GRATEFUL…

HAPPY 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO MY LOVE!

As we celebrate our anniversary setting up for Art in the Park I just want to give the biggest shout out to my husband. Zach you’re my number one supporter, my teammate, my best friend - happy 10 years babe! We’ve grown so much individually and together over the years and I'm so lucky to do life with you! Thanks so much for believing in me and my art, for working with me to document weddings, being my technical guru/researcher/my personal I.T. man, for working so hard for your family, for helping me setup art festivals, for cheering for me when I’m up and for lifting me up when I’m down, for encouraging me to chase my dreams… and of all the things, most importantly for being the most amazing dad to our baby girl! You’re the best. I am beyond grateful for you, for us, and for the life we're living!

I cannot believe we're already celebrating 10 years of marriage, that we’ve been in Iowa 8, and that our baby girl will walk into kindergarten next week! The days are long, but the years short is a total understatement!

Eight years ago my husband and I took a major leap.

Zach and I packed up and moved 1000 miles from my home state of North Carolina to rural northeast Iowa!

We knew a handful of faces before we moved and we had faith it would be a fun adventure.  We’d both be starting new in a small town, but we felt connected to the land, to his family’s history in our old farmhouse, and I was instantly inspired in northeast Iowa. The first time I ever laid eyes on northeast Iowa I fell in love with the wildflowers and rolling landscape - perfect for painting and a gorgeous backdrop for photography!

When we made the leap we were both blessed to be welcomed and friended by some amazing human beings, awesome mentors, a wonderful church family, and I even met several artists right away, too! I can’t tell you how important those early friendships and partnerships were in forming the direction and flow of our life since. We really are lucky to live in such an amazing community.

I’m so grateful we’re getting to raise our little family in this beautiful countryside surrounded by such amazing people.  I just wanted to say thanks to each of you for loving on us and welcoming us to Iowa (and to those who continue to support us from afar!), for supporting our businesses and our little family – what an incredible adventure it has been and excited for every day to come…

And to our precious Kindergartener …

Stay strong, love big, pray out loud, be kind, forgive, and never get too old to play in the rain. ♥ We love you baby girl!

Hugs and prayers to all of you sending your babies off to school this year!
I see you and I’m sitting here with a lump in my throat and gratitude in my heart!
xoxo
Jillian
Wife/Mama/Artist/Photographer/Dreamer

PS Hope you’ll come see me soon at The Collective and
this weekend at Art in the Park 2021 in Elkader, Iowa!

ART IN THE PARK
SAT AUG 21, 10 to 5
SUN AUG 22, 10 to 4