INFJ .  Those letters represent bit of my personality.  I fit into 1% of the population which makes an INFJ the rarest of all types. Maybe it makes me “weird”! :) I am okay with that!  We are considered “protectors”. . .supposedly I share this rare personality with people like Oprah, Mel Gibson, Mother Theresa, Plato & Mr. Darcy.  One positive with having this type personality is that I genuinely care with a deep passion for others.  One negative is that I have a hard time “letting go” as I am a protector. I also have a hard time with open-ended decisions.

So this morning I am trying my best to take deep breaths & let go. I am struggling. I am walking around aimlessly in a fog & not able to concentrate. My sweet, Emily Joy, got up at 3:00 a.m., got on a plane in Wenatchee and is currently sitting at Seatac for the next few hours waiting to board a plane for California. . . .with a one-way ticket.  I have an amazing peace knowing that she is doing what God has planned for her life, but that doesn’t seem to dull the sadness.

Emily has become one of my very best friends. She is the first person I think of when I have something to share. She understands things that others in my life just don’t get. She makes me laugh. (And, yes, she did make me cry. . .when she was 13. . .for those moms out there with 13 year old daughters, just know that you will get through it!! :))  Just yesterday while seeing her brother’s afro-hair (our poor stylist broke her leg, so my boys are much overdue for a haircut!), she wittily stated “add some powdered sugar and you could sit on the British Parliament”.  She is full of depth, yet hilarious at the same time. I always wonder what is going on in that amazing head of hers.  (**As I wrote this, a new blog post she wrote popped up. . .if you read it, you’ll see what I am talking about!!  www.becauseyoushine.wordpress.com)

One of the greatest gifts God has ever given me is my sweet girl. The blessing of sharing the same passions is a true present. She has been with me since my very first wedding in 2010. Every wedding I have had the honor of being part of, Emily was right there beside me. We work like clock work. . .we are better together than apart!  I have such amazing memories of the early mornings heading to a wedding. . .grabbing a Starbucks on the way and praying together for the wedding day and for our bride and groom.  And the late nights heading home blasting music and singing at the top of our lungs. Attending photography conferences such as WPPI, United, Pursuit 31 and For the Love together are memories that will always be treasured.  I sit here in tears knowing that it is all an overwhelming gift from our Heavenly Father.  I thank Jesus for all the memories. . .

Humbly, nervously, & excitedly, Emily is heading to California to spend time with some amazing families who are also photographers. She knows that the next chapter in her life, God is calling her to pursue photography passionately. I am so excited for her as she is beginning a new stage of her life!  A time where she embraces photography as her own. A time where she can see a beautiful area of our country. A time when she  learn and grow while being with people have opened up their home to invest in her life.

I love you, my sweet Emily Joy! The past 18 years with you have truly been a joy (maybe not the hour of you screaming “I want my balloon” when you were two! :) ) & I am so thankful that God chose you as my daughter and friend. I don’t take our time & relationship for granted. I know it is a gift! You are one of my greatest blessings I have ever been given. I missed you the second you stepped out the door, I missed the smells coming from the kitchen last night, but I really just miss knowing that we can’t hang out together.  Having a built in best friend living with you is something not everyone gets to experience.

When you land in San Luis Obispo tonight, get off that plane and just be Emily! Have fun! Embrace your time to the fullest! Learn a lot so that when you come home, we can be an even better team giving our clients the best we can! Ask questions. Take a lot of pictures.  Enjoy the sunshine!  Bless those you are with. Your servant’s heart is something that you were born with. . .share it with others. Keep writing & sharing your journey and thoughts with the rest of us!  I love you, my precious daughter. Thanks for being my friend!

**Images taken by Isaac Wall. . .I can see that God is providing me a backup second shooter if Emily decides to stay in California awhile! :)