Family Christmas Photos

You guys!! Once again, my sweet friend Becky perfectly captured our little family so well. I can’t get over just how great M. and I look, despite sleep deprivation! 🤣 Seriously, no bags, no dark circles under our eyes–God’s grace. 😀

Buuut, don’t let these sweet, smily family photos fool you into thinking all was hunky-dory–up until we pulled into the parking lot, BOTH girls were having meltdowns, M. had been chasing Lilly around the sunroom trying to put her tights on, I spent five minutes trying to get ONE shoe on Rosie (M. had to rescue me), I got a run in my brand new pantyhose, and when Lilly yelled that she didn’t want to go, I said in exasperation, “We are going anyway, and all are going to SMILE!!”

Yup…I was #thatmom. 🤦🏼‍♀️

We finally got loaded up in the car (Rosie still only had one shoe on), and I tried not to cry as I put on my lipstick. This was not how I had envisioned us getting ready for photos. Mom-guilt started to set in, and I thought about how my kids and husband would come to resent family photos from here on out.

But the moment we stepped out of the car, everyone seemed to calm down, tears had been dried, and I started to relax–maybe my frown lines wouldn’t show up in the pictures, after all! And we ended up enjoying our photo session! The sun had begun to set, the air was cool, and the girls smiled and followed directions really well! If you’re a parent or a photographer, you know that getting small children to cooperate is nearly impossible.

This photo of just the two of us conveys so much–we’ve made it to the other side! People say that having children, little children in particular, can really put a strain on a marriage, for various reasons. Parents are exhausted, they can barely say a few words to each other in the midst of rowdy dinners and bedtime routines, and by the time the kids are in bed, both are so exhausted that collapsing on the couch or in bed are the M.O. each evening. And so you start to lose that special connection, a little bit, because so many other things are taking priority (you know, like keeping tiny humans alive and fed). You go through your day in a constant brain fog because you’ve averaged less than 5 hours of sleep a night, the last several days, and meaningful conversations require more brain power than you currently have. You bicker over who is more exhausted, who has worked longer hours, who deserves that coveted twenty minutes of free time between dinner and putting kids in bed. (spoiler: you’re BOTH exhausted and have worked hard!)

But somehow, you manage to find each other, again. Whether it’s a stolen glance across the table, an extra thirty minutes together because, magically, the toddler and baby both went to bed at the same time. And you both realize that it doesn’t matter who is more tired, who has worked longer that day, or who is surviving on fewer hours of sleep. Parenting isn’t a competition, and you are both a team meant to work TOGETHER. Picking up where the other person is falling behind, shouldering extra work so that the other can get a break. Unloading the dishwasher, again, in love instead of annoyance because your partner has an early morning meeting.

You remember that it was first the two of you, and that the two of you created this family together. You two are the foundation, and a strong foundation makes for a strong house that can weather any storm.

Stay Classy!

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