2015

Happy New Year!

There’s something kind of refreshing about new years. Though I’ve never been big into the resolution thing, I like the idea that there’s a new year to try to make changes in your life, celebrate your accomplishments and embark on new adventures. Calendar years give a natural time stamp to the chapters of our lives and help remind us that we are constantly given a chance to better ourselves.

2014 was a year of immense change in our lives. We welcomed our first child into the world last January, giving us almost the entirety of 2014 to learn how to be parents. It’s been the biggest joy of my life to raise Jonathan and to co-parent him with Stephen. We have had to explore new sides of ourselves and our marriage during this time, and I have no doubt that we will continue to grow as Jonathan grows. He’s been an incredibly fun and easy-going child thus far and I know his little personality will continue to develop over the next year, raising new and exciting challenges for us, but also giving us new adventures and joys.

2014 also saw the beginning of a new phase in my life: small business owner. I never thought that I would actually start my own business and put myself out into the world like that, but Amanda Rabon Photography was born in September 2014. I started out with my brother and Ashleigh’s wedding and then came to end the year having done eleven family portrait sessions, one newborn session and two wedding sessions (one just of the getting ready portion). I feel proud of the work that I have done and also feel that I have learned a lot in the process. I hope to spend 2015 building my business, enjoying more photo shoots and learning more about my camera and chosen craft.

I have a few other goals for 2015 that are fairly standard: pay off debt, eat healthier, and lose weight. I’ve got plans in place to accomplish these goals, so hopefully they will be met with success. They feel a little blasé, I know, but they are still things that need to be done. I also hope to spend more time reading my Bible and being present.

On the blog front, I hope to be a more active blogger in the coming year. Later this month will bring Jonathan’s first birthday and there will no doubt be a post about it. I hope to be able to share his new statistics in this post, as well as his amazing new feats. I’m not sure that I will continue to do a monthly post once he’s past one. Maybe I’ll hit the milestones- 12 months, 18 months, etc. Or maybe I’ll just update periodically as I see fit.

I’m planning to bring back Thankful Thursdays in 2015. I believe there is a great deal of importance in being thankful for God’s blessings and sharing them via my blog helps me to be mindful of the everyday things that I so often take for granted. Keep an eye out for the first edition of Thankful Thursdays 2015 in just two days!

2015 has already had a milestone- our 8 year dating anniversary was January 1st (another great reason to love new years)! We will be celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary this April and that just fills my heart with so much joy and love for my husband. There’s something romantic about milestones. Or maybe I’m just a little crazy. Probably both.

2015 also has a lot of excitement building as plans are being formed with our friends and families. This will be a year with at least one wedding, at least two babies and hopefully many visits with those closest to us. Stephen might be running a half marathon this year. Jonathan will start walking and talking this year. And I’ll just be trying to keep up with these boys of mine!