I have been in a whirlwind lately, I don’t even know where to begin. My fiance, Jon, and I were talking today about the work I needed to do and I mentioned that I needed to blog more. Then he laughed and asked when the date of my last blog was, I didn’t really know I guessed a little while before we left around June 22 or so. He said that I didn’t need to blog more, I needed to blog period. So here I am beginning to blog (again) [period]
I almost don’t know where to begin, so much has happened. However, I will start with a song, a trip, an experience and a wedding rolled into one.
“Just Another Day in Paradise,” a song by Phil Vassar, was in my head the last two days in Jamaica. (July 6 and 7) It’s kind of an odd song to have in your head when you are actually in Paradise, as in the tropical form, because it really doesn’t have to do with that kind of paradise. But somehow throughout the day I said “another day in paradise” and it came out in the form of the melody. Although for two days I couldn’t remember any other the words other than:
“Well, it’s ok. It’s so nice
It’s just another day in paradise
Well, there’s no place that
I’d rather be”
And so in Jamaica that made sense. I was there for an amazing wedding-more of that in a moment, but running around barefoot in the sand taking photos of two wonderful people exchange their personal vows and sharing the love with their family and friends, there truly was no place I’d rather be. There are moments in your life when you stop and just thank the heavens that you are so blessed to live your life, and although I feel that way every time I photograph a wedding, this wedding was one of those moments and then some. It was one of those times you almost have to pinch yourself to know its real. Even Jon sensed it as he got to watch me work a wedding for the first time as he said, “You officially have the coolest job in the whole world.”
Well I returned home I found the song online and giggled at the funny video along with the other lyrics, as they now had another meaning. To me it was like that feeling that comes rushing back to you when you return from “vacation” or a “business trip” and realize its back to every day life and problems you have to deal with, along with extra ones that always seem to magically happen while you are away.
The song begins like this…
“The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills – overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower…”
Despite all the things that go wrong and all the day to day problems and daily life that you have to deal with, “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” After photographing two more weddings in Chicagoland this past weekend and get back to my day to day life, I realize how lucky I am, to live every day in Paradise.
So the reason I was in the tropical paradise was because two amazing people, Amanda and Nick got married! I think the deserve their own blog-and maybe a couple since we had a few days of photographs, but here is a preview of their ceremony on the beautiful beach of Negril, Jamaica. Here they are Just Married.
(click on image for larger view)
