Every year, my favorite photo session is the one with my own little family. Is it because everything goes smoothly? Absolutely not! Is it because my children are just so happy and sweet? Again, nope!!
In fact, at least one child (if not both) usually cries, and I leave feeling defeated and aggravated that we didn't get the "perfect" photo. So what about this situation makes it my favorite?
The faces in those photos. When I get behind my computer fully expecting to see awful, non-usable photos, but instead I see the things that I overlooked in the moment. The sleepy eyes, the tiny fingers, the sloppy kisses. In the rush and business of the moment, I completely overlooked those tiny details because I was solely focused on the big picture. But after I put the kids in the bed and looked at those same photos once more, I actually saw it. I saw the spirit and life in the .little eyes. I wonder at the beauty as I see pieces of myself and my husband intermingled in each little face and expression.... My smile mixed with my husband's hair as I marvel at my quickly growing five year old. My husband's eyes and my nose as I look at my sweet baby girl.
And it all makes such beautiful sense. In the everyday, things are moving so quickly I can barely notice all of the little details. But in that photo, that frozen moment of time, I can see it... all the things that my mind can't capture from day to day. I can look back at last year's album and see the massive changes time has made that I never even realized in the blur of speeding time. I can see how my boy has lost the toddler chubbiness and his face is slimmer and eyes more full of understanding. I can see how my baby girl isn't actually a baby anymore like I thought. I can see the strength and wisdom that my husband has gained in the past years as a dad and I fall in love even more with the man he has become.
So take the picture. Even if they cry. Even if YOU cry! Even if no one has had their nap and you think the whole day was a disaster. You'll never regret the time you took to capture the photo...you'll only regret that you never took more.