It's Been a While... is an Understatement!

February, 2022.

I am 39 years old.

My last blog post on here was... November 2011.

In November 2011, I lived in a pub with my other half, and worked in the same office job I had been in since 2004 (which I hated).  We had two dogs and no children.  I was in my late twenties.

I've had a blast re-reading my old blog.  It has reminded me of who I used to be, that young girl who loved to create more than life itself.  

Today, just over ten years later, I'm still that creative.  It still drives me every day.  I am now a graphic design student, in my second year of studying for a degree.  I love every day.  I have two children aged 5 and 8 who are simply wonderful and sweet and honestly everything I ever wanted in children.

I ended up back here because of Tara.  You know Tara.... the California based photographer who I found circa 2008 and who inspired me in so many ways.  Ways that quite honestly changed my life.  Ways that still shape who I am to this day.  For some reason last night, I began re-reading all of her blog posts and that took me back to my life from ten years ago.  I started searching for images of my life and found my old blog....  

I want to restart it. Rereading Tara's blog rekindled something in me.. a desire to be more of who I was back then, more of who I thought I would be as a parent of young children.  The stages of her life in those blog posts from 2010 are the stages my life is in now - juggling children and a home and a relationship and school stuff and creative endeavours.... and I am Here. For. It.

And honestly... finding my old blog is a bit of a thrill for me.  An insight into days and thoughts I've long forgotten.  These days I use my instagram to record our lives but it's not quite as detailed as a full blog post and series of images.

And the camera.  The camera.  I recently used my Nikon for the first time in many, many years, for a college project.  Nothing that exciting - just some boots I designed.  But oh.... the thrill of the photo.  The buzz of excitement when you look on the screen and see the image in all it's glory.  The shallow depth of field and the colours and the sharpness.  Something an iPhone camera just can't deliver.  And I vowed to use it more.  And last night, looking at beautiful photos on Tara's blog... I felt that same desire again that USE IT MORE.  

So here I sit.  About to go and get out the Nikon, charge the battery, clean the lens.  Put it in my bag.  Take it to the park, the school run, the days out.

I include here an image of myself and my family, in California in 2019.  Taken by Tara Whitney herself.  Three years ago, my children aged 2 and 5.  Long before any pandemic or lockdowns.... it was an amazing amazing experience.  Covid, not so much!

Welcome back to your blog Sarah.