Fill the frame is the topic for week 3 of the dog photography 52 week project and I love this theme. I've always loved macro photography and last year I got the Nikkor 105mm micro lens. I'd read mixed things by other photographers about macros lenses but I love mine and I use it every session. (And I bought it used through B&H so I got a deal. Yay me!) 

However if I'm being honest, I haven't felt like getting my camera out much lately. I did snap a few photos of Moose this week but I feel like this was a halfhearted attempt and the results show. But when all is not right in my world, this guy sure helps to make me feel better.

Here are the reasons for my less than stellar state of mind. The last 4 weeks have been unexpected and not in a good way. Our yellow lab Willow died unexpectedly on December 15. She was fine the night of the 14th. I took her for a short stroll through our neighborhood and 12 hours later she was gone. We aren't really sure what happened but she went into cardiac arrest. 

I used to take her for at least 2 walks every day. For the past several months, she has opted to not go on our evening walk. I can't tell you how grateful I am to her for wanting to walk on that last night. I will treasure those moments forever.

She was my 4th lab. With the first 3, we had to make the decision to put them to sleep. That process is excruciating to navigate but at least I had time to mentally prepare myself. Time to say goodbye. The last time I saw Willow was when she was loaded into the back of my husband's car on the way to the vet. I didn't get to say goodbye to her. I didn't realize she was so sick otherwise I would have been gone with them. Dealing with the suddenness of losing her and the guilt of what signs she was showing that I missed have been really painful.

Then life threw us another curve ball 2 weeks later. Here's the long story: Over the summer I joined the Professional Photographers of America Association. The first year you join, you get to attend their conference called Imaging for free. I specifically joined this year because the conference was being held in Nashville and Nashville has been on my bucket list for years. I was excited to see some old photographer friends, meet new photographers whose names I know but have never met and to go to the expo and see all of the vendor's products. I wanted to add a few new products to offer my clients. I was also looking forward to a few days away. For those who don't know me, I love to travel and see new places. This was going to be a nice break.

However, my husband ended up in the hospital 8 days before I was supposed to leave. He was there for 6 days. Thankfully he is expected to make a full recovery but his getting sick was really scary for us and a guy who is at the gym 6 days/week. It also meant I canceled my trip to Nashville. It is going to take him some time to recover and we are hoping surgery isn't necessary for him to make a full recovery but we don't know yet. 

I am generally a pretty upbeat, look on the positive side of things, glass half full kind of person. So in an effort to try and salvage this depressing blog post and my less than positive mental state, here are a few quotes I've seen lately. Some that made me laugh and some that are how I try to look at life:

• Dear Stress, Let's break up. Sincerely, me
• If stressed burned calories, I'd be a supermodel.

• If you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining.

• The more you thank life, the more life gives you to be thankful for.

• Stop focusing on how stressed you and remember how blessed you are.

To read more uplifting posts and see what the others had to say about our Fill the Frame theme in our blog circle, go to Courtney at CM Bryson Photography, pet photographer serving metro Atlanta, Georgia. Be sure to click the link at the bottom of each post and you'll end up right back here. Here's to appreciating every day we have and to good health! :)