Great Idea

Sometimes I have a really great idea ... Such as, wouldn't it be great to get a family photo when we're all together? (Is that laughter I can hear?)

In my mind I picture family members dressed in similarly muted colours, children with innocent faces and angelic smiles, and adults ... well, adults acting and looking like adults.

Obviously, everyone would be looking at the same camera at the same time, no one would be half hidden (or missing because they had to adjust the camera or tie the dog up), there would be no tears, and no one would be standing on tiptoe to make themselves look taller.

Then reality sets in ... First strike against us was that it was raining. And we ruled out our house as a suitable venue. Thankfully someone remembered a local park that just happened to have an undercover eating area that proved to be the perfect place. Next, it was nearing lunch time and little ones were hungry and or tired or both. Thirdly ... our family. Photos tend to be real rather than staged ... and that's okay. Whenever I look at any of these photos, I find a smile spreading across my face. There's the child who has to be tickled to laugh ... the one who is obviously not impressed ... the one who turns his back to explore what is obviously more interesting than having a photo taken ... the one who is bored ... and, possibly even the one who was bribed to be there. Then there are the adults who are trying to get children to look at the camera so we can all go home and be warm and dry ... the one who wants to outshine his brothers ... the one who is far too cheeky ... and the one[s] who are laughing so hard because rain is dripping down their neck[s] while they wait for the photo to be taken.

Overall, the photos show so clearly who we are ... how we interact ... and I love them ... perfect or not!