I have admired your portraits for years; especially the grand family photos where every family member smiles vibrantly while wearing matching colors; carefully posed like a pyramid of bright-faced varsity cheerleaders. Professional. Picture perfect. We've had a couple of family pictures taken by your company as you provide your service at churches making those awesome church directories. Those directories have come in handy when I need an address. Or when I forget what name goes with what face of someone in church.

Anyway, I sat in my formal dining room two nights ago facing our family photo you did back in 2003. You covered up our blemishes. Nobody is complaining about having to take the photo.  Nobody is whining in the photo. No bunny ears. With the aid of your flashing bulb and umbrella, our near perfect skin is practically glowing. I like the 2012 portrait in our entryway even better. I was in a better hair era for one thing. I think I'd better learned by that time about clothing coordination too. We all have smiles on our faces; the proverbial best foot forward.

No one would guess us hooligans.

 Dressed to the nines, your pictures make it look very much like we have it all together. I thank you for that because honestly there are times I want us to appear as the All American family (like on our Christmas cards) and sometimes when I need reassurance that I'm not wrecking things, and….. well, on every Sunday morning.

You have dressed the walls in our home nicely.

 But I must admit. The more time that passes, I'm realizing that it's our blemishes and unposed moments that have invaded the deepest part of my soul.

It's the candid exposure of Hayden's affectionate nature and the pictures of Rylie where even her eyebrows are creased in laughter that fill my heart.

    I love honest illustrations of Hallie's individuality.

 

 

 I love how when facing the camera, Jason pats my lower back rhythmically, somehow pacing himself to correctly time when his eyes should be open. I roll in laughter when he mis-times four pictures in a row. Because these kinds of pictures aren't so serious.

My favorite pictures are becoming the ones where hairs are out of place and kids are caught sharing a sweet moment together.  I like the ones where they're being their mischievous selves too.  Pictures with Cherry Chill dotted noses and baby arms with chubby rolls are the ones I cherish. I love pictures, like the time Hallie got a special gift for her thirteenth birthday; times where we're caught up in a special moment.

Likely your portraits will always adorn my walls. They're special. But it's the snapshots of impish grins and sun-kissed babes in bathing suits that will decorate my heart.