GRATITUDES + BREAKTHROUGHS // April 18, 2017

Gratitudes

This week really kicked off the start of my portrait session season. The grass is green and the buds on the trees are full of color. It was nice packing up my gear 4 times this week, two of those times for engagement sessions at Great Falls Park. I was lucky enough to visit both the Maryland side for Shannon + Rob’s e-sess on Tuesday and then back to the Virginia side on Friday morning for Catherine + Jack’s (the cuties pictured above). It’s neat how the same park has different vibes and I felt silly not enjoying their beauty more than just this week.

There are few things that I enjoy more than a good front porch sitting sess. I’m lucky to have found a house to rent that has a large yard surrounded by crop fields to enjoy the privacy and seclusion, to have the dogs run wild and to enjoy a midday cup of coffee or and afternoon glass of wine. I have to say though that my current situation while idyllic still lacks a little class. Over the winter I began rearranging and redecorating and pulled this old yellow accent chair I scored off of Craigslist for $5 on the porch with hopes of moving it into storage. I know what you are thinking, “super chic” – lol – but the reality is I have used it almost every sunny day we’ve had, and I’ll continue to do so until the bugs take it over or I find something a little more pretty to replace it with.

I also finally got my taxes done, and just in time! Every year I swear I’m going to do a better job at keeping track of expenses and mileage, meaning I’ll stay on top of it monthly or at least quarterly. I’m hopeful that 2017/2018 will bring about that discipline, but if I’m being honest with myself probably not. Small business owners if you are looking for a reliable, smart and relatable CPA, AJ Krick with L2G CPA is your guy. He knows small businesses and works closely to make sure you understand the process. He is passionate about numbers and that energy gets transferred directly to your taxes. He’s the best, give him a try.

Sunday night I scooped my boyfriend up from the airport, if you follow along you’ll remember he left in late December to start his veterinary medicine program at a school on the island of St. Kitts. We’ve been apart for almost 4 months I couldn’t be happier to have him back, and the animals were just as excited to see him. I’m looking forward to spending time together so expect a few days in the next two weeks for me to be disconnected.

I’m fully embracing spring this week and so excited to bring out Strawberry Margarita. This punchy bright pink listed as one of OPI’s classics is amazing for the warmer weather. It’s creme finish makes it pop a little more than one might expect.

Breakthroughs

This week is more of an appreciation than a breakthrough but I want it recorded here. I would say having an animal is a big responsibility, add two more and you are one short of being a labeled a “crazy animal” person. I love Ava, Tom and Mosby but there are absolutely days were I’m frustrated, annoyed and overwhelmed with the responsibility attached to three very different animals. As you know, Ava is my homegirl. She has been my ride or die chick since 2008 so she has been curled up next to me through moves, relationships, jobs, graduate school and more. She understands me the best and can read me clearly. There are some days though where she needs extra attention, I’m talking needs to sit in my lap all day in between my belly button and my laptop in order to stop her from whining. Sometimes I catch myself being stern or short with her, but in reality we all have days like that, am I right? Days were we need a little more reassurance and snuggles. Tom well he’s by far the most independant and self sufficient. He has those cat eyes that look right through you like he is sucking out your soul. He tests my patience by peeing on the blankets that the dogs lay on, especially if they end up on the floor. He also has the ability for being a truly reliable alarm clock; every morning near 6:45am he meows at the foot of my bed to alert me that he is ready for his breakfast. He also though is a snuggler and when I come home he always greets me in the living room, always. When I decide to shut down for the day after dinner and watch a little Netflix, he climbs on the back of the couch to be near me. He’s taken up a new bedtime routine and decided that once I’m done washing my face, brushing my teeth and settled in bed with the pups to read, he jumps up on my side of the bed and places himself in between my arm and my chest. He’ll lay there most of the night with soft purrs. Mosby well, he’s a doofus. That’s really the best way to describe him, he’s so loveable and just wants to experience all of the good things in life. With that appetite for life comes cleaning my sheets after he decided to rip open my cold/hot gel eye mask on my bed, bleeding pink goop on my white sheets, as well as his favorite game of picking small toys to shove under the couch only to cry to get me to help get them back out – and then push them back under. He’s eaten bags of valentine’s day candy, ripped up two crate beds to shreds and is extraordinarily good at annoying Ava. With all of his clumsiness comes his affection and need to be loved. He lays on me, not near me. He’s recently started to hug me in the mornings before we leave my bedroom to start our morning routine. Some days it’s easy for me to forget how amazing they are individually, like on days where my fuse is short. I’m hoping that by writing this I’ll be able to put it to memory to be a little more graciousness with them on days where they are being exceptionally bad because they are mine: flaws, tail wags, accidents, purrs and all.

As always, thanks for reading. Xoxo.