Whew! What a year! My first full year of living on my own and it was amazing!!!! Started off slower which was good for what all was coming up!
I headed to the Dominican Republic in Feb and it just so happened to be right after a former student and guy that I had photographed a year before was killed in a car accident. I headed down at just the right time I felt to be a support for my aunt and uncle as well as his girl friend who headed down there for comfort.. it was a hard time but SOOO needed!
In March I headed out with my family on a trip to South Carolina we stayed in Myrtle Beach and Charleston which I happily found to be one of THE most amazing places Ive ever been too! I think my mouth was open the entire time! ha!
In the summer I ended up doing 6 different 10 day internships with a total of 20 girls that I trained up! It was incredible, life changing, and tiring!! I love it more than anything else! So many dance parties, music videos, and photoshoots that were had! It was BRILLIANT! And I loved getting to know so many amazing people and have them live with me all in one summer! Whew!
In the middle of all that I shot several weddings back in Chicago as well as took a much needed trip out to California with a couple friends and road-tripped up highway 1 which blew my mind!
We as a family headed up to Minnesota late July for my cousins wedding! The first on my moms side! And I'm the next one down..no pressure at all ehh?? haha! It was a beautiful time!
The last trip I took was again to California to shoot a beautiful wedding in Sacramento on an island at a big historical mansion! FOR SURE a highlight!!
And after finishing the last internship of the year in October I hibernated....as I litterally didn't really take any time off the entire summer! In that time I made a ton of friends who live around or in my building...its like my Nashville family and its been so wonderful to have this community...especially since I'm used to having soooo many people around me at all times! We've had many parties, ice cream socials, and late night talks and it was just what this addicted to people person needed!! ha! Through it all though Ive learned that I cant have extreme of anything! And learning to balance everything has been a challenge but I guess thats what growing up really is huh??
If you want to know even MORE about me...
Birth date: 07-14-1987
Instruments: A little bit of bass and piano and started learning guitar this year
Time of the year: Definitely early FALL because its just the perfect temperature!
Time of day: Whenever the sun rises
Vacation spot: Caberete, Dominican Republic
Movies/documentaries: 500 Days of Summer
Scent: My condo..nothing beats the new construction smell!
Drink from Starbucks: Chai eggnog latte
Historical figure: William Wilburforce, George Washington Carver, and Jackie Kennedy.
Food: Sushi and Mexican
Restaurant: PM, Samurai Sushi and El Mariachi
Country: Australia - haven't been there but its number one on the list!
What was your best vacation? Probably a 16 day trip to LA, Santa Barbara, Beverly Hills, and Nashville...all at once.
Quote: The World is Waiting for You.
Hobbies: Finding the best chocolate chip cookie in the world. Spending time with people
Do you work or own a business? Yeah! I've owned my own photography company for 5 years now!
Color: Green and blue and black
Sound: The trains out my window.
Love Language: Quality Time and Words of Encouragement
Style: Hipster, Vintage, with a little modern.
Word: Vision.
Most overused phrase? AWESOME! and TOTALLY! and SHUT UP.
Nicknames: Sar, Lil Baby Barlow, Chola
Place to surf the web: Twitter and People.com
What just makes you laugh so hard? Pretty much anything, Brian Regan, Beka Hardt, myself.
Is there something you have dreamed of doing for a long time? Falling in Love.
What do you most value in friendships? Time, deep purpose driven talks, strong faith, and being able to have WAAAAY to much fun together!
What did you want to be when you grew up and has that changed, really? A nurse and an architect....yep...definitely not into the blood or the crazy math that those took! I'm still HIGHLY interested in everything about houses...but I know that will be incorporated more into my future somehow!
Favorite book of the year? Church Shift by Sunday Adelaja
Most played on the ipod? 500 Days of Summer soundtrack, Chris Brown, Hillsong United, Beyonce.
Any big changes this year? My social life was improved by 100% because I learned finally how to balance work and fun! I have some of the bestest friends ever!
Wish for this next year? That I am closer to Jesus than ever before and I truly know Him and Who He is.
Was this year challenging? Yeah to some extent. It was draining more than anything cause during the summer I literally didnt stop. But beyond that its been a dream!
Random Fact: I look almost identical to Leigh Nash the main singer from Sixpence None the Richer and always get mistaken for her around here since she lives nearby...she even told me that we look exactly alike when I met her this year.
Best movie of the year? The Blind Side
Song of the year? Kiss Me through the Phone - Soulja Boy tell em
What is your favorite memory of the year? Jumping in the pool with all our clothes on then getting covered with ketchup by friends cause of a prank we pulled.
Most important thing you learned this year? That taking things into my own hands rather than trusting God isn't so smart.
Sarah Anne Barlow