A Personal Journey of Homeschooling and Photography

This post isn’t about SEO, sneak peeks, or mini-sessions. It’s a life update—one I never thought I’d be writing—but one that might resonate with someone navigating unexpected change, loss after loss, full surrender, and a new rhythm of grace.

For those who don’t know, I’ve spent the last nine years as a homeschooling mom. My photography journey started way back in 2006 after I left my job at MetroNorth Newspapers. In 2005 I earned a journalism degree with a minor in visual arts (a minor plus a heap of extra credits, actually), and I was eager to get out in the world and start telling stories, so I did not stay at UNC for a double-major. That’s always been the thread tying everything together for me: storytelling.

In 2007, I was voted one of the top three wedding photographers on Channel 7’s A-List. I honestly don’t remember how that happened besides amazing clients and maybe asking everyone I knew to vote!

My older son was born in 2010, and while pregnant I remember photographing weddings with Seabands on my wrists and saltines in my pockets. My final wedding that year was in Wyoming at 35.5 weeks pregnant. The bride was a L&D nurse, so I felt I was surrounded by adequate medical professionals in case I went into labor, haha!

The wedding before that was at 34 weeks pregnant and it was a pediatrician and accountant… it’s funny what details we can recall years in between – but those last two weddings while uber-preggo turned out beautifully. I hired my friend (Hi, Becky!) to assist me because I couldn’t easily squat on the ground or stand on chairs like I used to for all those amazing angles. My sister came too, playing gear-mule and snack-runner. We stayed in a hotel that night, and I remember victory-dancing off the dance floor after the bride and groom’s final coverage ended (8 full hours!), heart full, knowing my next chapter—motherhood—was right around the corner. This was all I ever wanted growing up: to be a mom! 

After our older son was born, I shot a handful more weddings, but something shifted. In 2012, after a melanoma diagnosis and before our second son arrived in 2013, I told my then-husband, “I think I’m supposed to take a sabbatical… just one year… to be home.”

That one year turned into nine.

---

Why I Wanted to Homeschool

I have always been a perpetual student and enjoy teaching. So homeschooling was intriguing to me, but then became practical once I saw the boys’ needs unfold. Our youngest had significant health needs early on. Between eye issues, speech therapy, OT, PT, and sensory integration challenges, traditional preschool just wasn’t a good fit for him. So we started homeschooling the year our older son went through Brain Balance. One year at a time, was the thought in that season.

I dove into curriculum research the way only a former journalist can. I landed on My Father’s World—a blend of Charlotte Mason, classical education (we are not classical learners, by-the-way, so we adapted!), and unit studies. It was beautiful, scripture-rich, adaptable, and full of meaningful work without too much busywork. Math-U-See was our math go-to for the early years, and we flexed and adapted as they grew. Both boys had years with early intervention services, years with 1 day a week homeschool enrichment programs… and years where the couch replaced the chair, the stationary bike became a classroom desk, and mid-morning walks counted as PE, sensory regulation, and prayer time.

As I mentioned, we did Brain Balance when our older son was five. It was an intense six month program—three in-person sessions per week, daily at-home exercises, and a strict anti-inflammatory diet that, to their surprise, I was already doing before day one (again: journalism researcher over here!). It helped, and it gave us confidence that non-mainstream tools sometimes serve kids best. 

Both of my boys are twice-exceptional and AuDHD (they approve sharing this Dx), though their diagnoses came many years later. What I knew in my gut early on was later confirmed by professionals: these kids needed something different. And homeschooling gave us the freedom to honor that: 1-1 learning, self-paced and adaptable for all circumstances. 

Our days were full. Books galore! Bible study, MOPS, field trips, enrichment days, nature walks, audiobooks, endless Lego builds, rabbit trails on favorite topics, and eventually book reports reviewed and edited during lunch. For a season, we even lived next door to our best friends! We were always out and about, and stayed involved in our community. Homeschooling wasn’t reclusive—for us it was relational.

---

Photography in the Margins

Photography didn’t completely disappear during those years—it was more muted. I sold most of my gear in 2013 and kept my toes in the water by taking branding pictures for our son’s vision therapist’s office. My bandwidth was consumed (and rightfully so) by the boys and their needs. Again, all I ever wanted to be was a mom and I was (and still am) all-in on motherhood. Children are a gift from the Lord!

In 2022, I officially relaunched Heather Lilly Photography. We were still homeschooling then, and that October, I photographed over 30 families. I think I tallied 50 seniors/families in 6 months that year. It was equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. But it showed me that I could still do this—creatively, professionally, with my kids watching. And it showed me my realistic limits (hey, we don’t know until we try)! 

The boys helped, too. My older son held reflectors/diffusers and made toddlers laugh during sessions. My younger son has a sharp eye for choosing the best images during the culling process in Lightroom. They saw what it takes to start a business and got excited about the idea that you could do work you love and build something meaningful from scratch.

Fast forward to 2025, I attended a photography conference earlier this year where several people asked how I balance homeschooling and creative work… the truth is: you don’t always balance it. You just walk in obedience, one faithful step at a time. You do what’s best for your kids, even when it’s not the easiest thing.

---

July 2025

This journey has not been public, but friends and family know bits and pieces (some more than others). Thank you for your prayers and ongoing support! You know I gave it all I could to keep homeschooling. This July wasn’t the start of our journey in public school—that had been in motion behind the scenes for nearly two years—but earlier this month, right before Independence Day, was the day the outcome became final for this fall. It hit hard.

I won’t go into legal details. I can’t. But what I can say is this: I had every intention of continuing to homeschool through high school. We had what I still think is clinical and educational support to back up that decision. But ultimately, that decision was taken out of my hands.

Letting go of our homeschool rhythm has been a grief I can’t fully put into words. The days are quieter now, not because public school has started yet – but because the boys’ grief is silent and loud at the same time. They don’t understand. I’ve told them there will be pros and cons to every new adventure.

I look at the years of homeschool books lining our bookshelves and storage room and I can’t fathom no longer reading to the boys each day… and discussing what we learned… and then helping them form it into an oral summary or typed report afterwards. 

It feels like I left a piece of myself behind and we haven’t even started school yet. You know the feeling of walking out the door for the entire day without your phone, keys, or wallet—something essential is missing, but there’s no way to fix it because you are miles away from where you left it. You just learn to live around the loss. As my friend once told me, “grief becomes a part of you.” 

---

What This Means for My Business

With the boys now entering public school (6th and 9th grades), I suddenly have something I haven’t had in years: time. Time during daylight hours. Time to edit when my brain is fresh, not just during homeschool enrichment days or the margins. I will plot out office hours once I get a rhythm. I’ll have time to build out more session prep guides, write blogs (like this one), and connect more with my clients… maybe join a networking group again or get together with other photographers to collaborate. Time will tell. 

So yes—my availability has increased. No, I’m not jumping back into full-day 8-hour weddings (it’s so hard to recover from those now that I’m in my 40s!) or stacking seven portrait sessions a week. I still guard Sundays and keep family time sacred. And for every hour behind the camera, there’s multiple hours behind the scenes! But I’m ready for:

• More weekday senior sessions for Class of 2026
• Branding shoots during office hours for small businesses
• Story-driven family sessions that honor your season (and work around sports schedules)
• Editorial, equine, and travel projects that fill my creative well

I’ll still be your golden-hour girl, taking portraits 1 hour before sunset and editing during the day. But now I can also offer weekday sunrise shoots, more flexible rescheduling, and quicker email responses. And yes, I’m also available for writing (blogging for other creatives who don’t have time or don’t like writing), copyediting, and creative collaborations—because the storytelling side of me hasn’t gone anywhere.

---

Transparency & Trust

The other day my friend said “I think people need to know you are more available now… they know you’ve been through a lot…” She knows the season I’ve been walking through.

This is the part where I get real: I need Heather Lilly Photography to grow in this season. The last few years have been a storm—personally, professionally, and emotionally. And now that the dust is beginning to settle, I’m doing something that’s a little hard for me: I’m asking for help.

Not handouts. Just honest support—referrals, shares, bookings, introductions to people or organizations who need what I offer. If I’ve captured your family, your milestone, or your brand—thank you. If I’ve made you feel seen or helped you tell your story, would you consider helping me tell mine by spreading the word?

HLP has never just been a creative outlet—and now it’s how I support my boys, steward my calling, and serve the people well. But lately, it’s had more of a low-grade pulse than the steady heartbeat I long for. I don’t want to let it go. I don’t think I’m meant to. But I’m also being honest: I’m praying and discerning what’s next.

I’ve asked the Lord, “How long do I give this before I take on an extra job?” And right now, I’m waiting. What I’ve tried so far (part-time work) hasn’t panned out. So I’m trusting…. taking steps in faith. If the right opportunity opens—something flexible and steady—I’ll consider it. But even if that happens, don’t worry. I’ll still be photographing seniors, families, brands, and horses with all my heart.

For now, I’m here. And if you’re able to help me grow HLP—whether by hiring me, introducing me to someone who can, sharing my Facebook & Instagram socials with your circle of online friends, or simply cheering me on—I’d be deeply grateful.

---

Thank You for Being Part of Our Story

To those who’ve followed our journey—thank you for your prayers and ongoing support. Whether you found me through church, a homeschool co-op, a golden-hour session in Erie, we grew up together in Greeley, or a Facebook referral thread: I appreciate you.

Thank you for trusting me with your stories. Thank you for booking sessions when I could only take 1-2 sessions a week. Thank you for booking me during the slow months when I’d only get 1-2 sessions a month! Thank you for being patient when gallery delivery took a little longer because we were in the thick of therapy appointments, court logistics, and teaching. Thank you for cheering me on when I relaunched in Erie, then turned back around and relaunched in Greeley the following year. To those who helped me remember who I am when it felt like everything was changing—thank you. Now that the dust is settling, I feel like this is almost another relaunch. 

This fall marks a new rhythm, one I didn’t plan but am learning to show up anyway. If you’ve ever wondered if you could homeschool and run a business: yes, you can. I did. I know others who do, with even more success. It’s not easy—but it is possible. I believe I still could have made it work, creatively and sustainably, if circumstances beyond my control hadn’t changed the path. So if you’re in a season of balancing both—be encouraged. Your faithfulness matters. Your quiet yes counts.

Along the way, a few important voices reminded me how much I love this work—that people matter, that using your God-given talents matters. Use them wisely. Steward them well. Your kids are watching, and it might just spark something in them, too. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s faithfulness. And not letting hard seasons steal the joy God meant for you to carry.

I hope to see you on the other side of my lens soon.

Smiles,

Heather

---

📩 Contact Form: Curious about a session or have questions? Reach out anytime through my online contact form.

🖼️ Portfolio: See recent golden-hour sessions and updated galleries here.

📸 Instagram: Daily moments and behind-the-scenes on Instagram.

📘 Facebook: Connect with me on Facebook for community and updates.

📘 LinkedIn: View my professional story and brand work here.

📌 Pinterest: Find inspiration outfits for your next session on Pinterest.

Ready to plan a session that feels like you? I’d be happy to hear from you! Inquire here.