Guys. If I’m going to get real with you I would say this: the past two months have been unbelievable. Unbelievable in work load. In lack of sleep. In insurmountable joy. In surprises of a lifetime. In kindness from others. And unbelievable in that most all of my goals have been thrown out the window.
And you know what?
I don’t really care.
Call me fickle, but I’m pretty sure goals are a good thing to keep focus, to push yourself towards betterment, to have purposeful action. And yet, goals weren’t ever meant to be something you beat yourself up over if they aren’t entirely accomplished. If the good-intentions-deadlines aren’t met 100% of the time, you are not a failure.
Someone say, “Amen.”
Yes, goals are something I geek out over.
But goals are also opportunities to extend grace.
To myself & others.
So for May here’s a few things that went down:
- I second shot weddings – sometimes double headers – every weekend.
- Consistently drank enough water — that goal = met!
- Blogged Justin & Jess’ Boston maternity session
- Blogged Lisa & Jimbo’s urban DC engagement session
- Celebrated a dear friend’s engagement & blogged their epic love story (You’ve Got Mail, anyone?)
- Wrote about my Mom’s cancer for the first time. So grateful that’s behind us all!
- Shot THEE most gorgeous estate engagement session (CAN’T wait to show your more!!).
- Visited Kansas City.
- Gave Stephen his first official photography lesson.
- I kept wearing this shirt over & over again.
- Visited Washington DC (and saw Stephen AGAIN). He surprised me with reservations to “Romeo & Juliet’s Garden Cafe.” –> Read: A super romantic inside joke because I call him “My Romeo…”
And June?
My instagram game & all other goals weren’t as consistently pursued. That being said, a few things happy things were logged:
- Read, “Every Bitter Thing is Sweet” –> a book that undid me. I finished it with my heart ablaze & encouraged. I wrestled with God about long distance. I cried. I prayed. I found peace. And three days later Stephen proposed…the Lord’s kindness is truly a gift.
- Visited a new RVA coffee shop with Eliza!
- Shot weddings every weekend.
- Chloe made me the sweetest Pattengale Photography note cards.
- Finished my seasonal, part-time job with Anthropologie.
- Probably drank too much coffee.
Then. Then my life changed on June 12, 2016…
You can read the ENTIRE proposal story (complete with my oblivious snapchatting video), HERE! Stephen & I both wrote from our perspectives = favorite blog post ever!
The last two weeks of June have included…
- Started booking for 2017!
- A flight to Indiana
- Roadtripping to St. Louis to see him again (our parents joining us, too!).
- Wedding venue touring (in Indiana & Virginia – yay options!).
- A lot of long phone conversations about our future.
- I fly out tomorrow for Kansas City & the Blunk family vacation.
Stephen & I are, quite simply, overwhelmed & overjoyed.
So yeah. I’m pretty sure “Fiance Brain,” is a thing. I’ve never been so on cloud nine & spacey. And while I’ve been able to keep up with emails & phone calls from clients and friends alike, everything else has been a blur.
Yet, I’m so excited to adventure into this new “normal.”
To create new goals.
To hone in on the ones already mentioned.
To connect with my brides more genuinely than ever before.
Friends. Life is really happy.
Because now, dreams can be FULLY expressed. My heart can soar to new heights. And the fruit of the past two and half years of waiting and hoping can now rest in the knowledge that it was not all in vain…
Psssst! You’re invited along for the journey.
Follow me over on the Insta –> @PattengalePhoto
Always,
–Tara M.
