Last weekend I attended an event with a photo booth.  You know, the kind where you and your date/spouse/child go in and make funny faces and have 4-6 pictures taken.  It appeared to be the hit of the party with people lining up to have their evening memorialized.

While I was as dressed up as I get when I go out and I looked “ok,” I didn’t want to go in and have my picture taken.  I just hate that stuff.  I always think I look a bit off.  My hair like Roseanne Rosanna Dana.  My skinny neck sticking out or my crooked smile.  I think I’ve always been this way … hating to memorialize myself.  To be honest, I even avoid mirrors.

When I’m with the kids, I’m constantly taking pictures of them.  I want to record it all!  I love their funny smiles, the way they play with one another and how I can capture those moments for myself.   I cherish my “first day of school” picture I take every year.  Or the holiday picture I take with them wearing the new pj’s they get every Christmas eve.  They too hate having their pictures taken but I do it anyway (and, I do see them looking fondly at these “old” pictures.)

When I look back at pictures of my mom or my family, I don’t see fat or wrinkles or weird clothes.  I see their loving smiles.  The eyes that I remember so well.  It helps me to recall their smell and the feel of having them around.  The pictures are wonderful reminders of my time with them.   That got me thinking …

I need to have some pictures of me.  Not because I like looking at me or my odd-looking clothes, behaviors, glasses.  But because my kids are going to want reminders of our life together … and pictures with me in them.

I want them to see that at 51, I could still kick some (very little at times) ass finishing a 10 mile race.  Or that I could swim 2 miles in a lake and still come home, looking refreshed, make french toast and dance to some weird music (although I don’t like her taping those dance moves!).

I want my sons to see that their mom was strong and could be accomplished – like their future wives, but can also do wacky fun things.  I want my daughter to see that I can wear a wet suit and a business suit.  I need pictures of those things.

Now that I think of it, so much of our lives go by undocumented.  I’m going to make a point of changing that a bit for my kids.  Thank goodness for the camera on my iPhone!

Have a wonderful day!