12/31/2025
Hello everyone! š
I wanted to check in and provide a quick update. Iāve been somewhat absent over the holidays, initially because I picked up extra shifts at my second job after my husband was unexpectedly let go from his company at the beginning of December. Then, I broke my phone just before Christmas, which couldnāt be repaired. This gave me the chance to finally switch carriers, something I had been postponing for over a year, but it also meant changing my internet gateway provider for my desktop. Itās been quite a hassle getting everything transferred and set up, and I sincerely apologize for any delay in my responses. The new internet equipment and phone arrived yesterday, the porting process is underway and as soon as it transfers over, I'll be working on logging back into everything as quickly as I can.
Iām currently catching up on a large number of emails and messages from the past week or so on the desktop. If you sent me anything in the last 10 days, and donāt hear back from me by Friday, please feel free to reach out againāI want to make sure I donāt miss anyone, as I canāt be certain all messages will come through during the switch to the new carrier and replacement phone. I also have no phone call records for this time, so if you called, I'm so sorry I missed you! I will catch up on any voice mails as well, just as soon as possible. My calls and text are not coming through just yet, but they have confirmed that everything is set and to give it 24-48 hours.
Iāve also been notified that a few recent gallery uploads might not have gone through properly during the transition, and Iām in the process of resubmitting those uploads. Please rest assured that all portraits are safe and were not affected in any way. It is strictly an internet issue. If youāve been expecting a gallery but havenāt received it yet, please contact me so I can update your link if needed.
Thank you so much for your patience and understandingāI really appreciate it and look forward to reconnecting soon! š¤
On a more personal and positive note, being without internet and social media gave me a few much-needed days to recharge! I worked most of Christmas Eve for the fourth year in a row, finishing holiday galleries from the previous week, and honestly hadnāt had a day off or a proper night of sleep in months. If I hadnāt lost access to everything, I would have worked on Christmas Day too, but instead, I completed a fun puzzle with my family and spent some time relaxing and enjoying the holiday. I also had time to plan a bit for the new year and reflect on the changes I believe are necessary to move forward successfully with my little business. 2026 will bring some significant changes, including faster gallery turnaround times, better advance notice of upcoming events, a more streamlined process and less burnout for me. However, it will also mean some changes to my package structure, and a more limited schedule to allow for time off, while still being flexible enough to accommodate unavoidable reschedules and last-minute sessions when possible. In the coming weeks, I will be sending out more information as well as a quick feedback form to many of you so that I can make sure the necessary changes still align with client expectations as we transition into this new chapter.
If you're still with me, thanks for reading this far. This has been a very trying year personally for me and my family, but I know God has a plan and I still believe this is part of his plan for me. I am beyond grateful every day for each and every one of you and the opportunity to capture memories for your family year after year. It's been a wonderful journey and I'm looking forward to seeing what is next. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you have a very happy new year! Hugs! Virginia
