Wanderlust

This post has been sitting in my drafts for about six months or more. I never felt like I could share it. But looking at it now, after having traveled to over ten new states since I wrote this, I feel blessed. God has taken my desires and made them happen. I am sitting in awe and I thought I'd share this because even though my travels don't happen to be in Europe or Hawaii or Australia, I'm making -- God's making -- my dreams come true bit by bit and he will make yours come true too if you trust in Him. So with that being said, this is where my mind was about six months ago.

Over and over and over I've mentioned on this blog that I want to travel. I am constantly surrounded by people who travel and am always enveloped in photos taken by people who get to see the world and sometimes I don't understand why I haven't had as many opportunities as I'd like. Thankfully, God has blessed me with photography and Delight and I've been able to travel a little lately because of those two things but I've always been a little bitter that my family never really traveled. I went to Cayman in 4th grade and it was magical. I know it would be more enjoyable now, as I couldn't quite wrap my head around how lucky I was to be there at such a young age, but I will never forget that trip. It's the only one my family ever took (besides the beach every couple years) and I want to experience that again.

Especially after I visited Alabama, I felt a pull in my heart and a desire like I've never experienced before to see the world, to get out and to explore while I can! It's odd because I almost feel like I don't have any time. I don't know if that's because I know I have a business that will most likely be growing in the next few years, if I think the people I want to travel with will be busy in the future, or if I am simply just anxious and impatient. 

Every week I spend a couple hours scouring for flights, comparing costs, and making lists of the places I want to visit. I dream about just going somewhere... ANYWHERE. It's beyond hard to connect with people to organize a trip because everyone is so busy. Often I consider booking a flight and going alone. I'd be perfectly happy doing that because unless you're a photographer, you probably won't understand that I won't be content unless I see everything and photograph it all, which may be a little time-consuming and exhausting. Haha! But I'd have to say it would be more fun to travel with someone, especially someone who'd put up with me taking pictures every stop of the way.

I just learned that my brother is headed to Paris, Germany, and Ireland in a couple weeks for work and that many of my friends are visiting states that I've been dying to see. It's unfortunate because I want that to be me. I just have to remember to be patient. God wants me to be happy. He wants me to enjoy his creation. But at the same time, when everything I do to plan a trip seems to fail, I have to remember that there may be a reason for that and that his timing is perfect. I may not be able to go right now but I will experience it sometime, I'm sure.

With that being said, if a trip opens up for me, I'd jump on the opportunity to go! If anyone is interested in a shoot (senior, portrait, engagement, or even a wedding) and you don't live in Virginia, I would be ecstatic to travel to your city and shoot you (you know, with my camera)! I would be forever grateful! If you know anyone, in Washington state or California, especially, who is looking for a photographer, let me know and I may be able to give you a bit of a discount on travel costs. :)

The keeper of the coconut. Ha! Not sure why we're holding it out like it's a trophy....