2018 was a big year full of a lot of change and lot of growth. I traveled to 5 countries (Belize, France, Spain, Portugal, Canada), and 13 different states. Out of the 52 Saturdays, I only had 6 or 7 that had absolutely nothing going on.

In the spring I went on a mission trip, wrote my senior thesis, painted two icons, assisted with my last Capture My Heart retreat, and graduated college.

In the summer, I photographed multiple weddings in various states, and then flew to France, walked 500 miles across Spain and ended my Europe trip with a week in Portugal. I came home 8 weeks later and promptly bought my first car (which I proceeded to put 11k miles on in 4 months).

In the fall, I photographed wedding after wedding, loving each one! I also started working two smaller flexible part-time jobs to fill in the gaps which made me very, very busy. I ran my first race (just a 5k) with my mom and brother, I got to visit more family in Connecticut, and friends in Virginia, and take a spontaneous 24 hour trip up to Niagara Falls and Watkins Glen, NY with one of my best friends (such a fun idea and amazing trip!)

November brought the death of my grandmother and the reunion of just about all our extended family for her funeral. Despite the sadness of her death, there was so much joy in being all together again and seeing cousins we hadn’t seen in years.

December continued to be just as jam-packed busy for me with two more weddings, an engagement session and several family sessions in between all the family events that December holds: such as a Christmas concert my youngest siblings were in, our annual celebrations of St. Nicholas and St. Lucy’s Feast days (Dec. 6th and 13th) and all the hurrah of Christmas (baking, decorating, annual traditions, etc).

Looking back, it has been an incredibly jam-packed year in so many ways. January will be just as busy for me but come February, my life slows down a bit and I’m looking forward to the time to recharge and focus on areas of my life and business that fall to the side in the midst of the busiest times.

Cheers to finishing 2018 and entering this new year!

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Happy New Year from my family to yours!

Xoxo,
Mary Kate