Debra Ellen

Medical Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I recommend consulting with your physician before trying any actions or following results regarding your health shared on this blog

Retired Professional Photographer

I knew it was coming. The day my last child graduated high school, I braced myself. The empty nest syndrome still hit me like a freight train.

The house was quiet in a way it had never been before. So I did what any reasonable person does when the silence gets too loud; I turned my hobby into a career.

For over twenty years, I had the privilege of working with families, couples, and seniors. And I do mean both kinds of seniors, the eighteen-year-olds in caps and gowns, and the ones who’ve been around long enough to really have something to say. Both groups taught me more than I ever expected.

It was never just a job. It was twenty years of other people’s most important moments, and I got to be there for all of them.

Professional Student Delivery Specialist

Back in August 2024, something happened that I still can’t quite believe.

I got a job promotion; a real one, with a title and everything. A Student Delivery Specialist. I was so excited that I sent a message to every single person I knew. I couldn’t help it.

Here’s what I told them:

“I’m working Monday through Friday now, so I won’t be able to pick up my phone during the day. Leave me a voicemail or a text and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

And then I listed the benefits; because honestly, they deserved their own moment:

Major medical premiums, fully paid. Two weeks of PTO. Holidays and summers off. A pay raise. And a company vehicle.

Notice I emphasized the company vehicle? It’s a bus!! A huge yellow bus. 😂😂

I remember reading that list back to myself and thinking: this is real. This is actually happening to me.

Personal

This July, Kevin and I will have been married 40 years. Forty. I don’t know how that’s possible, but here we are. And I wouldn’t change a single one of them.

We raised two kids, a daughter and a son, who somehow grew into actual adults while I wasn’t looking. Our daughter married well. We gained a son-in-law who fits right in. And then came the granddaughters. Two of them. Beautiful in that way that makes you want to freeze time.

Thanks to our son, there’s also a grand pup in the mix, because of course there is. 🙂

And my parents; still here, still healthy. That’s not something I take lightly. Not for a single day.

Favorites

Digital Devices: Apple products. MacBook Pro, iPad, iPhone 17 pro max

Software: Adobe Photoshop. Project Life

Camera Equipment: Nikon products. iPhone 17 Pro max. Sony

Food: Hamburgers, Fried chicken tenders, Home made ice cream