Most of you who follow my work know how much I ADORE this little town that I am lucky enough to live in. The people here welcomed me with open arms when I launched my business shortly after moving here. I was the “new girl”, and we all know that can be a challenge in a small town. But not here…I was amazed by the warm welcome I felt and the incredible support that my new business received. Also, if you follow me regularly, you know that my husband travels…A LOT. And we have FIVE kids. And I often want to lose my MIND! These six people are my world and they support me even when I am too busy to do their laundry and cook their food! (Although they certainly complain about it plenty!)
This past year has been a particular challenge with the opening of my amazing studio on Main Street and growth in the business that I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams. To top that off, my hubby, Jason, has been on the road juggling unimaginable growth in his own business…the one that actually pays our bills! His company, Hoerr Racing Products http://www.hrpworld.com/ , has grown insanely in a record bad economy in an industry where the competition is closing their doors right and left. Yet, he keeps on growing…because he is amazing. He has managed to GROW and be PROFITABLE in times that most people are finding themselves searching for jobs and struggling to pay the bills. I feel so incredibly blessed to have this man at the wheel in our lives.
Now, you are wondering…WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS BLOG POST? Well, here goes…the RIGHT thing. We are moving. We miss Dad. We want to be with him every day of our lives. He is vitally important to the success of this family and we don’t want to do it without him anymore. He has to build a new building to support his growing business, and he needs to be instrumental in the day to day activities at his main office in Peoria, Illinois. He needs to be THERE…and he can’t be two places at once. So we need to go where he is. I told you it wasn’t easy. But it is RIGHT.
We will miss this town and these wonderful people soooo much! Even though we are going back “home”, it feels like leaving home. We have become woven into the fabric of this community and we love it. We are incredibly lucky that we will be able to keep our beautiful home here and continue to spend our summers on the lake, so we aren’t gone for good! Most people have to leave their life behind when they move away…we are so lucky to still get to keep a piece of that life.
So, you are wondering…what will happen to Dreamcatcher Road Photography? Well, we are still working on that. I will be taking some time off to focus on the impending move…preparing my children, packing our belongings, and orchestrating a bedroom wing addition to the home that I was BORN in where we will be moving our family. How exciting is that? I get to live in my childhood home with my own children! The home that I pretended to be mommy in is now the house I WILL be mommy in! (fingers crossed that the builder gives us the numbers we are hoping for!!!!) I will shoot a few select sessions for existing clients this spring before the early summer move, but I will not be taking on new clients. All new business will be referred to Katie, who has been my right hand this past year. She is awesome and will do wonderful work for her future clients!
As for me? Well, I get to decide who I want to be when I grow up! How many people get the opportunity to step away, take time off, and re-envision their entire business? For now, I will be Mom. I will photograph for myself, work on my craft, hopefully do a lot of blogging, writing and teaching, and then decide when the time is right to launch the business in my new/old hometown! I will miss my beautiful studio that I have poured my heart and soul into. There will be tears…LOTS of them. But I am so incredibly excited to spend every day with my husband and watch him coach football and toss the ball around in the yard with the kids. I want to go out to dinner and see a movie instead of juggling logistics before his next trip. I feel so blessed to have a healthy family, a strong marriage, and the confidence to know that I built this business once and I CAN do it again when I am ready.
If you are a current client, don’t worry, your images are not going anywhere. I will still be available to place orders for you. You can always reach me via email and my website will still have online ordering available. Please, do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything!
So keep on following me…I will be sharing along the journey. You might be tortured with photos of my crazy kiddos, wonderful hubby, and our new home, but I am confident that the journey will bring me to new levels as an artist…and I am ready!
Congrats to my parents on becoming full-blown Texans rather than just winter Texans
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