Today on our ninth wedding anniversary, I wanted to share this open letter to my husband. We've lived, laughed, loved and learned together. Sometimes I feel like I fall short of fulfilling my wedding vows, but I know we're in this together. I'd marry Chad again in a heartbeat!
Read MoreLove isn't always rosy. Last night we had an argument in the car. It was the kind of husband-wife “discussion” that began with a few assuming blanket statements, continued with escalating volume, and ended in ugly, shoulder-shrugging tears and seated, 4-year-old foot-stomping. Assuming we’re not the only couple in the world who fights, I thought this process of how we diffused our argument might help someone out there.
Read MoreAs a wife, as a Christian, and also as a documentary photographer who often photographs weddings, I definitely place an extremely high priority on marriage. I believe a promise made in front of God and witnesses is a promise that should be kept forever. I believe that marriage vows aren't really "I promise to love you every day of my life" but rather "I promise to choose to love you every day of my life." BUT, I will be the first person to admit that keeping marriage vows is certainly NOT easy.
This post is a virtual hug for those who struggle in marriage and it includes a couple ideas that have helped Chad and I strengthen our marriage along the way.
With THAT many photographers in one place (46 couples) at the Connect Retreat last week, you can guarantee there was some photo-making going on! This post highlights two couples we had the honor of photographing, but is also a celebration of marriage and healthy community. This "family" inspires our love, life, and business on so many levels.
Read MoreWhen Chad and I said "I do" at the altar 7 years ago, unfortunately there was no Magic Relationship Wand waved over us that ensured a perfect marriage from that point on. "Happily ever after" is something we have to work at daily. We make appointments each year to ensure we have clean teeth, a good bill of physical health, and a well-maintained car. Since our relationship is even more important than those things, how much MORE important is it for us to have a marriage check-up each year? These are the highlights from our marriage retreat this week.
Read MoreWhen I think about the challenging journey this newlywed couple has been through, I am amazed and inspired by their joyful spirits, their strong love, and the ways they care so deeply for one another, no matter what comes their way. We’re honored to be close friends of Kyle and Samantha and to witness [and learn from!] their unconditional love for one another.
This post is a testament of enduring love and a praise report for one who beat cancer.
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Chad and I have been married for seven years. We do NOT consider ourselves marriage experts, but we have learned a few things along the way that have made our relationship stronger. In this post I shared about the foundation of our marriage, why it's important to us, and how it allows us to face storms together.
Read MoreWOW. Chad and I are feeling incredibly refreshed and inspired this week! Last week, we spent the week in sunny Georgia (where pretty spring does actually exist!) on a marriage retreat with other couples running photography businesses together. It was the second year this CONNECT Retreat has been offered at the WinShape, and also the second time Chad and I were able to attend.
We carpooled from Wisconsin with Maison Gustke and Caleb Engel (who are engaged to be married this August!) all the way to and from Rome, GA. This made our trip, hands down! We became instant friends, sharing so much about love & life. We laughed together, prayed together, talked shop a bit and made the very most of our 24+ hours in the car. It was quite a blessing to share the experience with them!
Last year around this time, Chad and I had just begun working together full-time, as Chad had only been home about 5 months. We were in desperate need of some advice on how to be married while working together, and vice versa. (You can read about our experience from last year's Retreat here.) We applied SO many great lessons to this past year and consider ourselves a whole different couple this year. It's been an amazing new adventure (of course all good adventures include ups and downs...). We were anxious for more coming into CONNECT 2014.
This year, here were our highlights:
Read MoreLast night, we ended up in some really good, honest conversation with a friend about relationships. Chad and I got talking about some of the "relationship tools" we learned while we were at the CONNECT retreat a few weeks ago. (If you missed the my CONNECT post, read it when you get a chance. Good stuff in there.) While we were at the retreat, we had the chance to be away—undistracted—and learn from other married couples like ourselves and even some Marriage Experts. Everyone was passing around different tips about how they smooth out their communication skills and relieve tension in their relationships. Honestly, after hearing it all, NONE of it was rocket science. It's not even super breakthrough or earth-shattering information.... BUT, it works.
We love LOVE. And we realize, as a married couple, that you really have to work at it sometimes. I thought it would be cool to share some of that juicy info here on our blog in a "Relationships 101" series. Here's the first one...
Read MoreLast week, Chad and I had the unbelievable opportunity to be at the very first CONNECT Retreat, a marriage retreat for photographers. Being with 42 other creative couples at the WinShape Retreat Center in Rome, GA is now the highlight of my year—we returned changed & motivated for the future, but even for the day-to-day. It was a unique chance to meet people we deeply admire in our industry, completely unplug from phones / internet, get to know others in our shoes from across the continent and worship Jesus with them, totally out of context from any kind of church setting. We love our friends and family, but we realize it's hard for them to understand us "Professional Creatives". Ha! Also, none of them have their spouse as their coworker... We definitely felt at home on this CONNECT Retreat. :)
Check out these photos and read all about it...
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