"Change is good."

Yes, change is soooo good. On the eve of my 29th birthday and the eve-eve of my 3-month wedding anniversary, I'm doing alot of thinking about life change. We as humans like things to remain the same. Because Same-ness is nice and comfortable and eeeeaaasy. We like things that are easy to handle. ;) But the changes that I focus on as a photographer are the biggest-life-changes possible.

Weddings.
The beginning of a marriage.
The joining of two lives.
The starting of a family of two, instead of the individual unit of one.

And it's never been more real to me than right now.
The year of 2011 has been chock-full of dramatic, incredible life changes in my own life. When I blogged about A Time to Love on the first day of 2011, I didn't have the tiniest inkling of an idea that it would be *my* year to fall in love. I didn't know that meeting an old friend in a small Pennsylvania town on one wintry January day would be that defining moment of my life. I didn't know that we'd be "officially" dating less than two weeks after that... seeing each other in person three days after that for the first "official" first date of our relationship... talking of marriage&forever almost immediately. And so I knew.. Completely, wholly, unequivocally, without a doubt---I knew. I was going to marry this man.

Engaged one chilly and magical spring evening on the Potomac River. Wearing an amethyst-and-diamond sparkler on my finger..
And then married. Til death do us part. on August 6th, 2011.

And oh, how my life has changed. I used to live alone (unless you count Caspian the kitty)... now my husband is here. With me. Cuddling my kitty when I'm not looking. ;) I loved to cook, but didn't cook much Now. I cook alot. And Brandon loves it. :) Change for me looks like...Learning to wake up early and talk (this non-morning person of me is not a morning-talker). :D Spending quiet, calm, restful evenings at home. Saying "no" to busyness. Loving the little home tasks. Not driving anywhere. Sharing my thoughts. Listening so much. Married-date-nights. Being together. Caring about someone else more than me. Thinking of someone else. Ironing his clothes (never had to do this!). Packing two lunches instead of one. Facebooking less. Real-life-living more. Thinking in "US" and "WE," instead of "I" and "me." Change looks like, walking hand-in-hand always. Trying new coffee. Whispered endearments instead of long-distance phone calls. Change means planning for our future, making decisions together.... Living LIFE together.