Owning a business is not something Caleb or I ever thought we would do. But … it happened! And here we are six years later! Crazy.

*Curious about our business story? You can find some old posts sharing more about it here!

If you’re reading this, I think you know that we love our business and are so thankful for it. The people we have met because of our business are by far the best part about it. What a joy and privilege it is (I know people say this a lot but it really is one!) to document some of the most intimate and life-changing seasons of our client’s lives. Getting to love, support, and encourage them really is our heartbeat. It is a job with great weight and great reward.

Owning a business can also be really hard for a lot of different reasons! In those early years especially, you are working SO hard to build and grow a business that is not just known but hopefully well-liked and respected as well. We are both so proud of the photography business we have built and again, our clients (and family and friends) have been three strong pillars that we feel so grateful to have been able to build our business on. The fourth and cornerstone is of course, Jesus.

We recently realized that in six years, we have never really taken a “break” from the business. It can become all-consuming when you work for yourself and while we have made significant strides in this area, it is a tension that I specifically find myself in quite often. Over the past year especially, I have wrestled with managing social media/blogging/editing/emails and rest. True rest.

I highlight the social media piece above because that is the real dagger for me. I see so much good in social media and our business could not exist without it but I also struggle so much to have a healthy relationship with it. And I cannot tell you how much I crave to just have times where I am off of it. Like really off. Signed out, app deleted off my phone, etc. Friends of mine do it and talk about it but I’ve always thought, there’s just no way I could!

But more and more lately I’ve found myself asking, “Is that really true?”

We feel super pulled to take some time off and rest. That REALLY 0ff time off. Unplugged, together, present with each other and those around us, not worrying about the next (blog and/or social media) post.

So … we’re doing it! We’ll be off now until then end of the year. I will not be blogging or posting on social media and I will not be checking FB or Instagram messages so if you need to get ahold of us, be sure to email: maisonandcaleb@maisonmeredith.com!

I have no idea what to expect but I have a feeling it’s going to be … refreshing. See you in 2019! <3