Man what an incredible year it’s been!  Last year, I wrote a bucket list for my 25th birthday, and this year, I think i’ve decided to share my top 10 favorite memories from my 25th year.  So here we go!

1. Celebrating my first Wedding Anniversary with Joshua.

I often hear people say that the first year of marriage is HARD.  And I have to say our first year of marriage has been the easiest year we’ve had in the seven and half years of being together.  I honestly contribute it to the fact that we moved in together very early in our dating years and by the time we were married, he knows what makes me tick, and I know what makes him tick.  He’s the best man for me, and I’m so grateful to have him by my side!

   2.  Spending Hall of Fame Weekend with my Family

I grew up in PA surrounded by my Pittsburgh sports loving family.  One of my fondest memories while living there for five years throughout middle school and high school was spending my Sundays with my Grandparents and Uncle screaming at the TV.  So when the news came that Jerome Bettis was going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, we all agreed it was time to cross an event off our bucket lists!

   3. Photographing My Grandparents

Josh and I come from divorced families, and we’ve  had long conversations that we know all the wrong ways to have a marriage, but there’s one couple in our life who I admire so very much.  That’s my grandparents.  Grams and Pappy have been married for 55 years and while I know it wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies, they somehow worked through all the bad times and made their marriage last the test of time.  So on Easter, with the help of my awesome Uncle, I took photos of Grams and Pappy with their wedding photo.  They are photos that I cherish so much and I’m so thankful that I have them.  Really truly makes you appreciate the purpose of prints.

   4. Watching 24 Students Graduate High School

For those who don’t know, I teach high-risk students at a drop-out/recovery high school in Canton City – America’s SECOND most dangerous small city.  My job by any means is not easy.  It’s quite exhausting.  But it’s also rewarding.  One of the most rewarding days was watching two dozen students graduate and receive their high school diploma.  They world is constantly knocking them down, and their getting back up.  They’re taking life one day at a time and SUCCEEDING!  I’m so proud to know these kiddos, and while I won’t be in the teaching profession forever, they sure have made me a better teacher and person.  They constantly challenged me, and for better or worse, that’s a great thing!

   5. Shooting My Promo Video

In May I shot my very first promo video!  Workshed Weddings so graciously agreed to film the day for me, and even though it rained, and I didn’t get the detail shots I wanted, it was truly an incredible day.  My video is everything I wanted my first promo video to be.  It allows my personality to shine through for inquiring Brides to see.  It shows the relationship that I have with my Bride and Groom on the wedding day, and that we have so much fun spending the day together.  Plus I got some totally rad new headshots from the day, as well!

   7. Becoming a Student of the International Academy of Wedding Photographers

In February, I took the leap of faith, and for the first time ever, I invested in education for myself for the photography.  I knew that if I ever wanted to take my skills to the next level, now was the time to make that happen.  And I did.  I signed up to go back to school and take classes online with the Academy.  There’s eight classes with seven different instructors.  I’m only half way through in the last six months, but i’m looking forward to the off season when I can finish the class and get my badge of completion!

   8. Attending Creative at Heart in March

I signed up for the Academy because I thought that the chances of me being able to attend a photography conference would be so slim.  But little did I know, the good Lord had bigger plans for me.  Through a newsletter from Katelyn James, I learned about Creative at Heart.  It’s a conference for creatives, and the focus is how to be a better boss lady (or boss man).  Two of my friends and I traveled down to Virginia for a couples days at the end of March and had a life changing experience.  I am so thankful for all the speakers who were there, and their messages that all sank into my heart so deeply.  It is because of Creative at Heart that I discovered my WHY in wedding photography.    I’m so excited that I will be attending one more photography conference this year in ARIZONA!!  For the last four years I have watched UNITED happen from the sidelines, and this year, I’m going!

   9. Coaching Session with Katelyn James

Creative at Heart would actually lead me to a morning with a truly amazing photographer and leader in the industry.  I was spend three hours sitting in her famous teal office, petting the most famous Bichpoo on social media, and taking in EVERY word of advice and encourage my little ears could handle!  I’m talking about my coaching session with Katelyn James.  I had admired her work for years, and was completely star struck and had a total fan girl moment seeing her in person at Creative at Heart.  It’s crazy when you meet someone famous, and then you realize that they’re a human being, as well.  While Katelyn isn’t just any human being, she is one of the most down to earth individuals I have ever met.  My time with her was eye opening and business changing.  I completely given KJ credit to my recent success in my business!

  10. Rebranding My Business

Thanks to the Academy, one of the first things that I learned and realized was that I needed to make my business brand me, and it had to be professional.  It was time to invest in the business side of things and hire a designer to build a website and blog for me.  Just by chance, I came across Katie’s website on early morning and emailed her at 5:30 in the morning.  It was pretty early on in the email exchanges that I knew Katie was my girl.  We would spend two months discovering what my brand was and then taking those elements and designing an online presence.  I love knowing that I now have a brand that is professional, absolutely me, and gives a Bride a sense of what she can expect when she hires me to shoot one of the most important days of her life!  Katie was a dream to work with and I recommend her to ANYONE looking for design work!

So while I said my top 10 favorite things about being 25, I can’t leave out the Rising Tide Society

   11. Being a Tuesday Leader for the Rising Tide Society

I met Krista and Natalie at Creative at Heart this past month and just for the way that they both lifted everyone up, I knew they had awesome things up their sleeve.  Well that awesomeness happens to be Tuesday Togethers.  Every month, a group of creative entrepreneurs gather and lift each other up.  I’m a leader for our Canton group and it’s my responsibility to make sure said gatherings happen each month.  It’s a wonderful thing to bring together a group of hard working people and create this COMMUNITY of supportive people.  This COMMUNITY over competition!  It has been a true honor to lead those meetings and I have become such a better person and photographer because of it!

So there it is.  My top 11 favorite things during my 25th year.  I can only hope that 26 is as crazy awesome as what 25 was!  Thank you everyone who has been there to share the journey with me!  I love you all!