Our Road Map of Memories

One of my goals this past year was the practical task of creating albums for the photos I have taken over the last five years.  For a number of reasons, I had gotten behind on this previously annual task.  While I was off work over the holidays, I searched and found, printed and organized, and even laughed and cried!  Although I am not quite finished, I am getting close. 

 I am certainly not claiming to be a great photographer – very far from it.  The purpose of my photos is simply to commemorate each moment, creating a road map to the story of our lives.  There are a variety of high points – vacations with once-in-a-lifetime bucket list events, and milestones including first-days-of-school, 8^th grade graduation, weddings, and braces come and gone.  There are traditional, yearly events – coloring Easter eggs, Chuck E. Cheese visits, birthdays and “Christmas Tree Family Days” as well as shots of the kids playing ball, singing in concerts and dancing.  I captured a few every-day moments, the kids (and Shawn) acting goofy, smirking or hiding from the camera.  For some reason, they also captured a few photos of me as well, though usually not when I was camera-ready, and they typically tried for the most comical of angles – thank you very much!  But that is our family for you.

There were a couple years where the photos were hard to go through.  One year showcased our unknowing smiles where the innocence brought tears to my eyes while another year reminded me of the heartbreak.  The photos were almost therapeutic, putting a stamp on some of the moments that had originally been experienced with a less-than-present-numbness and other photos brought back moments that made me smile.  It’s hard to believe my children were so young back then – not quite sure where the years have gone… 

With only recent photos left to be organized, I feel a sense of accomplishment.  No, this past year was not about many major bucket list accomplishments. (Though our family did enjoy seeing New York City, checking three major league stadiums off the bucket list and seeing a Lion King production on Broadway.  I also enjoyed the experience of learning to throw pottery on a pottery wheel.)  But mostly this year was simply about living the good life, the day-to-day, finding balance and enjoying each moment.  Yes, another year has come and gone, replaced by a new set of 365 days (and a brand new album) to fill with a year’s worth of new memories and accomplishments.  My camera (and my pen) are ready!  I wonder what 2014 has in store …