41 and Fabulous

This is me; 40+ and fabulous. Just like you, perhaps.

My milestone 40th birthday came and went last summer with a fun party and a few laughs. I knew the big day was coming so I felt prepared, which made it kind of no big deal. I still feel great, but I just turned 41 this week and it has started to sink in that I’m a “mature” woman from here on out.

My kids are now 12 and 14. They don’t need nearly as much attention as they used to. I have time to run a business, be a great mom, and a great wife. I feel so lucky to have a chance to do it all! Now that I have enough sleep and a little extra time to do all these things, I’ve started to appreciate myself and put myself a little higher on the list of priorities.

Last week, I decided to buy myself some makeup. I ran out of foundation a few years ago and never re-stocked it. I had one eyeliner pencil, one little eyeshadow compact, and a dried out tube of mascara. For a long time it’s been no big deal – I could make it work. But I reached a new point in my life. My daughter is entering high school, and I haven’t given much thought to makeup since she entered the world in 2003! I want to model self-respect and pride, and work with her to present herself in the world the way she wants to be seen.

I booked an appointment at an Aveda store for a facial and makeup demonstration. The last time I had makeup applied by someone other than myself was at my wedding in 1999! I enjoyed the experience of pampering myself, and learning a bit about the modern world of cosmetics and skin care. I finally had a chance to learn what “mineral makeup” is all about! That whole craze came on the scene during a time when I had no bandwidth to take it in.

This experience has reminded me that I’m important. I’m worth taking care of. I know this mentally – I’ve talked about shining your light through photography for many years. But it was a chance to walk the walk, and I’m so glad I did it.

I’d like to offer a similar experience to you through portrait photography. I can bring in a stylist to make you look amazing, and I’ll photograph you feeling alive and full of pride! When is the last time you dressed yourself up? When’s the last time you were photographed? Was it your wedding? Your high school senior portraits? I want to photograph you looking and feeling your best. Down the road, your kids will look for pictures of you. What will they find?