i have this silly little app on my phone.  and every day, it gives me a snapshot of my life.  my journey.  every morning, i'm greeted with my social media posts and pictures on this date one year ago, two years ago... all the way up to five years ago.  normally, it's pictures of my kids and hubby or the crazy adventures we've had, but this month it's been different.  this month i've been able to see exactly how far this journey has taken our family.

two and a half years ago, i had a hysterectomy and faced some of the most difficult challenges of my life.  during that long recovery, i had a lot of time to sit and think.  it was in those quiet afternoons that i feel God laid immerse photography on my heart.  it began as a small little dream, just my husband and i brainstorming and thinking of what could be, but has turned into so much more.

i have been an elementary art teacher in centerville for the last ten years.  so in our original vision, we imagined me shooting during the summers and teaching during the school year. it was a perfect fit!  but as we soon saw, there were other plans for our future.  

soon, i was balancing being a wife, a mom, a full time teacher, a Bible study leader, friend.... and all the while running a small business.  i loved it, but the 70 hour weeks and extreme lack of sleep was hard on our family.

so we began to dream.

my life snapshot, thanks to that app, from two years ago this week looks like this: i was shooting my first ever mini-sessions.  i was just about to share my facebook page.  my logo was being designed.  my website was being built.  and i was quickly discovering that, despite my substantial camera knowledge, i still had SO MUCH to learn about photography and running a small business!

now, here we are two years later and life is completely different.

i recently turned in my letter of resignation to the school board and will now be a wife, mommy and photographer full time.  my facebook page is just a few people shy of 1000 fans.  i'm rebranding, and my new logo will reflect me in so many ways!  my website had has thousands of visitors and is about to be redesigned.  instead of working out of my home, i've opened a small loft studio in downtown miamisburg.  i've traded teaching my beloved elementary school digital photography club for teaching workshops, mentoring other new photographers, and hosting shoot-outs.  and still, i'm well aware, i have so much to learn about photography.

really.  when i sit and take it all in, it's just overwhelming.

i cannot even begin to express my gratitude towards all of you.  ALL of you.  my family.  my friends.  my colleagues.  my facebook followers.... i'm in tears as i type this.  you crazy people have believed in me.  you've allowed me into your lives and enabled me to share my art with you.  you've celebrated milestones with me.  you've cheered me on.  you've done ridiculous things in front of my camera all for the sake of art.  you've shared your knowledge with me.  you, who are closest to me, have waited patiently while i was so busy working that i didn't have time to stop and ask how you were doing.  and you've still loved me.  you just have no idea how much i adore you.

ADORE. YOU.

thank you.  thanks for believing in me and enabling immerse photography to become more than just a dream for my family.  YOU are a blessing to us!  as a thank you, i would love to bless you!  i will be giving away a $100 gift certificate to one lucky immerse fan!  check out facebook (www.facebook.com/immersephotography) and instagram (follow: immersephotography) for all the details!

as always, thanks for joining me on this journey... i'm so blessed by your company!
xoxo,
cyrissa