There are two things in life that we all want more of, yet we can take neither with us when we go. The first one is money, and the second one is time. It has taken me thirty-two years to realize that you can’t have an abundance of both at the same time… you have to choose. Do I want to make more money, or do I want to have more time? 

My whole life, I have wanted to be one single thing: a mother. I have allowed that desire to be the guiding star in the majority of my life decisions- who to marry, what career to choose, what friends to surround myself with, and so on. I came into motherhood in 2018, and have since had three amazing and quirky baby boys. It is this overwhelming desire to be a present mom has consumed me since the day I dropped off  my oldest son and stepped back into a classroom. Managing other people’s children all day spent me and left just crumbs of energy and patience for my own babies. Year after year, I would drop my children off with my mother-in-law (bless her), but I can’t tell you the number of days I cried on my way to work. This was supposed to be my privilege… I was supposed to raise them. This was supposed to be my full-time job, and it wasn’t. My career was stealing my motherhood dream bit by bit, and I knew something had to change. Knowing that I only get to do this once and my boys only have a childhood once has helped me to walk away from my six-figure career to work twice as hard for no money at all… and I know it will be so worth so much more. I am losing money but gaining so much more time with them, and to me, that is more valuable than anything.

Starting this blog post was very difficult… I have spent the last three years building my photography business in Southern California, and I am so proud to say it has grown to a size that I can hardly manage anymore. I never expected this to happen, but I am a firm believer that things unfold the way that they should. I knew that I was onto something with this “little side-hustle” of mine, and after the first year, I realized that doing this would allow us to save a downpayment and allow me to be home… if I just worked two jobs for a couple of years. I also learned that I love photography way more than I ever loved teaching… who knew?

With that, I announced on social media that I am pursuing my dream of becoming a stay-at-home-mom and full time photographer. It is a grab bag of mixed emotions- I am going to miss my clients dearly, and it will be hard to watch them find a new photographer to document their lives. I’ve felt like a weird aunt that your kids only see 1-2 times a year- I am sad to know that someone else’s fart noises and songs will make them smile for the camera some day soon. That said, I will visit a couple of times a year and offer sessions to my previous clients, but as of now, I am no longer booking new clients in California.

So how am I doing, you ask? I am incredibly excited/ scared/ anxious/ proud to say that we are closing on our first home in Combined Locks, Wisconsin, and I will spend the unforeseeable rest-of-my-days raising up these babies and documenting more beautiful mother and parenthood journeys. You’re looking at the newest family, maternity, newborn, and fresh 48 photographer of the Fox Valley, serving Appleton, Neenah, Green Bay, Menasha, Oshkosh, and surrounding areas! Tell your friends- as I have learned, everyone knows someone in Wisconsin. And if you didn’t… well, ya do now!