Life got crazy and I neglected this little creative outlet, but alas, I am back! Where has the past year gone since we became parents?! Our daughter, Sybil, just turned ONE! I am in awe of her everyday and truly have no idea where time has gone. It feels like just yesterday that she was born and we were preparing to leave our home in Spokane WA for a few months while Duke completed a stateside deployment in South Carolina. Little did we know at the time, we would never really live in that home again – another bittersweet chapter closing.

We are saying goodbye to our life on the west coast and OFFICIALLY moving back east. Following the end of Duke’s deployment in 2024, we were able to take a few months of leave to spend in our hometown in Virginia with family. We feel so blessed that Sybil has been able to spend the majority of her first year of life surrounded by our loved ones in the place that means so much to us.

One of the biggest milestones for our family—we bought a house in our hometown! I still have to pinch myself to believe it’s real. Owning a place in the Shenandoah Valley has always been a dream, something we talked about as a “one day” goal—“one day when we’re older,” “one day when we retire,” and so on. But God’s hand was all over this, and it’s so comforting to feel one step closer to putting down roots in the place we plan to settle.

For now, while we’re still moving around with the Air Force, our home is listed on Airbnb. Our community in Woodstock is growing, and it’s so exciting to be part of the local tourism scene. I absolutely love hosting visitors, sharing recommendations, and introducing people to my favorite places—the same ones I grew up going to. It’s funny how you don’t fully appreciate how special a place is until you leave.

So, if you’re ever visiting Woodstock, Virginia—I’ve got the perfect place for you to stay! Airbnb Link – The Woodstock Rancher

And while we’re talking about my hometown, I have to settle something once and for all. You know that iconic song everyone sings—Country Roads by John Denver? The one with the chorus:

“Country roads, take me home,
To the place I belong,
West Virginia, mountain momma…”

Well, here’s the thing—this song is NOT about West Virginia. It’s about Western Virginia. Yep, the Shenandoah Valley. He literally sings about the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River. Just saying.

We knew that summer of 2025 would bring another move, and we are so excited that father Air Force placed us closer to our family! We will be headed to Middle Georgia, specifically Warner Robins, in June. I am so excited to unpack, and get settled into a new routine as a family. We have been separated from the majority of our homegoods for the past year, and I am giddy at the thought of being reunited with my KitchenAid mixer, haha.

I plan to immerse myself in the local photography community as soon as possible and look forward to connecting with fellow professionals and scheduling sessions. While I am still booking weddings, my priorities have shifted since having Sybbie, making weekends together as a family more important than ever. As a result, I am being highly selective with the weddings I take on and have been focusing more on family portraits. Lately, in-home sessions have been filling my cup, and I look forward to continuing to capture those meaningful moments.

We have a busy spring of work trips, personal trips, and the biggest event — my sister’s wedding! Follow along on Instagram for a closer peek at the chaos!

See you in Georgia!

xo,

Lauran