Tangible

So much of our lives around here is documented. Funny thing, I'm a fairly private person, in person. But have no qualms with tweeting information that makes my mom cringe. (I can't count the times she's told me "don't tweet that!) When it comes to "documenting"...I'm not a scrapbooker, or a journal-er, or a baby-booker. I'm a photographer. I'm so visual with our memories. Apparently too much so for my mom's tastes. ;)


As much as I love how easy it is to tweet, blog, snap, flickr, etc...it's still sweet to hold those freshly printed shots in your hand. To see how your hard work looks outside of a computer screen. To look at those memories in 3D.

I'm glad for all the digital memories I have from our life...but it's nice to have something tangible, too. Every once in a while I actually print out something I've shot. And I still act like a kid who just developed a roll of film from summer camp. I love showing off my kiddos on the walls of our home, instead of just on my facebook wall.

I hope to keep up the habit of printing off pictures. I'm awful about photo albums, picture frames, etc. (Ironic in a family where my camera is our third child, huh?) I want to be able to give more than just a pile of DVD's to my kids (or who knows what else we'll be using to save stuff) one day.

I love the memories that we are making together everyday, and there's something special about holding those memories in your hand, passing them on your way down the hall, or carrying them around in your wallet.

Wild Memories

Not sure what it is about the holidays, but they always have you reflecting, remembering, looking back at years gone by. I don't think that's a bad thing...as long as you aren't living in the past and are enjoying the here.

This year is no different. I'm remembering this time last year, and thinking about how fast my little ones have grown and changed. Last year we were just coming out of that newborn stage, barely through that sleep-deprived stupor that characterizes new parents. Add the pertussis scare to that and all we wanted for Christmas was a good night's sleep.

This year...Tirzah isn't a newborn anymore, and Merrick is even wilder than last year. (I now realize Dennis the Menace isn't fictional, and he lives in my house.) We're getting more sleep this year, when the kids are that crazy all day they have to sleep good. Well they dont have to, but don't tell them that.

Even though everything's changed...there is one thing that hasn't. They still scream and run and resort to unimaginable tactics when I try to get pictures of them. Well, two things haven't changed...Tirzah still doesn't have any hair for me to play with. Maybe by the time she is going to senior prom?

I kid about my wild kiddos all the time (but I'm really not kidding about the wild part...), but honestly I'm glad they haven't changed in that respect. They are so full of life and laughter, and remind me to be the same way. If nothing else at least they keep me in good shape running after them.

Check out more shots at Perceptive Perspectives and Sweet Shot Tuesday

(The first shot is my pick for this week)

Miracles

“Love works in miracles every day: such as weakening the strong, and strengthening the weak; making fools of the wise, and wise men of fools; favoring the passions, destroying reason, and in a word, turning everything topsy-turvy.” Marguerite De Valois

Some of the every-days around here may not look like miracles to the untrained eye. But these kiddos I'm a mom to, the husband I'm a wife to, the God that I'm a follower of...miraculous. Today may look like just another ordinary day at first glance, but if I look a little closer? Um, wow.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. / 1 Chronicles 16:34

I love lamp presents.

When you think of Christmas, no matter how hard you try, I know you think of presents. Some people try to pretend they don't think of presents...but I think they are lying. It's hard NOT to since we are bombarded from Thanksgiving until December 25th.

I don't have anything against presents. Presents are my love language. Along with chocolate, massages, and getting to sleep late. Now that I've made myself sound completely materialistic...which I really am not, (I am a total tightwad, and cannot remember the last time I payed full price for anything. I have to be coerced by my husband to even buy myself a drink) I'd like to try to redeem myself by saying that these two objects under my tree are truly two of the best presents I've ever been given.

I know the reason for the season, and it's not wrapped up in paper or bought on Amazon. (I could potentially be caught trying to sell these two particular gifts on Amazon on a bad day however...but I'm pretty sure they'd be returned to me after a day of their, ahem, antics) It's about a lot more than that, but gift giving is still fun. My kids are already catching on about presents.

I do hope to teach these gifts of mine what Christmas is all about, and that they grow up to realize that the best kinds of presents can't be bought. Although I'll surely not turn one down if you want to send it my way. ;)

Check out more shots at The Paper Mama

(The first shot is my pick for this week)

Kindred

I get kissed by the sun each morning, put my feet on a hardwood floor
I get to hear my children laughing down the hall through the bedroom door

I have been blessed, with so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me, to love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed

I think to myself, I think to myself
This love is a beautiful gift

When I’m singing my kids to sleep
When I feel you holding me
I know / Blessed - Martina McBride

I'm not usually much on cheesy, emotional songs...but sometimes God uses cheesy to remind me of the gifts that I'm surrounded with. Sometimes He uses a stressful ride to a park where we freeze our buns off to remind me, too. (As was the case before I took these shots) But that waking up and seeing? It's good. I have been blessed.