I wish I had a perfectly packaged love story to tell you about the first time I picked up a camera. I wish I had a life-changing moment to tell you about when I realized I wanted to be a photographer or when I knew I was destined to do this. But I don’t. I don’t remember the first time I held a camera and I wanted to be a vet and policeman when I was small. The truth is, I accidentally started my own business. I guess I shouldn’t call this crazy whirlwind an ‘accident,’ because it’s clear that God directed my path in this direction for a reason, but I never thought I’d own my own business one day doing something that fulfills me to the extent that this does. I wake up every day incredibly grateful that I get to witness beautiful moments of life, do my best to capture it with my camera, and call it work. There are changes I’d make in my business, of course. I think any business owner would be more than willing to admit that there are certain parts of their business they feel they could greatly improve upon. I fail at something every day, e-mail especially. But what keeps me so enamored with this little business is the hope that I was able to show someone something about themselves or their precious family that is beautiful, even if it might be something so small and ordinary that they don’t realize it. Life slips by us so fast – we lose loved ones, things change, and those babies? They grow up. They outgrow that outfit that brings out the color of their eyes. You put them down one day and don’t pick them up again. And what I want to capture for people is a photo of their life then, one that they can look back at — that time they thought was so hectic — mud stains, tousled hair, imperfections and all — and for them to feel a longing inside just at the sight of it.