What a special day this day was last spring of 2021! But there's a little back story first….
Believe it or not, I've been self employed for the last 10 years but it didn't start with photography. My now husband (fiancé at the time) and I had just bought our first home in Philly and were in the midst of planning our wedding. I had recently left my corporate job in Connecticut after relocating and was determined to start something that could produce an income that was more conducive to our military lifestyle. So, I found a niche in the the wedding world creating decor, invitations, etc. It was also at the same time that etsy was becoming a thing and there were all sorts of groups you could start and join and be members of. Hence how I met this wonderful lady. We had both joined a group and became lead members of said group, called 'Etsy Military Wives'…which consisted of military wives that had shops on etsy. The rest became history as we became facebook friends and watched from afar our lives go from one station to the next. 10 years of virtual friendship and it wasn't until 2019 when we moved to Virginia that we were finally in the same state and just a short drive away.
It's easy to connect with others when you recognize that you're in the same seasons of life…and that's how I view the Hollars. While this retirement happened almost a year ago, I've been living vicariously through Valerie since then. I couldn't help but be emotional this day, recognizing how much has been sacrificed to just get to this point in one's life. Such a milestone, a bittersweet one at that. Excitement for a new chapter that isn't dictated by the military. A forever home. A place your children can make lifelong friends. But unchartered waters are always scary…It's safe to say that they did a phenomenal job holding it together during the ceremony and safe to say that retirement life is looking good on them now! I can't wait until it's our turn :)
