Here they are - some images that snapshot the year 2014. How do I even describe the (almost) past 365 days? 2014 was one of the most trying, flustered, astonishing, spine-tingling years I've experience in my 23 and 1/2 years of life.
Without a doubt, this year pushed me past the brink of insanity and was a struggle. I can say that this was one of the hardest years on our marriage as James struggled with the military and fighting to earn his right to good mental treatment. I struggled as a wife, completely unsure of how to be supportive at times and unaware of what I could do to help. We tumbled through instability for the better half of the beginning of 2014, knowing that we "would" be on our way back home, but without any kind of date or indication. And the instability only continued when he finally did get out as we packed up the car and moved across the country with no home, no jobs, and him not registered for school. If we both have learned any life lessons from our time associated with the military, it's that you need to roll with the punches and have faith that things will work out... eventually.
Which, they did. His schedule worked out, I found a job that allows me to not only support my financial needs for school, but also that I enjoy going to every day, and we found a beautiful, incredible spacious house that we get to call home for the next 1-2 years. Our relationship has improved exponentially - I can't stress that enough or write this without tears in my eyes. I've been so blessed to be gifted with an abundant amount of strength and patience, to be born a fighter. I was always told that one of my biggest assets as a soccer player was that I never gave up and that when I got knocked down by someone, no matter their size or how hard I got hit, I got right back up and fought back. You never realize what you're capable of until you're pushed - and I've been pushed. We've been pushed.
But this year has been so incredibly beautiful. I'll be the first to tell you that it's not the atmosphere or surroundings that make somewhere home, it's the people. We've been gifted to know some truly remarkable people, to meet so many knew ones, and to call some of them friends. Even in California, where the sun shines every day and the beach is almost my backyard, my heart hurts for New York because of our friends. If you're a friend that we knew in New York, know that I truly consider you family and our door is always open to you. That welcome mat is aimed at you! I couldn't have survived happily up there without the people.
My photography really took off this year. I was booked up A LOT in our last months in New York and the majority of my work happened in that short time period. Again, my heart hurts for that snowy abyss because I found something I am truly passionate about - photographing homecomings. There's nothing like the raw, uncensored emotion that you see. I've had a lot of people tell me that my photos bring them to tears and all I can say is that they even bring me to tears and it has nothing to do with my skill. There were many times where I choked back tears behind my camera, holding them back so I didn't miss a moment. I never did, because it was just too good to not capture.
I also photographed a lot of firsts! I captured my first maternity shoots, another subject that I've fallen in love with and I hope that, one day, I'm able to be a birth photographer and capture that. I shot my first wedding and realized that I DEFINITELY am not a wedding photographer, but I fell in love with it at the same time because it was for a dear, dear friend who I've known since childhood.
We added two new furry members to our family! We welcomed Penelope to the house in February and Talos soon followed at the end of April. Penelope, or "Peach," absolutely flourished when she came home with us and we soon discovered that she is a miniature me. James constantly points out our similarities, often saying how we make the same noises, have the same mannerisms, and even have the same spicy attitude. I'm okay with this. Talos fit in the same way, like a hand falling into a perfectly fitted glove. I'm more in love with his sweet, brown eyes than I was when he first came along, and that's saying a lot because he's much more of a handful nowadays. Our little family became complete for the time being, and we couldn't be happier.
As for our without-a-doubt biggest upheaval, James got out of the military this year. He ended his time with a little over 7 years in service, three deployments, and a whole lot of time away from home. Talk about a curveball. He worked, pushed, and prodded for MONTHS trying to get the care he deserved. Eventually, they saw what we knew all along. The military wasn't a good fit for him any longer and he wasn't a good fit for them. Like stated earlier, our home got packed away and taken to some storage place until we had a residence for them to drop it off at. What little we didn't have them take got shoved and stuffed into a tiny haul trailer and carted across nearly 3,000 miles of country. We ended our journey in California, where James is now going to school and absolutely excelling. We live a life of much less stress and much more comfort and while I miss a lot of our life in Watertown, I know this is where we're supposed to be right now.
As stated last year, I'm excited to see what 2015 has in store for the Armstrong clan. I can't imagine it being any more insanely hectic than this year was, but perhaps I should bite my tongue.
All the photos below are copyright of Danielle Armstrong and are not to be altered in any way or claimed as another's work.
