Those of you who follow me on Facebook may have seen the contest I recently held.  My goal was to reach 1,600 likes on my Facebook page through my fans.  Anyone who "liked" my page, could earn an entry for a free mini session by doing several different things to help promote Beth Cox Photography.  Sharing the page, sharing a specific post and tagging friends all earned one entry as long as my 1,600 goal was met.  The response was great and I loved seeing so many people think enough of myself and my work to tell their little corner of the social media word about Beth Cox Photography.  I'm not a huge company with a huge budget and tons of marketing opportunities.  I'm Eric's wife and Jase and Lyndlee's mom.  I'm the crazy gal who left her steady income, insurance and cushy 401K providing job of 19 years to follow her dreams.  I'm a one woman show and I just don't have the means to sink an astronomical amount of money into marketing my business.  After investing in the equipment and software I needed to follow my dream, I just about broke the bank and have had to rely on my work, my clients, my support system and God to keep myself afloat.  I'll be honest and say that a lot of days it's down right hard and I question my decision to leave a life of certainty and jump into something so full of "what ifs", but I'm giving it my all and I'm so grateful for those of you who are helping me to build what I truly hope to one day be a business that thrives for many years to come.  Photography is my bread and butter, so as much as I'd love to do a session for everyone for free, the reality of it is, I can't.  What I can do, though, is from time to time throw out a little contest like this last one I did, to at least give someone a little token of my appreciation! The winner, Lisa Gilman, was not a client of mine and we did not know each other.  This combination allowed me to meet someone new and hopefully gain a client in the future! I met up with Lisa and her husband Monty in our hometown of Clinton.  We began to chat... and in true small town fashion, quickly realized I have relatives who are related to some of their relatives.  (That makes sense, right?!?!) Lisa and Monty were a ton of fun!  While I didn't get an exact number, I did find out that it had been YEARS since these two had professional photos taken.  It was at that moment that my heart really felt all warm and fuzzy about Lisa being the winner of the contest! This wonderful couple, happily married for years with their own family, hadn't taken the time out of life's craziness to get pictures of just the two of them.  Often times we're so busy in life, we forget to stop and document the moments and relationships that mean so much to us.  In the beginning before life gets too crazy, people seem to make pictures a priority... but then life happens and kids come!  After that, it seems like Mom and Dad put themselves on the back burner and the pictures of them become scarce.  And even more scarce... pictures that are scheduled for just the two of them! No matter what stage in life you're at, I encourage you to slow down for just a minute, enjoy each other and get some pictures taken!  Even if it's not me that you ask.  Ask your kids, your friend, your sister... heck, ask another photographer. I just want you to get some pictures taken! Life happens so fast and things change so quickly... you'll love having memories to look back upon! Lisa and Monty, I hope some of these images will replace much older ones on your walls, or maybe get their own special spot in a beautiful new frame. I hope you'll share prints of these images with your family and friends.  And I hope when you look at these images, you're reminded of this day and smile. I also hope that maybe, for at least a few minutes, I made the two of you feel like newlyweds again! <3