Picture Perfect

They say one picture means a thousand words.  I believe that's true!

My mom used to literally follow us around with a camera.  Whenever we'd do something cute...she snapped it. If she missed it she begged us to do it again.  I didn't see my all of my mom's face for 2 years after she got her new expensive camera!
Every single "family photo shoot" had at least one person with a bad attitude.  You know, the person that you have to tell three hundred times to smile...which usually leads to an argument and then pretty soon mom's in tears.  "We are preserving memories!  Just smiling for one photo won't kill you!"  (P.s. we always knew "just one" meant at least 50).

I didn't realize how much a picture meant until the other day.  I've been thinking a lot about my family lately.  I look at the thousands of pictures my mom took and the old family Christmas cards....there we are, picture perfect.  We all are smiling and happy.  Somehow the hard times disintegrate (although always there) and I remember the good.  Like the time where we got rained out from camping and spent the night laughing instead of sleeping in the car....or the big family dinner we had on Kameron's graduation, where everyone was together.  Those are the things in life to be remembered.  Even though life is not picture perfect, I am grateful for my family and the cherished memories I have.  I am so blessed!