You could call it a Western dream; I would call it my dream come true.

I was born and raised in the Midwest on a small hobby farm in rural central Wisconsin. Sneaking my mother’s camera, I photographed every willing farm animal that crossed my path. Even now, I still find old images of my beloved animals—proof of where my love for photography first began.

From a young age, I felt drawn west, perhaps inspired by my mother, who named me after a small town south of Jackson. Today, I call Wyoming home. I moved with my beloved dog by my side and that dream in my heart. Not long after, I married my husband, and together we welcomed our son into this world.

Becoming a wife and mother has only deepened my understanding of just how precious and fleeting life’s moments truly are. They say “time is a thief,” and man, has that never felt closer to home. I catch myself wishing I could bottle up every second—to open it someday and remember exactly how this season of life felt. The softness, the chaos, the overwhelming love… all of it. Because I know one day I’ll blink, and this chapter will have quietly turned the page.