It's strange taking family pictures when one child is missing! I have never been a mom that doesn't want her kids to grow up. I love watching them grow, love watching them become adults, love watching them create their own world. My problem is nights, when I should be able to lock the door with 14 children safely tucked into bed. That will probably never happen in my life again. Maybe for a short time, but it won't last. And I wouldn't want it to.... but I remember the nights that I knew that they were all asleep, all at home and all safely tucked into bed. And I could go to their doors, look at their angel faces and then go to bed myself, content that for just that moment the world was right. The other problem is pictures. Garrett has been in Puerto Rico for almost 20 months. We take family pictures every year faithfully. But it just seems odd to have a picture with one missing. And I really LIKE our family pictures this year.... it's never easy getting what feels like 107 people looking in the same direction. So we are always grateful for what we get. But this picture would be so perfect if my oldest son... and my youngest.... had their faces showing also. Just about 4 months to go and the kids will have to dress alike again and pretend like they enjoy getting family pictures taken so that just one more time I can get all of them in one picture! I sure hope they marry people that will go along with me and my pictures. It usually only takes a small bribe to get them to go for it. Just the promise of a treat after the fact. But that takes on a whole other interesting experience! That of going to the store where people stop, turn, stare and often count with their fingers. What is it about a bigger than normal family that makes people forget they were taught manners at some point in their lives? My older boys have been heard to say, "It's going to take your toes to count too!" :) Bad I know, they WERE taught manners but I can't help but smile when they say it while somebody is pointing and counting loud enough to hear! The last time we went into the store after pictures before Garrett left, it was like a strange movie that moves in slow motion. One minute the store was it's usual loud and busy self. The next moment it becomes silent and people started staring, whispering, counting.... then the questions come. "Are they all yours?" "Is this a blended family?" "Are there any twins?" Oh, and those are just the nice ones! My favorite is when somebody asks if they are all by the same dad. I am not usually mean, but sometimes it is priceless to see their face when I say nicely, "Oh no, I like a variety! I try a new one every year!"
And isn't it fun to look at pictures and remember what was going on at that time? For instance my 16 year old was mad because he had gotten grounded. His punishment to us was that he was not going to smile for the pictures. So I forever have a reminder that I should ground the children for disobeying a rule AFTER the pictures are taken! It's like a wedding picture I have. My mom revealed a family secret during the photos.... my dad looked at her, shocked that she had revealed it and the rest of us were laughing at how silly the whole thing was anyway. But I always laugh when I see that picture because there is a story behind why dad was shocked and the rest of us were laughing!
