Our neighbors have 4 little children and they are such a sweet family. The parents are devoted to their children, give them opportunities to learn and also enjoy life. Their oldest is in kindergarten and the only girl. We enjoy watching them play and also seeing the family do chores outdoors and have fun together.
On lawn mowing day, the children will bring out their 2 toy lawn mowers and follow the parent. On the last mowing...the 5 year old little boy just melted my heart as he followed his Dad with his cape billowing. It evoked memories of when our youngest boy was wearing a cape and flying around!
Our little guy had a black cape, beat-up felt cowboy hat and a Zorro mask. He flew everywhere for a very long time. Being as how he was the 5th and last child, we, the parents just savored every single minute. His teenage sister questioned the wisdom of letting him fly while we grocery shopped. I told her that was his favorite place with long aisles to race down and to enjoy it because one day he would simply stop, take off his cape and regalia, and never pick it up again.
That of course did happen and to this day she talks about his flying time and how memorable it now is.
IF I could do it over....I'd make sure that anything that one of my children did on a regular basis, that would someday be stopped, I'd get a couple of great pictures. I've never found one single picture of him flying!!! And he did it for ages! I also don't have a picture of him holding the metal lunchbox that he stored his Halloween candy in for a year to see what would happen to it. I also don't have a picture of him with the rock tumbler that he used making Christmas gifts. He stored it in the pump house and hoped no one would hear the sound as it ground away.
There are many priceless moments that I didn't capture on film. I wish I had one of our 2nd son, with his wagon filled with treasures from junk heaps. He found more things!!
People take a lot of staged photos but if I had it to do again.... I'd take pictures of those events that give your family a chuckle or is a rather peculiar behavior that will only be temporary.
And the last thing I'd do.....Snap a family shot each Fast Sunday (so I'd remember the day to do it!). At Church. Just ask anyone to take a quick picture as you are heading home. Just a quick snap. (ask me! I'll do it for you!! really!!) Think of the amazing amount of history you'd capture in your family if you took one picture a month!! 12 priceless pictures a year. Children growing. Babies coming into the family! Missing teeth. greying hair.
These moments, our current moments now, are to be savored and enjoyed. My children are all adults now but they are still my boys and my girl and how I love them. I do wish that I'd captured those priceless moments. They were all born in the age of film...purchasing it, developing, paying for the developing etc. etc. In this era of digital ease so much is possible. It would make my memories even more sweet with those select pictures.
So....if you want to have a quick picture once a month, just ask me and I will be happy to do it!
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