**Found an older post I never published**
Every time I log into my blog, I am reminded how far overdue my family is for photos. The pictures in my header were taken last August. LAST AUGUST! Last summer my baby was just that - a baby! She hadn't been home two months. Boy, was life different then! It almost exhausts me just thinking about our life last summer. Although I wouldn't trade it for the world!
But funny enough, that's not what I see when I look at those photos. Maybe it's deceiving to others when they see the "picture perfect" family, but when I look at those photos I see joy. I see love. I see my two little darlings and remember that the best thing about last summer was bringing our little Cocoa home.
As I prepare with eager excitement for the next shoot (am I weird that this is that exciting for me?!?) my mind keeps me up late at night thinking of all the possibilities. I'm planning hairstyles, color schemes, locations, props, and of course - the wardrobe!
As I was scrolling through our photographer's online portfolio, I paused to show my husband one spectacular wedding shot. Although he agreed that it was a beautiful photo, he added "Wow, that is impossible to live up to though." I stopped to think about it before asking him what exactly he meant by that, to which he explained that it was almost like a fairy tale.
No, real life isn't dressed to the nines in the moonlight, gazing into each other's eyes under twinkling lights, is it? Nor is it lounging in a vintage chair in the middle of the woods. Real life isn't picture perfect. Nor would I want it to be. Real life is hard work. It is sweat and tears and heartache. Real life can be stretching and overwhelming. But through those hard times comes the true beauty. In those hard times come the redemption and reward that is only found by walking it with Him by your side.
So yes, maybe I am dreaming of a fairy tale. But whenever I look back on our life, I will choose to look at the beauty. I won't forget the hard times, but I will dwell on the beauty that emerged from it.
Every time I log into my blog, I am reminded how far overdue my family is for photos. The pictures in my header were taken last August. LAST AUGUST! Last summer my baby was just that - a baby! She hadn't been home two months. Boy, was life different then! It almost exhausts me just thinking about our life last summer. Although I wouldn't trade it for the world!
But funny enough, that's not what I see when I look at those photos. Maybe it's deceiving to others when they see the "picture perfect" family, but when I look at those photos I see joy. I see love. I see my two little darlings and remember that the best thing about last summer was bringing our little Cocoa home.
As I prepare with eager excitement for the next shoot (am I weird that this is that exciting for me?!?) my mind keeps me up late at night thinking of all the possibilities. I'm planning hairstyles, color schemes, locations, props, and of course - the wardrobe!
As I was scrolling through our photographer's online portfolio, I paused to show my husband one spectacular wedding shot. Although he agreed that it was a beautiful photo, he added "Wow, that is impossible to live up to though." I stopped to think about it before asking him what exactly he meant by that, to which he explained that it was almost like a fairy tale.
No, real life isn't dressed to the nines in the moonlight, gazing into each other's eyes under twinkling lights, is it? Nor is it lounging in a vintage chair in the middle of the woods. Real life isn't picture perfect. Nor would I want it to be. Real life is hard work. It is sweat and tears and heartache. Real life can be stretching and overwhelming. But through those hard times comes the true beauty. In those hard times come the redemption and reward that is only found by walking it with Him by your side.
So yes, maybe I am dreaming of a fairy tale. But whenever I look back on our life, I will choose to look at the beauty. I won't forget the hard times, but I will dwell on the beauty that emerged from it.
