A lengthy, but important update!

It has been awhile since I have posted on here, and I have so many mixed feelings about that. I have been traveling so much lately and have been gone 3 weeks out of the month of April and May. So thankful for our travels, but it has certainly put me back a little on blogging and photography. These days I am SO busy running around with Scarlett that I do not have the energy I used to. During her nap time I could get a lot of things done, but now I just want to sit, close my eyes, listen to music, etc. She is a toddler now, and I am learning now more than anything what that means. It is so fun, but I am one tired mama when the day starts winding down. She goes through phases where she eats chicken one day and the next she won't want anything but a go go squeeze. It is hard. She doesn't eat well in public and she won't take the recommended 20-24 oz per day. Parenting surely goes in phases and just when you think you got the hang of something, BAM, your child decides to throw you a curve ball. I try not to stress about it, but it is hard. Scarlett starts Mother's Day Out in a few weeks and I am so ready/nervous/scared/hesitant. I need this time during the day, but will truly miss her. I am running out of time to get things done and hardly make deadlines for my photography, so this was the main reason we wanted to put her in school for a few days a week. With not having any family here to help, I also really wanted a little time during the week where I could do my own thing and enjoy some "me" time. Prayers, thoughts, and tips appreciated :)
/// Joel is finished with his pediatric rotation and is now onto surgery. We've been surviving for 3 weeks now. Joel wakes at 3:45 every morning and will come home between 5-8pm (maybe earlier, maybe later, I never know). This rotation is very testing to our marriage and our family. We get very little time together since he needs to go to bed by 10 but he falls asleep at 9. It will all be done in 4 ish weeks (I try not to countdown) and then he will begin studying for Step2, become a fourth year, start applications, then interviews in the fall! Where do y'all want us to live? Drop me a line if you have a suggestion- ha!
/// My photography is really flourishing, and I am SO grateful for that. I am booked to my max and am always looking for a sitter to squeeze in an extra session, but sometimes I can't. And sometimes that is a good thing because it forces me to slow down and catch up. I just ordered two new lenses: the 85mm 1.2 and 100mm 2.8L. Currently my canon 24-70mm 2.8L is for sale. Email me if you are interested in taking that off my hands. It was the hardest decision for me to make and I am hoping it was the right one. I debated between the 35mm 2.8 and the 100mm 2.8 for a long time. I decided on the 100 due to the want to get those up close and personal photos of newborns. My clientele has really moved towards newborns and this was an investment I felt I had to make. I am really happy to be photographing more newborns now and feel it may be my specialty. I love babies 0-12months. Those are my favorite!
/// Joel and I have been commissioned as a husband wife team to create a logo for a sweet sweet blog friend of mine! We were enamored with joy when she asked us to do this. Honestly, Joel has more creativity in his toe than I do and I am just so glad I get to do this with him. It really is an amazing opportunity and I hope it will be something we can further do together :) Cannot wait to show y'all the finished result in about a month!
/// In other news, I decided in December that I wanted to start a professional blog. My personal blog has always been fun to write, but I crave another kind of audience that can source my professional blog for reference in all things baby, pregnancy, style, real mama stories, local life, etc. This has been something I've been wanting to do for a long time and I finally got the urge to do it. So, in the next few weeks I'll be unveiling the logo, website, and more details. I have a launch date of July 1st- so please pray for me that I continue to push through and stay motivated with everything else I have going on. I cannot wait to share with you all I hope and desire for this site!
/// Lastly, I feel horrible for not keeping up with blogs that I used to read daily. The friendships I've made through blogging are what keeps me going and I definitely feel like I have lost connection with some. I read posts on my phone and then go to the next without leaving a comment since I don't have as much time anymore. I don't know what the right thing to do is in this situation, but I am doing my best to keep up and I hope to be interacting like I used to soon.
That was a HUGE mouthful of information, wow! So sorry, this should have been split into three separate blog posts, but honestly I don't know if I have time for that anymore. Thank you for reading and supporting me, I cannot thank you enough! Please hang with me and send positive vibes that all goes smoothly these next couple of months for us :)