Thankfulness

This time of the year is one of my favorites. It's so full of joy and happiness. I decided that this was a good time to share a little about me and some images of what I am most thankful for, my family.

I'm a planner by nature to the annoyance of my husband. I had things planned out as to what age I would get married and when I would have children. As the years of dating my husband dragged on and on and on, I would do the math to marriage and children and be overcome with anxiety. My beautiful plan wasn't going as planned. That's the thing...it wasn't meant to.  My little family is so much more well thought out than what I ever could have planned. 

It's crazy to me to think back a year ago. A year ago, I was 36 weeks pregnant. I was making plans to have my second child and willing her (because I'm a planner) to arrive the next week. I was so sure that she was coming early, that we stayed home for the Holidays...also because I'm a terrible traveler and worse when I'm pregnant. Now we have a beautiful little girl who just started walking! She did not come the next week, but waited until a few days before Christmas.

This was the first year that I've hired a professional photographer. Every year in the past, I've begged someone to take them and I edit. As the photographer, I rarely end up in front of the lens. That leaves our pictures from the year missing me. I always think of the legacy I leave behind. I have a friend who lost her mother at a young age. She recently shared that one thing that is the most heart-breaking for her, is the lack of pictures of her and her mom. Those images reflect the way a person cared for you and looked at you and loved you long after you have forgotten. I vowed that I will do my best to keep that from happening for my girls. 

This is a time when the most images are being taken, but it's also a time when the least amount of pictures are being printed. When I was a teacher and would request pictures, so many children had trouble completing the assignment. 

All this I say, to share with you some of our family pictures taken with the lovely Following Seas Photography. Don't worry, I've already made an album and have my canvas prints in my e-cart.