We finally moved into our renovated home a couple days ago. There's nothing but a single bed in the entire house, but–hey–we're finally in. After living in a hotel for few weeks, we unpacked our car and unlocked the front door to the smell of fresh paint. I envisioned our first night as a romantic scene from a movie (complete with a candlelit dinner and us dancing in the kitchen), but it ended up being a mad scramble to unpack before it got dark (we still don't have light fixtures installed). I was slated for an early morning flight the next morning for a shoot in Dallas, so JD picked up a to-go meal from El Pollo Loco and we ate in the backyard.

The stars were out to welcome us to the neighborhood and the crickets chirped by the fountain. JD found a bottle of wine in a box from the garage and poured it into a plastic cup. With tacos in our hands, we realized the first dinner in our new home was awkwardly perfect.

Lately life hasn't been easy. I tend to curate my online life in a way that doesn't reveal the cracks, but–trust me–balancing this move, traveling for shoots, photographing weddings, and starting a new project has left me in moments of despair (after a delayed flight from Dallas, I landed near midnight in LA and I cried into a bag of trail mix).

But through it all, my husband finds a way to make life better. JD says the right thing, lends a sympathetic ear, and pours big glasses of wine. What more does a girl need? You're right. Nothing.

(Photo by Trever Hoehne)