Dallas Wedding Photographer – Catie Ronquillo Photographer » Organic Wedding Photography for Eclectic Couples

I narrowly missed her call.

Actually, I totally missed her call by a few seconds.

It was 10:30pm, and I knew I should get ready for bed, but I decided to call her back.

“Coucou,” she said, “ça va?”

Ah, the beautiful French language being spoken by my dear friend, Elana.

“Ouais, ça va, et toi?”

A few seconds of the almost foreign words rolling off my tongue, and I felt at home again.

My home, away from home, if you will.

And as we engaged in our conversation, and I struggled to conjure the right words in French, and would revert to a chopped up mixture of Franglais (French and English – but in French…similar to “Spanglish”), I realized I was losing it.

I need to speak more French. More often.

I need to not lose this amazing language that I once spoke daily. With ease. That now comes to me slower and slower.

Merci to Elana for calling me! Just the push I needed to get back in touch with my Lyon crew. So that we can chat en Français, and we can keep this beautiful language.

Anyone one reading this want to be my French buddy?

Bisous!

image found here. (Please leave a comment if you have the original source!)

It’s funny when epiphanies strike.

It’s never at a convenient time. It’s usually in the shower. Or while driving. Or, like today, while walking Kevin.

In high school, I was a nerd. Minus the pocket protector and broken glasses. But, if I had to choose a high school social group box to check off, I’d probably choose “Nerd” and if I was allowed a second box, “Art/Drama/Band Geek.” I graduated at the top of my class and when it came to academics, my competitive nature kicked into high gear.

However, nowadays, now that I’m running my own business and learning most things on the fly, I feel like I’m way slow. That girl that graduated second in her class and had no problem calculating a derivatives in Calculus? She’s gone. I feel like it takes me SO MUCH LONGER to learn.

And that’s where the epiphany comes in.

Don’t compare yourself to others. You are enough.

I’ve attended countless seminars and workshops about business and photography. I’ve read blogs and books galore. And yet, sometimes, I feel like some of things that I’ve learned take FAR TOO LONG to sink in and click into place. It’s like that missing puzzle piece. THAT’S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE.

A few months ago (OKAY, seriously, how are we already halfway through May?!) I wrote about wanting to write more authentically. About not being concerned about what others may think of me, without seeking the approval of anonymous eyeballs on the internet. Because this, right here? It’s mine. All mine. And if it doesn’t jive with you, that’s totally fine. Actually, it’s great. You can take your mouse and click away.

But it if does vibe with you, thank you. Thank you for sticking around and reading what rattles around in my head.

I spotted this on Pinterest a few months ago, and I always refer back to it.

Comparison is the thief of Joy.

It speaks so much truth.

I admit that I often find myself in that trap of comparing myself to other people and then starting to feel like I’m not enough. Like I don’t have enough. That I need what “they” have, whoever, “they” may be at the time.

I think it’s human nature to think like that. To look at what others have and want it. That small tinge of jealousy and desire that courses through our veins. It’s normal and natural, but I dare say that it’s not healthy.

I know that when I compare myself with others, I always walk away wishing, longing for what they have. Whether it’s more money, more clients, a nicer car, a nicer house, nicer home decor, a nicer computer, nicer photo equipment, and the list can go on and on. We want what we don’t have.

But I’ve come to this understanding. There will always be someone out there who has more. And there will always be someone out there who has less. And I need to remember, every day, even if I have to chant it to myself, that, “I am enough. I have enough. I am thankful for what I have.”

Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

I think it’s important to remember to be thankful for what we do have.

I may not have a flashy car, or a McMansion, designer purses, or a $50,000 gear setup. I’m not the best, most epically talented photographer, I’m not a gazillionaire, and I’m not super fashionable or an artsy hipster.

But what I have in my life: my husband, my family, my faith, my home, and now our dog, clients that I adore and I know that I have enough.

I am happy. I am humbled. And I know that more material things could never replace my blessings.

But why is it that I sometimes fall back into the trap of comparison? I think that I forget about what I do have. I allow outside influences to push me to think in one way or another. But I just need to remember that I am enough.

And YOU are enough.

No matter where you are in life, what you do, what you have, you are enough to make things happen. To change your life. To do big things. It may not be packaged with a pretty bow or happen as you’d like, but you have what it takes. No matter what anyone else says.

So take a moment to say “Thanks,” for what you have and go out there and make it happen.

Replace comparison with gratitude instead.

Happy Tuesday!

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I can’t even begin to describe how much I love this little guy. Cent loves him, too.

His name is Kevin, and he’s about 9 months old.

I had been thinking about getting a dog for a while, but there were parts of me that were hesitant and scared. Scared to give up the freedom of not having to worry about anyone but each other. Hesitant about having to be responsible for another life. But another part of me felt ready. And Cent said that I could get a dog “any time,” so I had the green light.

I had been stalking the Dachshund Lovers of Texas website and Facebook page for a while. And when I saw Kevin’s picture pop up, I knew that he was going to be ours. I hoped so at least. I finally pulled the trigger and submitted an adoption application.

Kevin’s original name was Fiasco. I’m not sure if his previous owner named him after the music artist, Lupe Fiasco, or if they thought him to be a fiasco. From the sounds of his story, it may be the latter. He was an owner surrender to a shelter in South Dallas, which means his owner didn’t want him anymore. How anyone could give up this ball of cuteness is beyond me, but I’m thankful because it means that we got to adopt him!

Although we’ve had to make some minor life adjustments (sleeping schedules, going out for potty breaks, and daily walks), I wouldn’t trade him for the world. He’s the best dog, fun, excited (he’s still a puppy), but also pretty calm as long as he knows he’s got someone around. I’m thinking that he was left alone a lot in his previous home and has some separate anxiety issues.

I now have a 9lb shadow who follows me around all day. My heart breaks a little when I have to crate him if I leave the house and he can’t come. But he really is such a sweet dog and it super attached to me. I’m super attached to him, too.

Kevin is named after the bird in the movie Up. And if you’ve never seen Up, get yourself the movie, stat! We were originally wanting to get a girl dog and name her Kevin…like the line in the movie. (Watch it again if you don’t know what I’m referring to!)