I’ve felt the Lord asking for more room in my heart for a long time now. More room for others, for commitment to people, for routine that involves reaching out more than I reach in.

It can be easy to think of only me me me when I work alone. It can be easy to stay self-centered when there’s no one else asking for my attention. It can be easy to get caught up in my little world when I’m the only one around.

 

In early 2015, about a year into doing photography full time, I knew I needed consistency in my second photographer for weddings. You might remember that I asked this little corner of the internet to help me find one person to be with me for the entire 2015 wedding season – and you guys were on board to help from the very beginning!

From the first email she sent, I knew Liz was the one for the gig. We’d met a few months earlier when she was assigned to my room for Rise Up Calgary; she was the “random” roommate.

It became apparent very quickly that the addition of Liz to my team was much more than the original one-wedding-season-intern plan I’d had. We connected from the get go & 2015 was one crazy year full of being stretched & learning to ask for help & offering to share life with someone so new.

At the end of the 2015 season I’d already decided to move to Calgary. I wanted to keep Liz, but as we looked at what our schedule was like (#yeswewilltravelforyourwedding is a way of life, y’all) it became apparent that living in two different cities wasn’t the most ideal situation. So, Liz agreed to move with me to Calgary for the summer before her last year of university!

And I kid you not, that woman saw me in every emotion I’ve ever experienced. Moving, travelling, sorting through life all while shooting weddings; it was a roller coaster to say the least & Liz was wholeheartedly invested in the ride. She’s seen me at my best & my worst, loving me through them & even the mundane in-betweens. If there was ever someone who actively showed their support of me & this call the Lord has placed on my life – she’s right up there with the best of ‘em.

I’ve learned that if I want to be living fully alive I need to be paying attention to how God is speaking to me. He’s used Liz to show me incredible love & loyalty for two years now. My ability to tell stories has undoubtedly improved because of Liz’s close presence in my life. I’m more creative, have wider margins to connect with people, and have made writing a priority because Liz took on responsibilities I didn’t need to keep doing.

So, naturally, the dream to keep Liz forever & ever began a loooong time ago.

Liz will be graduating this spring & since everyone is asking what she’s going to do when school’s done, I figured we should let y’all in on the news:

Liz will be joining my business FULL TIME!!

 

(Imagine confetti flying EVERYWHERE & plenty of dancing happening in my kitchen, y’all).

We upgraded her from intern to assistant last summer and while her job title won’t necessarily change (although we’re open to suggestions) she will indeed be doing a heck ton more work for me and our clients from now on! If I felt more creative, more able to take on my role as an artist & storyteller last summer with Liz doing what she did then, I can only imagine the fruit that’s going to come from being able to share the business end of responsibilities with her this year!

She even has a new email address for the gig, you guys. Send Liz a little note to say hello here: liz@laura-anne.ca

 

Liz & I are so, so excited for what the Lord has in store. For us as individuals, for us as a team, for all the couples whose weddings we’re photographing.

To all of you who prayed alongside me for the perfect fit two years ago: thank you.

To all of you who cheer us on now: thank you.

Everything we are for the Kingdom’s cause.

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