Smile...or not

Oh no.  Here comes mom with the camera.  Okay, so I like (no make that love) taking pictures of people I love.  Digital cameras make all the hard parts easy.  No developing, no worrying about losing negatives, deleting the pictures that aren't perfect.  Except that I kind of like the pictures that aren't perfect.  Sometimes they show the back of someone's head, but sometimes they show real life.

 When I had 5 little boys under the age of 12 a friend was kind enough to let me use her video camera.  I was so excited to record childhood in moving color.  The only problem was, I didn't want to document my family until my house was clean.  Day in and day out I waited for that order and beauty to come to my home.  Finally I realized that if I waited for things to be perfect my life would be over. I went ahead and filmed "as is."  Those are some of our best and most quoted home movies.  I'm not gonna lie, even I'm a little surprised with how cluttered my house was, but that's history.

I'm in a new season now.  I can clean my house in the morning and it stays clean all day.  It was thrilling at first, but now it seems a little boring.  A few weeks ago we had company with kids.  There were times when the floors were covered with nerf bullets and legos.  That felt right.  Home felt a little more full of life.

So back to pictures, I love pictures of everyone smiling and happy, but what really warms my heart are some of the pictures that we took because if we waited for everything to be perfect, life would be over.

Nathan's first Halloween. "Hurry take a picture.  He'll thank us later."  I'm waiting for the thanks.

Nathan trying to be brave with chicken pox.  I doubt he'll thank me later.

Aaron just not loving Santa Clause.  Santa looks a little stressed as well.

Who takes pictures of people eating, but how precious is Jacob's gorgeous pizza bite?

"Smile everyone, or not, Eliza"

Eliza getting on the smile train, Jacob's turn to pass.

So much jocularity.  I don't even know, but I love it.

"Everyone smile.  Um, I'm taking your picture.  Thank you Polly dear.  You're the best."