I know I said I wasn't going to be back until December, but the Carolina Renaissance Festival is over (will be updating the album shortly with the last few photos) which means I'm down a job and have a little bit more of an open schedule.  I love the Festival, believe me, and seeing it end for the season fills me with bittersweet emotions as I am glad for another successful season, but I'm still sad to see it go.  Although I have plans to do a blog update on the CRF, there's something else on my mind currently and I wanted to share.

I've often said that there is nothing more important than family.  As a photographer I do try find a balance between my home life and my work life that allows me to spend time with my family whenever I can.  Granted these past few months I've worked non-stop, but I do appreciate it when I can. 

Ten years ago this year, I was living in Macon, GA.  My wife at the time was active duty in the Navy, and we had decided as a couple that I was going to move to Macon (where we said we were going to live after she got out) and I was going to setup house and get things ready.   That was the plan anyway.

What ended up happening was that I got down to Macon to this little 2 story house that had been converted into 4 one bedroom apartments.  The floor in ours was sagging so badly I didn't dare put the bed up over it.  I slept on the couch.  I found a part-time, minimum wage job working for Suncoast (to which I'll be eternally grateful to Tim and Wes for giving me the opportunity to work with them), but which really didn't pay any bills.  By the time I got the job, I was living off of canned vegetables that I had brought down with me, and 2 Pot Pies a day.  At only $.50 a piece, it's actually not bad.

At the time I was under the impression that my wife couldn't get liberty for the Thanksgiving so I was stuck in the apartment by myself, with only my cat for company.  I decided to splurge that day.  I went and sold plasma for a couple bucks, and I splurged on a frozen TV Turkey Dinner.  Sadly, the $1.30 I spent on that dinner was in fact splurging.  It cut a huge hole in my very diminished budget, but it was Thanksgiving, and that dinner felt like a feast.  I even gave Crescent, my cat, some of the turkey. 

Fast forward a few months...the Friday after Valentine's Day to be precise, and I got an unexpected visit from my wife.  She was dropping off the divorce papers.  I also found out in the aftermath, that she had actually gotten off for Thanksgiving.  She was at her aunt's house.  About 30 minutes away.  I simply had been forgotten. 

A lot has changed over the past ten years, much of it for the better.  I am in a better place, with better people, and that is what I'm most thankful for.

Now, I don't tell this story to you for sympathy, or out of regret.  I tell this story to all of you to show you why family is so important to me.  I also share it in hopes that if I don't answer my phone today you will understand why and not hold it against me.  I'll be spending the day with my family, both by blood and by choice, and I hope you'll be spending time with your own family. 

Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.  May your hearts and stomachs be full. 

Editor's Note: For anyone that wants to call me after the holiday, please feel free.  I avoid Black Friday shopping like the plague so I will be by the phone, and I am offering some sweet end of the year deals.  Remember, shop small this Saturday.