~ My Kids ~

Jared, Josh, Juli and Joey


My family. My older kids all together. It's hard these days to get them all in one spot. With Joey still in college in Missouri, and Jared teaching and working in Mississippi, it's a rare moment to hold them down for a picture. They're "thick", as in best friends. They love each other, it's so obvious. Even though the miles separate them for the moment, they talk on the phone to each other all the time, and of course, I talk to each of them almost every day. Even though they're in their mid-twenties, they're still my babies, and I'm sure they always will be.

Almost twenty-seven years ago, I started writing letters to Josh before he was even born. I continued this with all four of them. I filled a big notebook of their beginning and their school years, and everything in between. Reading those letters out loud to them used to be their favorite past time. It's amazing how much of the little things you forget as a parent, but as we would read those letters, it's amazing how much they remembered from those days. Another example of how the little things become the big things in life. I haven't given them those letters yet, but I'm sure when I do, they will cherish them as much as I do.

I get teary eyed when I see them like this; having fun and goofing off, and posing for me. The lighting was not the best. Actually, we were in a dark room with only a ceiling fan for lighting and this quick snapshot turned out just perfect. I got their shining faces, all smiling and it's a beautiful picture to me. My children ... happy, smiling, loving each other and being together again, if only for one day, was wonderful.

I am yet to get all seven of my kids in one picture, but in two weeks, I'm setting up a studio at my brother's house and I'm doing family portraits of all of us. All of my sisters and their families and my brother and his family, and all of our kids and our parents. It's going to be a busy day, but a another fun day!

As we all get older, I think holidays take on a special meaning. I look forward to them, and all of us being together. Living away from my older kids is the hardest thing I've ever done ... you'd think I was hours and hours and a thousand miles away from them, but I'm only an hour away, yet I miss them so much. I miss the days of them running in and out and all the activities and all the running everywhere with them, and I'm looking forward to doing it again with the triplets in a few years. I'm a seasoned Mom, and I know exactly what's in store in for me!

Now Christmas is just around the corner, and I can't wait until we're all together again. Were you all together yesterday, and did you get pictures of those you love?

Be Blessed Everyone.