CURRENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

After moving I've been trying to keep in touch with my friends and family. It's been pretty hard since I'm pretty bad at communication and keeping in touch in general.  (God bless my friends, who are mostly the opposite of that.) When we get to talk some common questions usually come up in conversation.  I thought I'd touch on some of those questions today since I've had a lot of time to think them over.

How's married life?
It's pretty good actually.  I love being married to Lance.  Transitioning from a long distance relationship to being with him nearly all the time was pretty smooth.  I just feel like I'm hanging out with my best friend all the time. 

Our life is far from perfect, and we did have a few bumps in the beginning, but all in all being married has been such a wonderful blessing.  I thought being married would have a lot more seriousness and responsibility and obligations.  I guess that's the impression I got when I was unmarried and saw other people's marriages (probably incorrectly) and being constantly told I'd lose my independence.  I have lost some independence from being single to married, but I've also actually gained a lot independence from being married.  I gained broader sense of security because of Lance's caring personality and his stability, so in that sense I have independence from the instability I had as an unmarried entrepreneur.  I lost some things when I got married, but being married to Lance far outweighs any of that.

I often can't believe how short Lance and I have known each other because he's truly become my best friend and confidant.  I love being married to Lance.

Do you miss California?
Not really. California is great, but I love Birmingham and feel like I've moved on to a new stage in my life both metaphorically and physically.  However, I certainly miss my family.  That's probably the hardest thing about moving away.  It's sad to be disconnected from them because keeping up to date with their lives just isn't the same as if I was living in California.  Not to mention that every time I come back the kids/babies are noticeably bigger and more mature. I'm sad I'm missing them grow up.  (p.s. I also miss my friends and all the good food.) 

How's your business? What's going on with it?
Haha. I never really know how to answer this question.  I'm still shooting and still shooting weddings. This year I've shot weddings in the Bay Area, New York and here in Birmingham.  It's been really great.  I shoot a lot when I go back to California.  And recently here in Birmingham my blogging has taken off. I've been blessed to do a lot of sponsored posts and shoots (and my favorite, book reviews!!) 

After getting laid off as an architect, you could say that I don't think too much about the future of my career.  For me the best is to continue to seek out work and pursue my passions, but I continue to be open-minded as to how God might lead my business in different directions.

So whatever my business is... wedding photographer, traveler, blogger... it is what it is and I love it!

How's the weather? 
Aside from the married life question, this is probably the most popular question I'm asked.  For the six months I've lived here locals warned me about the summer's heat and humidity here.  I didn't know what to expect.  I've been in some really humid areas for extended amounts of time (New York, Cambodia, Texas, China) and adapted to those temperatures pretty easily.  I wondered if Alabama weather would be similar or worse. 

I can't really say actually.  It is pretty hot here, but there's air conditioning everywhere so I actually take a sweater and coat most places.  I wear pants most days, and to me it's not been really humid or hot. 

(But my sense of humidity could be skewed.  When I went to California it rained one day and everyone was complaining how "humid" it was.  I didn't think it was humid at all. So maybe I'm immune to humidity now? Who knows.)

*I do have to say that winter here was freezing. No one ever told me how cold it gets here. For much of the first months I lived here it was below freezing.  Eeee. No go. 

Perish Trust, San Francisco, CA. June 6, 2015 | Canon 5d mark ii 50mm 1.2L