this week in Instagrams (and some thoughts)

I'm sitting here and I sound like a broken record but I really can't believe that it's September. I was thinking about my life as of lately in terms of a timeline and I really can't believe it! To put things in perspective, this time last year, I was working a 7AM - 5PM office job. I hadn't started E.M. Ricchini Photography yet and lark&lace wasn't even a twinkle in my eye. Matter of fact, I was so far out of the blogging community that I hadn't even stumbled upon Elsie's blog yet. Fast forward to today: I am in shock! I feel like Pennsylvania has been my home for so long yet today is the "exactly two months" point. I haven't even had this blog for six months yet and it is SUCH a huge part of my life. I'm beginning to become solidified in my business and seeing it open more doors for me. I feel like there are so many things on the horizon and I'm only seeing one small piece of the big picture right now. I can honestly say that it was not like this a year ago. I was in a completely different place. I'm not going to be dramatic and say "I was depressed" but I was only just getting by. I had all of these visions and pieces of ideas but no articulation or visionary skills. I'm not against the nine to five life (or in my case, seven to five-- insane!) but I can say that for me, it brought me to a very dark place. The monotony, the repetition, it was toxic. I did, however, learn so much about running a business. (More so what not to do and how not to treat employees but I am a firm believer that God puts people in our life sometimes to show us how not to act and for that, I am thankful.) I always have thoughts like this at the start of every September. Could be that "back to school" vibe in the air, could be that September marks my birthday, could be that a few years ago, there was a significant death in my family in September that shook me to the core. It's all of these things, I think. Septembers past have brought and will continue to being changes in my just like the autumn brings changes to the leaves. This year is the first that I'm not "scared." I should be, considering I'll be 21 and there are so many uncertainties! My graduating class will be graduating college this year, something that I won't be experiencing but something that truthfully does not bother me in the slightest. My plans always included me being engaged and soon-to-be-married around 21, which is something that I know as a fact will not be happening any time soon, but I'm not worried. I don't know if it's maturity or if it's trust for The Big Guy and His perfect plan, but whatever it is, I can't wait to see what this September has in store. Bring it on.

xo, e.m.