with our proximity to the district. we adapted.

last january, my baby was a baby. she didn’t eat people food. she didn’t say people things. she didn’t sit up like people do. today, we took my baby to the aquarium. she nibbled on tofu and fruit. she said one million words and phrases. and, she walked around (quickly and with determination) by herself only occasionally looking back to see if we were still there. she grew.

this year, we said goodbye to loved ones. we welcomed new family members with open arms. we met people and made new friends. our old friendships evolved, and our best friends became family. we lost and we loved.

last january, i wrote a blog post on my personal blog. here is a snippet:

“While I do have the occasional daydream that I could maybe one day some time from now call myself a photographer and consistently produce quality images evidencing my ever-so-slightly out of shape creative side, I am – at this juncture – nothing more than a fool with a nice camera who likes to daydream.”

this january, i have my own photography business. i can’t believe it. i am so grateful. i am grateful to my husband who is, and has always been, a constant source of challenge, inspiration, and support. we have been married for two years, and i love him more now than i ever have. i am grateful to my family and friends for their support, patience, and kind words during this process. and, i am grateful to all of the wonderful families that i have had the pleasure of meeting and photographing thus far. you – yes, you – are appreciated by me. you are treasured. you mean something to me. and, you should know that. thank you for choosing me and trusting me. i hope to see much more of all of you in the years to come!

happy 2011!