the one that started it all. Jacksonville, Fl. family photographer

Guess what folks.. it's throw back Thursdays time!!! I am envisioning the arms doing the woomp wommp from Arsenio Hall *not kidding, I am that dorky. Aside from all dorkiness, I know I haven't been keeping up with "T.T's" (It might be smart to figure out a different abbreviation for that on this family photography blog) but I have been working really hard on something for MHP, hence my last post was sort of a breaking point. But I think I have taken a deep breath now and I'm ready to go at it full force. Are you keeping up with me?? For today's Throwback this is the image that is framed and displayed on my wall, along side a black and white picture of my little Cruz.
I took my kiddos out to Fort Lauderdale beach that afternoon, with my little Vivitar point and shoot camera and I captured this picture. Okay with that being said let me give you some background.
previous to this I was a hungry college student/mom trying to find her niche in life. After community college, then university, then Art school. My soul was still searching. I remember when I would sit down with my husband and discuss school plans I would cry. Obviously I cry alot. I would somehow try to make him tell me what it is I should do with my career, my life. He hadn't a clue. I was so scattered with schooling that I confused him, heck I confused myself. All I know is that I wanted answers. Like Now! I stressed so much about it because C ( my husband) had already carved a path for himself in the real world. He had a degree, he knew more or less what he wanted to do and was doing it. Why couldn't I have that luck? I guess taking all of those "pre-you have no clue where you are going classes" were supposed to help me eventually? maybe? But they didn't. At the end of the day, he and I both knew that from the very beginning of our relationship I was always chasing something that did not want to be found, just yet. With much perseverance I decided that I would keep trucking along and try as best I could to put the pieces together.

I knew 5 things. 

1. I Loved working with kids!
   
2. I loved to design, I loved to create, I loved working with colors.
3. My background via my birth father's side (who passed when I was just a small girl) were artists. Everything from entertainment to other different types of mediums.
4. *** I loved taking pictures*** esp of my kids.
5. I wouldn't be satisfied with a typical 9-5 job. Ever.

While liking to take pictures was simply an ordinary thing for most. I had my ah ha! moment.

 The feeling this picture brought to me, was a feeling I had felt before. I didn't know it was there. It somehow all of a sudden creeped up into my soul and found me... and it was then that I decided to stop looking. To jump feet first into a place that I couldn't see if there was something to catch me down below. Needless to say this was a simple snapshot, no editing and the fact that I was no pro photographer then and still have a hard time calling myself even just a photographer minus the pro now. Since then I have been finding my way back up to the light slowly. No more heavy rocks holding me down. I am now at a place in my life where I can play again like I used to do when I was a small kid. The world is in fact my playground.

I hope you have enjoyed today's post. I think I have come a long way as a whole and it just keeps looking brighter from here. 

I am also going to announce that I will be taking a mini blogcation. I am really in up to my eyeballs and sick to boot. I have to learn what I can handle sometimes and I tend to push the limit but over doing myself sets me back instead of moving forward. So with that being said** we shall meet again in a few weeks with MHP's new little secret.