Angelsea Urban | Urban Studios

What is 31 Days?

It’s that time of year again! Starting October 1st, I’ll be a participant in The Nester’s 31 days Writing Challenge. The purpose is to exercise the writing muscles, dig deeper into topics that you want to explore and to practice honing in on your writing styles. Last year my topic was: 31 days to an Organized Life & Business. I wrote about taking some of my own advice and taking you along on my journey to a life reset. I shared some tips on everything from bookkeeping, shopping, managing kids, intentional parenting, work from home mom syndrome, work/life balance, spiritual reset and more. Not because I am the expert in these fields, but because they have worked for me in the past, and I so badly needed them in my own life and often we neglect ourselves while we are busy working with others.

This year we have had some interesting things that keep pointing us back to the heartbeat of my purpose in all of my business, ministry, artistic and personal endeavors: FAMILY. So when thinking about a topic to write about for an entire month, I decided to keep it simple and just write letters to my own family. It’s a activity I ask for my portrait clients to try in the Story of Family Experience, and even emphasize with my coaching and consulting clients when outlining their goals for prioritizing a business life that gets them home in time for dinner with their family. But as we often joke about the plumber’s pipes always being leaky, I fall short of dedicating enough intentional time to writing letters to my own family. And so here we are.

If you are a writer, I invite you to join us in the challenge here:  Write 31 Days

You can follow along on my blog here with this 31 Days Project 2015.

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My dearest love,

My camera broke on my iPhone on the way to our long awaited anniversary vacation. Judging by the literal 6,540 photos that reside there, you know this is crippling for me to be without. That with every walk around the block in this quaint and picturesque town, you see my sadness regarding the 372 tiny pieces of art I am missing out on creating.

You could tell me it’s not a big deal and we can deal with it when we get home. But after 22 years by my side, you know me. You know the words in my heart before I even need to speak them.

So here we are sitting at an Apple store in Montreal apparently winning the lottery of a recall on faulty cameras. It’s sunny and beautiful when it could be cold and raining, and yet we sit for a 3 hour wait for a repair.

And all the while you are smiling at me. Telling me it’s part of our adventure and that anything we do together is always worthwhile. Even sitting for hours at a Genius Bar blogging slowly on a french keyboard with funky punctuations all in the wrong places.

Tomorrow we celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary. Big time.

Because you didn’t want to wait until our 20th. >>Life is too short to worry about rounded numbered anniversaries. << (Those are French Quotation marks, apparently).

And so we celebrate 18 years since we said >> I do<<.

I still do. Big time.

Because I thought I loved you, then. 

That young girl at the alter loved you with her whole heart then. But she had no idea that God has something else in mind entirely. Through these years that heart has molded and changed and matured in ways never even fathomed.

Today’s adventure may just be sitting for hours at the Genius Bar yawning from this morning’s smoky fire drill evacuation in our PJs.

Thank you for sitting with me for hours smiling during a phone repair. Thank you for prioritizing our marriage honouring our relationship.

I cannot wait to look back on the next 18 years and say, I cannot believe there was even more.

Happy Anniversary my love!

 

Hopelessly in love at the Genius Bar,

Angie,

XOXOXO

 

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Angelsea Urban is a entrepreneur and photographer helping families to nourish their homes, relationships and businesses through meaningful portrait photography, business consulting and management for entrepreneurs, teaching practical stewardship and home management systems, and creating simple products and tools that maximize the quality of our lives. Her unique photography work focuses on Redefining the Family Portrait Experience by telling the story of  family through personalized foundations while creating a space to strengthen family bonds throughout the experience. As a certified tax professional and seasoned business consultant, Angelsea has helped the careers of photographers, restaurateurs, musicians and general small business owners through teaching, workshops, coaching, and hands on consulting. She serves in several ministries and is a Board Member and the Director of Operations for Starve Poverty International. She has photographed for families, brides, Bravo TV, NFL Films, and more and has been published in multiple blogs and magazine print for her work in photography and in strategic business management. Angelsea teaches and photographs throughout the United States, and resides with her husband of 17 years, their two children, and their barely 3 pound Yorkie near Long Beach Island, New Jersey.  

 

To book your session with Angelsea Urban, please visit www.angelseaurban.com

For education and consulting opportunities, please visit www.urbanrg.com

Follow Angelsea Urban on Facebook

Follow Angelsea Urban on Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is 31 Days?

It’s that time of year again! Starting October 1st, I’ll be a participant in The Nester’s 31 days Writing Challenge. The purpose is to exercise the writing muscles, dig deeper into topics that you want to explore and to practice honing in on your writing styles. Last year my topic was: 31 days to an Organized Life & Business. I wrote about taking some of my own advice and taking you along on my journey to a life reset. I shared some tips on everything from bookkeeping, shopping, managing kids, intentional parenting, work from home mom syndrome, work/life balance, spiritual reset and more. Not because I am the expert in these fields, but because they have worked for me in the past, and I so badly needed them in my own life and often we neglect ourselves while we are busy working with others.

This year we have had some interesting things that keep pointing us back to the heartbeat of my purpose in all of my business, ministry, artistic and personal endeavors: FAMILY. So when thinking about a topic to write about for an entire month, I decided to keep it simple and just write letters to my own family. It’s a activity I ask for my portrait clients to try in the Story of Family Experience, and even emphasize with my coaching and consulting clients when outlining their goals for prioritizing a business life that gets them home in time for dinner with their family. But as we often joke about the plumber’s pipes always being leaky, I fall short of dedicating enough intentional time to writing letters to my own family. And so here we are.

If you are a writer, I invite you to join us in the challenge here:  Write 31 Days

You can follow along on my blog here with this 31 Days Project 2015.

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To the other man in my life… the 7 year old one…

 

Dear Greyson,

 

I don’t enjoy waking up at 3 am when you tap me on the arm and tell me you had a bad dream. My 3 am fog presents me with few options:

 

1. Try to formulate a sentence to convince you to go back to bed, which has a 2% probability of success rate.

 

2. Physically walk you back to your room, tuck you back in, sing songs, lead prayers, help you visualize the puppies and the butterflies playing around in the field as you slowly drift back off to sleep. And pray that you stay asleep so the next time I see you is daylight.

 

3. Acknowledge with you really want: Cuddle time with Mommy. To curl up next to me in the big bed and snuggle warmly under the safe covers together.

 

Buddy. I want #3 ALL the time. Like, ALLLLLLLLL. THE. TIME. I never want you to grow up and I always want to be your favorite person in the world. I will never tire or your sleeping little face squished next to mine as I listen to your tiny breath and you fall back into a deep, safe sleep.

 

I don’t even mind when you snuggle so tight into my back with your elbows and knees rendering any sleep I would get totally useless. As you flail about every .03 seconds. While still sleeping.

 

Just like your Daddy. On the other side of me.

 

I used to opt for #1 and #2 often. But these nights are becoming few and far between and I am cherishing every yawn this morning. Ok, maybe not every one.

 

I’m glad last night I chose #3 and I’m thankful you still want #3.

 

I’m thankful for your sensitive and loving spirit and especially for your tender heart.

 

I pray for your wife continually. That she will hold your heart with the same tenderness. That she will not mind the elbows and the knees because it comes with getting to see your sweet squished face next to hers each morning. I pray that one day she will be your favorite person in the world.

 

And you, hers.

 

So I drink an extra cup of coffee this morning. And wonder if you will even remember these days as I do.

 

At the very least, you’ll have this letter,

 

Sincerely sleepy at 3 am,

 

Mommy,

XOXOXO

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Angelsea Urban is a entrepreneur and photographer helping families to nourish their homes, relationships and businesses through meaningful portrait photography, business consulting and management for entrepreneurs, teaching practical stewardship and home management systems, and creating simple products and tools that maximize the quality of our lives. Her unique photography work focuses on Redefining the Family Portrait Experience by telling the story of  family through personalized foundations while creating a space to strengthen family bonds throughout the experience. As a certified tax professional and seasoned business consultant, Angelsea has helped the careers of photographers, restaurateurs, musicians and general small business owners through teaching, workshops, coaching, and hands on consulting. She serves in several ministries and is a Board Member and the Director of Operations for Starve Poverty International. She has photographed for families, brides, Bravo TV, NFL Films, and more and has been published in multiple blogs and magazine print for her work in photography and in strategic business management. Angelsea teaches and photographs throughout the United States, and resides with her husband of 17 years, their two children, and their barely 3 pound Yorkie near Long Beach Island, New Jersey.  

 

To book your session with Angelsea Urban, please visit www.angelseaurban.com

For education and consulting opportunities, please visit www.urbanrg.com

Follow Angelsea Urban on Facebook

Follow Angelsea Urban on Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is 31 Days?

It’s that time of year again! Starting October 1st, I’ll be a participant in The Nester’s 31 days Writing Challenge. The purpose is to exercise the writing muscles, dig deeper into topics that you want to explore and to practice honing in on your writing styles. Last year my topic was: 31 days to an Organized Life & Business. I wrote about taking some of my own advice and taking you along on my journey to a life reset. I shared some tips on everything from bookkeeping, shopping, managing kids, intentional parenting, work from home mom syndrome, work/life balance, spiritual reset and more. Not because I am the expert in these fields, but because they have worked for me in the past, and I so badly needed them in my own life and often we neglect ourselves while we are busy working with others.

This year we have had some interesting things that keep pointing us back to the heartbeat of my purpose in all of my business, ministry, artistic and personal endeavors: FAMILY. So when thinking about a topic to write about for an entire month, I decided to keep it simple and just write letters to my own family. It’s a activity I ask for my portrait clients to try in the Story of Family Experience, and even emphasize with my coaching and consulting clients when outlining their goals for prioritizing a business life that gets them home in time for dinner with their family. But as we often joke about the plumber’s pipes always being leaky, I fall short of dedicating enough intentional time to writing letters to my own family. And so here we are.

If you are a writer, I invite you to join us in the challenge here:  Write 31 Days

You can follow along on my blog here with this 31 Days Project 2015.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

To my dear children, who are in 6th & 2nd Grade,

It’s not you, it’s me. Right now you are shielded from the immeasurable truth of how ugly the world really is. We have learned just this month that the shield that currently surrounds you is quickly coming down and we face the inevitable truth of loosing you to the world’s influence.

This thought takes my breath away.

As parents we want to believe that we have TIME to teach you and TIME you shield you and TIME to keep you all to ourselves while life is precious and perfect and that we are the only ones on the planet.

You don’t have unlimited access to technology because the world is ugly and I don’t want you to see it. It is not because we don’t trust you or think you are undeserving or unworthy of the perks that come along with it.

Another school was shot up today. In addition to the one that was shot up last week. In addition to the hundreds of schools and churches since you were born.

I don’t want you to know this. 

 

I don’t want you to be scared to go to school to learn your ABCs because you might get shot today. Tears run down my face at the reality of these sad words in our daily lives.

When I was in 6th grade I was scared that people would know my purse was from K-Mart and not Liz Claiborne.

You might get shot today. <—- ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW? This is what I don’t want you to know, so yes, please don’t watch the news or read today’s google because you will quickly learn how ugly the world is and I want you to be confident each day you walk out this door.

I want you to worry about the color of lip gloss you picked out this morning and if your friends will know the brand name or lack thereof.

I want you to worry about whether or not the lego station you built has enough room for the storm troopers AND the spaceship.

I don’t want you to worry about getting shot today or see any unnecessary ugliness that is a distraction from your “normal” life. And if you do see and ask me why all this is happening I am afraid these words that are locked up in my heart will come spilling out and I don’t want you to know how scared adults are for you right now. You look to us as your confident protectors and we want you to feel safe and secure for as long as possible. And right now, we just don’t know the right answer.

This I know to be true: The spirit of fear is not from the Lord. 

And so we fight daily to overcome our fears and let go of our grip of protection over you. God has a plan for you, and wants to protect you Himself. We want you to be able to stand tall and firm and confident in your life. We do not want to hold you back from stepping into adulthood or shelter you from the world that you live in.

It’s not you. It’s me.

I’m not ready for you to see this ugliness just yet. I don’t have an answer to why crazy people in the world kill kids for no reason. And I’m so sorry that I don’t have the answer and I probably never will.

 

So in the meantime, if that means you can’t text your friends or post selfies on Instagram, so be it.

We don’t want to keep you from growing up and having a normal life.

We just want you to experience childhood a little bit longer before we throw you into it.

 

Holding you tighter tonight,

The meanest parents ever

xoxox

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Angelsea Urban is a entrepreneur and photographer helping families to nourish their homes, relationships and businesses through meaningful portrait photography, business consulting and management for entrepreneurs, teaching practical stewardship and home management systems, and creating simple products and tools that maximize the quality of our lives. Her unique photography work focuses on Redefining the Family Portrait Experience by telling the story of  family through personalized foundations while creating a space to strengthen family bonds throughout the experience. As a certified tax professional and seasoned business consultant, Angelsea has helped the careers of photographers, restaurateurs, musicians and general small business owners through teaching, workshops, coaching, and hands on consulting. She serves in several ministries and is a Board Member and the Director of Operations for Starve Poverty International. She has photographed for families, brides, Bravo TV, NFL Films, and more and has been published in multiple blogs and magazine print for her work in photography and in strategic business management. Angelsea teaches and photographs throughout the United States, and resides with her husband of 17 years, their two children, and their barely 3 pound Yorkie near Long Beach Island, New Jersey.  

 

To book your session with Angelsea Urban, please visit www.angelseaurban.com

For education and consulting opportunities, please visit www.urbanrg.com

Follow Angelsea Urban on Facebook

Follow Angelsea Urban on Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is 31 Days?

It’s that time of year again! Starting October 1st, I’ll be a participant in The Nester’s 31 days Writing Challenge. The purpose is to exercise the writing muscles, dig deeper into topics that you want to explore and to practice honing in on your writing styles. Last year my topic was: 31 days to an Organized Life & Business. I wrote about taking some of my own advice and taking you along on my journey to a life reset. I shared some tips on everything from bookkeeping, shopping, managing kids, intentional parenting, work from home mom syndrome, work/life balance, spiritual reset and more. Not because I am the expert in these fields, but because they have worked for me in the past, and I so badly needed them in my own life and often we neglect ourselves while we are busy working with others.

This year we have had some interesting things that keep pointing us back to the heartbeat of my purpose in all of my business, ministry, artistic and personal endeavors: FAMILY. So when thinking about a topic to write about for an entire month, I decided to keep it simple and just write letters to my own family. It’s a activity I ask for my portrait clients to try in the Story of Family Experience, and even emphasize with my coaching and consulting clients when outlining their goals for prioritizing a business life that gets them home in time for dinner with their family. But as we often joke about the plumber’s pipes always being leaky, I fall short of dedicating enough intentional time to writing letters to my own family. And so here we are.

If you are a writer, I invite you to join us in the challenge here:  Write 31 Days

You can follow along on my blog here with this 31 Days Project 2015.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Dear Steve,

Happy Birthday to my one and only and my forever and ever!

You call me a blessing to you? But I am the one who has been blessed by you beyond my wildest dreams. After 22 years together, my heart still skips a beat when you look in my eyes.

You love me, in a way that I need to be loved. As Jesus is the protector and the supporter of His bride, you totally and unselfishly love me. When I least deserve it and with purposeful intention. You honor me with your commitment to me and you astound me with your integrity.

You lift me up and encourage me to do great things. You catch me when I fall. You bless me with your enthusiasm and your unending belief in me. With you by my side, I feel unstoppable.

Your words hold great weight with me and I look to your guidance continually. You trust me, and you cherish me. And there is no amount of gold in the world that could ever come close to measuring what that means to me.

You ask for nothing from me, which makes me want to give you everything. 

You gave me children to raise and a household to run. None of which would be possible without the true heartbeat of our home.

You run after God with an admirable and loving heart. You seek the kingdom first and everything else seems to fall into it’s place of importance.

I can tell you a million times that I love you and adore you, and that doesn’t even closely describe what I feel for you. No, really… from the guts. 😉 But you know this, and that makes me love you even more.

I can aspire to be a wife of great character and attempt to accomplish many things in our lifetime. With you by my side, with your constant support and love, it drives me to never stop refining.

Max Lucado said, “A woman’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.”

You can me a blessing to you?

 

But I am the one who is blessed….

Because you found me.

 

With all my heart,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 

XOXO

Angie

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Angelsea Urban is a entrepreneur and photographer helping families to nourish their homes, relationships and businesses through meaningful portrait photography, business consulting and management for entrepreneurs, teaching practical stewardship and home management systems, and creating simple products and tools that maximize the quality of our lives. Her unique photography work focuses on Redefining the Family Portrait Experience by telling the story of  family through personalized foundations while creating a space to strengthen family bonds throughout the experience. As a certified tax professional and seasoned business consultant, Angelsea has helped the careers of photographers, restaurateurs, musicians and general small business owners through teaching, workshops, coaching, and hands on consulting. She serves in several ministries and is a Board Member and the Director of Operations for Starve Poverty International. She has photographed for families, brides, Bravo TV, NFL Films, and more and has been published in multiple blogs and magazine print for her work in photography and in strategic business management. Angelsea teaches and photographs throughout the United States, and resides with her husband of 17 years, their two children, and their barely 3 pound Yorkie near Long Beach Island, New Jersey.  

 

To book your session with Angelsea Urban, please visit www.angelseaurban.com

For education and consulting opportunities, please visit www.urbanrg.com

Follow Angelsea Urban on Facebook

Follow Angelsea Urban on Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________________________________