What's Your Why?

What is your why? If you go to any workshop or read any type of self help/betterment book, you’re going to hear that question. I’ve literally read the book, “Start With Why,” and began school workshops where that question was asked.

“What is your why?”

At conferences, I’ll scramble desperately to think of something deep, philosophical even. What is my why? Why do I do what I do? What am I working for? What is my goal in life?

Apple says “We aim to challenge the status quo. We aim to think differently,” and Microsoft claims, “To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.”

Whoa.

But my goal in life is lay by a pool and have a cabana boy bring me drinks all day, and that’s doesn’t sound quite as compelling.

At school, we play the lottery as a group - or donate to our “retirement fund” as we say. I once mentioned to another teacher that God isn’t letting us win the lottery, because He knows these kids need teachers. She responded, “Oh, I would still teach! Wouldn’t you?!”

Um. No.

There would be a Crump size hole in the school wall and that would be the end of my Monday - Friday, 8-5 lifestyle.

But I would still shoot weddings. And engagements.

And birth stories.

And birthdays. And graduations.

Because I really do love videography.

And I guess that is my “why,” Even if I were filthy, stinkin’ rich and could lay by the pool all day with a red beer in hand, I would still want to be a videographer. I would still want to capture the greatest moments of peoples’ lives.

I may not be able to articulate it quite as nicely as Apple, but for now, it’ll do.

Happy Friday! <3 Julie

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Wavy Kate

This post is a little late, because in all honesty, I really struggled to write it. I still don't believe that I have found the right words to sum up this baby of ours. We prayed hard for this little blessing, and we have had to pray hard to survive her. I read a quote the other day that pretty much epitomizes our life with Waves, "God uses children to reveal and shape your character. Children are both a blessing and a test."

Lord have mercy this child tests us daily.

To our Sweet Waverley - our Wavy Kate, Toot Toot, Waves, Wavy Girl, Chubby Bunny, Toots, and quite often, Waverley Kate Crump with an exclamation. You may even think your name is “No” these days.

This year has been the most challenging year of my life, because you my dear, are not for the faint hearted.

You are strong willed - tumultuous and fierce, and we have known this about you since the day we brought you home. There have been many conversations between your dad and I about the magnitude of your personality and how it absolutely terrifies us on occasion.

From May through September, your dad worked out of town during the week, and you slept in fifteen or thirty minute bursts. At that time, I was working two jobs - teaching and running a wedding venue. I was just barely functioning on coffee and fumes. I clung to those moments of sweetness where you would let me hold you and love on you, and tried to push the sleepless nights and sheer exhaustion out of my mind.

Kyndall was our saving grace; helping me in anyway she could, a cup of coffee waiting for me each morning. Kyndall is the voice of reason and our moral compass in this house. Just yesterday she informed me that I was not being consistent in disciplining you, and apparently you need more spankings. You can thank her later in life.

As I look back on the last year, especially those first few months, it hurts my heart. It was such a difficult season that there were times that I didn’t feel like I was able to enjoy you as much as I wanted to. I was just simply surviving. In that exhausted, frustrated, overwhelmed state, it feels like I missed out somehow. I was there with you, but it was hard. It was work.

But Wavy Girl, you are worth it.

You are our living version of a sour patch kid. Sour at first and then sweet: Screaming at the top of your lungs and then cooing sweetly. Hugging my neck and then ripping my hair out. Terrorizing all of those around you and then in the next instant sitting back watching pensively.

You keep us on our toes... actually on our tippy toes - just hoping we don't wake you too soon.

You are wild, Sweet Girl. Oozing life and personality out of your pores. Your attitude is fierce. Your crinkled-nose-smile and laugh are infectious. Your temper… formidable. Your will, unparalleled.

You are a force to be reckoned with.

And you are loved beyond measure.

Blackbird

I picked up videography almost thirteen years ago when my first daughter was born. The entire first half of her life is documented with cheesy songs and low quality video. While those videos aren’t my best work, those moments that were captured are priceless.

That’s what I love about videography - the ability to freeze frame time. I love going back to those moments: the chubby cheeks, the squeals, learning to walk, our pot bellied pig that tormented Kyndall while she played. I can sit and watch those videos for hours and relive every moment.

Over the years my cameras and techniques have improved, but my love for videography and storytelling has remained..

When I was nine, my parents bought our "place" as they called it.  We didn't run cattle, so it wasn't a ranch, and we sure as heck weren't farmers, so "place" just stuck. We spent that whole summer picking stickers, digging post holes, building pens, and planting trees.  We worked on our place the next year too, but mainly what I remember about the next year, the year I turned ten, was lying in hammocks, swimming in horse tanks, and eating ice cold watermelon out of the bunk house fridge.

Out of all of my summers, that one stands out the most in my memories.  I had dirty blond hair, a chilly bowl haircut, buckteeth and lived in basketball shorts.  I ran around barefoot all day and threw my boots on in the evenings in time for my my sister and I to rope steers in our arena just north of our house.

My horse's name was Cisco - I called him Cisco Janeiver after "the guy who gave all the movies two thumbs up."  He was old and ornery, and would reach out and bite the steers just as I was ready to throw my loop, but he was the best horse I could have ever asked for. He loved bananas and frosted mini wheats as much as I did.

That summer we drank a lot of cherry Koolaid and ate ribs and steaks right off of a cinderblock fire pit, not wasting anytime on forks or plates.  We stayed outside til way after dark and played card games on the giant picnic table my dad had built.

I know, we sound like a bunch of hillbillies, and for the most part we were.

My love for animals ran deep, and I just knew I would be a veterinarian, regardless of whether I could say or spell it correctly. When our neighbor found a dying blackbird, I took it upon myself to nurse her back to health. Cookie, named after the thin mints I was living off of, spent three months in a hamster cage in my room, but flew off at the end of the summer.

One evening, while we sat horseback, the radio blaring from my dad's old green Chevy, a new song came on.  I remember it like it was yesterday, me in my dirty old white Nike t-shirt, my bangs parted down the center like Zach Morris, my dad in a short sleeved plaid button up, and my sister leaning over her saddle horn, one hand on her horse's mane, all listening to this song.  Lila McCann was singing "Down Came a Blackbird," and we all were in love.

Today, our lives are all so much different, so much busier, but I think back to that summer, to that night, and while it makes my heart ache a little bit, it always makes me smile.

The name, Blackbird Productions Company, is my little way of keeping that summer with me everyday - to remember to lay in hammocks, swim in horse tanks, eat ice cold watermelon, and enjoy the little things.

It's all in the little things, the details - that's my philosophy anyway. The shoes, the smile, the first breath, the heartbeat, the first look, the anticipation, the excitement - each detail is a piece of your story.

I want to capture every moment, down to the finest details, of the most important days of your life. I specialize in engagements, weddings, birth stories, and other special life events.

Located in the Texas Panhandle, but happy to travel to all locations, Blackbird Productions Company creates specialized products, unique experiences and personalized stories so that you can relive every moment.